You know how every traveler has that confession that makes people look at him or her sideways? Their “I thought Paris was overrated” or “I went to China and didn’t see the Great Wall” or even “I’m terrified of flying”? Mine is, I’m not much a beach person. Even when I’m so lucky as to find myself on one of world’s best beaches, I become more preoccupied with sun poisoning, sharks, and sand in the pants than with soothing waves.

So one of my favorite types of discoveries is the beach destination for non-beach lovers. And I don’t know how it took me so long to “discover” Cape Cod, because it’s the perfect place to visit if you’re looking for a picturesque beach town with much, much more to offer.

As Chelsea Clinton’s wedding guests descend (reportedly) on Rhinebeck, New York, today, the small Hudson River Valley town is banking on a big tourism boost. But the valley is more than a wedding destination and more than a quick getaway from New York City: it’s a truly stunning part of the country, as pretty as New England and as friendly as the Midwest.

As the area’s biggest fan, I thought I’d round up my favorite places and ways to spend a day upstate:

Rhinebeck
Visit (or check into) one of the 430+ Rhinebeck sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places; see an air show at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome; and hit the local wine trails. Visit in September for the fabulous Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest.

When LeBron James recently announced his decision to play for the Miami Heat next season, the press and the fans went wild—but perhaps no group was more elated than the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. The CVB is hoping this NBA coup will attract more visitors—particularly international visitors—to South Florida.

There’s a lot of buzz here in New York this week about a newly passed bill that makes renting an apartment for less than 30 days illegal. Other than possibly being a small triumph for hotels, it seems like a lose-lose law; certainly travelers looking for an affordable place to stay, and New Yorkers looking to rent out their places while they travel, are out of luck.

I’ve never rented out my apartment, preferring to remain in the good graces of co-ops and roommates, but I’ve stayed in rentals in other cities, and as a budget traveler, I wonder: what would I have done if the only option was a hotel? At times, most likely I would have skipped to the next destination. And that isn’t even in places where hotel rates come anywhere close to those in Manhattan.

I ended up in Pécs because its dot on the map was rather large and well located between Budapest and Sarajevo; I ended up loving Pécs because it’s a wonderful surprise in southern Hungary—a stunningly beautiful city full of fascinating attractions.

The European Union agrees, because Pécs is one of the organization’s Capitals of Culture for 2010. And with a calendar packed with related events and festivals this summer and fall, there’s never been a better time to score a Central Europe travel deal and discover Pécs.

Come December, East and West Coasters may flock inland to our favorite ski towns (and, let’s admit it, après-ski towns), but by spring, we’re usually headed back to our respective shores and making plans for summer travels, seaside.

It’s unfortunate that we too often relegate the Rocky Mountain states to winter-destination status; after a few years of spring and summer trips to Colorado, I’m struck by how much the area has to offer summer vacationers. Under mountains in bloom, towns put on festivals (I happened upon a great wine fair in Boulder last year), rivers welcome rafters, trails beckon hikers. Planning a Colorado vacation for summer means a ticket to a veritable mountain paradise.

Holy guacamole! The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas, just announced the hotel industry’s newest unusual perk: guests can now sign up to serve as Guest Guacamologist during the hotel's evening guacamologist ritual. Guests interested in playing sous-chef to the professional guacamologist need only call the hotel's public relations department for a complimentary slot slicing avocados.

This unusual opportunity brought to mind a few other favorite weird hotel perks:

Dear Editors,

What is the minimum age to fly as an adult? Can a 17-year-old do it?

Mel in Ohio

Hi Mel,

Sometimes I think the elusive green entry light on hotel-room doors is my nemesis. At best, it’s a finicky friend--never there when I need it most, and certainly not amenable to coaxing.

But there’s hope for me yet: InterContinental Hotels Group is testing technology that allows guests to bypass the reception desk and enter their room with their smartphones.

Following the lead of airports already using smartphones as boarding passes, the Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago O'Hare Rosemont and the Holiday Inn Express Houston Downtown Convention Center will begin granting guests access to rooms via an app for iPhones, Android phones, and BlackBerries.

If you’ve ever wanted to stroll the Champs-Élysées sans the honking, hulking madness that is Parisian traffic, now’s your chance: more than seven acres of plants will carpet the boulevard today through Monday as part of Gad Weil’s Nature Capitale project.