What I love about travel is the way it expands your worldview. I admit that I have occasionally felt like I had it hard here in the U.S. But all it takes is a trip beyond our borders and I remember how very lucky I am.

And inevitably when the citizens of my host country open their arms and welcome me, treat me like a guest in their beautiful country, I am humbled anew. Travelers are acutely aware that the world is not a collection of different people and countries, but rather a global community where people rely upon one another. And they understand that the gift of travel comes with responsibilities.

Orlando is already renowned for its family-friendly attractions, but Universal Orlando is giving kids--and quite a few adults!--a new reason to book a flight to Florida: a Harry Potter amusement park.

When Marilyn Monroe sang the infamous song, it was for John F. Kennedy's birthday. But this Monday it's America's first president who'll be getting the birthday honors. Turn up the volume on your own celebration with a trip to one of the U.S.'s most presidential sights--South Dakota's Mount Rushmore.

Update: This continues to be a very popular post so I thought I'd update the information since airline policies for bereavement fares tend to change. But first I'd like to thank all of the travelers who wrote about their experiences in the comments section of this post. I know that losing a loved one is hard and booking a compassion fare is very stressful. Your advice is wonderful and you're helping other people navigate this challenging period.

General Info: Bereavement or compassion fares aren't always the best option for those traveling at the last minute. Let's weigh the pros and cons.

With Presidents Day and school vacations fast approaching, parents may want to consider a ski getaway for their family. Watch this video for tips on planning your ski trip, where to go, where to stay and what to do once you get to your destination.

I don't play chess. You could call me uncultured, but I probably wouldn't hear you. I'd be too busy stabbing at a flashing, beeping, handheld touch-screen trying to save the president from exploding skeletons. And let's be honest--most of your fellow airline passengers will be doing the same this season.

But what if you don't have the latest Megafastatron3000 gaming system in hand when you step into the airport? Are you doomed to manipulate magnetic rooks across a tiny chess board? Are you stuck shoving backgammon stones down endless rows of triangles? Nope! Because I'm about to lay down the travel game suggestions, 2009-style.

I think it’s safe to say that the holiday season is here. Mall perfume counters are battling with the crisp scent of pine trimmings, and hundreds of homes showcase tinsel-trimmed trees. But the real heavyweights--the luchadores of winter decoration--are the hotels.

And around the holidays, they do decoration in a massive way.

Take the Westin St. Francis, for instance. The second you walk in, you're faced with an unbelievably tall confectionary castle--purportedly one of the largest in the country--built specifically for the holiday season. Another San Francisco giant, The Fairmont, boasts a similar baked behemoth--a two-story gingerbread house whose icing alone weighs 550 pounds. That makes even fruitcake sound light.

Even if budgets are a little snug this year, travel hopes remain high. Here's a list of affordable travel gifts for the globetrotter on your list. The best part? All of the items are $60 or less (and in many cases, much, much less). Happy holiday shopping!

For the Green Globetrotter

VeloPouch $45

(Source)

Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days. - Benjamin Franklin

Whether you're crashing on Aunt Edna's floral couch or hosting your in-laws for a week, the holidays are about bonding with loved ones in cramped quarters. We asked our readers to send us their most hair-raising tales of guests gone bad. Here are your houseguest horror stories!

It wouldn’t be the season without a place to strap on skates and glide in a spectacular setting, and with Thanksgiving just around the bend, ice-skating rinks are opening up across the nation. From the bare-leaf trees of New England to the palm trees of Southern California, here are seven ultimate U.S. spots to practice your figure eights and triple lutz jumps.