Unless you’re an all-all-inclusive traveler (or one of those people who considers a twirl around Epcot Center to be a shot of culture), you’ve probably uncovered a hidden gem or two during your travels. And chances are, it wasn’t simply the fortuitousness of your find that made it so satisfying: it was the prospect of all those bragging rights. The nominators of 2007’s Local Secrets, Big Finds can vouch for that…along with every IgoUgo member who has written a travel review since the community’s inception in 2000. Travelers’ love of bragging rights, in fact, is precisely what makes the IgoUgo community such an excellent resource for travel planning and inspiration (if we do say so ourselves). As an IgoUgo editor, I’ve been reading about our members’ picks and pans for the past 3 years, and trust me—these are travelers who know the what, where, and how of finding little-known treasures all over the world (and talking them up freely upon their returns). The best part? You can see who’s doing the bragging.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo member UCLArocks

“Think Global, Act Local.” I can’t think of a better example of a company that embodies this ideal than Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor. Even if Zingerman’s hadn’t been named as a Travelocity Local Secret, Big Find for Michigan, it would’ve still been at the top of my list of places to visit during the 24 hours I had in town. You see, back in the ‘90s, I was introduced to Zingerman’s as a U of M freshman, and it’s been true love ever since.

This Monday, I moseyed in at high noon to a practically drooling sandwich line that snaked past olives, salami, fresh-baked breads and magic brownies—and was greeted by a cheese wizard named Marshall who, if he hadn’t already had me at hello, sealed the deal when he asked, “would you like to try some of our homemade creamery cheeses”?

It was with the anticipation of a giddy fan that I was then introduced to Head Chef, Rodger Bowser, who took time out of his very busy schedule to chat with me about Zingerman’s considerable connection to the local community.

When I say that I’m from Dallas, Texas, I get one of two responses. Some begin to serenade me with the theme song from that ubiquitous 1970s TV show. Others produce a scowl on the face, implying pity and dismay. Then they proceed to tell me about “this one time they went to Dallas in July…” The stories almost always make me laugh, and I find myself defending my hometown, touting its hidden secrets and promising that “it’s not always that hot.”

Of all the places I’ve been, I admit that Dallas is among the most spread out and difficult to navigate. Visitors are often overwhelmed with the sprawl, and they simply don’t know where to start. My advice: get recommendations from the locals. No doubt, your travels will be richer and more rewarding, and you’ll certainly see a side of Big D that would have otherwise been missed.

Photo courtesy of Bishop Arts District, Dallas, Texas.

The year was 2005. The place was Charleston, South Carolina. The temperature was pushing 80 and I was hot, sweaty, in a rush, and--worst of all--insanely hungry. I needed something to eat. I needed something delicious to eat. I needed something delicious to eat fast. Tall order? Well, it could have been. Until I remembered that a place called Ted's Butcherblock had just opened on the street I was driving down. I pulled over. I parked. I ordered. I swooned.

When I discovered two years later that Ted's had been nominated as one of our Local Secrets, Big Finds in the great state of South Carolina, I was hardly surprised. The place is a foodie's dream, with huge deli-style sandwiches (chicken, pancetta, and avocado? What is this, heaven?), to-die-for gourmet sides, an excellent wine selection, and walls and walls of fancy treats that gastronomes may well have a fainting fit over. (Well, I know I did. What can I say? Cheese has that effect on me.) Every month, the eponymous Ted chooses a region--June, for example, is the Caribbean--and offers featured dishes inspired by its culinary traditions. And as you'd expect from a place named Ted's Butcherblock, the piece de resistance is a full-scale, old-school butcher counter boasting an impressive array of all-natural beef, pork, lamb, veal, poultry game, smoked sausages, salami, bacon, and cold cuts. You don't have to be a carnivore to love Ted's, but it helps.

Just what is Local Secrets, Big FInds? It's a special project that we do every two years at Travelocity -- a project that is more than just a project -- but a huge labor of love. As we sift through thousands of nominations that you, our favorite fellow travelers, tell us are terrific places that you won't find in any other guidebook. These are spots where the locals frequent and they're found all across america. So if you're looking for that something unique to do on your summer travels, your road trip, or just this weekend Local Secrets, Big Finds is full of ideas.

In this, our third issue of Local Secrets, Big Finds – we teamed up with IgoUgo and culled down over 10,000 entries to select our 295 winners. I always have to hand it to our phenomenal editorial team for doing this work – it is truly the biggest project we do! Jenn, Holly, Rachel – you are amazing! This year they've taken citizen journalism to new heights.

Common etiquette dictates that one has a year after a wedding in which to buy the wedding gift. Question: when does this rule not apply? When the couple has requested travel as their present, that's when.

Forget Crate and Barrel and Macy's--an increasing number of brides and grooms are turning to honeymoon registries to collect on the goodwill their guests will be feeling upon the announcement of an engagement. In fact, I'm attending a wedding this weekend not with a toaster in my arms but with a voucher from Honeymoon Wishes for the Mr-and-Mrs-to-be to indulge in a couples' massage. In Mexico.

Editor’s Note: G’day mate! I write you after my long haul to the land down under, where I’ve been hanging with the Aussies and roos. It’s been an experience, so, come on, have a go! Join me for my three week Australian series, Adventures of Oz. (3 of 3)

Cupid’s arrow has struck. I’m definitely in love, and my significant other has an Australian accent, an unbridled passion for nature and beauty like I’ve never seen before. That’s right; I’ve developed a soulful love affair with the land down under. (What? Were you expecting stories of a tan, buff surfer or a hunk from the Outback? No such luck!)

“Kilts. Bells. Lake. Fun.” These four words are on my friend’s wedding website, and this weekend I’ll be seeing those words come to life near Lake Huron in Michigan, where the Sean Connery-esque dress code will be a quirky nod to Scottish heritage.

No longer do traditional wedding destinations like Vegas and Niagara Falls get all the “I do” action. For that reason, the dress code is getting more and more varied—in the Maldives, for example, brides and grooms can don their scuba-gear finest and get married underwater, using hand signals and bubble-blowing to exchange their vows. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a white wedding in the custom-carved chapel at Sweden’s Icehotel is all about wearing layers—the bride pictured on one website is wrapped in fur.

It's the season of the White nights in St. Petersburg – an amazing time of year when night is as bright as day and the whole city celebrates. I was in St. Petersburg for the very beginning of white night season –this picture was taken on a boat ride at 11pm! While I was there it stayed light until around midnight. That kind of light is a wild thing. You know you should be getting ready for bed but when it's so light outside….Wouldn't you rather walk along the cobble streets and view the canals?

The White Nights offer a perfect time to take in the beauty of St. Petersburg. The city is very walkable (though you'll need to be wearing comfortable shoes) and in fact the traffic is so horrid that you're almost always better off hoofing it than taking a taxi. (As a side note taxis are also extremely expensive and if you don't know the language you're really at a loss when it comes to bargaining.) You can appreciate the details of the city if you take it in by foot and you can stretch that to the max during the white nights. From St. Isaacs Cathedral to the Hermitage, the summer palace to the Peter and Paul Fortress – you could spend days in St. Petersburg and not get the time to see all of the art and architecture.

This blog isn't called The Window Seat for nothing, you know. I mean, as far as airline travel goes, the spot beside the window is obviously the best seat in the house. In second place, of course, you've got the old aisle, whose pros (easy access to the bathrooms, a bit of room into which to stretch your legs) are tempered only slightly by its cons (flight attendants crashing into your ankles and elbows with the drinks cart, having to get up and down every few minutes to let your neighbor--lets call him Mr. Overactive Bladder--make his non-stop trips to the lavatory.)

But who in the history of the world has ever asked for the middle seat?

Editor’s Note: G’day mate! I write you after my long haul to the land down under, where I spent my holiday with the Aussies and roos. It was an experience, so, come on, have a go! Join me for my three week Australian series, Adventures of Oz. (2 of 3)

The very first time you see something is always the best. Well, it is at the very least the most emotive. That first sight, the very first glimpse of something truly amazing, is a rollercoaster of emotions. You’re stunned, awed, captivated, ecstatic and overwhelmed all at the same time. That’s how I felt when my cab emerged from the underground tunnel and followed the curve of the street toward the harbor to expose one of the world’s grandest masterpieces in all its glory.

Paris Hilton’s little stint in the slammer has been defined by her weepy “boo-hoos” and her very vocalized desire to get out. If only she knew that a new trend in the travel industry is to go to jail--directly to jail--and even pay for it, she might sit back, relax, and revel in her lack of freedom like any other properly adventurous prison tourist.

Last month I went to a wedding in Mexico with a group of friends, requiring several of them to get a passport because of the new regulations implemented by the U.S. State Department earlier this year. Two weeks before our big departure, most of them still hadn’t received their documents, which should have already been in their hands. One of my friends even made the drive from Dallas to the Houston passport office to pick it up in person.

Lucky for summer travelers who procrastinated (shame on you!) and didn’t apply for their passports in time, the U.S. eased the new passport restrictions, allowing passengers who haven’t received their documents to travel with just an official passport receipt and photo ID.

Passports have been a hot topic in travel since January, when the U.S. began requiring a passport for travel to all international destinations – including Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean. Travelers have been forced in recent months to alter or cancel their vacation plans because of the time it took to receive a passport, a process that normally takes only six weeks but is now taking at least 12. (Back in the day, I got mine in less than two!)

Being sick while on vacation is beyond disappointing, and when it’s serious, you just want to beam yourself back home and into your own bed—even if you’re in a spectacular setting. That must have been what T.B. patient Andrew Speaker was thinking when he hopped on a plane home from Europe last month. While accounts vary as to how much he knew about how contagious he was, a case like this definitely brings up the risks of traveling among the public when you’re sick.

Editor’s Note: G’day mate! I write you after my long haul to the land down under, where I spent my holiday with the Aussies and roos. It was an experience, so, come on, have a go! Join me for my three week Australian series, Adventures of Oz. (1 of 3)

It always makes the most sense to start a story from the beginning. So before I dig into tales of the Sydney Opera House, the outback or the Great Barrier Reef, let’s first explore ancient Australia.

On my recent trip, I had the chance to hear native stories -- about how the ancestral spirits emerged from the earth and the sky to create the land, the people and the traditions. The passion in the voice of the native who told the stories made me feel more intimately connected to Australia, magnifying its beauty and giving me deeper understanding of its origins. For me, exploring the history of a culture always makes me feel closer to the destination. After all, traveling is about truly experiencing a place, not just seeing it.

Photo courtesy of Brisbane Marketing and Riverlife Adventure Centre.

I’m off on a quick trip to Chicago next month, and I’m trying to resolve the dilemma of bringing two laptops. There’s my work one, of course--I’ll want to stay in touch with colleagues and check e-mail--and then there’s my personal one, the shiny white iBook with all my music and bookmarks and photos. I’ve always carried one computer with me on my vacations--the idea of potentially being out of touch makes me hyperventilate just a tad--but am I over-egging the pudding a little with two?

It seems we can't stop, any of us. According to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released last week, one in five people took their laptop on their last vacation, and the same number admitted to doing some work when they were supposed to be relaxing. Twice as many checked their e-mail.

My biggest problem, really, isn’t which laptop to bring--or whether I should even bring a laptop; frankly, that’s not up for discussion--but how I’m going to get both on the plane with me. Most airlines only allow you to bring one laptop bag, in addition to another piece of carry-on luggage. What I need, I think, is the bag equivalent of the double stroller. Anyone know where I can get one of those?

I once made the mistake of bringing Sophie’s Choice with me on a beach vacation. Not that it’s a bad book, but with a perfectly blue sky overhead, the book's dark subject matter seemed totally out of synch with the lighthearted vacation mood I was going for.

Now that summer’s coming, the reading lists are starting to roll out, and I found this one by NPR’s All Things Considered commentator Alan Cheuse to be a great start to the beach-reading season. His list is a nice blend of modern and classics, fiction and poetry. You can check out the list right here. From Chekhov stories to a collection of travel tales, happy reading everyone!

And please feel free to send any of your favorite summer reads my way. I'm always looking for a good book recommendation.