Hey Steve,

It's been a while since we talked. First up, I just wanted to say thanks again for my MacBook and my iPhone. They have completely revolutionized how I travel, which is well documented here and here and here.

There are travelers out there who firmly believe that gadget-free is the only way to go globetrotting, but don't worry. The Gadget Guru is always trying to win hearts and minds to the ways technology can enhance a travel experience.

Which leads me to my reason for writing. Do you have a moment to chat? Steve, Steve, Steve. I had Wednesday, January 27th marked on my iPhone calendar as Tablet Day! No one was more excited than me about TABLET DAY!!!

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.

It's not even Thanksgiving, and many cities already look like Christmas. Department store windows are festooned in silver snowflakes and star-shaped lights, and some have even sprung up genuine evergreens.

But in some places, the holidays aren't just a winter affectation. Check out these pit stops and roadside attractions that do "seasonal" in a big, weird way:

Gozzi's Turkey Farm (Guilford, CT)

(Source)

Recently I discovered How I Met Your Mother, which means I was the second-to-last person on Earth to get obsessed with it. This show nails what it's like to be a young adult in the city. And so far my favorite episode has been "Murtaugh." In it, Ted says he has a list of things he is now too old to do, like pull an all-nighter or drink from a beer bong. The list is named after the main character in Lethal Weapon, Roger Murtaugh, who famously says, "I'm gettin' too old for this sh*t." But the item on Ted's Murtaugh List that resonated the most with me was: Crash on a friend's futon for the night instead of getting a hotel room.

I knew I could make the move from New York City to San Francisco the moment I first laid eyes on Napa Valley. It felt like a wonderland to me, a spot of much-needed European charm and pastoral quietude just a quick hour down the road from the hustle and bustle of the city.

And now three years into my great California adventure, I have developed my way of enjoying Napa and Sonoma. Much like how Coloradans debate the relative merits of competing ski resorts, we here in the Bay Area enjoy holding forth about the "right way" to explore the wine country. There are two valleys to choose from, at least 10 quaint towns, and a huge variety of activities, including hiking, biking, wine tasting, gourmet dining, air ballooning, spa going, and more.

I'm all about getting sporty on my trips. When I was training for the NYC marathon, I had to visit Washington, D.C. at a crucial point of my training. Instead of halting training or spending hours running on the hotel treadmill, I hired a running guide through City Running Tours who took me on a sightseeing run through our nation's capital.

So when I heard about a physical fitness event  -- again, in Washington, DC -- coming up on October 11, I thought I would share it with you. Bike for the Heart is a day-long event put on by the Sister to Sister organization, a group dedicated to educating women about heart health and risk prevention and providing free heart health checkups.

The day consists of four events:

 - a family-friendly five-mile bike ride around our nation's capital (this would be my choice)

Here’s a secret: the two main reasons I spent a college semester in Paris were nine years of French lessons and National Lampoon’s European Vacation. I saw it when I was very young and could not wait to explore Europe…by car, of course.

In a classic case of careful-what-you-wish-for, that first spring-break road trip—through Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic—was indeed decidedly Griswoldesque.

But I’ve rented cars in Europe since then, and each trip goes more smoothly than the last. So as I prepare for another European road trip next week and ponder past hits and misses, I’ve come up with my top five tips for seeing Europe through the windshield. If you follow these guidelines, I'm confident you'll discover the joys of renting a car abroad.

Over the past several months, we've talked a lot about the silver lining in this gray recession cloud. That is, all the great travel deals that are out there. For the summer, we're seeing airfare that has dropped more than 17 percent over last year and hotel rates that have declined a good 13 percent.

But, there's more to the silver lining than just deals. Travelers are getting back to the basics, seeking to experience the world on a budget and taking the time to explore their own backyards. For many, that means hitting the road.

Take a look at the map below for road trip inspiration from your hometown. We've highlighted the cities that have the best average hotel rates on the continent and found some local-recommended festivals that are worth checking out and will help to keep you on budget.

Today I'm stopping by The View from the Bay to do a round-up of the best summer travel gadgets. Savvy Window Seat readers already know about a few of the gizmos I'm going to talk about, but here are my top five (in no particular order):

One guidebook said it was an exercise in self-torture, but my friends and I were not dissuaded. We had eight days to circumnavigate a country, and we were going to take advantage of long hours of daylight to suck the marrow out of every minute. Starting in Reykjavik, we were going to circle the country of Iceland, from west to south to east to north, along the fabled Ring Road, and during a tumultuous time in the country’s history.

Once among the richest countries in the world, Iceland’s economy has completely collapsed in recent years. While it has wreaked havoc on the populace, for us it meant a favorable exchange rate and a chance to see a country that was formerly cost prohibitive.