The 8 Best Fall Festivals for Families

Now that we've all gone apple picking you might be wondering, what left is there to do beyond trick or treating? I'm here to tell you! Festival season is far from over and it's always a thrifty route that's well worth looking into. Check out 8 of the best fall festivals (in the world!) for the whole family:

1. Keene Pumpkin Festival - New Hampshire, Oct. 20

Best places to explore solo

British explorer Dame Freya Stark once said, "To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world." We think this late adventurer was on to something: Traveling on your own can be invigorating.

Tips for Riding Europe's Subways and Buses

Europe's public-transportation systems are so good that many urban Europeans go through life never learning to drive. Their wheels are trains, subways, trams, and buses (plus the occasional taxi). By riding with the locals, you too can take advantage of Europe's convenient network of buses and rails.

Celebrities reveal their travel tips

Jet-setting celebrities have a myriad of methods in coping with long-haul flights, from packing wardrobe essentials to ridding germs in bathrooms. Whether travelling to movie sets, concert tours or simply on vacation, these celebs swear by their travel tips.

Your Adventure Travel Kit

Outdoor lovers and adventure seekers will all agree that there is nothing more pleasurable than being out in nature. Whether you're hiking along a scenic ridgeline, scaling a foreboding cliff face, exploring the countryside on a bicycle, fishing or camping, there's no doubt that nature offers us some of the most exhilarating ways to experience life.

Savvy Tips for the Unseasoned Traveler

Want to get through airport security faster? Get in and out of baggage claim in a jiff? Spend less, a lot less, on food? Next time you go to board a flight, keep these four tips in mind.

How to Get the Cheapest Price on Airfare

Airfare tends to be the most cost-prohibitive part of planning a vacation or trip. And with delayed flights, over-crowded cabins, excess fees and no free food, it’s surprising that airlines are able to charge such high tickets prices. During the course of a day, prices fluctuate depending on availability. “Airfare is the most volatile part of traveling compared to the price of hotels or cruises,” says Gabe Saglie, senior editor at Travelzoo.

10 Winter Sun Holiday Destinations

When the weather turns cold at home, the thought of a week or two away, lazing on a beach in the warm winter sun is enough to get any of us reaching for the computer to search out our winter sun holiday deal. But where can you head for guaranteed winter sun without breaking the bank? Whether you take a package holiday, or opt for a flight and accommodation, we show you our top 10 winter sun warmers:

How to travel and earn money

Those of us bitten by the travel bug dream of unchaining ourselves from our desks, breaking free from our office cubicles, packing our bags and heading out to explore the world. But leaving the security of a paycheck can be frightening, and our financial insecurities often end up holding us back from making our travel fantasies a reality. If you have a passion for travel, the good news is, you don’t have to wait till you retire to trot the globe. There are many career options for people who love to travel. Here are some of them.

Safety tips for travelling alone

Travelling alone can be a daunting experience, but follow these simple safety tips and your solo travels should be memorable for all the right reasons. Travelling alone can be a daunting experience, but also a hugely rewarding one.

5 phrases a traveler should never use

"Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word, before you let it fall," said Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Thinking before you speak is an excellent strategy for anyone, but it's especially appropriate for the traveling set. To fend off foot-in-mouth syndrome while on the road, banish the following five phrases from your lexicon.

10 road trips around the world

Roll the window down, get some top tunes on, feel the wind in your hair, and embark on a trip you’ll remember for years to come. Who cares about the destination? This is all about the journey, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Here are 10 road trips around the world that you don’t want to miss.

10 Most Dangerous Cities in America

The bottom cities on our list need to work on lowering their crime rates and creating safer communities for families. What do you think: did we get it right? Plus, find out which cities are the least affordable and which ranked the worst in education.

10 places every American should see

What makes a place essentially American? Besides being within our borders, of course? When the Budget Travel editors set out to compile a list of can't-miss destinations in the United States, we knew there was no one answer.

World's best airline named

Qatar Airways has won the award for the Best Airline of the World, for the second time, at the Skytrax 2012 World Airline Awards. The Best Airline of the World award, as well as the awards for best seats, best lounges and others, were announced on Thursday at the Farnborough International Airshow near London.

The first time the airline was awarded the World's Best Airline prize was at the 2011 World Airline Awards, in a ceremony at the Paris Air Show. The Doha-based airline was also awarded the title of best regional airline in the Middle East and occupied top rankings in the categories World's Best First Class Airline Lounges, World's Best Business Class Onboard Catering and World's Best Business Class Airline Seat.

The Skytrax Awards are one of the benchmarking tools for the air industry. They measure passengers' satisfaction levels by surveying passengers in all cabin classes.

The 10-month survey is carried out by telephone among 18 million airline customers from 100 countries. The survey includes 38 key performance indicators including check-in, boarding, onboard seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food, beverages, in-flight entertainment and staff service. This year the survey covered over 200 airlines, from international to domestic carriers.

The World's Best Airlines 2012
1. Qatar Airways
2. Asiana Airlines
3. Singapore Airlines
4. Cathay Pacific Airways
5. ANA All Nippon Airways
6. Etihad Airways
7. Turkish Airlines
8. Emirates
9. Thai Airways
10. Malaysia Airlines

ORSOS Floating Island for Only $4.6 million

One company is giving wealthy consumers the chance to own a private island, sans the sand, rocks and monumental price tag. But life aboard an ORSOS Island doesn't exactly come cheap, either.

The luxury craft alone will set buyers back about $4.6 million, Elite Daily reports. The floating island offers more than 10,000 square feet of living space and enough rooms to accommodate 12 people, as well as up to four staff members.

According to the company's website, the ORSOS Island, which is touted as a mix between a yacht and a mainland home, has several environmentally features including solar panels, a noiseless wind energy system and heat recovery from water that serves as "the basis of heating and air conditioning."

The product is still in its prototype stage but a public reveal is set for some time in 2013, according to Elite Daily. Gizmag notes the idea of a floating island regained popularity about four years ago with the introduction of "an island-themed megayacht" called Wally Island, which was priced at about $200 million.

The concept is well liked because some floating islands can offer environmentally friendly features, General Manager of Dutch Docklands Maldives told Gizmag.

Floating Island An Austrian company is giving wealthy consumers the chance to own a private floating island. But life aboard an ORSOS Island doesn't exactly come cheap either setting buyers back about 5.2 million Euro ($6.5 million).

The floating island offers more than 10,000 square feet of living space and enough rooms to accommodate 12 people, as well as up to four staff members. Measuring 66 feet by 121 feet (20m by 37m), the "Orsos Island" has no engine but can be anchored anywhere its owners choose and then towed to another location if they wish. Austria

Europe's 10 Prettiest Drives

Roam through ruined castles, picnic by secluded lakes, explore quiet country lanes add a bit of history, a bit of art into the mix, here are 10 lovely drives through Europe, for you to experience at your own pace.

1. The Amalfi Coast, Italy. Best for grand views and marvelous music

Ask Europhiles to name the continent’s most beautiful drive, and odds are high that the Amalfi Coast will grab the most votes. This narrow, winding coastal road, which starts in pretty Sorrento, just south of Naples, hugs sheer cliff faces on one side and on the other, offers drop-straight-down-to-the-blue-sea vistas. There is a stone wall, a few feet high, to keep you safe. Even though the road is only 45 miles long, plan to take several days to savor both the scenery and the potent limoncello, a local liqueur that is a lovely follow-up to a dinner of fresh-caught grilled fish. Book a room (in advance) in pretty, cliff-hugging Positano, which spills down the steep cliffs to pebble beaches and the sea. Nearby Ravello is famous for its music festival, with many of the venues outdoors, giving audiences glorious sea views. If you want to explore more (and avoid the drive back up the coast), take a 20-minute hydrofoil or slower ferry from Sorrento to Capri, to explore the Blue Grotto and sip wine at a bar in the Piccola Marina. From there you can get to Naples.

2. King Ludwig’s Castle Drive, Germany. Best for spotting fairytale castles

Snow-capped mountains, deep green forests, and farms so well-kept they look like photos on top of jigsaw puzzle boxes—the Bavarian Alps would be a great drive destination even without its mad, and sad, king, who built all those fairytale castles. Drive south from Munich, then take the German Alpine Road to east to Chiemsee, Bavaria’s largest lake. Perhaps catch a concert on the island of Herrenchiemsee, before visiting King Ludwig II’s unfinished version of Versailles there. Continuing east, drive up to scenic Berchtesgaden, where Adolph Hitler’s famed Eagle’s Nest stood. Swing south into Austria, returning to Germany at Garmisch-Partenkirchen (take the cog railway or cable car up Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze). Drive north via Oberammergau, home to the passion play, and stop at Ettal, a lovely Benedictine abbey. Next door, visit Ludwig’s Linderhof, a jewel box palace complete with a faux grotto with fake stalactites. Last stop: Füssen, where you will see Ludwig’s great masterpiece, Neuschwanstein, with its whimsical turrets that inspired Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle.

3. The Giant's Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland. Best for putting things into perspective

Driving along the deep green and lovely northeast coast of Northern Ireland, you will begin to spot massive basalt columns rising out of the sea. If you believe the Irish—and why wouldn’t you?—these “steps” were built many million years ago, by a tough Irish giant named Finn MacCool, who walked across his causeway to Scotland to fight a rival giant. When he saw the size of his rival, he ran back to Ireland, with the Scot in hot pursuit. It’s a long story (it involves a giant baby), but the Irish won out and the dueling giants left behind some 40,000 basalt “steps” to enable other big guys to move between Northern Ireland and Scotland. In truth, however, these 40,000 hexagonal pillars of volcanic basalt stretch far into the sea, and were probably created by boiling lava that shot through the ocean floor in pre-historic times. The Causeway Coast drive has even more to offer, including White Park Bay Beach, a lovely crescent between two green headlands; the ruins of pretty Dunluce Castle, romantically perched atop a towering cliff; and Bushmills Distillery (tastings available) and cozy Bushmills Inn with nice rooms.

4. The Estoril Coast Drive and Sintra, Portugal. Best for sea and mountains combined

Explore Lisbon, and then drive along the River Tejo Estuary to Estoril, a lovely resort on the Atlantic Ocean that is known as a playground for the rich and royal. Its sandy beach is backed by a two-mile-long promenade, rows of mansions, and one of Europe’s largest casinos. Stop in Cascais, the next beach town, to watch fisherman auctioning their catch on the quayside. Follow the N247-4 road to Cabo da Roca, to photograph the pretty lighthouse marking the westernmost point of the European mainland. After a stroll on the beach and a seafood meal, head inland on the winding N247 road to Sintra, one of Portugal’s most historic places (the entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage site). The National Palace of Sintra, with parts dating back to the 14th century, is superb. Portuguese royalty came there in summer for the cool breezes. Drive higher up the mountain to The Palácio da Pena, as over the top as the National Palace is restrained. Don’t miss the Convento dos Capuchos, a Franciscan monastery built in 1560, damp, and dark, the cells cut from sheer rock. The monks’ earthly rewards were the ocean views below.

5. The Grand, Middle and Lower Corniches, France and Monaco. Best for sweeping views and chic settings

Who can forget the image of the young and gorgeous Grace Kelly in "To Catch a Thief," zooming along the cliff-hugging Grand Corniche in a blue cabriolet convertible, with the Mediterranean Sea far below? Actually, there are three Corniche roads, like layers in a cake, all crossing the French Riviera, and all entering the tiny principality of Monaco. Each deserves a place on the world’s great drives (though the lower road might also qualify for world’s most traffic clogged in high season). The Grand Corniche, the highest, follows a path built by the Romans, and it offers panoramic views, making million-dollar yachts look like bathtub toys. Snap photos of the pretty “village perche,” ancient fortified towns, in settings so steep that they are virtually inaccessible (which was the idea). The Grand Cornice offers panoramic views of Eze (the Middle Corniche actually takes you there), one of the prettiest towns on this steep coast, perched atop a stone outcropping. Browse Eze’s galleries, stroll through its cactus garden, and splurge on lunch at the Michelin two-star Chevre d’Or. The drive from Eze down to Nice is glorious.

6. The Dingle Peninsula, Ireland. Best for glorious scenery and lively pubs

The Dingle Peninsula was breathtakingly beautiful, in a quiet way, even before film director David Lean decided to build a little faux village there and film the 1970 blockbuster movie "Ryan’s Daughter," starring Robert Mitchum and Sara Miles. Today, a drive around the peninsula will take you through pretty woodland to the village of Ventry, home to two wide curved beaches, a pub, and a post office. The Iron Age fort at nearby Dunbeg boasts sturdy 22-foot-thick-wall beehive stone construction dating back to 500 B.C. Stop at Slea Head, where you can see all the way to South Kerry and the Blasket Islands (the last of the Irish-speaking inhabitants of the Blaskets were evacuated in 1955, after most had moved to Springfield, Mass.). Visit the islands by catching the ferry at Dύnquin (whenever it happens to be going; no set schedule). Much of Ryan’s Daughter was filmed in Dύnquin. Head inland, to explore Mount Brandon, Ireland’s second highest peak. Go barefoot to explore the vast Sand Dunes of Inch. Reward yourself afterwards with a pint at the pub, where the folks next to you may be speaking Gaelic.

7. Bergen to Oslo, Norway. Best for seeing nature in the raw

Norway, with its towering mountains, bluer-than-blue fjords, roaring waterfalls, evergreen-covered mountains and pretty little villages complete with old-fashioned wooden stave churches, demands both the close attention and the seize-the-moment freedom that can only be had by driving (though the trip can also be done by rail and boat). Start this 350-mile drive in coastal Bergen. Explore the old wharf area, lined with brightly colored medieval Hanseatic League houses, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then head across the country, toward snow-capped mountains, oceans of evergreens, and one dazzling blue fjord that is more spectacular than the next (you will ferry across some of these). Keep your eye out for Norway’s medieval stave churches along the way, some complete with scary masks to help stave off demons. Once in Oslo, check out local artist Edvard Munch’s paintings, including several versions of "The Scream," which were stolen and recovered. If you choose, drive back to Bergen along the coast, for panoramic ocean views, stopping in Stavanger (lots of oil rigs there), with its pretty old city.

8. A Highland Drive, Scotland. Best for castles and clans

Fly into Glasgow. Spend a little time exploring this former industrial city, including a visit to The Burrell Collection for fine art, and a walk along the Mackintosh Trail to see buildings created by famed Glasgow architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Then head for the hills. Drive about 32 miles to the shores of Loch Lomond, the largest inland lake in all of Britain. Climb up 3,000-plus-feet high Ben Lomond, or just take it easy and float in a boat. Next stop: Inveraray on the shores of Loch Fyne. Its castle is home to the Duke of Argyll, and is the seat of Clan Campbell. Nearby Loch Awe could actually inspire same, with its ruined Kilchurch Castle and green-mountain backdrop. Drive to Oban to catch the car ferry to the Isle of Mull, where you may spot some whales on their summer vacations. Once back on the mainland, drive to Glencoe, site of a major massacre of the MacDonalds in the 17th century, and today a lovely place to hike and picnic. Conclude your journey with a drive east to Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, where the hills are gentler and the banks around Great Britain’s largest lake are bonny indeed.

9. Dali-esque Drive through Catalonia, Spain. Best for Dalí dreamscapes and rugged scenery

Wildly beautiful, independence-minded Catalonia greatly influenced surrealist artist Salvador Dalí, who grew up there. Even today the region clings to its ancient language and flies the red-and-gold Catalan flag. Stop in Figueres, where Dalí grew up, as well as the excellent Teatre Museu Dalí, which he helped create in the town’s theater (he is buried there). One highlight, an old Cadillac taxi, where rain pelts down on a faux passenger seated inside. The Dalí Jewels, some 37 sparkling creations, are nearby. Drive on to Pύbol Castle (thoroughly Dalí-ized) in a pretty, pocket-sized medieval village. From there, head up the Costa Brava, picking a pretty beach town for some play. Finally arrive in arty Cadaqués, with its luminescent white buildings, pretty seascapes, and outdoor cafes offering fresh fish with a view. Best for last, drive to truly tiny Port Lligat, where Dalí’s off-kilter white home overlooks colorful fishing boats, black rock formations, and a smooth harbor. Dalí and his wife lived there from 1930 until her death in 1982.

10. Southern Poland, from Krakow through the Tatra Mountains. Best for great Old World churches and grand mountain hikes

Fly into Krakow, the historic city that escaped bombing (but not the elimination of its Jews) during World War II. Stroll through Old Town, shop for well-priced amber jewelry, and explore one of the richest, most colorful medieval squares left in the world—teeming with life. Don’t miss Wawel Cathedral, high above the Vistula River, and consecrated in 1364. Poland’s kings were crowned there. Leaving Krakow, drive southwest to visit Auschwitz and Birkenau, the Nazi’s largest death camp, grim, moving, and important to see. Then drive south to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Center Wieliczka Salt Mine, a world of underground lakes and medieval sculptures in salt, including the magnificent Chapel of the Blessed King, carved by miners. Continue south to the High Tatra Mountains, where snow caps are dotted with tall evergreens (Pope John Paul II liked to slip away from the Vatican to ski in his beloved Tatras). At Zakopane, a rural village of ornately carved wooden farmhouses, a cable car takes you higher in the Tatras to get the view. These towering mountains share a border with Slovakia, also worth a visit.

Weird laws to know before you travel

You better bite your tongue when you visit Middleboro, Mass. Last week, residents voted in a town meeting to impose a $20 fine on any publicly uttered swear words.

While this may catch some travelers to the community by surprise, it’s not the only place the uttering of curse words is illegal. Here are some of the wackiest local laws that visitors should be aware of before venturing out.

1. Be careful what you wear
Laws governing clothing are common and should always be checked before traveling abroad. Qatar forbids indecent or revealing clothes, defined as “not covering shoulders and knees, tight or transparent clothes.” The Vatican City requires shoulder coverings and skirts or shorts to the knee in order to enter museums and churches.

And, Castellammare di Stabia, south of Naples, has outlawed mini-skirts, low-cut jeans and too much cleavage, with violators risking a 300-euro fine. Thailand has a law demanding that you wear underwear at all times also a good idea in general.

In Italy, where foreign beach-goers can offend the local sensibility, laws often require cover-ups over swimsuits. In Lerici, on the Italian Riviera, you’re not allowed to walk the streets in just a swimsuit. That’s also true on the island of Capri, which has gone further to protect the serenity of the vacation spot by banning noisy shoes, such as clogs or wooden-soled sandals.

2. The shoes on your feet
Carmel, Ca., where Clint Eastwood was mayor, has a famous historic ban on woman wearing high heels. Though the law isn’t enforced, tourists can purchase a commemorative permit allowing them to wear the shoes.

But, you won’t get away with that in the historic sites around Greece. After many of the country’s landmarks, like the Acropolis, were damaged in recent years by visitors, the government banned people from wearing high heels at the ancient locations.

Urban legend also has it that the city of Blythe, Calif., bans people from wearing cowboy boots unless they own at least two cows. However, even the city manager of Blythe has never heard of that rule being enforced, so you’re probably safe in those boots.

3. Pull up your pants
While fashions change, one thing hasn’t. People wearing their pants sagged below the top of their boxers has had public officials up in arms for years. Five metro cities around Atlanta have banned saggy pants, skirts and shorts specifically those more than three inches below the wearer’s hips. In Forest Park, Ga., violators can even face a $1,000 fine.

Montgomery County in Alabama levies a $100 fine against juveniles and $150 fine against adults with the slogan: “Raise your pants, raise your image.” Delcambre, La., was the first town to make it a crime to “show your underwear in public.” There you can face six months in jail for a violation.

4. No confetti or Silly String or Barbies
Gum isn’t the only thing you can get in trouble for owning. It is illegal to possess or use confetti in Mobile, Ala. The party fun has been found to be damaging to the environment and hard to clean up.

Mobile and our original law-happy Middlebourough, Mass., have also joined Ridgewood, N.J., Southington, Conn., and Huntington, N.Y., in banning Silly String. In Los Angeles, Silly String is banned – with a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail but just on Halloween.

5. Watch your language
Virginia Beach, known as a family vacation destination, banned profanity in the early 1990s. Swearing can earn you a $250 fine and up to ten days community service.

The Australian states of Queensland and Victoria passed similar bans last year, which impose fines of $100AUD and $240AUD, respectively. Guess you’ll have to learn some Australian swear words just to make sure you don’t say them.

In Long Beach, Calif., public officials limited the swearing ban to a location known to cause more than a few curses: mini-golf courses. So, throw that golf club in silence.

6. Don’t spit
It’s more than just common courtesy not to spit in public, it’s illegal in many places. Face a fine and possible jail time if you spit on the public streets in Barcelona, Singapore, Vancouver, or Dodge City, Kan.

The best compromise, however, comes from Burlingame, Calif. In that West Coast town spitting is illegal, except, understandably, in its natural habitat: on the baseball diamond.

7. Or chew gum, or litter, or forget to flush the toilet
Singapore has a lot of laws. It’s known for its orderly, clean city, but that’s no accident. Littering will cost you $1,000 and not flushing a public toilet could cost $500. Don’t smoke in public. In fact, selling gum is illegal as well. Caning is still a form of punishment, so be careful to follow all local laws.

Thailand and the UK followed Singapore’s orderly example when it comes to gum. In these two countries, you can be fined for littering gum, but not for chewing it. Still, $600 is a steep price for bubble gum.

8. Seriously, don’t shoot the cactus
When visiting Arizona, resist the temptation to shoot or manhandle the cactus. The Saguaro cactus has become so endangered by people shooting holes in the plants, that damaging or cutting down a cactus can earn you up to 25 years in jail.

Of course, there are other reasons not to shoot the cactus. In 1982, a man in southern Arizona shot so many holes in the trunk of a giant 28-foot cactus that it fell on him and killed him.

9. No playing pranks
Many towns and states have no patience for your foolery, so before you start prank-calling people, know that you could face steep fines.

In Louisiana, ordering a good or service for someone else without them knowing can earn you a $500 fine or six months in jail. So, no ordering pizza to a friend’s house without their consent.

However, in Canada, as long as you don’t threaten anyone (which you shouldn’t be doing anyway!), there are no laws against prank calls.

10. Don’t hunt Bigfoot
If you’re planning a trip to find Bigfoot, also called Sasquatch, know that you won’t be able to hunt the elusive creature in some of its alleged natural habitat.

Skamania County in Washington enacted the Sasquatch Protection Ordinance in 1969, while nearby Whatcom County declared itself a Sasquatch Refuge and Protection Area in 1992.

The law is primarily aimed at preventing eager Bigfoot hunters from accidentally shooting other people, who can be mistaken for the ape-like creature. However, if you did shoot a Sasquatch, you could face $1,000 fine or five years in prison.

That’s not true in Texas. The Lone Star state found itself in the news in May after decreeing that, because Bigfoot was not explicitly on the list of protected animals, it is legal to hunt a Sasquatch. Keep that in mind as you plan your next Finding Bigfoot trip.

10. Best fast-food chains in the world

Fast food may conjure up those Golden Arches, but the concept has come a long way from frozen burgers. The best fast-food chains around the world are getting serious about quality, offering up bowls of pork ramen, freshly baked baguette sandwiches, and sustainably caught fish for the masses.

For travelers, fast-food chains represent a convenient, inexpensive taste of how everyday residents in far-flung cities eat. Some menus are more traditional than others: Teremok in Russia serves cooked-to-order blini; while Goli Vada Pav No. 1 in India adds modern twists like cheddar cheese to vada pav, the fried potato patty sandwich that’s an Indian street food staple.

Granted, fast-food chains aren’t exactly hidden gems. But they have their own quirky appeal and dish out a quick fix of local culture and cuisine. Forget Mickey D’s and seek out the following fast-food chains instead.

1. England: Pret a Manger
Nearly all 230 locations of this quick-service sandwich shop have an on-site kitchen where food is made fresh daily, using all-natural ingredients that change seasonally. Rather than being kept overnight or thrown out, unsold products are donated daily to homeless shelters. This winning concept is spreading; look for Pret locations in Paris, New York, D.C., Chicago, and Hong Kong.
What to Order: Chicken and avocado sandwich on malted wholegrain bread with yogurt dressing and fresh basil.

2. Philippines: Jollibee
Fast food gets a Filipino twist at this quick-serve chain, which is so beloved that its mascots star in their own children’s television show. There are more than 700 locations across the country, serving everything from fried chicken and hamburgers to local favorites like palabok, rice noodles with meat sauce, shrimp, and hard-boiled egg.
What to Order: Spicy Chickenjoy, fried chicken coated with chili powder.

3. Russia: Teremok
It’s easy to spot Teremok’s 175 orange-and-red kiosks and restaurants that have sprung up in St. Petersburg and Moscow (the name is Russian for “fairy-tale cottage”). The main item is cooked-to-order blini, essentially Russian crêpes perfect for eating on the go. Fillings run both savory (ham, cheese, smoked salmon) and sweet (chocolate, fruit, jam).
What to Order: Blini with red caviar, of course.

4. South Africa: Nando’s
Chicken, basted in one of four consecutively spicier piri-piri chili sauces and flame-grilled to order, is the star at this casual sit-down Portuguese-Mozambique chain. Cheeky advertisements and a welcoming, woodsy aesthetic have propelled Nando’s into 30 countries worldwide.
What to Order: 1/2 grilled chicken with hot piri-piri sauce and French fries.

5. Japan: Ippudo
It’s all about ramen at this stylish chain, which features an open kitchen and bar and table-style seating. Most bowls start with the chain’s signature slow-simmered pork bone broth and thin, chewy noodles. Toppings range from the traditional (roasted pork) to the more inventive (a Spanish-inspired bouillon cube).
What to Order: Akamaru Ramen with miso paste and roasted garlic oil.

6. Canada (mainly Quebec): St. Hubert
With both quick-serve and slightly more upscale sit-down operations, family-friendly St. Hubert is known for its rotisserie chicken doused with a tangy brown sauce—so habit-forming that it’s sold by the jar in Canadian grocery stores.
What to Order: Quarter chicken leg with bun, coleslaw, and French fries.

7. Australia: Chocolateria San Churro
As the name implies, chocolate is the focus at this bohemian-chic dessert chain, and the menu has a Spanish accent. Freshly fried churros and spice-laced hot chocolates are on offer alongside organic, fair-trade coffee and milkshakes.
What to Order: Churros with an individual pot of melted couverture chocolate.

8. Puerto Rico: El Meson Sandwiches
The combinations are nearly endless at this Caribbean sandwich spot. Most sandwiches start with a base of mayo, margarine, cabbage, and tomato, then get piled high with juicy fillings and griddled on both sides.
What to Order: The Midnight sandwich: roasted pork, Virginia ham, pickles, mayo, and margarine on sweet, eggy bread.

9. Taiwan: Din Tai Fung
Yes, there will be a line at this well-known dim sum destination, whose dumplings are so popular the chain has spread across 10 countries. But you’ll be glad you waited, and once you’re inside, you can take your time in the comfortable, if crowded, dining room.
What to Order: Xiao long bao, steamed soup-filled pork dumplings with a thin, delicate skin.

10. Brazil: Giraffas
The Brazilian steakhouse concept goes casual at this meat-centric chain that turns out both burgers and grilled steaks with that national staple, a side of rice and beans.
What to Order: Flame-grilled picanha (top sirloin), a juicy and tender cut that’s one of Brazil's most beloved steaks.

10 US places every kid should see

1. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of those quintessential American icons, equal parts eye candy and engineering lesson (it's also one of our record-breaking bridges). The suspension bridge connects San Francisco and Marin County in a mechanical feat that was unprecedented in the 1930s; at its opening ceremony, the bridge's chief engineer, Joseph Strauss, said "What Nature rent asunder long ago man has joined today."

Take a walk along the pedestrian path for astonishing views of Angel Island, Alcatraz, Treasure Island, and San Francisco. If the 220-foot height of the bridge is unsettling for the little ones, opt instead to view the landmark from a distance (there are relatively tourist-free viewpoints at Lincoln Park). It might be hard to find an empty spot, though. The famed bridge is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2012-there will be fireworks and a festival on Memorial Day weekend-and is expected to draw more than ten million visitors throughout the year.

2. Arches National Park, Utah
This national park is especially convenient for families whose kids may be too young for a strenuous hike. It only takes a couple hours to drive past many of the park's 2,000 brawny, pink sandstone arches. And you'll still have time to reach Moab, less than 20 miles away, for lunch.

The park's real time to shine, literally, is at sunset, when Delicate Arch reflects the sunlight in blazing reds that contrast sharply with the snow-topped La Sal Mountains in the backdrop. Expect to see tons of photographers there, as if Beyoncé were about to appear. 435/719-2299, nps.gov/arch. Park entrance fee is $10 per vehicle; bike or foot entrance is $5.

3. The Field Museum, Chicago
Across its nine acres of floor space, the Field showcases giant robot wolf spiders, 23 Egyptian mummies, and the biggest Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever dug up, in one of the broadest arrays of natural wonders under one roof. The collection of dioramas hold a dizzying array of species, from African lions and giraffes to Arctic penguins and polar bears, and it's a favorite childhood fantasy to slip inside one of the magical timeless worlds.

Kids 12 and under can dress up like animals, dig up dinosaur bones, and explore a pueblo home at the Crown Family PlayLab. Friday nights from mid-January to mid-June, the museum hosts sleepovers, where children 6 to 12 and their parents can sleep right next to the dinosaurs (the 2012 nights are sold out, so book early for 2013).

4. SeaWorld San Antonio, Texas
SeaWorld's Texas outpost garnered the most votes of all the theme parks in our poll. We assume that the combination of roller coasters and flume rides with beluga whales, sharks, stingrays, sea lions, and a host of other aquatic animals gave it an edge. There are many hands-on programs, putting visitors up close and personal with some of the park's inhabitants (including a behind-the-scenes tour with the penguins).

In May 2012, the new water park Aquatica will open with a set of educational thrill rides; expect rafts sailing through grottos with stingrays and a "zero gravity" area that simulates weightlessness. Other new attractions include Sesame Street Bay of Play (opened in 2011), a three-acre space with educational activities for young children, and the animal encounter show "One Ocean" in which orcas and trainers illustrate educational lessons about the fragility of the environment.

5. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
Watching an actual volcano in action is a far cry from the baking soda science experiments kids do at school. At this Hawaiian park, visitors watch—at a safe distance—as hot lava spills into the Pacific, where it bursts into particles later pulverized by the waves into black sand.

The park is home to two of the world's most active volcanoes, and rangers will bring you down into the lava tubes and maybe even play you a tune on a ohe hano ihu, aka the Hawaiian nose flute. Says reader Angela: The surreal black landscape is "one of the few places in the world where your kids can stand on earth that is younger than they are."

6. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Alabama
Our nation's civil rights history is chronicled at this Birmingham museum, which places the '50s and '60s in a context that today's children can understand. There are compelling artifacts on display to illustrate segregation such as a set of "colored" and "white" drinking fountains.

The exhibits don't gloss over the tragedies of the civil rights' era, and include the story of four young girls killed in a bombing at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, right across the street from the museum. The galleries do include hopeful notes, including a video recording of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s

7. Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
At sunset, spectators gather at an amphitheater in this national park in southeastern New Mexico to wait for bats to fly. Predictably, a swirling dark cloud of the flying mammals funnels out the cavern and swoops above, where it splinters apart into groups heading to the nearby Pecos and Black River valleys. This rare natural show makes Carlsbad Caverns stand out from other national parks, especially to impress kids.

Cave expeditions are also a draw, with rangers leading tours lasting from between an hour and a half and five and half hours. Some of the caves are huge, such as the well-named Big Room, which could fit 6.3 football fields. Adventurous kids will enjoy crawling through passageways or making rope-assisted descents through curtains of stalagmites, mentally soaking up all the educational lessons about geology explained by the rangers along the way.

8. Mount Rushmore, South Dakota
Even the most jaded teen will be wowed by the colossal busts of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln at this national park in the Black Hills of Keystone. The visitors' center has exhibits on the 14-year journey to complete the monument, which was finished in 1941 after 400 workers dynamite-blasted the granite peaks to carve the faces.

There is also info on how the four great leaders depicted guided our nation through tricky times. Stay for sunset to sing the National Anthem at the lighting ceremony, and challenge your kids to count the number of different state license plates in the parking lot. While you are in the area, make time to see the Crazy Horse Memorial, another enormous cliff carving in the making about a half an hour southwest of Mount Rushmore.

9. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Where else in the U.S. can you see an ancient Egyptian temple, a Ming Dynasty garden, and one of the world's largest collections of Vermeers all under one roof? The Met covers a 14-acre space in Central Park, yet this cavernous space is only large enough to show a sliver of its full collection of art and artifacts. The museum itself is constantly evolving, and the third and final phase of a decade-long refurbishment of the American Wing re-opened in January 2012.

Children can easily learn about our nation's history from early colonial times through the Civil War and into the modern era via iconic paintings, including Emanuel Leutze's famed depiction of General George Washington crossing a near-frozen Delaware River during the Revolutionary War.

10. Hoover Dam, Nevada
An engineering wonder about 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, this dam supplies 20 million residents of California, Nevada, and Arizona with water and provides hydroelectricity to 1.3 million customers. No written description truly captures the visceral effect of peering out over the parapet at the top of the dam and looking down at the Colorado River, racing along 700 feet below.

More than 1,200 feet wide at the top, this all-concrete wonder was the largest dam in the world when it was completed in 1936 (it was one of many public works projects intended to help lift the country out of the Great Depression). A bypass bridge opened in 2010 and provides fabulous photo opportunities for pedestrians. Experts lead walking tours that will thrill future engineers. One tip: Avoid visiting in the summer when temperatures can hit 110 degrees.