Caipirinha – Brazil

5 parts cachaça, 2 parts simple syrup, 2 limes, 2 teaspoons refined sugar

The rest of world has begun to recognize Brazil as a major international power in recent years, and its national cocktail, the caipirinha, is similarly taking over the palettes of thirsty people everywhere. Made with the country’s best known spirit, cachaça (rum distilled from sugar cane), raw sugar and lime, the caipirinha combines the potent sweetness of the liquor and sugar with the tropical tartness of lime. Even if you’re not sipping yours while baking on Ipanema Beach, a caipirinha may bring you halfway there. Search and compare cheap flights to Brazil.

Caipirinha

Mojito – Cuba

4 parts rum, 2 parts lime juice, 2 parts simple syrup, 6 mint leaves, 1 lime, soda water

A personal favorite of Ernest Hemmingway and most recently associated with the chic Miami scene, the mojito is Cuba’s best known drink. Made from white rum, sugar, mint and lime juice, the mojito evokes the tropical heat, especially when you’re sweating as much as the glass holding your drink. Though perhaps best enjoyed in an elegant old Havana bar watching 1950s American cars rumble by, the mojito’s combination of limey, minty sweetness is perfect on hot summer days – or nights. Search and compare cheap flights to Cuba.

Mojito

Margarita – Mexico

7 parts tequila, 4 parts Cointreau, 3 parts lime juice

From Mexico and made with its national spirit, tequila, and immortalized by Jimmy Buffett, the margarita is enjoyed around the world. Though flavored variations have worked their way onto menus  – raspberry, blood orange and cayenne pepper to name a few – a real margarita is elegantly simple: a blend of white tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice shaken and served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. It’s a far cry from the neon-green slushy versions posing as the real thing. The tartness of the lime and orange perfectly match the strength of the tequila. No need to cross the border for your next Mexican fiesta! Search and compare cheap flights to Mexico.

Margarita

Negroni – Italy

1 part gin, 1 part sweet vermouth, 1 part Campari

One of the best known Italian summer drinks, the negroni is made from gin, sweet red vermouth and Campari bitters. Invented for, and named after, a count in early-20th-century Florence, the Negroni is a drink whose flavors complement each other as strongly as the stone buildings of this ancient Italian city. Originally intended as an aperitif due to its strength, you may want to enjoy yours on a full stomach. Search and compare cheap flights to Italy.

Negroni

Long Island Iced Tea – New York, USA

Equal parts vodka, tequila, rum, gin, triple sec, 1 1/2 parts sour mix, 1 splash cola

Invented in its namesake location in the 1970s, the Long Island Iced Tea is an ideal choice to imbibe with during hot summer months when only something stronger than tea will do. Its fresh brewed tea hue may trick you into thinking the drink is alcohol-free, but the potent mixture of tequila, gin, vodka and rum won’t. After a few of these, you may feel like you’re in postwar suburban bliss on “Lon-Guy-Land.” Search and compare cheap flights to New York City.

Long Island Iced Tea

Pisco Sour – Peru

8 parts pisco brandy, 4 parts lime juice, 3 parts simple syrup, 1 egg white, 1 dash bitters

Considered the best known cocktail from South America, the Pisco Sour was invented in Peru by an American bartender during the early part of the 20th century. Powerful due to the pisco, a form of brandy distilled from grapes, the elixir owes its sour pucker to the other ingredients: lime juice, simple syrup and egg whites. Though not as well-known as its whiskey cousin, the Pisco Sour is worth trying. You may even feel as light-headed as if you were in the high altitudes of Peru. Search and compare cheap flights to Peru.

Pisco Sour

Pina Colada – Puerto Rico

1 part white rum, 1 part cream of coconut, 3 parts pineapple juice

It’s hard to think of a drink more tropical than the pina colada. Made with rum, cream of coconut and pineapple juice, it was invented in Puerto Rico in 1954 and has since been proclaimed the island’s official drink. The richness of the cream of coconut mixes with the sweet acidity of the pineapple juice to give a frothy cooling kiss to your palette – and there’s a nice kick from the rum. Even without a little umbrella in the glass, you may feel as if you’re on an island under palm trees when sipping one. Search and compare cheap flights to Puerto Rico.

Pina Colada

Sangria – Spain

3 parts wine, 1/2 part brandy, fresh fruit, spices

Nothing says summer more than a glass – or pitcher – of this delicious fruit-infused wine punch, originally from Spain. It’s typically made with red wine, brandy and fresh peaches, melons, citrus or berries, which add tanginess. The varying combinations of spices – like nutmeg or cumin – offer hints of mystical spiciness evocative of Andalusia. Sangria can be the perfect accompaniment to a light summer meal or a few tapas, and is perfectly enjoyable on its own (of course!). Search and compare cheap flights to Spain.

Sangria

Pimm’s Cup – England

1 part PIMM’S* No.1, 3 parts chilled lemonade, mint, cucumber, orange, strawberry

A proper English Pimm’s Cup is made with Pimm’s No. 1 – a brand of gin infused with citrus, spices and herbs – mixed with lemonade, soda water, cucumber and sometimes fresh fruit. Best known as the traditional drink of Wimbledon, in recent years it’s been enjoyed year-round – and worldwide. The slightly medicinal taste of the gin is tempered by the tartness of the lemonade and the sweetness of the (optional) fruit. Even if you’re not enjoying yours at a tennis match, chances are that you’ll “love” the taste. Search and compare cheap flights to England.

Pimm's Cup

Singapore Sling – Singapore

8 parts gin, 4 parts Heering cherry liqueur, 1 part Cointreau, 1 part Benedictine, 2 parts grenadine, 16 parts pineapple juice, 6 parts lemon juice, 1 dash Angostura bitters

Famously sipped by Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the Singapore Sling was invented at its namesake’s famous Raffles Hotel in the years before the First World War. The rose colored concoction consists of gin, Heering’s cherry liqueur, Benedictine, grenadine, lime juice and pineapple juice – the last of which creates the signature foamy pink head. It has a fruity, cherry-hinted tartness. While sipping one at the Raffles on a steamy Southeast Asian night may be the most authentic way to enjoy a Singapore Sling, you can certainly enjoy one closer to home. Search and compare cheap flights to Singapore.

(Images: Caipirinha – ggvic, mojito – xavi talleda, margarita – chickflick1900, negroni – chodhound, Long Island iced tea – wikipedia, pisco sour – antonde, pina colada – scaredy_kat, sangria – divya_, Pimm’s Cup – jasonlam, Singapore sling – maywong_photos)

Though you won’t save the world from rising sea levels, you can do your part to travel mindfully and reduce your individual carbon footprint. To help, we’ve found 10 gadgets and accessories that minimize the use of new resources in favor of recycled or reclaimed materials or provide power and clean water with what’s naturally available.

Eagle Creek Luggage – Sturdy luggage is always a must, and it’s even better when it’s made sustainably. Eagle Creek excels at both. Its luggage product lines are made with minimal waste and responsibly sourced materials. They’re also designed with travelers’ needs in mind, offering features such as shoe compartments and multiple handles to make grabbing at baggage claim easier.

Eagle Creek Luggage … green and tough

ReSource Series by Osprey Packs – A comfortable and well-built daypack is a necessity for travelers, and Osprey, long known for its commitment to ethical manufacturing and renewable energy, has a line of shoulder packs and backpacks made from nearly 100 percent recycled materials, designed and built with rugged travel in mind.

Osprey Travel Packs … nearly 100 percent recycled

PB Travel Bamboo Travel Blanket Set – For most travelers, a flight means time to sleep. With airlines charging for almost every amenity these days, including blankets, it makes sense to bring your own. Made from 100 percent bamboo fiber cloth, the soft blanket and eye mask are naturally hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial. Best of all, bamboo grows and replenishes quickly, without pesticides or  nearly the amount of water that cotton requires.

PB Travel Set … soft, green and bamboo!

Eco Speakers by Merkury Innovations – There’s absolutely no flat sound coming from these cardboard – yes, cardboard – travel speakers from Merkury Innovations. Offering universal compatibility for any device and made from 70 percent recycled materials, they come in a variety designs, including one in plain brown that can be customized with included colored pencils. Coolest of all, they fold flat for easy packing.

Eco Speakers … foldable and packable

Bag of Rhythm Portable Audio System by House of Marley – If you really want to make your party portable wherever you go, this all-in-one docking station will fit the bill. Part shoulder bag, part stereo system with twin tweeters, woofers and an amplifier, it’s made from sustainable birch wood and reclaimed canvas. Plus, proceeds support 1love.org, Bob Marley’s family’s charitable foundation, aimed at spreading love and harmony through youth, the planet and peace.

Bag of Rhythm … earth- and ear-friendly

Bedol Water Alarm Clock – A reliable alarm clock is a basic travel accessory, and Bedol has built one that runs on water; something every traveler – unless they’re part camel – has with them. Each refill lasts an incredible six months, so the only way you’ll sleep through your alarm is if you drink it dry during the night.

Bedol Water Clock … pour your alarm

Solio BOLT Charger – With the many rechargeable gadgets we take with us, having a reliable way to power them up can be a hassle in the middle of the jungle, Grand Canyon or anywhere else not connected to the grid. Solio’s BOLT charger has rotating solar panels to maximize collection and quickly charges any USB-compatible device with no carbon required. There’s also a battery that is handy for charging when the sun goes down.

Solio Bolt … get solar charged

Revolution Apparel – Founded by a pair of nomadic friends who wanted to make women’s travel-ready clothes with a green footprint, Revolution only uses pesticide-free, organic, sustainable and fair-labor manufacturing. Its initial collection of 10 versatile pieces can be combined to make 100 separate looks. The start-up’s online store is set to launch soon, and we’re waiting with credit cards in hand.

The Versalette ... multiple outfits, transform!

Steripen Traveler – Nothing is more essential than clean, safe water or worse for the environment or your back than lugging around store-bought bottles. The Steripen Traveler makes it easy and reliable to provide your own constant supply of clean and refreshing water. Powered by four AA batteries, and using ultraviolet light to purify water, it can clean a small bottle’s worth in under a minute, and up to 200 liters on one set of batteries.

Steripen… instant safe water

Earth Doggy Eco-Friendly Pet Carriers – For when you want to travel green and bring Rover the (small breed) Dog, or Fluffy the Cat along, Earth Doggy has a line of pet carriers made from organic denim, recycled nylon or hemp. They come in a shoulder-bag style, as well as a conventional duffel bag, and even include a blanket, fleece pad and water bowl.

Earth Doggy Eco-Carrier ... for eco-friendly pet travel

(Images: Eagle Creek; Osprey Packs; PB Travel; Merkury Innovations; House of Marley; Bedol; Solio; Revolution Apparel; Steripen; Earthdoggy)

Planes of all types ... hanging from the ceiling

Planes, planes, planes. If you’re an aircraft aficionado, aviation enthusiast, or just enjoy looking up at jets racing across the sky, nothing compares to seeing them up close in the context of their history. The Museum of Flight in Seattle does just that. More than just a collection of historic aircraft, the museum is dedicated to explaining all aspects of human-powered flight, from the Wright Brothers, to the original barn where Boeing got its start, to the space program. There are even easy-to-understand explanations of the scientific concepts of aeronautics and astronautics: how flight really works, how a plane gets off the ground, the complexities of maintaining orbits, and safe landings of spacecraft.

It was really cool wandering through the exhibit halls and seeing the actual aircraft that I’ve seen in print images, online, and film and video over the years. It’s one thing to see a famous jet fighter on the Military Channel, Google Images, or book, but it’s totally different seeing it up close, and imagining the brevity it took to fly it 80,000 feet or more. There’s an actual cockpit of an SR-71 for the public to get a chance to sit in, and I was surprised at how cramped it was (being tall, I could only sit halfway in it to begin with).

Suspended from the ceiling are dozens of real aircraft: helicopters, early wood and canvas early airliners, fighter jets, tiny stunt planes, and replicas of the Wright Brothers’ and a re-creation of Leonardo Da Vinci’s flying machine. Besides aircraft, there’s an abundance of information to help visitors learn as much as possible, such as multimedia archival footage and video, artifacts, and displays showing the impact all eras of flight have had on our culture.

The Museum’s mission is about more than just showing planes, though; it shows the whole history of flight, and does so in a human and historical context. There are two large collections of planes from both World Wars I and II, and with them, an extensive array of supporting materials showing the human impact and side of the wars. It was deeply moving, for instance, to read about and listen to the recordings and recollections of pilots, air crews, civilians, and others who were involved in the fighting, often to horrific casualties.

A SR-72 Blackbird supersonic spyplane ... the central attraction

The Museum of Flight is definitely worth a visit because it has tremendous universal appeal: gawking at planes for kids and adults alike, a geek factor appealing enough for aviation nerds, and history galore for curious people like myself. It’s best to plan to stay for at least a few hours; I could’ve spent an entire day or two. If you like planes, are curious about technology, or just fly often, it’s a must visit.

I recently took a quick, three-day weekend visit to Seattle, where my appetite and taste buds were treated to a variety of Seattle and Pacific Northwest specialties.

Since I hadn’t visited Seattle in years, I booked a local food tour through Savor Seattle, a company that offered a bunch of themed food tours: one for chocolate freaks, a coffee-centric one, another focusing on the famous Pike Place Market. I chose the “Gourmet Seattle” tour, which lasted about four hours – all the better to help burn off some calories. Unlike similar tours I’ve taken before, our guide, Nick, not only had extensive food knowledge, but knew a ton about Seattle history, and was able to weave the two together into a really fascinating overall narrative to show the big picture.

These are just a few places where I indulged my appetite while in Seattle, and there are tons more. If you love to eat, Seattle is definitely worth checking out.

Andaluca – Andaluca is a fine dining restaurant with a Spanish-centric Mediterranean menu, where we sampled duck cakes and fried potato balls, along with the best sangria ever; I liked it so much I went back the next night for dinner.

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese – Another Pike Place denizen, Beecher’s makes its own cheese and sells artisanal cheese from the Pacific Northwest. Oh, and if you like Mac and Cheese, they make the very best on the planet.

Gelatiamo – A gelateria serving gelato in tons of flavors – pear, coconut, pumpkin to name a few – managed to convert me from regular ice cream, which is a huge achievement. To get it any more real than this, you’d have to go to Italy.

Il Bistro – A delightfully cozy – and romantic – little Italian restaurant located in Pike Place where I tried one of the best risottos I’ve ever had with garlic and local shellfish, which was paired with a delicious Washington State red wine.

Pike Brewing Company – Pike Brewing is a working craft brewery right in the market, making authentic British-style brews which I sampled in a flight paired with English cheeses and the brewery’s own spent grain bread.

Serious Pie – It’s the pizza outpost in the restaurant empire of Tom Douglas, Seattle’s world-renown self-trained chef and restaurateur. The pizza here is traditional but is taken to a whole new level. I absolutely loved their take on a traditional Roman potato and Romano cheese pizza, a concept I hitherto had found yucky, but which won me over.

Thoa’s Restaurant – A local treasure, Thoa has been serving dishes from her native Vietnam, and I had the authentic Vietnamese noodles pho xao, which nearly melted in my mouth, and was dressed with an addictive fish sauce.

Liberty Hotel ... happily spend a night behind bars

Tired of staying in typical, traditional hotels – the kind with large lobbies and hundreds of identical rooms? Then consider a quirkier alternative. Some are different in their concept, while others in their construction. Either way, going back to your room each night will feel like a mini-vacation within your trip itself.

Liberty Hotel

If you’re going to spend a night – or more – in jail, this is the place to serve your time. Acting as the Charles Street Jail in Boston starting in the mid-1850s, the Liberty Hotel at the foot of historic Beacon Hill was extensively renovated and opened in 2007. Sporting an ultra-stylish interior design, Italian restaurant and upscale lounge, the present-day hotel makes it hard to imagine it as a home for hardened criminals. Along with extensive in-room amenities boasting stunning views of downtown Boston, the Liberty hosts nightly events like fashion shows and parties.

Search and compare cheap flights to Boston.

Hotel de Glace ... if what you crave are all things ice

Hotel de Glace

Even though it’s built from snow and ice, Hotel de Glace in Quebec remains a red-hot place to stay. Completely rebuilt each winter, the hotel has 36 rooms and suites and is the only ice hotel in the Americas. It also boasts the famous Ice Bar, a perfect spot to warm up, where even the drink glasses are made from ice. More than 85,000 visitors take tours of the frozen accommodations each year, and 4,000 stay overnight. Guests get to choose from a wide array of winter activities including dog-sledding, snowshoeing, ice-skating and cross-country skiing. Our one piece of advice: bring gloves!

Search and compare cheap flights to Quebec.

Kennedy School

You won’t mind staying after school at the Kennedy School hotel in Portland, Oregon. A former neighborhood elementary school, the Kennedy was transformed into a luxurious and funky hotel, with guest rooms in former classrooms – complete with school-related décor like blackboards and coatrooms. After-school features include a restaurant, multiple bars, a brewery and a movie theater. Set in an up-and-coming residential neighborhood, the Kennedy draws locals and visitors alike.

Search and compare cheap flights to Portland.

Desert Cave Hotel

As the world’s only internationally rated underground hotel, Desert Cave Hotel in Coober Pedy is an exciting change for surface-dwellers. Set in an opal-rich region of the Outback, the hotel is hewn from sandstone and stays cool and dry, and the luxurious rooms are perfect to return to after a long day exploring the scorching and beautiful surroundings. You’ll feel snugger than a baby kangaroo in its pouch when you turn in for the night under down under.

Search and compare cheap flights to Adelaide.

Dog Park Bark Inn

This is no ordinary doghouse; it’s an inn in the shape of the world’s largest beagle, nicknamed Sweet Willy. The Dog Park Bark Inn has guestrooms inside the multi-level interior, including a sleeping alcove in the dog’s muzzle. Even toilets are shaped like fire hydrants. Located in Cottonwood, Idaho, there are plentiful outdoors choices, such as the Lewis and Clarke trail, historic monasteries and whitewater rafting. Woof!

Search and compare cheap flights to Idaho.

Library Hotel

You won’t run out of bedtime reading when you stay at the Library Hotel in New York City. The top-rated, luxury library-themed hotel has arranged its floors according to the 10 categories of the Dewey Decimal System – remember literature, history and math from back in the day? Guests choose from a room menu of sub-topics according to their interests, such as classics, astronomy or new media, complete with book selections. The Library includes an elegant great room and greenhouse as well – its Midtown location is ideal.

Search and compare cheap flights to New York.

Recharge and refuel ... without even taking off

Jumbo Hostel

Jumbo Hostel gives a whole new meaning to sleeping on a plane, and you don’t need a ticket or to take off your shoes to board. A decommissioned 1976 Boeing 747 has been converted into a 27-room hostel on the grounds of Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport. Completely rebuilt from the inside, Jumbo Hostel has “passenger” rooms in the cockpit and cabins, a bar and café, and a first-class lounge-turned- conference room that holds up to eight people – the next best thing to having your own 747.

Search and compare cheap flights to Stockholm.

Winvian

For a whimsical and eclectic stay, look at Winvian, located on 113 acres of rolling Connecticut countryside. Guests choose from 18 individually designed and themed cottages such as camping, golf, and maritime. The coolest one might the helicopter-themed cabin, built around a retired Coast Guard rescue chopper – the bar and lounge situated within the fuselage. There’s also a spa and restaurant, and an adjacent 4,000-acre conservation preserve to explore.

Search and compare cheap flights to Connecticut.

Rendezvous

Visit the postwar boom era at the 1950s-themed Rendezvous in Palm Springs, California. Transformed from a roadside motel, the Rendezvous oozes kitschy-cool with pink flamingos, frosted glass, blue Astroturf poolside and Googi-inspired décor. Period-themed rooms are dedicated to 50s films and television, as well as Route 66, Elvis and James Dean.

Search and compare cheap flights to Palm Springs.

Qbic Amsterdam

If you want to stay in a hip, sexy hotel without blowing your budget, the ultra-chic Qbic Hotel in Amsterdam is the place. Its cutting-edge design is typically found in the most expensive of hotels around the world. The focus of each room is the Cubi, a cube-shaped living space complete with designer furnishings and individual mood-lighting schemes. Spending a night in your retro pad is like staying in a hotel from the future, and ideal whether your time in Amsterdam is spent in old museums or modern clubs and coffee shops.

Search and compare cheap flights to Amsterdam.

For auto lovers ... feel free to fall asleep at the wheel

And a bonus, because this last hotel was way too fun to leave out!

V8 Hotel

The only way the auto-geared V8 Hotel in Stuttgart, Germany could be more car-centric is if the hotel itself could be driven. Each of the 34 rooms is decorated in a different auto theme, such as a carwash, drive-in theater, and racing. Even the beds in some rooms are made from cars. Best of all, there’s no need to change a tire, check the brakes, or fill up on pricey gasoline before you turn in for the night, and you won’t get towed mid slumber.

Search and compare cheap flights to Stuttgart.

By Martin Clinton

(Images: P, Simon, sun851104)

The Kodak PlaySport is the perfect gift for active dads

Finding a Father’s Day gift doesn’t have to mean settling on the typical, tired choices of golf clubs and ties. If your Dad – or favorite father figure – is a frequent flyer, consider clever travel gadgets as a gift. These aren’t all just for solo travel, either; some are ideal for taking trips with the family, kids included. In keeping with Cheapflights’ mission to keep travel affordable, they’re not super wallet-busting, either.

Kodak PlaySport Video Camera

When you want to shoot video without lugging around a large camcorder, the palm-sized PlaySport is a nifty hand-sized alternative. It shoots in 1080p HD video and has software for simple social media sharing to YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Perhaps its most family-friendly feature is that Kodak engineered the PlaySport to be tough: it has great image stabilization, a hard shell in case it’s dropped, and is water resistant for up to 10 feet.

Walkin’ Bag

If you’re traveling with little ones, an older parent, or your own sore back, having a place to sit can be invaluable in long lines and crowded airports. Swany America makes a line of carry-ons and suitcases with built-in, fold-out seats that hold up to 300 pounds. No more sitting on the floor or crushing your luggage by using it as a makeshift seat.

Revolve

If you’ve dealt with dead batteries while hiking, camping, rafting – or just being away from the power grid – you know how frustrating the lack of power can be. To the rescue are Revolve’s solar-powered chargers that let you recharge more than 3000 different types of devices – including iPhones, iPads and BlackBerrys. The built-in battery also doubles as an emergency power source.

Otterbox

There’s nothing worse than getting your phone, keys, wallet, and other electronics and essentials crushed, stomped on, chewed, or drowned in water. Solving that is OtterBox, maker of protective cases for phones, electronics, cameras and other valuables that protect against scratches, drops, water, and almost everything else you can submit them to.

Bento Diaper Bag by Skip Hop

These are more than just diaper bags – they’re multifunctional mini-luggage with enough compartments and pouches to carry everything needed. They attach to nearly any stroller, and even have insulated cooler compartments for food and snacks. Watch out – they’re so cool, Dads may want to use them instead of a briefcase for everyday commuting.

PacSafe

Well known for its lockable steel mesh backpack protectors, PacSafe also makes a wide array of travel security passport holders, bags, pouches, backpacks, and even wristbands and belts so your travel gear doesn’t take a separate, unintended trip without you. Their products encompass items for business, adventure and family travel, as well as cameras and electronics.

Theft Defender

The growing inclusion of Radio Frequency Identification Tags (RFID) into passports, debit, and credit cards has spurred criminals to wirelessly and unknowingly harvest people’s information for identify theft, and worse. Fortunately, Theft Defender makes passport and ID/credit card sleeves that block the RFID signals your documents emit to prevent them from being read without your knowledge.

Belle Hop Travel Door Alarm

No longer must you sleep with one eye open, worried that someone will break into your room in the middle of the night. Made by Lewis N. Clark – and available at sites such as Luggage Pros – the Belle Hop Door Alarm attaches to the inside of a hotel room door, and emits a piercing 91 decibel alarm if someone tries to enter. It’s ideal for those who prefer their wake-up calls from the front desk, rather than a burglar. It’s also suitable for women travelers and families with young children staying in separate rooms. They can also be configured for windows to warn of anyone (human or otherwise) approaching from the outside.

Eton Raptor Emergency Radio

If you’re staying somewhere and a blackout or storm hits it can be frustrating, inconvenient, and – above all – potentially dangerous if you’re driving on a lonely highway or camping in a remote location. More than just a radio, the Raptor includes a rechargeable battery, compass, altimeter, barometer, USB port, light and digital alarm clock. It also receives NOAA weather alerts, and can charge itself with its built-in solar panel.

Lotuff & Clegg

If your favorite traveler appreciates American-made craftsmanship, consider investing in one of Lotuff & Clegg’s handmade leather items, such as briefcases, duffels, totes or luggage. If you’re not looking to splurge, they make lesser-priced iPad cases and luggage tags. Individually made in Massachusetts, they’re more than just carryalls – they qualify as heirlooms to be passed down to younger generations of well-dressed travelers.

Written by Martin Clinton

(Images: Cyril Attias, nargalzius)

Social apps are changing the way we travel

Ever try planning a trip with friends or family? If so, you know how quickly the many emails and phone calls to discuss booking and itineraries become frustrating. Fortunately, a new breed of travel site has arrived, making planning and sharing multi-person trips much easier. Known as collaborative travel planning sites – or social travel sites – they harness social media so numerous travelers can share and access information.

Like Facebook, Flickr, and Foursquare, these sites have mobile applications for access on the go, a far cry from the days of chain emails and postcards.

Here are a few web apps we found helpful for planning and sharing trips:

Bumped.in (www.bumped.in) Rather than limiting interaction to an existing group of friends, Bumped.in introduces people with similar interests. It alerts users when similar travelers are in nearby proximity, which is especially useful for those taking frequent routes or trips.

Dopplr (www.dopplr.com) Dopplr displays trip details and tips in a color-coded timeline and shares them among users within a created network. Users can receive tips, reviews and advice on locations, restaurants and hotels from friends. Dopplr creates a “social atlas” so people can utilize the collective travel knowledge of all users.

Globetrooper (www.globetrooper.com) Globetrooper finds travel partners based on shared travel interests. Users create trips and indicate their ideal travel partner(s) based on cost, date, and location, as well as in-depth factors like difficulty and degree of culture shock. Prospective travelers then browse the trip and chat with organizers to see if it’s a match. Whether traveling in a pair or with a large tour group, Globetrooper is a fantastic app for travelers looking to put the “social” into social travel.

Gtrot (www.gtrot.com) Short for globetrotter, gtrot has morphed from a site for backpacking college students into a full-service social gateway for travel. Built on Facebook’s platform, gtrot shows members which of their friends are going where and with who, and helps them coordinate to join in on their trips.

Kukunu (www.kukunu.com) Users on Kukunu create an itinerary with dates and destinations and notify their friends. There’s also the option of booking hotels and activities from its extensive partner inventory, with a special discount to Kukunu users. It supports full integration with Twitter and Facebook, so users can share their travel plans within their broader social network.

NileGuide (www.nileguide.com) Aiming to be the go-to source for travelers, Nileguide offers unique guides and articles on destinations, activities, events, and travel technology, written and curated by their own network of local travel experts. An added bonus: Users can create personalized travel guides to take with them.

TravelMuse (www.travelmuse.com) Like similar sites, TravelMuse builds itineraries by destination, but takes it a step further with a “Find Inspiration” trip creation capability. After picking a departure point, users choose what kind of trip they want based on activity and the maximum amount of time they are willing to travel, offering suggestions that users may not have considered on their own.

TripIt (www.tripit.com) TripIt imports and sorts through details like itineraries, flight times, car rental details, hotels, and other useful information, which are then pulled directly from a Gmail account. Updates are shared through Facebook and LinkedIn with an embeddable badge for a blog or personal site.

Tripline (www.tripline.net) Travelers share their trips – through photos and written details – with users on newly-designed Tripline. Besides dates and destinations, they can search for specific points of interest and customized places, invite friends and Tripline members to check it out, and even add theme music.  The result is a clean, clickable, and personalized view of a trip.

WAYN (www.wayn.com) WAYN, or Where Are You Now, is a more established travel social network focusing on younger travelers. Users list their personal contact information and travel history, including pictures, videos, and itineraries. The interface is simple to use and includes its own messaging capability to communicate in real time.

Each of these sites has a different focus, but all have impressive capabilities and features that allow for socially connected travel experiences. See which ones work best with your travel style and social needs by trying them out!

Story by Martin Clinton