If you're familiar with our site, you know we're fans of the National Parks. So, naturally, we've been glued to the TV while PBS is airing it's new Ken Burns mini-series called "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" A lofty title (personally, I think separation of church and state, and the system of checks and balances were pretty good ideas too), but nonetheless, a great show.

Maybe they'll do a follow-up program on the national monuments and other non-nature sites in the NPS; those could use a PBS marketing blitz too.

$25 to check a bag? That's only one of the reasons why I fly with only my carry-on and no checked bags. Of course, being able to pack a week's worth of clothes and gear into a single small bag is a useful skill for road trippers too. It gives you more room for that cooler full of sodas & snacks, and more room to bring back souvenirs. I recently came across this site; chock full of tips and tricks to help you pack it all in just one bag. Very useful info!

So driving long distances between cities can be tedious, especially when you do the same route often. And cheap airfare can make flying look like the better option. But is it smarter?

Well, if you figure in travel time to the airport, then waiting the hour before takeoff, does it save you any time? What about price? Can you save money by flying, when you factor in airport parking, taxis or public transportation to/from the airport and of course, the fact that if you're hungry, you have to buy food beyond the security checkpoint.

This article from MSN takes a look at all the costs for two sample trips and tries to figure out when flying is the better option. If you're debating this right now, it might be worth reading.

If you're a road tripper, you're probably familiar with the good folks at America's Best Value Inn. I've had nothing but good experiences with the chain, and think that it's great they're running this contest. Send them your best story of something wacky you've seen on the road, along with a photo, and you could win a stay at one of their properties - and you can win prizes just by voting too! Hey, maybe we should work with them on next year's eTravelogue photo contest...

D'oh! I wonder if this means we should all go back.

I found the second part of an article on MSN I recently mentioned, about weird roadside attractions across the US. This time there's route 66 landmarks, giant woven baskets, and some classics of the road, like the Cadillac Ranch. Some of these should be on the must-see list, like Salvation Mountain for example, and the recently renovated Blue Whale.

We've talked about foodie road trips in the past, so I figured I'd share this list of regional "delicacies" with you. From muffulettas to provel cheese, there are a lot of regional goodies out there to discover while road tripping.