Cancun sunbathers hoping for a little relaxation on the placid stretch of beach in front of their resort got a big shock yesterday when they found crime scene tape and soldiers instead.

The reason: the sand had allegedly been illegally moved onto the beach by employees of the Gran Caribe Real resort.

So the Mexican government sent in armed Navy personnel and environmental officers to arrest those involved, and presumably “confiscate” the ill-gotten gains.

There may only be one month left of summer, but even if you haven’t managed to hit the road yet for some R&R there’s still time to pull a vacation together.

Instead of Yosemite, Myrtle Beach, the Hamptons or any of those other well-trod, time-honored favorites, why not make a beeline to somewhere a little less predictable?

To give you some inspiration, we’ve gathered a few ideas of our own.

Even though some may seem counter-intuitive—and others may seem downright crazy—you may be surprised at how much fun you can have (and how great the deals are) in these unexpected summer destinations.

These days it seems impossible to hit the road without our cell phone, laptop and digital camera. The problem is: how the heck do you keep them all charged up?

I’m a big fan of visiting our national parks as an affordable getaway, but in the summertime it seems like everyone else has the same idea. But what if you could find a similar but less crowded experience by visiting a state park?

The Mexican government, in its latest move to lure travelers back, is offering a free health insurance program for all visitors which will offer emergency medical care coverage, hospital stays, prescription drugs and ambulance services in the event that they contract the H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu.

Although swine flu has long since spread from Mexico to the furthest corners of the Earth, the country is still dealing with the stigma of the disease and tourists are staying away.

Several years ago, when I told my mom that I would spend a year studying abroad in Lyon, France, she had had just one question. “Why on earth would you choose Lyon?”

With the romantic cityscape of Paris and the sun always shining on the south coast of France, why choose to live in a city that as long been viewed as the dirty, industrial capital of France?

One reason: I wanted to live in a place that had me asking, “Where are the tourists?” not “Where are the locals?”

Peter is broadcasting his radio show this weekend from the Banff Centre in Banff, Alberta, Canada.

Featured guests include:

George Hobica, founder of AirfareWatchdog.com, discussing ways to score lower airfares by using promo codes, mile bonuses and more.

Banff mayor John Stutz, talking about what it’s like to be one of only four mayors the town has ever had, and his vision for the future.

Sheryl Kayne, author of Volunteer Vacations Across America, summarizing the many ways you can give back while recharging yourself.

It’s one thing to take a golf vacation for some quiet time on the course. But when the kids are out of school, why not bring them along? Some golf destinations are more accommodating to families than you might expect.