So much help is available when you stay in a hotel—but what is appropriate for their compensation?

Check out Peter’s AARP video sharing his tips for tipping on the road.

And don’t miss more videos in our TV/Video section.

If you’re a world traveler, don’t miss this global guide: Tips on Tipping Around the World.

And for money-saving tips, don’t miss our Budget Travel section.

It operates in the background without interrupting your work.

Software called Mozy offers a similar service—and they offer 2 gigabytes of backup space for free.

The drawback is the full program costs about $55 a year, which can add up fast.

A more affordable option is to buy an external hard drive that connects to your computer with a USB port.

A good rule of thumb is to get a drive that holds four times the amount of data you want to back up.

Another option is an SD drive, which can hold up to 32 gigabytes.

It’s the same small card you see in digital cameras, but instead of storing photos, you’re storing documents.

If you’re planning to travel with the backups, look into an SSD drive, which is memory-only storage, so it’s a lot less fragile.

Bottom line: there’s no excuse to not backing up your data.

And if you’re a technophobe, bring your laptop to a professional who can recommend the best option for you.

For more arty hotels, don’t miss Travel Gadgets & Gear.

Looking for more advice? Click here for more Daily Travel Tips.

In late 1960s New Orleans, Charlie Farrae—a recent high school graduate—“got called for work on a Tuesday and came to work on a Wednesday,” as he likes to put it.

“When I got out of high school, I didn’t want to work for anybody,” Charlie says. But a former classmate urged him to interview for a bellboy position at a local hotel.

“As long as I fit the uniform,” Charlie remembers, “the job was mine.” And lucky for him, it fit.

Charlie spent five years as a bellboy and was later promoted to a number of front desk and managerial positions at the family-owned Hotel Monteleone—the French Quarter’s oldest and largest.

Now nearly four decades later, he holds the title of “Hotel Historian” and has managed to reject a number of offers trying to lure him elsewhere.

Four days a week he provides new and returning guests with his wealth of knowledge on the 124-year-old hotel that started with just 64 rooms. It now holds more than 600, as well as 55 suites.

At Charlie’s side has been Raoul Vives, a bellman at the Hotel Monteleone for 45 years. He fondly remembers a slew of celebrity guests including Robert Mitchum, Paul Newman, and a controversial (and still disputed) visit by Fidel Castro in the mid-1960s.

The ones he remembers most though are the everyday people who have become his “regulars.” They’ve shared Christmas cards and letters over the years, but what gets him is when the letters stop coming.

Learn about another Great Travel Job: Oral Historian for the Southern Food Alliance.

“They just disappear, and I worry,” says Raoul. While the Monteleone only suffered roof damage after Hurricane Katrina, Raoul felt the greatest loss in the people that never came back—guests and a number of co-workers whom he’d known for decades.

Charlie has had the privilege of hosting all three of his daughters’ wedding receptions at the Monteleone, as well as his granddaughter’s, at cost, due to the generosity of the management. “I’m taking care of the grandchildren of the guests I used to take care of,” he says. “It’s a wonderful family hotel. If it was a corporation, they would have kicked me out a long time ago.”

In Montana’s Glacier National Park, Rachel VandeVoort grew up as a self-proclaimed “river rat.”

At the age of 6 she began coming to work with her father, a white water and fishing guide, at Montana’s oldest Glacier Raft Company.

Want to make some money when you travel? Check out New Work Visa Policies Between US and Australia: Jobs for Backpackers and Budget Travelers.

Growing up, she started helping in the shops, folding T-shirts, and taking the occasional trip down the river with her dad. “As soon as I was old enough, I went to Glacier Raft right away and signed up for work,” Rachel says.

She began as the “Office Girl,” placing reservations and greeting customers. In college she was promoted to “White Water and Fishing Guide,” following in her father’s footsteps. Since then, she has stood in the shoes of nearly every employee at the company.

While majoring in Resource Conservation at the University of Montana, Rachel quickly missed her life of trudging through the streams. “My number one priority in college was how to get back home,” she says.

With her heart in Glacier National Park, and her Type A personality focused on a less seasonal and more stable career, Rachel found full-time employment in sales and marketing at local resorts and businesses. She married a fellow guide she met during her first year, and soon after started a family.

If you like the water as much as Rachel, don’t miss our Water Sports section.

Today she’s the Sales and Marketing Project Manager back at Glacier Raft Company, where it all began.

Rachel’s memories of growing up in Montana are very personal. An environmental enthusiast, she is saddened that so many locals take the natural resources around them for granted. “Now that I’m older,” she says, “I know how fortunate I was to have had that time with my dad on the river.”

Many hotels become home just as much to the visitor as they do to the people who work there.

Martha Miller began visiting Yosemite National Park on family hiking trips when she was five years old. A California native, she grew up in Carpinteria, just about a six-hour drive down the Pacific coast from Yosemite.

“Little by little, I really fell in love with the mountains,” she says. She now serves as the Special Events Coordinator at the historic Ahwahnee Hotel, planning numerous annual events including the famous Bracebridge Dinner.

As a young girl, Martha dreamt of becoming a ranger and naturalist. “I was told women had no place as a ranger,” she says, “So I started working in the industry any way I could.” Her first position was as a bus girl at the Yosemite Lodge Cafeteria, and later as a waitress during the summers at the Ahwahnee.

For the past 30 years, Martha has found time to travel the world following another love—the opera—consuming it in many different languages.

“But I always come back to Yosemite,” she says.

By Wendy Wegner for PeterGreenberg.com. Wendy is a freelance writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Visit her on the Web at www.wendywegner.com.

Related links on PeterGreenberg.com:

• Road Work: Unusual Jobs Abroad
• New Work Visa Policies Between US and Australia: Jobs for Backpackers and Budget Travelers
• Water Sports section
• Personal Stories & Travel Journals section
• Great Travel Job: Oral Historian for the Southern Food Alliance

Newport is probably Rhode Island’s best-known tourist destination.

Located on the southern tip of Aquidneck Island, Newport is home to Cliff Walk and the world-famous mansions built at the end of the 19th century with distinctive architecture and opulent details.

Its sheltered harbor and many beaches also makes Newport a destination for anyone who enjoys sailing and water sports. The city is family-friendly as well, with dozens of affordable restaurants on Broadway and Bowen’s Wharf in the harbor. Newport also has fine dining, but you have to search it out.

One Bellevue inside the Hotel Viking is located on Historic Hill, overlooking Newport Harbor.

Chef Kevin Theile’s menu changes with the seasons and emphasizes local produce and seafood. “When people travel to New England, they’re looking for seasonal New England seafood,” he explains.

So it’s no surprise that most of the seafood on his menu is caught in nearby waters, including Maine lobsters, sole, shrimp, bay scallops, and oysters. “Right off the docks, right out of the water,” is his mantra.

Chef Theile tells a story about a recent gastronome’s tour of New York he took with his sous and banquet chefs. Most memorable, he said, was a meal at Mario Batali’s Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca.

They feasted on ingredients they love but could never serve at One Bellevue: head cheese, pigs’ feet, lamb brains, rabbit, and goat. But, he points out, Newport is a tourist town, not a culinary scene and people want familiar food.

That was a refrain I heard frequently on my tour of the state. Many tourists simply enjoy eating food that doesn’t challenge their culinary boundaries, but that doesn’t stop chefs from occasionally pushing the envelope.

For starters, Chef Theile’s menus are based on seasonality and locality—one bite and you know you’re in Southern New England. But for those who want some cross-cultural surprises, he offers southern New England ingredients treated with a French and Asian flair. Think grilled lobster with cipolini whipped potatoes and ginger sesame haricot vert and chili-rubbed tuna with wasabi potatoes.

Don’t miss the first entry in this series: Rhode Island Renaissance: The Restaurants of Providence.

Located at the end of Cliff Walk and looking every bit like one of the nearby Newport mansions is the Chanler Hotel, featuring 20 guest rooms furnished with European designs—no two rooms are alike.

Taking up most of the ground floor, the Spiced Pear Restaurant looks like the dining room of a Mediterranean villa. From its vantage point on the cliff, the restaurant has a sweeping view of the brilliantly blue water below. In the colder months, the dining room occupies a room facing the open kitchen. In summer, diners can also sit outside in the covered patio and enjoy the cool breezes off Rhode Island Sound.

Executive Chef Kyle Ketchum describes his menu as contemporary New England cuisine. If you love lobster, start with the lobster bisque, then go on to the delicately flavored butter-poached Maine lobster, served with sweet creamed corn, English peas, and mushrooms.

Acknowledging that his guests do not live by seafood alone, Chef Ketchum serves beautifully composed plates such as American Kobe beef with potato gratin. His vegetarian tasting menu takes advantage of seasonally available local produce.

If you’ll allow yourself the calories, Chef Ketchum will delight your sweet tooth with the eye-pleasing Tahitian vanilla bean soufflé or his acrobatic chocolate trio that couples a wedge of chocolate truffle cake, a dark chocolate terrine, and a pistachio and dark chocolate brownie with a Bailey’s Irish Cream float topped with whipped cream.

Want to improve your cooking skills and take a great vacation, too? Visit our Cooking Classes section for ideas all over the country–and the world!

Twenty minutes from downtown Newport, the 35-room Castle Hill Inn & Resort sits on a hill overlooking Narragansett Bay.

The day we drove out to the restaurant, a rain storm pelted Ocean Drive, the solitary road that circles the island. The lobster skiffs that fish the waters had taken refuge in sheltered coves to avoid the storm. The Inn looked all the more romantic in the rain.

The restaurant occupies the sun room of the converted mansion. Open on three sides to a view of the water, light poured in even on a rainy day. Chef Casey Riley, like his fellow Rhode Island chefs, emphasizes local seafood and seasonal produce on his menu. The clams in his New England clam chowder and in the sauté combining littlenecks with Portuguese sausage and fennel are from local waters, as are the raw Matunuck Farm oysters he tops with a Bloody Mary sorbet and black pepper gelee.

While the menu lists familiar dishes like bacon and eggs, a lobster roll, and a grilled cheese sandwich, Chef Riley prepares them with upgraded ingredients: the bacon is actually pork belly; the lobster roll uses a tarragon dressing instead of mayonnaise; and the grilled cheese is made with a selection of Narragansett Creamery cheeses on Sicilian bread. Even the hash is made with lobster.

***

A trip to Rhode Island should always include a stop on Block Island. Ferries leave frequently from Point Judith and New London.

Looking very much like a Norman Rockwell painting, Old Harbor is one of those rare places where time appears to have stopped. There are no high-rises here. Turn-of-the-century, four-story hotels like the National dominate the skyline. Walk a few blocks inland to Spring Street and you’ll find Victorian houses that have become B&Bs.

Love seafood? Don’t miss Rhode Island Renaissance: Lobster, Oysters, Clams & More on the Rhode Island Shore.

Conventional wisdom would have you believe that there is only café-style food on the island. Among the dozens of local restaurants, Eli’s is deservedly well-reviewed because the food is fresh, reasonably priced, and well-prepared.

But the best place to eat on the island, bar none, is in the Hotel Manisses Restaurant.

Chef Ross Audino takes local sourcing one step farther than his mainland colleagues. During the summer, 70 percent of his vegetables and 100 percent of his herbs come from the large garden behind the restaurant planted by Justin Abrams, the hotel’s owner.

Not only are the blue fish, striped bass, mussels, lobster, and other seafood staples fished from local waters, but because Block Island is a tight-knit community, the chef knows the fishermen personally, like Joe Szabo, an old-timer who fishes for local swordfish.

Learn more about the “locavores” who favor local ingredients in Rhode Island Renaissance: Spotlight on Providence’s Locavore Chefs.

The summertime dining room extends outside into a spacious brick lined patio that looks out on the herb garden at the back of the building.

When the weather cools, diners stay inside, usually starting off with a drink at the bar and one of the appetizers, like Maryland-style crab cakes or freshly shucked moonstone oysters.

Chef Audino also puts the local seafood to excellent use in his entrees, including the inventive grilled swordfish with lobster mashed potatoes (yes, that’s lobster mashed potatoes and they are delicious).

The menu accommodates vegetarians with a grilled garlic marinated tofu with house-made mozzarella and a beet salad made with beets from the owner’s garden.

For meat-eaters, the menu is a lot of fun. A smoked beef brisket sandwich with crispy onion rings and barbecued St. Louis ribs on a bed of jalapeno and cheddar spoon bread from the Bistro menu are delicious. The ribs are full of flavor and, literally, finger-lickin’ good because they are brined, dry rubbed, slow braised and then finished in high heat so the moist, nicely fatty meat gets a thin crust on top.

Desserts range from an apple crumble with an excellent nougat ice cream to a seven-layer chocolate cake with mocha ganache. All of are good, but if I were going to leave room for anything, it would be for a couple more of the St. Louis Ribs and a handful of those French fries.

Like barbecue? Don’t miss Ribs, Ribs, and More Ribs: The Biggest Barbecue Cook-Off in the West.

Before leaving Rhode Island, you should make one more stop before you go home: the coastal city of Bristol.

Located on the eastern side of Narragansett Bay, mid-way between Providence and Newport, Bristol has small-town charms, New England style. The small craft harbor is encircled by a bike and walking path. The small town shops remind you of a “time before we had malls.”

Walking toward the harbor on State Street you might pass by Persimmon Restaurant without noticing the intimate, tastefully decorated dining room inside.

Opened in 2005 by Chef Champe Speidel and his wife Lisa, Persimmon has gained a large following among tourists and locals, including chefs throughout the state.

Traveling along the New England coast? Don’t miss: Ask the Locals Travel Guide: New London, Mystic & Mashantucket, Connecticut

Even though much of Bristol’s business is summer tourism, the town is a bedroom community of commuters who work in Providence and Newport, which means a year-round clientele supports his restaurant.

Challenging himself, Chef Speidel prints a new menu every day, featuring what’s fresh and local. Keeping his menu in sync with the seasons means his customers look forward to the new ways he’ll prepare ingredients with a short season, like asparagus, black bass and tautog. For his loyal customers he balances favorites like the crispy skin Long Island duck breast with new dishes so he’ll encourage them to come back several times a week.

Speidel borrows freely from world cuisine and American traditional food. His approach is highly skilled and witty.

Eight years ago, he attended his first clambake on the beach, and loved the experience of a wood fire, freshly cooked clams, corn, lobster, potatoes, and chorizo. Wanting to recreate the experience back at the restaurant, he created the mini clambake, one of his most popular appetizers.

When the dish is presented at the table, the plate is covered by a glass dome. When the covering is removed a scented cloud of apple wood smoke is released and, for a moment just before you devour the sweetly flavored seafood and broth, you’re transported back to a summertime beach where you don’t have a care in the world.

One of the dishes I enjoyed the most was his two-minute ceviche of native razor clams, served with Vietnamese kalamansi lime, chilies, and mint sauce. Never has a southern New England clam been so well-served.

His menu includes some upscale comfort foods. For those who can afford the fatty indulgence, he serves up a perfectly seared Hudson Valley foie gras with oven roasted figs dressed with a duck reduction and aged balsamic vinegar. For another appetizer, an egg slow cooked at precisely 143.6 degrees for one hour, shares an elegant bowl with sautéed hen-of-the-woods mushrooms flavored with a touch of curry oil.

The dessert selections run from the delicate (yogurt and vanilla panna cotta with native berries) to the sublime (rich chocolate mousse with dark chocolate-hazelnut feuilletine and caramel ice ream). But I confess a simple plate of Berkshire blue cheese with a wedge of honeycomb dusted with fennel pollen stole my heart that night.

After having so many wonderful meals, and taking everything into account—the simple elegance of the dining room, the host’s friendliness and charm, the execution and distinctive flavor profile of each and every dish—eating at Persimmon was my best dining experience on a very memorable trip.

By David Latt for PeterGreenberg.com. Visit David on the Web at MenWhoLiketoCook.com.

Don’t miss the previous articles in this series:

• Rhode Island Renaissance: The Restaurants of Providence
• Rhode Island Renaissance: Spotlight on Providence’s Locavore Chefs
• Rhode Island Renaissance: Lobster, Oysters, Clams & More on the Rhode Island Shore

Related links on PeterGreenberg.com:

• 10 Top Cooking Schools, Gourmet Getaways & Learning Vacations for Foodies
• Ask the Locals Travel Guide: New London, Mystic & Mashantucket, Connecticut

But on April 29, new rules from the Department of Transportation (DOT) will go into effect that may help alleviate this problem.

So what do these new rules say, exactly, and what do they mean for fliers?

Primarily, they make airlines take responsibility for major ground delays with the threat of steep fines from the DOT.

The new rules allow fines of up to $27,000 per passenger if airlines fail to follow the rules–which means that a plane with just 100 passengers could cost an airline up to $2.7 million.

They also force airlines to adhere to some basic standards of conduct, including requirements to give food and water to passengers stuck for longer than 2 hours, as well as offering requiring the airplane to return to the gate and giving people the option of de-planing after being stuck for more than 3 hours.

While passenger rights advocates had been trying to get reforms like these passed through Congress, that process had been resisted bitterly (and successfully) by the airlines, which are already balking at the new rules.

One previous attempt was the Boxer-Snowe amendment, which Peter and Wall Street Journal travel columnist Scott McCartney discuss here. There was also talk of passing new protections along with the FAA Reauthorization bill in July 2009, but that effort failed as well.

Eventually the Obama administration bypassed Congress and had the DOT implement new rules.

With the new rules, the airlines may have a clear incentive to cancel a flight, rather than risk fines. But Peter thinks this could actually help clear up some of the problems of passengers being trapped, so check out Peter’s report for The Early Show here.

By Matthew Calcara for PeterGreenberg.com.

For more from Peter’s TV & Video segments, click here.

The Museum floor features items that reflect the Pacific Northwest from the Museum of Anthropology.

Rooms on the Gallery floor feature works curated by the renowned Buschlen Mowatt Gallery.

Our neighbors up north also have the Gladstone Hotel, the oldest continuously operating hotel in Toronto, where all 37 rooms were co-designed by visual artists.

We’re not talking tacky themed rooms—these rooms are works of art on their own.

In Italy, Rome Cavalieri is the site of a hugely respected private art collection—everything from a crib commissioned by Napoleon to authentic Warhols.

If you want the full museum experience, take a private tour with the on-site art historian.

And don’t forget about the 21C in Louisville, which has a 9,000-square-foot modern art museum, with rotating and permanent exhibitions.

The museum hotel also hosts monthly poetry readings and life drawing classes, so guests can tap into their own inner artist.

For more arty hotels, don’t miss Sleeping With Warhol: America’s Art Hotels.

Looking for more advice? Click here for more Daily Travel Tips.

Providence Mayor David Cicilline, the first openly gay major of a U.S. state capital, talking about his favorite aspects of the Renaissance City;

Simon Cooper, CEO of Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts, telling tales of his travels abroad, and the lessons learned on the road;

Arnie Weissmann, founding editor for Travel Weekly debating the merits of high-speed rails versus aviation, Continental’s decision to eliminate its free coach meals, and the recent outbreaks of norovirus on cruise ships;

Ann Woolsey, interim director at the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, discussing the museum’s legacy, its collection and its place in the community of Providence;

Pieter Roos, executive director of the Newport Restoration Foundation, talking about the  importance of Rhode Island’s historic architecture and art, and why travelers should also make time to visit Newport and Bristol;

Chelsea Fuller, a student and sailor currently traveling the world with Semester at Sea, giving an introduction to life at sea;

David Latt, a former Providence resident and current freelance writer who recently experienced a culinary tour of Rhode Island, shares his favorites;

Don’t miss David’s series on PeterGreenberg.com about the culinary delights of the area:

• Rhode Island Renaissance: The Restaurants of Providence
• Rhode Island Renaissance: Spotlight on Providence’s Locavore Chefs
• Rhode Island Renaissance: Lobster, Oysters, Clams & More on the Rhode Island Shore

Ann Morfogen, a Sony executive who recently completed a trip of a lifetime to Bhutan, calling in to review her travels and remind us how easy it is to see the world;

Eric Weiner, World Hum contributor, talking about his recent article on travel snobbery and the unexpected virtues of tourism;

Johnny Jet, founder of JohnnyJet.com, who’s on a whirlwind tour of Oman, and still has time to give us his latest favorite travel sites!

Linda Beaulieu, James Beard award-winning food writer and author of several books about Rhode Island chefs and culinary traditions, offers her local perspective on the best places to dine and why local chefs have such a tight-knit community.

Call in with your travel questions at 1-888-88-PETER (1-888-887-3837), or email Peter at peter@petergreenberg.com. (Write “ASK PETER” in the subject line so it doesn’t get rejected by our spam filters.)

Check out previous shows in our Radio Archives.

With airports and airlines struggling to fill seats, more and more airports are beginning to compete aggressively for travelers.

So which airports are adding customers and what does it say about the airline industry?

Overall in 2009, passenger traffic fell 5.3%, down to roughly 704 million domestic and international travelers. So the handful of airports that actually posted an increase in traffic greatly outperformed the average.

The airports that actually increased their traffic were Baltimore/Washington, Chicago’s Midway, Milwaukee’s General Mitchell and San Francisco International (SFO), though the increases were relatively small. While Baltimore/Washington, Midway and Milwaukee are all among the nation’s most prominent alternate airports and benefited from increased competition among low-cost carriers.

Meanwhile, SFO was the only international hub that defied trends, with passenger traffic ticking up slightly to 16 million passengers from 15.8 million the year before. Among the factors providing the boost was an increase in scheduled flights from carriers such as Southwest, Virgin America, JetBlue and United (which dominates SFO with about 40% of its flights).

The rise at SFO coincided with a big drop in traffic at competing airports in Oakland (down 17.1%, the second-worst drop nationwide) and San Jose (down 14.3%, the third-worst nationally). Only Cincinnati, where Delta has been slashing flights as it downgrades a hub, suffered a larger fall in traffic than these airports.

So as competition heats up among airports, especially in markets where there are multiple airports, some airports are trying new tactics to attract travelers.

Find great airports with America’s Best Alternate Airports.

For example, San Francisco International’s new “I Wanna Go Through SFO” campaign aims to highlight the strengths of that airport’s appeal. Spotlighting spacious terminals, a lack of lines, pinball machines, mass transit connections and mayor Gavin Newsom’s megawatt smile among other features, the new YouTube video seems mostly aimed at international travelers.

SFO spokesman Mike McCarron confirmed that while the latest video was designed with international travelers in mind, it highlights features that appeal equally to American travelers.

Milwaukee’s General Mitchell Airport has long done similar promotions aimed at getting Chicago travelers to skip crowded O’Hare and opt for “Chicago’s Third Airport.”

And even Canadian airports are getting in on the act–Edmonton International Airport has launched a “Stop the Calgary Habit” campaign to convince travelers to fly from their local airport instead of driving to the larger Calgary International Airport.

In terms of what this means for air travelers, if airports start competing not just on the number and price of flights, but on services and convenience as well, air travelers could start seeing much-needed improvements.

By Matthew Calcara for PeterGreenberg.com.

Related links: USA Today, YouTube- I Wanna Go Through SFO, Associated Press

Related links on PeterGreenberg.com:

• Customer Satisfaction Survey Ranks America’s Best & Worst Airports
• America’s Best Alternate Airports 
• Off the Brochure Travel Guide: San Francisco, CA
• Sydney, San Francisco Top Reader’s Choice Poll
• J.D. Power and Associates Latest Airline Satisfaction Survey

These days, a lot of work is done in the classroom, but a reputable program will usually end with a real flight.

At the General Mitchell airport in Milwaukee, courses are available in February and October.

Led by an aviation psychologist and certified flight instructor, classes are $175 and end with a short flight on a commercial aircraft.

The Fear of Flying Clinic in Northern California offers three sessions a year at San Francisco International Airport.

Classes include conversations with professionals like pilots, flight attendants, aircraft mechanics, and air-traffic controllers.

Participants also get to tour an air traffic control tower and a commercial airliner. Why all the meetings and tours?

Because for many, the fear of flying comes from not understanding how a plane works, and what causes strange noises in the air.

And in Westchester County, New York, the six-session Freedom to Fly workshop includes individual meetings with a counselor and ends with a flight from New York to Boston and back … hopefully phobia-free.

For more tips, don’t miss our Air Travel section.

Looking for more advice? Click here for more Daily Travel Tips.

The second annual New Orleans Road Food Festival, will take place March 26-28 in New Orleans, celebrating the great regional foods of America.

Peter Greenberg: Michael, you’ll still talk to me, even though I don’t eat meat anymore?

Michael Stern: You can come and have a Lasyone crawfish pie as opposed to a meat pie at the festival.

PG: Tell me more!

MS: Lasyone is from northern Louisiana. It’s not traditional Creole food, but is rather an old Cane River dish that goes back to the Louisiana Purchase. These are little crescents of really flaky dough that get fried with either spiced meat or crawfish in them. And they’re going to be serving them along Royal Street for the New Orleans Road Festival.

PG: When we talk about road food let’s be specific. We’re not just talking about a Philly cheese steak, right? Are we talking about road food that you stumble across when you’re traveling across the country—off the side streets?

MS: What we’re really celebrating at this festival are regional specialties that are unique, by which you really remember visiting a place.

Learn more about regional specialties of the Southern United States with this article: Southern Comfort: Finding Good Food & Down-Home Hospitality.

PG: OK, so a Philly cheese steak would qualify.

MS: That would be perfect. In addition to the New Orleans food and Louisiana food, for example, we’re having Louie Mueller’s of Taylor, Texas, bring his classic Texas barbecue. It’s very different than Southern barbecue, as you probably know. It’s slow smoked brisket that is so tender—well I won’t talk to you about it since you’re not eating meat anymore.

PG: What you can talk about is the seafood chowder from the Maine Diner.

MS: That is one of the great dishes. When we call it award-winning seafood chowder that’s not just hyperbole. I mean every time anyone in New England has a chowder contest, Maine Diner seafood chowder is number one. It’s buttery and creamy, but not too rich. It’s not too thick and gummy the way New England chowder can be. They’re coming all the way down and serving Maine seafood chowder in New Orleans. I think that’s going to be fascinating because people will be able to compare and contrast it to New Orleans gumbo, which we’re also serving down there.

Find more great dining experiences in our Culinary Travel section.

PG: Of course. Well speaking of New Orleans food, does a muffuletta qualify?

MS: Absolutely, yes. We’ve got several venders serving muffulettas, and different types of po-boys: hot sausage, Cochon de lait—which you know is a suckling pig po-boy.

PG: Hey, you’re not going to put beignets on that list, are you?

MS: We will be serving beignets at the festival, but on Sunday morning the New Orleans fire department is going up against the New Orleans police department in the first ever beignet-eating contest.

PG: There’ll be a lot of powdered sugar flying around people’s faces and on their clothing that day.

MS: Well, the rule is you’re not allowed to blow powdered sugar in your opponents face when you eat these.

PG: What would you say in this festival will be the most unusual road food?

Don’t miss our Ask the Locals Travel Guide: New Orleans, Louisiana.

MS: I would say one of the things that makes my mouth water is called Shrimp Uggie. This is a dish made popular by a restaurant called Uglesich’s. It was located New Orleans for several decades but they closed in 2005. When they closed the food world wept because this is one of those inconspicuous, humble places that served spectacular food. And they’d been doing it for generations. The Uglesichs are coming out of retirement to prepare their most famous dish—Shrimp Uggie—for people at the festival.

PG: What’s in that?

MS: I don’t know what’s in it. Shrimp, like 82,000 different spices, and these crisp fried potatoes.

PG: How many different states are represented here at the New Orleans festival?

Learn more about New Orleans with our Spotlight On: New Orleans Travel.

MS: There’s Louisiana, of course. We’ve also got Texas, Maine and Arizona. The Camp Washington Chili Parlor is sending down Cincinnati five-way chili. We’ve also got pulled pork from Alabama.

PG: What’s coming from Arizona?

MS: Tucson Tamales.

PG: That sounds like you’ve just been admitted to a hospital.

MS: The great thing about this is it’s going to be five blocks of the French Quarter and admission is free. People can stroll along and eat as much or as little as they like. All of the vendors have promised that they are going to make their dishes in sample-size portions so that you really will have the opportunity to taste maybe six, eight, or a dozen different dishes.

PG: Is there any road food that you detest? Come on, I want you to tell me the truth.

MS: Chitterlings steamed in vinegar is not my favorite dish. And I don’t even want to start talking about what chitterlings are.

PG: And what lucky restaurant provides that experience?

MS: That is not going to be at the New Orleans Road Food Festival.

PG: What is this again, chitterlings? I want to hear this again.

MS: It’s chitterling steamed in vinegar. It’s a specialty of southernmost Virginia, a little area where a lot of restaurants serve it. Some people love it, but it’s one of the very few dishes that I ate once and will probably not be eating again.

For more information on the New Orleans Road Food Festival, visit www.neworleansroadfoodfestival.com. To learn more on where to find inexpensive regional food across the country, visit www.roadfood.com.

By Peter Greenberg for PeterGreenberg.com.

Interested in Southern culinary travels? Check out these articles:

• Off the Brochure Travel Guide: Charleston, SC
• Off the Brochure Travel Guide: Nashville, TN
• One-Tank Trips: Raleigh, NC
• All About Agrotourism
• Locavores on the Loose: American Gourmet Grocery Stores
• Ask the Locals Travel Guide: Atlanta, Georgia
• Great Travel Jobs: Oral Historian for the Southern Food Alliance

Several passengers on a flight out of Charlotte, North Carolina, have been hospitalized for symptoms consistent with exposure to toxic fumes, while hundreds of cruisers out of Charleston, South Carolina, have fallen ill from an intestinal bug.

Several people reported a foul odor on the Jamaica-bound US Airways Flight 985 from Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, followed by passengers complaining of illness.

The plane returned to the gate and nine passengers and crew members were transported to a hospital for treatment.

This marks the second time this year involving passengers getting sick on a US Airways flight. In January, eight passengers and seven crew members were treated for headache and nausea on a flight from St. Thomas to Charlotte, after reporting a foul smell on the aircraft.

Read more: Flight Attendant’s Lawsuit Raises Questions About Toxic Cabin Air

Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers have fallen ill onboard the Celebrity Mercury in what is believed to a norovirus outbreak. Officials at Celebrity Cruises announced that it canceled yesterday’s port call in the British Virgin Islands and the ship would return to Charleston on Thursday, a day earlier than scheduled.

This is the third time in a month that passengers have gotten sick on the Celebrity Mercury out of Charleston. The CDC has issued a rare “no sail” advisory on this ship for at least four days while it undergoes a thorough inspection and cleaning.

The Mercury was scheduled to depart Charleston on Friday, but Celebrity will delay that voyage by two days. Celebrity has offered full refunds to any booked passenger who wants to cancel, and will offer a 15 percent certificate toward a future cruise.

By Sarika Chawla for PeterGreenberg.com.

Related links on PeterGreenberg.com:

• Cruise Ship Sickness: Hundreds Fall Ill to Mystery Bug
• Travel Tip: Cruise Ship Medical Care
• Flight Attendant’s Lawsuit Raises Questions About Toxic Cabin Air
• Travel Health & Fitness section

Related links: Charlotte Observer, Associated Press, WCNC Radio, 11Alive.com, USA Today

The rest of us, however, may need a little convincing.

Amanda Pressner investigates the grownup side of this Mexican destination.

Every March, the northern hub of Mexico’s Rivera Maya transforms into the unofficial epicenter of Spring Break, complete with 24-hour parties, wet T-shirt contests, MTV cameras, and unfathomable amounts of alcohol.

The area’s 150 hotels and 24,000 rooms swell to capacity with several hundred thousand college students eager to make this the trip they’ll remember for the rest of their lives (or at least, until they make it back home).

But even if you can relate to their desire to make lasting memories, chances are, you probably aren’t as keen on sharing the same stretch of Yucatan sand—at least, not this month. Our advice to you: Don’t wait until school is back in session (and the weather heats up) to book your trip to this part of Mexico.

You may only know its up-all-night reputation, but there’s an entirely different side to the Rivera Maya, an 87-mile corridor that unofficially begins with Cancun and extends to Tulum in the south.

Headed to Mexico? Try the Mexico & Central American Travel category.

Between the two destinations, a ribbon of diamond white coastline has been developed almost exclusively for visitors who’ve graduated to a more sophisticated level of travel and entertainment.

In the past decade or so, several dozen high-end boutique hotels and all-inclusive reports have been built along semi-private stretches of sand. Besides offering an ultra laid-back vibe and service that virtually eliminates the need to lift a finger, these properties offer unparalleled access to some of the most incredible beaches and waterfront views in the Western Caribbean.

Because most properties afford guests their own little slice of paradise (the beaches are decidedly uncrowded here and there’s usually plenty of cabanas to go around) many newlyweds choose to make the Riviera Maya their honeymoon destination. Groups and families are drawn here as well, thanks to the proximity to eco- and adventure activities, reasonable room rates and the short flight required to get here. The only visitors that tend to be absent are students, who generally remain within close range of Cancun.

For more ideas, don’t miss Spring Break 2010: Alternative Destinations & Family-Friendly Vacations.

FROM ADULTS-ONLY TO FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATIONS

The El Dorado Royale is an adults-only property caters primarily to couples celebrating honeymoons and anniversaries, or those who simply want a romantic getaway. While the resort contains 605 suites, 11 swimming pools and seven restaurants, the property maintains an inclusive, boutique-like vibe by offering ultra-personalized service via solicitous staff members who always seem to remember your name. Consider one of the suites on the casitas side, as you’ll get access to the more secluded side of the beach, plus a dedicated concierge for the duration of your stay.

The “Gourmet Inclusive” exclusive concept at the 98-room Azul Beach Hotel means that you’ll get the chance to experience three-course candlelit dinners on the beach, a fresh fish fry, an all-lobster menu and 30 top shelf tequilas—all included in the price of your stay.

Kids aren’t just allowed here, they’re welcomed with open arms: Families with young children can get loaner baby equipment, access to kid’s club clubs and parent support. An exclusive Family & Friends vacation planner can also help coordinate group vacations.

Want fun in the sun? Don’t miss our Beach Vacations category.

Banyan Tree Mayakoba opened last March, the newest property in the eco-friendly Mayakoba resort development, located on the southern end of the Riviera Maya.

Boasting 132 all-pool villas (the smallest of which are a whopping 3,000 square feet), the hotel merges an Asian design aesthetic with that of Mexico’s local natural environment. For guests in need of pampering, the “Rainforest Trail” at the Spa Mayakoba is sure to be a draw. It’s a complete hydrotherapy and thermal circuit that borrows from both the European and Asian wellness philosophies.

Peter’s radio show recently made a stop on the Riviera Maya. Learn more about the area with: Mexico Travel Tips: Expert Travel Advice from the Riviera Maya.

HANGING OUT

No matter where you end up staying on the Riviera Maya, well-paved roads mean that you’ll have quick and comfortable access to region’s attractions.

Eco Theme Parks: These multi-acre adventure destinations offer a vast range of family friendly activities, including snorkeling, sea trekking, river wading, wildlife exhibits, dance shows and cultural activities. Two of the most popular parks are Xcaret (which offers more in the way of Mayan attractions and recreated settlements) and Xel-Ha, renowned for its aquatic attractions.

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving: The world’s second-largest barrier reef is located just off the coast of Mexico, and you’ll find numerous operators willing to take you on a tour of this great undersea wonder. More technically advanced divers won’t want to miss the chance to explore the cenotes, flooded subterranean caverns that must be viewed with a scuba tank, flashlight—and a little courage.

Learn more: Diving in Cancun & the Second-Largest Barrier Reef.

Mayan Ruins: The Riviera Maya gets its name from the Mayan empire that once inhabited the area—and several well-preserved sites from that ancient civilization still exist. You’ll find only Mayan settlement ever built on the sea at Tulum, one of the best preserved at Cobá and the most popular at Chichen Itza.

Learn more about the ruins with Mayan culture expert Iliana Rodriguez in this broadcast of Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio.

Sian Ka’an Biosphere: Its name in the Maya language means “where the sky is born” or “gift from heaven” and the moniker fits: Because this spot has such a diversity of biological species, both animals and plants, and it’s been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

GETTING THERE

Nearly every major airline services Cancun, including American, Delta, Northwest and United (plus Mexican airlines Aeroméxico and Mexicana) and you can usually secure a nonstop flight from most major US cities. Rumors have been swirling for years about a new airport that services the Riviera Maya only, but as of this writing, it’s still a no-go.

By Amanda Pressner for PeterGreenberg.com. Visit Amanda and the other “Lost Girls” on the Web at www.lostgirlsworld.com. Their debut book, The Lost Girls, will be out from HarperCollins in 2010.

Related articles on PeterGreenberg.com:

• National Geographic’s Costas Crist + Locals on Diving in Cancun
• Radio Show Riviera Maya Mexico
• Mexico & Central America Travel section
• Mayan culture expert Iliana Rodriguez - Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio
• Slideshow: Exploring the Underwater Wonders of the Caribbean
• Off the Brochure Travel Guide: Cancun & Riviera Maya, Mexico
• Ask the Locals Travel Guide: Riviera Maya, Mexico

That’s when travelers typically lock in their cruises for the rest of the year, so travel providers up the ante with freebies and perks.

If you book with Priceline Cruises, they’ll throw in a cash coupon for a hotel stay before or after the cruise.

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering free upgrades and up to $400 in onboard spending if you book by mid-March. And every couple of weeks, there are additional perks like discounted kids fares and reduced deposits.

Even luxury lines are discounting. Oceania Cruises is offering up to $1,500 off two-for-one fares AND free airfare if you book a fall European cruise before the end of March.

Regent Seven Seas is knocking off up to $1,000 per guest and free airfare.

And voyages include free shore excursions and onboard beverages … including alcohol.

Just remember promotional discounts are often applied to the full brochure fare.

So do your research and compare prices before grabbing a deal that sounds good on paper.

For more tips, don’t miss our Cruise Travel section..

Looking for more advice? Click here for more Daily Travel Tips.

George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com, talking about the importance of business travel and connecting people face-to-face instead of just teleconferencing;

Leigh Gallagher, assistant managing editor at Fortune, breaking down where airlines fit in on the magazine’s list of “Most Admired Companies.”

Diego Parras, Walt Disney Imagineer, sharing the stories behind Disney World’s most popular attractions and what the future holds for Disney;

Captain Jon McBride, former NASA astronaut, sharing stories from his missions in space and his time as a fighter pilot.

Check out a complete guest list for this show here.

Get destination information with:

• Ask the Locals Travel Guide: Orlando, Florida
• Orlando, Florida, Beyond Theme Parks
• Action Beyond the Attractions: Family-Friendly Adventures in Orlando

Listen to other hours of the show here:

• Hour 2
• Hour 3

Check out previous radio show locations and get destination information with this map:

View Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio in a larger map

Dave Carroll, the musician behind the “United Breaks Guitars” internet phenomenon, talking about the experience that has helped launch his career and the final song of his trilogy;

Doug Ingersoll, author of Complete Idiots Guide to Walt Disney World, sharing tips on affordable deals, planning and how to successfully navigate your family through the parks;

Ann Morfogen, senior executive at Sony and world traveler, checking in with all her latest details on her current trip to Bhutan;

Sara Van Arsel, executive director of the Orange County (FL) Regional History Center, discussing what life was like in Orlando before Disney and how the city has grown.

Check out a complete guest list for this show here.

Get destination information with:

• Ask the Locals Travel Guide: Orlando, Florida
• Orlando, Florida, Beyond Theme Parks
• Action Beyond the Attractions: Family-Friendly Adventures in Orlando

Listen to other hours of the show here:

• Hour 1
• Hour 3

Check out previous radio show locations and get destination information with this map:

View Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio in a larger map