Welcome to the fifth Travel on a Shoestring Carnival for the Americas. Here you’ll find North American, Central American and Caribbean travel tips for those without a lot of money to spend.
This week’s photographic inspiration comes from the Canada article at DirectoryM. The entry is loaded with tons of information about the country, including a really interesting section on distinctly Canadian cuisine. Now let’s get down to business!
If you’re in the mood for a city vacation, you’ll want to check out the following posts:
+ Montreal. In Montreal is for [Vietnamese Food] Lovers posted at The Ironic Mullet TM :: Culture and food from a traveler’s perspective :: The Tiny Guide, Lee Ann Westover deliberates the cheapest way to get there from NYC and runs down your best options for authentic pho.
+ Boston. Marilyn Terrell’s post Beantown is Greentown at Intelligent Travel describes bike rental options and other green travel ideas.
+ Abingdon. On I-81 between Knoxville and Roanoake, not far from the TN-NC-VA border, lies a unique historical theater. Read about this cultural excursion in Joanne Scarborough‘s post GB Shaw wanted spinach: the Barter Theatre at Perceptive Travel Blog.
+ Using public transport. Penny Nickel presents 15 tips for a frugal, relaxing, earth-friendly vacation that’s car-free! posted at Money and Values.
+ Booking hotels for less. Ybother lays out the basics of using Hotwire, from figuring out which hotel you’re booking to making sure the room you book meets your expectations, in Using Hotwire? 10 Hot Tips on Booking Hotels via Hotwire posted at A Top Ten List Everyday to Jumpstart Your Knowledge.
If want to get back to nature, try on the following posts for size:
+ Matthew Paulson presents Camping Frugally: Spending Less in the Wilderness posted at The Travel Advocate.
+ Julie Bloss Kelsey presents Website of the Week: National Park Service posted at Mama Joules, saying, “Tips for navigating the National Park Service website before you head out on your next trip.”
Perhaps you’re headed for an island vacation instead?
+ Global Traveler presents Budget Traveling In The Caribbean posted at Traveling Around The World, saying, “The Caribbean is a great place to travel at any time of the year for a tropical island vacation.”
+ The Traveling Mamas were on location in Hawaii and have a bunch of great posts on cheap experiences. Try Molokai Sunset on Papohaku Beach, Mama on the Move – Hawaii Hiking to Petroglyphs, or, if you’re hungry, Where to Eat a Great Fast Food Lunch in Hawaii.
+ Ron presents Museums on the Big Island of Hawaii posted at Your Aloha Connection.
If you’re looking to save money on plane tickets, have a gander at:
+ Raymond presents The Best Frequent Flyer Airline Miles Credit Cards For Cheap Flights posted at Money Blue Book.
+ Linda W. presents Getting To The Caribbean posted at The Eclectic Female, saying, “If you’re planning a trip to the Caribbean, you probably automatically started looking up flights to the area.”
Can’t afford to fly? Then take the bus instead! Jack Norell presents Bus travel around the world posted at Eyeflare – Travel Articles and Tips, saying, “Bus travel is often as budget as you can get. Cheaper than trains, but faster than walking, here are some of the best cheap bus operators in the world.”
General tips for budget travel come to us this week from:
+ Heather Hills with 10 Best Ways to Travel on a Budget posted at Chick Vacations, Women Travel.
+ Heather Johnson with 10 Frugal Travel Tips for Your Summer Vacation posted at FIRE Finance.
+ Amanda S reminds us they’re not expensive if you share in Timeshare On A Budget posted at RCI member informer.
+ Matthew Paulson tells us how to do it all on the company dime while saving a nickel in How to Go on Business Trips & Come Home With Extra Money posted at The Travel Advocate.
Andy Fletcher shows us how to have a good time with just 51 cents in The Souvenir Smashed Penny Collector posted at Andy Fletcher’s Custom Trains Blog.
When staying in someone else’s home, it is expected you act considerately towards your host. Tip Diva presents Tip Diva | Top Ten Tips – Being A Considerate House Guest, saying, “When you’re traveling, a friend or family member may offer you a room for a night, a week or even longer. Even though you may be close to the person, you’re still a guest, and there are some things that every gracious person should know.”
Wrapping up this week, minnemom reflects on the reason behind the vacation weekend in Memorial Day Observance posted at Travels with Children, saying, “While not describing a particular destination per se — an observance like this can be found around the country — I think it is important to stop and pay tribute, and not to think of “holidays” as just “vacations.” Maybe we can all take some time out of our travels for observances such as this.”
Thanks to everyone for participating. Submit your blog article (or encourage your favorite travel bloggers to submit) to the next edition of Travel on a Shoestring: Americas using the carnival submission form. Next week this time we travel to Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Oceania. You can still submit your posts to that carnival till Wednesday.
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The LDS has made it possible for travelers with a layover in Salt Lake City to visit their Temple complex downtown: they offer a complimentary hourly shuttle service from the airport direct to Temple Square (and back!).
The Temple is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. It’s also possible to visit the Tabernacle, home of the world famous Tabernacle Choir, or, if the timing is right, to hear a choir concert — Thursday nights from 8-9:30 p.m. or Sundays from 9-11 a.m. Admission to all is free. Find out more information for your specific date by calling their visitors’ center directly: 1-800-537-9703.
that of 
models and plans. Workers hope to finish by 2026, the centennial of Gaudi’s passing, though with any construction project of this magnitude, it is unclear whether or not they will achieve this goal. If you could ignore the modern equipment, it would be like stepping back a thousand years, when many cathedrals across Europe were built, each taking hundreds of years to complete.
Shanghai, China: Our benevolent leader Sheila Scarborough gives us the scoop on a bubble tea chain discovered in China which has a branch in — no joke — Albuquerque in the post 
Next upcoming free weekend is November 1st and 2nd.
