Happy Fourth of July and congrats to Gina L. from New Orleans, our newest winner of Trip of the Week and recipient of a Frommer’s day by day guide to Italy.

Gina built this trip to Chicago on TravelMuse to enjoy with her fiancé. Her mother is meeting them for the last few days to celebrate her birthday on the ninth. There are definitely some great dining spots on this itinerary—you two must be foodies.

Trip of the Week winner Gina and her fiancé

Why are you taking this Trip?

We are taking this trip because Michael has a conference, we love to travel and vacation, and we just got engaged!

What are you most excited about seeing/doing?

Being from New Orleans, we are complete foodies, so we are excited to go to one of the few other places in the United States that has lots of food choices. This will be my first time to Chicago. We love the arts, culture and city life. I am excited to see Millennium Park and really want to embrace Chicago culture and do things the way a local would do them.

Any other interesting facts/ considerations about the trip?

I’m hoping that it’s not as humid as it is here in New Orleans. It will also be nice to get away from the sadness of the oil spill.

Have fun in Chicago and congrats on your engagement!

*****

Tell us about your Trips and you could be featured in Trip of the Week–win one of the new Frommer’s Day by Day Guide Books and be entered to win a FREE, luxury Trip for 2 to Waikiki!

The United Kingdom continues to be one of the most popular destinations for travelers (3rd most popular for U.S. travelers) from all walks of life—from families to solo travelers to history buffs to outdoor adventurers and everyone in between. While it can be a bit daunting to decide where to go and what to do in the U.K., VisitBritain, the national tourism agency responsible for promoting Britain as a world-class destination, takes the guess work out of planning your trip. Expertly created itineraries and useful products, such as transport tickets and sightseeing tours, allow you to plan a trip that is fun, customizable and full of must-see attractions.

TravelMuse is thrilled to announce its partnership with VisitBritain. Starting today, TravelMuse will be featuring an array of incredible trips to the U.K. created by the experts at VisitBritain on TravelMuse’s home page, within the “Destinations” pages, and also on relevant “Trip” pages. People planning to travel to England, London, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can use these trip plans as the basis for their trip.

For more information, please read our press release at www.travelmuse.com/about/press-releases/travelmuse-pr-06-28-2010.htm.

When planning a trip, destination is key, but activities can really influence where you end up going. Scuba diving is a great summertime activity. It allows you to explore a whole different world (the ocean makes up 70 percent of our planet!) and get to know the ocean on a much more intimate level. Thanks to javiy for posting this fun photo of a diver in the Red Sea.

Photo: javiy

Plan your scuba diving trip on TravelMuse.

Want to share your recent trip photos and have them featured on TravelMusings? Add your photos to our TravelMuse Flickr group or TravelMuse Facebook page, and we’ll publish our favorites.

Summer and traveling go together like the beach and sunscreen—it’s essential! But what if you’ve already used up your precious vacation time earlier in the year? Or maybe certain factors make it so you’re unable to travel this summer. While it is unfortunate, you’ll have the opportunity to exercise your creative muscles. Here are some tips for making the most out of your summer without breaking the bank or even having to hop on a plane.

Photo: *Micky

1. Utilize your local CVB
Conventions and visitor bureaus are not just for tourists; they’re an incredible resource for locals too. CVBs are there to promote your town and draw attention to all of the fun attractions and activities it offers, so that tourists will vacation there. Most CVBs will have a list of things to do. From historical sites you’ve never been visited to art galleries you’ve never even heard of, activities and attractions that CVBs highlight might make you realize that your town is not quite as dull as you once thought. Also, most have an events calendar that lists all sorts of special activities, from festivals to car shows and more.

2. Take advantage of what your town is know for
Almost every town has one (or a few) defining characteristics. I’m lucky enough to live five minutes away from the beach. But there have literally been summers where I have hardly set foot on the beach. Why? We tend to get jaded by something we know is always there—there’s less motivation and the “there’s always next time” mentality. Pull yourself out of your lazy, boring routine and develop a fresh summer routine! So if you live by the beach, go at every chance you get. If you live in a big city with tons of museums, make it your goal to visit every one by the end of summer. The possibilities are endless!

3. Volunteer
While voluntourism has really taken off these last few years, it’s important not to forget to give back to the community you live in. You’ll meet new and interesting people (which is one of the best things about travel!) from your own hometown and you might even develop a new hobby, such as gardening or tutoring children.

4. Pamper yourself
Just because you’re staying home this summer, doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself to a night at a luxury hotel, make reservations at that fancy restaurant you’ve been hearing about for months or indulge at a day spa. Sometimes, even just one night or a weekend that deviates from your normal routine can energize you as much as a fancy vacation.

5. Plan a trip
You might not be jetting off to Paris next week for your dream vacation, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning now. The more time and research you put into planning your trip, the more rewarding it will be when the time finally comes.

Congratulations to Nick from Lancashire, England, our third winner of Trip of the Week and recipient of a Frommer’s day by day guide to Italy.

Nick built this family-friendly trip to Orlando, Fla., on TravelMuse to enjoy with his spouse and two sons. It definitely looks like fun!

Why are you taking this trip?
We have two sons, ages 15 and 10, who are pretty active and aren’t the types to laze by the pool for two weeks baking under the sun. After doing the Disney bit back in 2007, we realized that this style of holiday provided just the right mix of relaxation and excitement that would give the whole family the kind of break that we all needed, so we returned in 2009, this time focusing more on the non-Disney side of Orlando.

When considering the cost to take our family of four from England to the usual hotspots of Europe, a trip to Orlando, when planned right, can be more cost effective and we get to stay in a top class accommodation too. It was pretty much a no-brainer where we would end up in 2010. Add to the mix the new Harry Potter attraction and we’re sure to have a great time

What are you most excited about seeing/doing on your trip?
I’ve always loved Sea World and the great conservation work that they do there, plus the kids are quite looking forward to the new Harry Potter attraction at Universal. We have some friends staying a short drive away when we are there and we intend on taking a drive down to their villa to spend some time with them before they set off home.

Some new slides in Aquatica should help keep us entertained, and we can’t wait to get back on the Rip Ride Rocket at Universal, as it had only just opened last time we were there and we only got one ride.

Any other interesting facts you care to share?
Plan, plan, plan.

I’ve learned through plenty of research that you can have a great holiday at the Orlando theme parks without a great deal of waiting in line. The secret is to go on the right days because some parks are busier on certain days than others. The time of day is also important, so plan carefully.

Though it may sound ridiculous, many of the top restaurants like the fabulous California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Mama Melrose at Disney’s Hollywood Studios book up well in advance, so we phone ahead months before traveling to reserve our place.

Have fun in Orlando with your family, Nick! Sounds like you are quite the Orlando expert. Great tips!

*****

Tell us about your Trips and you could be featured in Trip of the Week–win one of the new Frommer’s Day by Day Guide Books and be entered to win a FREE, luxury Trip for 2 to Waikiki!