Every year, Frommer’s releases their must-do travel list, and it’s always sure to include at least a few eyebrow-raisers. Beirut, Lebanon? You might not know that it’s a sophisticated coastal city bustling with energy. Kansas City, MO? The world-class Kauffmann Center for the Performing Arts just opened, attracting some of the biggest names in dance and music.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Photo credit: Flickr

Check out the full list here for some other surprising – and not so surprising – travel ideas.

In just 17 days, LEGOLAND, Florida is set to open its doors to the biggest Lego park in the world. The park will offer a mix of over 50 rides, shows and attractions, including never before seen Lego models. Daytona International Speedway is re-created from more than 180,000 Lego pieces and 1000 “Minilanders,” as the Lego citizens are called, and allows visitors to race against each other by pressing a button to launch their cars.

Other interactive elements for families to enjoy together will include Pirate’s Cove with a live water-stunt show, and “Miniland” featuring New York City, Las Vegas, Washington DC and more, all created from hundreds of thousands of Lego pieces. You really have to see it to believe it!

Photo courtesy of LEGOLAND, Florida

Check out the huge countdown clock at http://florida.legoland.com and start planning a trip today to this unique family-friendly spot!

The turbulent economy has many families taking a long hard look at future vacations. To take them or not, is often the question they face. But even if the decision is made to enjoy a staycation over a vacation, a staycation should in no way signify staying indoors. Especially when there is an abundance of places to explore and myriad new things to discover just outside our front steps.

Such is the philosophy of one pioneering outdoor parent-child nature program, Tiny Treks. Founded by Pam Worth long before the No Child Left Inside Act made it trendy, Tiny Treks was hitting the trails with families, encouraging a love of the outdoors in youngsters. The preschool program has been unplugging this generation of children and connecting them with nature for 13 years.

Creek journey. Photo courtesy: Tiny Treks

Instead of watching videos or playing Plants vs. Zombies on iPads, kids can watch migratory birds, play in meadows, splash in creeks or fly kites. Throw in arts, crafts and songs, and families now have souvenirs from their staycations as well. So when you plan your next staycation, keep in mind there may be discoveries waiting for you right in your backyard. Now, log off your computer and go outside!

Find a Tiny Treks near you, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

Guest post by Sue Fliess.

Find other family friendly things to do in San Francisco, Chicago or Seattle on TravelMuse.com.

If you’re wondering what to do this weekend, why not celebrate Museum Day 2010 and plan a trip to a local museum for FREE!

Over 1,200 museums across 50 states are taking part in Smithsonian magazine’s Sixth Annual Museum Day, on September 25, 2010. These institutions will follow the Smithsonian Institution’s free admission policy and open their doors gratis to visitors nationwide.

There are a wide range of museums to choose from. Here are some of our picks:

• Coyote Point Museum, San Mateo, CA: A great place to take the kids to get firsthand experience of California’s diverse natural environment.
• Oz Museum, Wamego, KS: One of the largest collections of Oz memorabilia, with 2,000 artifacts from the past 100 years
• Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA: The MFA is one of the most comprehensive art museums in the world; the collection encompasses nearly 450,000 works from around the world and across the ages.
• Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum, Chicago, IL: The Adler Planetarium — America’s First Planetarium — allows visitors to journey to the stars, experiment with telescopes and learn about space travel, solar systems and galaxies
• Cartoon Art Museum, San Francisco, CA: With a collection of over 6,000 original pieces of cartoon art, this museum is the largest in the US dedicated to comic art.

Check out the map to see what museums in your neighborhood have already signed on and easily print out an admission card, good for two people.

If you love to plan trips to art galleries and museums, explore more options on TravelMuse.

Every year, summer comes and goes far too quickly—my sunscreen bottle is only halfway empty for crying out loud! Luckily when we all start to get the end-of-summer blues, Labor Day weekend saves the day by giving us one last change to soak up the sun, explore new destinations and say goodbye to everyone’s favorite season in style.

View from Dolores Park. Photo: Loose Charm Productions

Vegas Pool Parties
If you feel like getting a little loco this Labor Day weekend, head to Las Vegas for some of Sin City’s infamous pool parties. Labor Day is one the busiest times of year for these pool parties, which isn’t a surprise considering that the temperature is still sweltering. Check out Rehab at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on September 5 for strong mix drinks, private cabanas, celebrity guests and incredible DJs. Most of the major hotels in Vegas will have some sort of pool party, so research your favorites to find your perfect pool party.

San Francisco Picnics
Mark Twain allegedly said that the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. While that might seem to be an extreme statement (unless he lived year round in Hawaii), San Francisco can be quite foggy during the summer. Well, usually (*fingers crossed*) come Labor Day, San Francisco is enjoying some late summer sunshine. To take full advantage, pack up your picnic basket, a big blanket and your favorite lunchtime goodies and head to one of the city’s finest parks to enjoy your Labor Day in true San Franciscan-tradition. Dolores Park has great views and is known for its ample supply of sunshine, even if it’s foggy elsewhere. The park is small and can get crowded—so be sure to get there early so you don’t have to fight the hipster kids for blanket space. San Francisco has an abundance of awesome parks, so be sure to find one that fits your needs.

Chicago Jazz Concerts
Boogie down this Labor Day to Chicago’s 32nd annual Jazz Festival. With four days and three locations to choose from, this year’s event is taking place Sept. 2 through Sept. 5, with shows at Grant Park, Millennium Park and the Chicago Cultural Center—plus admission is free. So get ready to see some national and international acts alongside some Chicago jazz greats.

Cleveland Air Shows
The Cleveland National Air Show takes flight over Labor Day Weekend, so gather the family and head over to the Burke Lakefront Airport on Sept. 4, 5 and 6. This year the Cleveland skies will be filled with the aerial skills and tricks of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the U.S. Army Golden Knights, the U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle and more. With three days to chose from, you can pack some excitement into your long weekend and still have time to throw that barbeque you’ve been mentally planning.

Seattle’s Bumbershoot
One of my favorite parts of summer is rocking out at music and arts festivals, so it’s always a relief to see a few end-of-summer festivals trying to cling to the last days of warm weather and the carefree life. At Seattle’s Bumbershoot, you can  check out musical acts such as Neko Case, Bob Dylan and Weezer; watch indie films; get your jollies at a stand-up show; and peruse the crafts that are for sale.