Want a beer with that Burger King burger?

by Amy Chen on

Burger King is expected to open a bar in Miami’s South Beach sometime in mid-February.

The aptly named Whopper Bar will sell beer from 8 a.m. to 5 a.m. seven days a week. Beer ordered at the walk-up window, which stops selling alcohol at midnight, has to be consumed on the patio or inside the restaurant (sorry, Miami is still no New Orleans when it comes to open containers). You can expect a Budweiser or Miller Lite to cost you $4.25 a pop.

More Chipotle than typical fast-food fare, the Whopper Bar will also have an assembly line where you can customize your burger and add toppings such as guacamole, bacon, or steak sauce. Burgers will be available 24/7 inside the restaurant, at the walk-up window, and through some local delivery options.

There are already Whopper Bars in Orlando at the Universal CityWalk and overseas in Munich, Singapore, and Venezuela. New York City, Vegas, and L.A. could be next. With all the amazing bars in those cities, it’s kind of like recommending a McDonald’s in Rome. Then again, who can argue with 4 a.m. cravings or the novelty of it all?

Tip: Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack, which has two locations in New York City, already features an affordable selection of beer and wine. According to the Shake Shack website, five more branches will open this year, including one in Miami.

[Via CNN]

7 alternative European accommodation options

by Gadling Staff on

If you love to travel but are having difficulty finding a way to pay for that trip to Europe, consider some alternative lodging options. Not only will these unconventional options save you a few bucks, but you’re bound to end up with some amazing stories in the process, since everyone else stays at hotels … but YOU were far more resourceful.

Convents and Monasteries

In Italy there are over 400 convents and monasteries located in both metropolitan cities and in the countryside, all of which offer incredible savings. Many cost as little as $40 dollars a night, while some ask only for a voluntary donation or assistance on the grounds in lieu of a room charge. This is a great way to save money while enjoying the beauty of historic — really historic — buildings.

Convents and Monastery resources

Farm Stays
Staying on a working farm is very popular in Britain, France, Spain and Italy and can offer savings along with a unique cultural experience. In addition, this vacation will work your muscles, too, so you’ll actually come home fitter than when you left!

Farm stay resources

  • Budget Travel has a nice primer on the subject.
  • GoNomad has a thorough roundup (with contact information) for numerous farm stay opportunities.
  • Reid’s Guides also has an excellent roundup of farm stay options.
  • Agritourism.net leads you directly to the home pages of those farms offering rooms for rent.



Home Exchange
Don’t rent a room; stay in a house! If you’re willing to offer your home to someone else to stay in, you can have access to thousands of listings, which can include homes, motorhomes — even boats — in dozens of European countries.

Home exchange resources

Hospitality Exchange
Couchsurfing is a network that connects travelers who host each other in their homes. This allows for a more social experience, since you’re hanging out in someone’s home with them. There is no cost, and the database can match you up by interest as well as by location.

Hospitality exchange resources

  • Couchsurfing is hands-down the leader in this lodging option.
  • However, the Times Online has a nice explanation of the process and lists several alternatives to this already alternative lodging style.



Volunteer
If you’re looking for an opportunity to immerse yourself deeply in a foreign culture, there are many programs that allow you to volunteer your time in exchange for free accommodations.

Volunteer resources

  • Europe Up Close has a nice overview of the process and some suggested organizations.
  • Transitions Abroad hosts numerous “volunteer reports” so you can learn what the experience is truly like.
  • United Planet lists volunteer options by destination and by duration of stay.
  • Workaway.info is a database that lists a variety of volunteer opportunities in over 24 European countries, in a range of fields.



Organic Farming
If you have a strong interest in organic farming, then there are several options for you. In exchange for lodging, guests are expected to help work on the farm. On the face of it, “work on the farm” doesn’t sound like a vacation, but spending some time outside with animals in a rural setting seems pretty idyllic to us.

Organic farming resources

  • WWOOF offers opportunities in over 24 European countries.
  • Help Exchange offers farm stay options in Europe and elsewhere.


Hostels
OK, so hostels may not be all that unconventional any more, but a lot of people are still nervous about or unfamiliar with them. Understand this: Hostels are no longer geared just to the student traveler or the drunk English stag party. You can find hostels that cater to families and even some that offer private rooms with private bath.

Hostel resources

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Remember: a trip to Europe isn’t about staying in certain hotels. A trip to Europe is about exploring the destination.

What better way to really explore a destination than to get outside a conventional hotel and experience something new, unusual … and just a little foreign?

Ski deals on Super Bowl Sunday: lift tickets from $19

by Amy Chen on

If cheering for the New Orleans Saints or Indianapolis Colts on Super Bowl Sunday just doesn’t do it for you, how do $19 lift tickets sound?

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the best days to score ski deals, according to Liftopia.com. The online ski discounter has rounded up 44 deals for Super Bowl XLIV, including the $19 special from Canaan Valley Resort in West Virginia. Considering a full-day pass on a Sunday normally costs at least $49 for adults, that’s more than 60 percent off at this resort.

With most of the nation huddled in front of a TV on Feb. 7, you’ll also encounter shorter lines at resorts such as Lake Tahoe’s Bear Valley ($35, or 41 percent off), Colorado’s Crested Butte ($44, or 49 percent off), Utah’s Snowbird ($57, or 21 percent off), or Idaho’s Sun Valley ($55, or 33 percent off).

This year, the game doesn’t kick off until 6 p.m. EST, so it’s possible to ski or snowboard first and then catch the game. With these discounts, Super Bowl Sunday is shaping up to be more than an excuse for chips and chicken wings (though I’m going to guess that those will taste even better after wiping out on the slopes).How it Works: Weekend ski passes tend to be more expensive than weekday rates, but these Liftopia rates were created especially for Super Bowl Sunday. Tickets must be purchased in advance (the cutoff is 11:59 p.m. Saturday Feb. 6). Resorts can limit the quantities, and the deals may sell out. In order to get the lowest prices from participating resorts, Liftopia doesn’t allow changes, refunds, cancellations, or exchanges. “This is much like buying a discount airline ticket,” Liftopia co-founder Evan Reece tells me via e-mail. “You get a better price by agreeing to not be able to cancel or change your flight. As with a Priceline or Hotwire, customers get a deal by trading flexibility for savings.”

Bargain hunters are taking note: last year, Liftopia had 186 percent more ticket redemptions on Super Bowl Sunday than the Sunday before the big game, according to Reece.

Save 35 percent on a Timbuk2 wheelie bag

by Amy Chen on

I first wrote about the Timbuk2 Checkpoint wheelie when it came out in Dec. 2008. The San Francisco-based company is now adding new colors, which will become available online starting Feb. 5. In the meantime, you’ll find that some of the original versions have been marked down by 35 percent. The 22-inch carry-on in brown with orange detailing, for example, is now $163, down from $250. The company hopes to clear that inventory by June.

I loved the Checkpoint so much that I ended up buying one for a family member as a Christmas present just last month. I don’t normally pay retail if I can help it, but I see luggage as an investment so I happily forked over the $250. Tip: Like many retailers, Timbuk2 often has free holiday shipping, which saved me $10 back in December.

Now that the bag is on clearance, I’ve just ordered another one for my mom. She had called me last week because she’s going to Taiwan in March and was shopping around for a new carry-on bag. Did I have any suggestions? Well considering that I salivate over luggage the way some people collect purses, I sent her links to some new lightweight luggage. To my surprise, my mom liked the boldness of the Timbuk2. No basic black, she told me. And at under 8 pounds, I know my mom won’t have trouble lifting the bag into the overhead bin by herself. So you see, the company that earned its reputation for producing durable bike messenger bags is expanding its appeal.

As for the new colors debuting next week, you can expect a green Checkpoint bag with lime trim, as well as one in gray (from $250). Expect to add about $10 for shipping.

Bring home dirt – Souvenir tip

by Gadling Staff on

The expression “dirt cheap” applies to my keepsake hunting.

I like to collect soil from different historical locations. I then take said dirt home and mix it into my garden. My garden has soil from Normandy, Bunker Hill, Gettysburg, Kitty Hawk, Jerusalem, Fenway Park, Sarajevo, Kuwait, Mogadishu (my husband was in the military), and dozens of other spots.

My sister thinks that it’s sort of ghastly that I steal soil from what is essentially, in places like Antietam, a mass grave. I point out that over 22,000 people died to help grow my Shasta daisies.

To each, their own.