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A view of Diamond Head from Waikiki Beach (Courtesy dbreininger/myBudgetTravel)

Thinking of taking a trip to Hawaii? Having lived there for seven years as a youngster, I've rounded up some great tips for visiting Oahu, Hawaii's Gathering Place, whether it's your first trip or you're a veteran visitor. First things first, always check for flight specials on Hawaiian Airlines, which has been offering great sales ever since they started offering non-stop service from New York's JFK airport back in June. If you don't see anything you like there, browse Budget Travel's Hawaii travel deals to find air and hotel packages to the islands.

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR READERS' BEST PHOTOS OF HAWAII

If you want to see Pearl Harbor, reserve your tickets ahead of time online.
Nothing ruins a trip more than not planning ahead and getting locked out of a major attraction you came all the way to see. Anyone interested in World War II history will want to visit Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial, a moving reminder of the attack that launched the United States into World War II in the Pacific. Click here to reserve your tickets ahead of time (you'll have to pay a $1.50 convenience fee per ticket but other than that, it's free.) Each historic tour is about an hour and 15 minutes long, and includes a boat ride to the site of the USS Arizona Memorial, where you can see the remains of the battleship just below the water's surface.

Make time to venture out of Waikiki and Honolulu
Some of the island's best attractions are located out of the main tourist zone of Waikiki Beach and Honolulu, but are still worth checking out. The Bus, Hawaii's main form of public transportation, offers a variety of options for as low as $2.50 a ride with free transfers, or you could even hop on one of the Circle Island Tours, which last anywhere from 2.5 to 4.5 hours depending on where you board. Of course, the other option is to rent a car and travel around the island at your own pace.

•Go for a drive up the windward coast on Kalanianaole (pronounced "ka-la-nee-ah-nah-oh-lee") Highway, where you'll have Koko Head, a dormant yet impressive-looking volcano on one side, and sharp cliffs leading into the bluest ocean you've ever seen on the other. Further down the road in Kailua, take in the beauty of Lanikai Beach, constantly voted as Hawaii's number one beach by the Travel Channel, and still off the beaten path enough to not be bogged down with tourists.

•Visit Oahu's North Shore and spend a day exploring the Polynesian Cultural Center, kind of like Disney's EPCOT, in the sense that every culture from Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji, Hawaii, and several other islands showcase their cultural dances, food, music, and other traditions (tickets start at $49.95 for adults, $39.95 for kids).

Explore Hawaiian food specialties
Every time someone asks me what to see and do on Oahu, food automatically ends up in our conversation. If you're staying in the Waikiki Beach area, don't miss the chance to have dinner at Duke's Waikiki, a restaurant named after surf legend Duke Kahanamoku, with a buffet full of Hawaiian favorites like fresh poke, kalua pork, and huli huli chicken among other options.

•If you're venturing up to see the sights of Oahu's North Shore, make sure you stop by Giovanni's Shrimp Truck just outside the town of Laie—their shrimp scampi is still something I think about, even though it's been eleven years since we moved. The North Shore is also home to Oahu's legendary shaved ice spot, Matsumoto Shave Ice, in the historic town of Haleiwa. They're known all over the island for having a unique variety of flavors like tangerine, green tea, and creamsicle among others, so choose wisely.

Toss a flower lei into the ocean before you leave—it means you'll be back someday.
At some point during your trip, treat yourself to a beautiful and fragrant flower lei. Wear it around as much as you want, then toss it into the ocean on your last day, and start counting the days until your next Hawaiian vacation. Or just listen to the Na Leo Pilimehana channel on Pandora for enough Hawaiian music to hold you over til then. Aloha!

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Old Israel meets new Haifa on Homeland. What TV shows make you want to travel the world? (Courtesy trvlmurofen/myBudgetTravel)

Last Oscar season, we revealed our top picks for the most travel–inspiring films of the year. But why should the big screen have all the fun? This year, four television shows are inspiring a serious case of wanderlust. Make sure to check this list before you make any plans: Not every show is filmed where it’s set!

Homeland
Showtime, Sundays at 10 p.m.
Without giving too much of the twisty plot away, season two of the Emmy–winning political thriller takes certain characters to Beirut amidst political turmoil. Instead of Lebanon, the show filmed in Tel Aviv and Haifa to capture the feeling of an old Middle Eastern city—think winding alleyways, sun–bleached buildings, busy marketplaces, colorful garb. (Check out the show’s YouTube channel for on–location videos: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.) Fun fact: The American version of Homeland is actually based on an Israeli hit called Hatufim (“Abductees”).

Survivor: Philippines
CBS, Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
Season 25 of the reality juggernaut brings the castaways to the Caramoan Islands, an archipelago off the eastern coast of the Philippines. The islands have already hosted a number of international versions of Survivor, and it’s easy to see why: The mix of sandy beaches, waterfalls, lush green hills, and dramatic rock formations will have anyone hoping to get stranded for a few days.

Revenge
ABC, Sundays at 9 p.m.
The glitzy soap opera charts one woman’s quest for, well, revenge in the high–class world of the Hamptons. But the show’s creators may be just as deceptive as Emily Thorne’s (Emily VanCamp) enemies: The series is not shot on location on Long Island! If you’re looking for the beach houses featured in the first season, you’ll want to head to North Carolina, especially in and around the beaches of Wilmington. Exteriors of Emily’s house from the series pilot were filmed in the nearby town of Southport—but all subsequent interiors are filmed on studio lots in California.

666 Park Avenue
ABC, Sundays at 10 p.m.
Looking to stop by the creepy apartment building in ABC’s new horror drama? If you head to 999 Park Avenue (near East 84th Street), where the fictional Drake apartment building is set, the neighborhood is reliably posh—but you won’t find the shows stars, Vanessa Williams or Terry O’Quinn, anywhere in sight. To see the actual Beaux–Art exteriors, you’ll have to cross Central Park to the Upper West Side: The Drake is actually played by The Ansonia, which is located at 2109 Broadway (between West 73rd and 74th Streets).

Which new or returning shows have you packing your bags for a TV–inspired vacation?

The 10 Most Travel-Inspiring Films of the Year

The 6 Most Inspiring Travel Films of the Year

PBS's "Downton Abbey" Returns, and Travelers Plan Their Trips to England

The Hilton Kauai Beach Resort in Kauai, Hawaii.(Courtesy Mr.Thomas/Flickr)

Our friends over at Hilton are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their points program by giving away a prize a day for 25 days in the month of October.

I'm not usually one to get too exited about giveaways (call me a pessimist, but I never believe I'll actually win—and I rarely do), but there are some pretty nice giveaways on offer during this promotion and more than one chance to win. Today's offer, for example, is a three-night stay at any one of Hilton's 3,900 hotels worldwide. Other prizes include one million free HHonors Points, which could be used for anything from a trip to Bali to a golf trip to Scotland, a $5,000 Hilton HHonors gift card, and tickets to the Grammy awards.

You'll find the rules, entry form and the list of prizes at HHonors.com/25days

(Some of the fine print: The contest is open to U.S. and U.K. citizens age 18 years or older who are members of the HHonors Program; signing up to win will automatically enter you in the awards program).

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A little background: One of my earliest memories is of trooping among the colorful pavilions of the 1964 New York World’s Fair as a toddler. Sure, my recall is selective and hazy, but the exhibits dedicated to the nations of the world obviously made a huge impression on my budding consciousness. I remember seeing life–size models of dinosaurs, the debut of the “It’s a Small World” ride (I especially loved riding in a little boat that glided down pretend canals), and, in a feat that would prove logistically impossible these days, Michelangelo’s Pieta—shipped over from the Vatican to Queens for the occasion.

Walt Disney World’s Epcot has been packing in visitors seeking education, entertainment, and great food since October 1, 1982. (Courtesy mmiwig/myBudgetTravel)

Years later, as a (very) young adult, I made my first trip to Epcot, which was then only a few years old and known as EPCOT Center (an acronym for “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow”). I had a great day combining some light education with serious multi–cultural eating and an overall upbeat environment. I remember one moment in particular, as my fake boat meandered down a fake river that passed through, if I’m not mistaken, a very real Latin American restaurant, saying aloud, “Hey! This place is just like the Worlds Fair!”

But Walt Disney’s original vision for Epcot was as a real community, with about 20,000 residents. Reality slowed progress on that dream and in the end the place opened after Disney’s death, striking a balance between exhibits focused on the future and those focused on the cultures of different countries. (Disney lore has it that two teams of Imagineers came up with competing plans and ended up merging them into one design.)

This week, visitors to Walt Disney World can have a little brush with history. October 1 is the 30th anniversary of the opening of Epcot, and true to the park’s educational mission, plans for the celebration included a blend of futuristic speculation and international culture, including talks scheduled for Monday afternoon about “Designing the Future—Past and Present” and “Epcot: How It Changed the World,” with well–known Imagineer Marty Sklar. Appearances by musical artists the Voices of Libery and Mariachi Cobre were also planned, along with an extended “IllumiNations” show on Monday evening.

What are your memories of Epcot? Were you there for its opening back in 1982? Are you there now for the anniversary? We’d love to hear your impressions—and see your pictures!

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Use these apps to get the most out of your cruise (Courtesy whimsyj/myBT)

Even the most experienced cruises would benefit from downloading these three apps that give you the inside scoop on all the boats before you board and the ports you'll be visiting along the way.

PortPal
Make the most of your shore excursion with weather updates, ship itineraries, and guides to over 800 ports. Available for iPhone, free

Cruise Finder
Search deckplans, photos, and schedules for 220 ships across 20 cruise lines. Available for iPhone and Android, free

Cruise Cam
Take a peek through the webcams of nearly 100 ships and 150 ports worldwide. Available for iPhone, $1.99

Rather spend your vacation on dry land? Download our Ultimate Road Trips app today!

10 Common Cruise Myths—Debunked

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Advantage is one of the many local car rental agencies that can save you money (Courtesy Atomic Taco/Flickr)

Their names—Advantage, ACE, E–Z, Fox, Payless, Triangle—don't exactly ring a bell. In fact, you might not realize they're in the rental car business. Yet in recent years, as the rental industry has boomed, regional and off–brand rental companies have been making more of an impact, thanks to Kayak, Priceline, and other websites that include lesser–known (and less advertised) companies in their searches. Are they worth taking for a spin?

In general, the answer is yes. Regional companies typically offer the same cars as their bigger competitors and at a better price, says Neil Abrams, president of Abrams Consulting Group, which tracks car rental trends. Prices vary widely depending on company and location, but you can save up to $20 per day by going off–brand, says Abrams. For example, Advantage Rent a Car, a subsidiary of Hertz with more than 100 facilities worldwide, will book you a Chevy Aveo or Cobalt for under $130 a week at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in mid–September; an economy car from Enterprise at the same location will run you more than $250.

The booking process—reserving online or on the phone—will be the same as you're used to, and insurance rates will be comparable to the major agencies, too. But ask if there's a fee for returning the car to a different location—or if you can even make a one–way rental at all. Some indie companies don't have storefronts nationwide, which could limit potential drop–off choices.

Overall, inconvenience is the price you'll pay for a better deal. There could be longer lines at check–in and longer wait times on the phone. But not all indie customer service is under–whelming: ACE Rent a Car ranked highest in customer satisfaction in a recent J.D. Power and Associates survey, beating out Avis, Hertz, and the rest. One recent renter told us that he experienced long lines at the LAX counter of Payless Car Rental, which has 80 locations worldwide, but he saved $100 over four days compared with a major agency. "For the price, I'd put up with that slight pain again," he says.

You may also have to let go of easy airport access. Triangle Rent a Car, a family–owned company in the Southeast, picks renters up at four airports and shuttles them to offices that are up to 20 minutes away. Research your company's location before you fly: Fox Rent a Car, for instance, has 20 U.S. offices, but some are not located with the other agencies and others are off–airport entirely. Think of it as the new rules of the road: Trade a little time for a decent chunk of change.

—Hannah Wallace

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Nominate your favorite town now!

Before you nominate your favorite small town, check to see if it is already on the list—if it's already been nominated, just add your vote and leave a comment about what makes it so special. Towns must have a population of 10,000 people or less, and should have a certain quality that sets it apart from the rest, whether it's known for the arts, home to plenty of quirky shops, or just has a special energy about the place.

Hoping to get more votes for your town? Share any of the contest–related posts from our Facebook page, or tweet about how great your favorite small town is on Twitter and use the hashtag #AmericasCoolestTowns to help spread the word from Budget Travel's Twitter feed. Or visit the Coolest Small Towns board on the Budget Travel Pinterest page and repin!