T+L gives you the lowdown on how to plan an affordable trip to Europe that stays within your budget. (iStockphoto) American travelers may have felt betrayed by their national currency over the past five years, but the dollar is finally gaining some ground. Its value against the euro increased 9.2 percent between January 2010 and January 2012. Pair a stronger dollar with unsteady European economies, as well as growing tourist markets and emerging destinations, and the happy conclusion is this:...

(Getty Images) Traveling with children can be fun and exciting for all involved. However, it's important to remember children have special needs, and traveling can sometimes be particularly difficult for young ones. Here are a few tips for providing a pleasant experience for all: Take several toys and games with you. The rule of the thumb is a toy for each hour of the journey. New toys are preferable to old ones because they hold a child's attention longer than...

A pilot is seen in the cockpit of a Boeing 777 at Denver International Airport. (File Photo by EyesWideOpen/Getty Images) WASHINGTON — An industry forecast that nearly half a million new airline pilots will be needed worldwide over the next 20 years as airlines expand their fleets has raised safety concerns that airlines will hire lower caliber pilots as they struggle to fill slots. Boeing, one of the world's largest makers of commercial jetliners, forecasts about 460,000 new pilots will...

Man standing on rock against cloudy sky at Lamai beach in Ko Samui, Thailand. (Getty Images) Travelers give their advice on traveling to this picturesque spot in Thailand. Maenam Beach In addition to holding favorite-airport-in-the-world status in my wife’s book, we had one of our family’s most memorable holidays in Koh Samui. Maenam beach on the tranquil north coast is much more relaxing than the busier east-coast resorts. We stayed at the lovely Coco Palm Beach Resort in a family...

Travel + Leisure readers sank in their teeth to decide which American city does burgers best. (Courtesy of Harry's Bar and Burger) How much should you pay for a great hamburger? “The best ones fall between $10 and $20,” says burger enthusiast Keith Flanagan, who’s also an account executive at a New York City public relations firm. “Anything less should make a foodie question the quality, and anything more should make a foodie question the restaurant’s hubris.” Once the ultimate...

Belly up to these top cocktail bars from Boston to Seattle. (Michael McGill) Stop me if you’ve heard this one. Guy walks into a bar. Asks the bartender for a Manhattan with extra bitters. The bartender says, “You want orange bitters, lavender honey bitters, 19th-century Boker’s bitters, Mexican chocolate bitters, or plain old Angostura bitters?” Well, okay, maybe it’s not much of a joke. But it points up two things: we’re in a golden age of cocktails. And to order...

Zach Galifianakis isn’t the only one with a throbbing head. From hot saunas to sour pickles, every culture has its preferred morning-after remedy. (Jackson Lee) It was once said that the only real cure for a hangover is death. That just may be the case for Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug, who are in for another round of pain. The Wolf Pack and its drunken shenanigans are back in The Hangover Part II, opening nationwide May 26. In the movie...

Have beer, will travel. Travel + Leisure readers have declared the best beer cities in America. (dk / Alamy) A good bar is one thing—but a great beer may be quite another. That's the verdict from Travel + Leisure readers, who voted on the best cities in America for finding an excellent microbrew. In this year's America's Favorite Cities survey, T+L readers ranked 35 cities on things like great restaurants and lively bar scenes. And some of the winners in...

Groupama Sailing Team, skippered by Franck Cammas from France, leads the fleet past the Cristo-Rei statue, in the Oeiras In-Port Race on June 9, 2012 in Lisbon, during the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12. (Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race via Getty Images) LISBON, Portugal -- Plotting a six-day vacation in this hilly riverside city made me feel like an explorer sailing out toward uncharted territory. Unlike larger European capitals, Lisbon maintains a low-key presence on the Internet and in mainstream press. Food...

A Delta Airlines plane taxis past a gate at Logan Airport in Boston. Police at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport have opened a criminal investigation into how needles got into turkey sandwiches served to passengers on Delta Air Lines flights from Amsterdam to the United States, a spokesman said. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File) MINNEAPOLIS -- Jim Tonjes was high above North America when he bit into a hot turkey sandwich aboard a Delta Air Lines flight and felt a sudden jab in...

WASHINGTON — If diplomatic achievements were measured by the number of countries visited, Hillary Rodham Clinton would be the most accomplished secretary of state in history. While historians will debate and eventually rate her tenure as America's top diplomat, Clinton is already assured of a place in the State Department record book. When her plane touched down at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington early Tuesday morning, the former first lady completed an epic 13-day journey of 27,000 miles —...

Savor the five-star views at trendy rooftop restaurants from Brooklyn to Bangkok. (Courtesy of Sirocco) You step out of the elevator on the 27th floor, and it hits you: a dazzling view of Chicago’s Loop, Lake Michigan, and Millennium Park. You’ve arrived at the Roof at the Wit just in time to snag a table with a built-in fire pit and watch the sun dip slowly behind the city’s architectural landmarks. It’s going to be one memorable dinner. Better than...