Austin… pretty much the coolest city in Texas, hands down. Home of the Texas Longhorns (my alma mater – Hook ‘em!) and music capital of the world. Austin definitely has the essence of a college town, which means it’s full of eateries on a student budget. Here are some of my favorites while I was bleeding burnt orange:

Kerbey Lane Cafe: Just a short walk from UT’s main campus, Kerbey Lane is usually packed full from 2 a.m. until 5 a.m. since it’s one of the few places open 24-hours near campus. Breakfast here is pretty stellar. Try out their signature pancakes, which include unique flavors like gingerbread and apple wheat. Don’t leave without tasting some Kerbey Queso though… it’s named after the cafe so it’s gotta be good (and it is).

The Famous Mexican Martini

Trudy’s Tex-Mex: Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of Mexican food… but Trudy’s is one of my hot spots. Why? Because of their delicious Mexican Martinis. You can barely – if at all – taste the tequila and it’s just a perfect blend of goodness. What’s the catch? Trudy’s limits 2 per customer. Makes you want it more cause you can’t have it – but that’s why Austinites have been participating in the unofficial “Trudy’s Challenge” for many years now – going to each of the 3 Trudy’s locations in Austin to savor their 2 Mexican Martinis at each. If the food is calling you, try their Stuffed Avocado, and you can never go wrong with sizzling fajitas!

Taco Deli: Rated “Austin’s #1 Bang for your Buck” by Zagat, this little joint will make your taste buds think you’re in Mexico. I’ve had the Cowboy and Al Pastor tacos which were amazing, but you really can’t lose with their wide selection of tacos. If you want to add some spice to your life, ask for the habanero sauce behind the counter (they don’t keep it in the front). ¡Delicioso!

Round Rock Donuts: This place is a diamond in the rough. Contrary to the belief that donuts are just plain sugar and that after you eat them, you feel your arteries getting clogged, this bakery has perfected their dough. I’ve never been to Round Rock Donuts without a line snaking out of the door and the drive-through trailing out into the street. Adam Richman, star of Travel Channel’s “Man vs. Food“, even ventured here to try his hand at the Texas Donut – a giant weighing in at 2 pounds. My faves – their chocolate covered donuts and their glazed donut holes. Yum!

Writing this has got my mouth watering. Good thing I’m heading down to Austin this weekend.

Eat well!

Earlier in April, we asked our readers for their suggestions of the cheapest spots for summer travel. Originally, we were going to add 20 of the suggestions to our initial list of 10, but with 180 responses, we decided to make an entire list from your suggestions.

Without further ado, here are the top 30 cheapest summer travel spots – in no particular order – according to our blog readers:

Lima, Peru (Suggested by Garrett) – “The city is filled with history and cheap accommodations.”

Great Smoky Mountains (Suggested by Daniel Plinska) – “Expect to pay less than $20 a night for your campsites.”

Nashville, Tennessee (Suggested by Alyssa Browning) – “The state capitol and other historic sites, such as old Civil War battle lines, are other economical attractions.”

Apparently, It is Quite Dangerous to Ride a Bike in the Smokies

Iowa (Suggested by Laura) – “There are several arts festivals in the summertime including the free Des Moines Arts Festival in June and Jazz in July.”

Austin, Texas (Suggested by Linsey McCullough) – “Then head into downtown on Austin’s famous 6th Street and enjoy the music capital of the world while the streets are blocked off at night to take part in great people watching, shopping and cheap to near free entertainment.”

Wellington, New Zealand (Suggested by Nicole Gustas) – “The exchange rate now has the New Zealand dollar at just over 58 cents; it’s like getting the entire country at a half-off discount.”

Budapest, Hungary (Suggested by Noemi) – “Unlike Western Europe…it is very cheap!”

Portland, Oregon (Suggested by Katie MacDougall) – “Where else can you watch a movie for $3 while drinking micro-brew beer?”

Medellin, Columbia (Suggested by Sevenreds) – “Street vendors and cafes offer national and local dishes at more than reasonable prices.”

Boston, Massachusetts (Suggested by Tori) –  “Boston is known as the “walking city,” so no rental car needed.”

Prague, Czech Republic (Suggested by Caroline Slocum) – “I am currently spending the semester in Prague, Czech Republic and it is the most fun and cheapest place ever.”

Australia (Suggested by Rosie) – “..flights to Australia are DIRT CHEAP!”

Washington, D.C. (Suggested by Julia) – “The only problem with meals is fitting them in between all the free sights, such as the National Monuments, the Capitol Building, the Smithsonians, Arlington Cemetery, the Holocaust Museum, and all of the other fascinating things this city has to offer.”

In Boston, Some Cars are Also Boats. Quack!

Cape Town, South Africa (Suggested by Jarrad) – “The culture is rich and exhilarating, the people are inspiring and the weather is temperate…”

Seattle, Washington (Suggested by Stephen Alvarado) – “…riding the bus downtown is free!”

Puerto Rico (Suggested by Melissa) – “Get to experience the Latin flare of Central/South America for the price of visiting a U.S. territory hassle-free.”

Chicago, Illinois (Suggested by Renee O.) – “…don’t forget the free entertainment; this year’s line-up includes the Counting Crows, the Wallflowers, Barenaked Ladies and Ne-Yo.”

Bar Harbor, Maine (Suggested by Meghan Martin) – “I mean, come on, they have vacationland posted on their license plate.”

Granada, Nicaragua (Suggested by Shae) – “It’s very European, but you’re in a country where you can get a private room at a hostel for only $15.”

Minneapolis, Minnesota (Suggested by Alli Bloom) – “The attitude is hip and funky, and there are tons of cheap college places to eat, see music and just hang out!”

Michigan (Suggested by Carol Bontekoe) – “It’s a great state and needs the tourism to stay afloat.”

El Salvador (Suggested by Michelle Rios) – “Add inexpensive meals averaging $3 and hotels starting as low as $17 a night and you will be wishing summer lasted longer.”

Jersey Shore (Suggested by Katie Ryan) – “Another benefit of a beach house is having a kitchen so you can avoid eating out every night.”

Turkey (Suggested by Gina) – “I spent a month there on $500, traveling all around the country.”

An Artist's Wall in Krakow

Krakow, Poland (Suggested by James) – “The currency is not yet the Euro and it makes for a cheap, wonderful vacation.”

Memphis, Tennessee (Suggested by Megan) – “Memphis has something for everyone – and cheap! It was good enough for Elvis.”

San Francisco, California (Suggested by Alex) – “Little Italy and Russian Hill are only a few of the culture soaked districts in this North California gemstone.”

Cajon del Maipo, Chile (Suggested by Hannah) – “Get a group of friends to stay in cabanas or check out the cheap hostel options.”

Burlington, Vermont (Suggested by Josie) – “…it’s only about an hour to Montreal and The Ben and Jerry’s factory.”

Honduras (Suggested by Sarah) – “The food is amazing and cheap, offering the most amazing produce.”

To see STA Travel’s recommendations, click here.

Krakow Photo Credit: 13bobby on Flickr

Sign Photo Credit: xq311z on Flickr

Duck Boat Photo Credit: Pathfinder Linden on Flickr

What’s up readers?

So you want to take a killer vacation this summer, but you’re a little short on the dough-re-mi, if you know what I’m saying.  You’ve scraped together some money from that part-time job, selling some of your worldly possessions on eBay and even doing a few things you aren’t too proud of to get just enough to hit the trail this summer.

You Could Be Walking This in Costa Rica

So where should you go? Where will your dollar stretch further than our friend Mr. Armstrong?

We’ve surveyed our travel experts and came up with 10 destinations to stretch your dollar the furthest this summer. Now it’s your turn.

STA Travel (courtesy of American Airlines and Albee Adventures) is giving away an adventure trip for two to Costa Rica.

What do you have to do to win?

1. Read the top 10 recommendations from STA Travel below.

2. Suggest your cheap destination for summer travel in the comment section below.

On Friday, April 10, we will select one comment with a cheap destination suggestion at random and at  5 p.m. CDT, we will announce the winner of the trip on the blog. Make sure to use a valid e-mail address when you comment as this is how we will contact you if you’ve won.

After the winner is announced, we will add the 20 best suggestions to the list below.

To get the juices flowing, here are ten of the cheapest summer travel destinations as recommend by STA Travel experts:

1. Buenos Aires, Argentina – Often called the Paris of the South, Buenos Aires offer similar beauty, but with less of a hit on your wallet. We’re talking about amazing wine for $2 and multicourse lunches for under $5.

2. Atlanta, Georgia – You’re staying domestic, so that cuts a little off of the airfare and you can stay cheap too, but combining the staples of breakfast and lunch in one meal is a real cash saver. Atlanta is home to the original Gladys Knight and Ron Winans’ Chicken & Waffles and you can find the delicacy in other parts of the city for less than $9.

Awesome View in Guatemala

3. Costa Rica - Considered an eco-oasis, Costa Rica is a mecca for those looking for adventure and eco-friendly travel. Besides the cheap and eco-friendly accommodations, Costa Rica’s public transport is dirt cheep, so you can ditch the rental car.

4. Miami, Florida – Miami is a cultural melting pot with inhabitants from all over the globe. One of the things they brought besides amazing food (can you tell we like food at STA?) is the concept of hostels. Miami is one of the few cities in the U.S. with a wide selection of hostels, starting at $19 a night.

5. Guatemala – When all of your friends are planning their trips to Jamaica or Acapulco, bring a new destination to the table – Guatemala. Ever since their economy started to pick-up in the late 1990s, Guatemala has become more modern and still flies under the radar of many travelers. Lucky for you, it is still an undiscovered destination and you can get a hotel for just $30.

6. Las Vegas, Nevada – Vegas, Baby, Vegas! Not only can you potentially make a little money on vacation, you can score tons of cheap meals and drinks. Many casinos offer complimentary drinks and I’m sure you’ve heard of the famous cheap buffets on The Strip.

7. Denver, Colorado - Free Beer. Is there anything else we need to say? Head to Denver and take the MillerCoors Brewery tour and get some free beer samples.

8. New Orleans, Louisiana - The Big Easy can be easy on your wallet, too. Besides the free people watching on Bourbon Street, you can get beer for only a buck.

9. Cancun, Mexico – I know what you’re thinking – How can some of the most beautiful beaches in the world be cheap? Right now, the U.S. Dollar is equal to about 13.55 Mexican Pesos, so you can partake in tequila shots for less than a dollar and score an all-inclusive resort for much less than you thought.

10. Cleveland, Ohio - Not traditionally thought of as an ideal destination for summer travel, the addition of the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame has made this place a, “must visit.” Plus, the city is full of cultural neighborhoods with cheap food of every origin from Polish to Irish and Italian.

Now it’s your turn. Add to our list and on Friday, we will announce the winner of the free trip to Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Photo Credit: baxterclaws on Flickr

Guatemala Photo Credit: AlphaTangoBravo on Flickr

Fine Print:

Two (2) 7 Night Costa Rica Land Only Packages. Winner can choose form one of three set 7 night itineraries: Manuel Antonio, Tamarindo, or Arenal & Tamarindo.  Award includes 7 nights lodging and shuttle transportation.  Passenger is responsible for meals, additional activities and any other fees or expenses.  Travel must be completed by 31 Dec 2009.  Blackouts may apply  26 -31 Dec 2009 .   All other terms and conditions apply.  This award has no cash value. (ERV $1600)