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)

Buenos Aires,  oh where do I begin other than I can’t wait to go back.

Iguassu Falls

It all started in Iguassu Falls, a little town that is home to some of the most amazing waterfalls ever. We spent two days checking out the falls and all the different trails. It was amazing. You can actually take a boat directly under the falls. Not to miss. You can view them from the Brazil side or the Argentina side.

Buenos Aires

After the falls we headed back to Buenos Aires. It is a big vibrant city and has a certain European feeling to it.

There are lots of squares full of people, bustling streets, little cafes, restaurants, and some of the best meat ever. This city is full of local restaurants with endless servings of the most perfectly grilled meats you can ever imagine.

We stayed in the center of town, close to San Telmo at the Millhouse Hostel. It was clean, fun, the staff was super helpful too. They set us up with tickets to a football game to see the Boca Juniors, one of Argentina’s biggest and best football teams.

La Boca is a popular neighborhood full of brightly painted buildings, art, and music. The Plaza de la Republica is in the center of one of the major thoroughfares in Buenos Aires and hosts the Obelisco. A few other must sees while we were there included the Colon Theatre, which is deemed one of the best in the world and have gorgeous architecture.

Recoleta

My favorite area was Recoleta. It’s a trendy area and right in the middle lies the Recoleta cemetery where Eva Peron (aka Evita) is buried. The cemetery is ornate, beautiful, eerie and breathtaking all together.

Right outside of the high walls of the cemetery is an outside market with endless local artisan crafts…be sure to bargain. You can find some great deals.

There are so many things to see and do. I only wish I had more time to head down towards Patagonia…just makes me that much more excited to go back and do it all over again, except this time for longer….

Okay, there’s nothing as stressful as running across the street — when it’s eighteen lanes wide. You guessed it! During my South American stay, I have been chilling near the Obelisk of Buenos Aires on the busy Avenida 9 de julio, meeting a slew of crazy characters. I actually walked down the street the other day and ran into a tango dancer who taught me some sick dance moves. Victory!

Dancing in the Streets of Buenos Aires

I love B.A. (because it is, indeed, B.A.). When you come to check out this city, stop by La Boca. That’s where you’ll get your paintings, portraits, and tango memorabilia. And everything has the class of a Parisian shop with the prices you’ll learn to love in South America. Again, I went crazy and filled my suitcase with things — much to the dismay of all my clothes that got left behind (or their delight? Eternal vacation does sound nice…).

But the real highlight of my South American adventure was the Galapagos! I have been in classes with a suave Senorita who has told me all about the breath-taking scenery that these enchanted islands capture. (So trust me when I say that I understand how magical this place is…) Being there in person is unreal. In the first five minutes, we saw blue-footed boobies flying above a sea lion lounging on a bench. (All the while red crabs are scuttling about your feet).

Okay, not to mention we were hooked me up with an amazing boat. All fifteen of my ‘crewmates’ are enjoying the sun, surf, and snorkeling. (Just the other day I came face-to-face with a sea lion and fin-to-floor with a white-tipped reef shark! Eep!) If being a marine biologist means playing with animals in the Galapagos for the rest of my life, sign me up! Take care dudes! Catch ya soon.