I grew up in Annapolis, about 30 minutes away from Washington, DC.  When I was a kid, DC was the place where my dad went to work and we went on field trips to the Smithsonian once a year.

Fast forward to 2009 and DC – don’t bother calling it Washington, since no one here does – is a great place to live.  Between the government and foreign embassies, every US state and nearly every foreign country is represented here.

Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art (Credit: rosemanios on Flickr)

While a night out in DC could take a bite out of your wallet, there are loads of ways to spend your days without much damage.

For starters, all of the Smithsonian museums are 100% free.  So without spending a dime, you can see a diamond the size of your fist at the Natural History Museum, the “puffy shirt” from Seinfeld at the National Museum of American History and even touch the moon at the Air & Space Museum.

On the other hand, there’s all the shopping & eating you’ll need along M Street in Georgetown if you’d rather spend your share.  If you want to dress & eat like a local, pick up some super-preppy gear at Vineyard Vines and grab lunch at Pizza Paradiso.  Before you hit Georgetown, study up on your politicians and see can play DC’s version of Celebrity Spotting.

Ever wondered what Ethiopian food tastes like?  Hit up U Street for a meal at Dukem or any of a dozen other authentic restaurants catering to DC’s large Ethiopian community.  After dinner, head up the street for some Belgian beer at Saint Ex.  If you’re still hungry afterward, then get in line for a half-smoke at Ben’s Chili Bowl and see how many famous faces you recognize on the wall.  (You’ll be waiting for a while.)

No matter how you take on DC, from the left or the right, there’s a bit of something for everyone here.  And if you play it right, you won’t be begging for a bailout once you get home.

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