The best times of day to take great travel photos

The best photos are taken when most of us are either happily snoozing or relaxing over dinner—an hour before and shortly after sunset and one hour on either side of full dawn. That's when the light is gentle and golden, and when your photos are less likely to be overexposed and filled with harsh shadows or squinting people. If you want the most beautiful shots, start snapping early and stick around for sundown...

This Week's Review Sweeps Winners

Congratulations go out to Fodor's members jayne1973, janeq, and 1almondjoyce— they are the third set of winners of our month-long Rate Your Experience sweepstakes. They each posted a review in one of our destination guides last week; and as winners they will be receiving the following:...

• a Fodor's 2010 Calendar
• a Fodor's guide of their choice
• a Fodor's tote
• Living Language's Flash Forward software

... It's not too late to enter the next (and final!) drawing, which will take place on Monday. We'll randomly select 3 members who posted a review from Monday, November 23rd through Sunday, November 29th. Best of luck to everyone!... For full details, please see this announcement...

Congratulations to Our Second Group of Sweeps Winners!

Congratulations go out to Fodor's members Tellurian, Kay2, and masylvan— they are the second group of winners of our month-long Rate Your Experience sweepstakes. They each posted a review in one of our destination guides last week; and as winners they will be receiving the following:

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6 Tips for Traveling with Surly Teens

Who doesn't occasionally fantasize about being whisked away to a far-flung destination on someone else's dime?

A teen, that's who.

Fodor's member grucci recently asked fellow travelers in our Forums for tips about making a large family trip to Italy more appealing for a 16-year-old teen girl who's reluctant to go. As expected, members' responses varied widely; some argued that teens shouldn't be catered to, while others offered up suggestions and compromises that worked for their own families.

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Australia Photo Contest Winners Slideshow

Congratulations to all of the winners of our recent Australia photo contest, including David Menkes whose photo of an underwater scene taken on the Great Barrier Reef took top honors.

View the full slideshow of winning shots

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San Francisco for Sugar Fiends: 18 Essential Bakeries, Ice Cream Shops, and More

San Francisco's endless hills can be daunting, especially across several days of sightseeing. How to stay energized in this challenging touristic landscape? Sugar, of course! And coffee! Here our our favorite pit stops all over the city.

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This Week's "Rate Your Experience" Winners

Congratulations go out to Fodor's members rufkd, janschwartz, and opaldog— they are the first winners of our month-long Rate Your Experience sweepstakes. They each posted a review in one of our destination guides last week; and as winners they will be receiving the following...

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7 Legendary Historic Hotels in London and Paris

There are a handful of hotels in London and Paris that have obtained landmark status in the minds of locals and travelers alike. Considered timeless classics, these hotels enjoy outsized reputations and are known for their over-the-top service, regal decorative flourishes, aura of exclusivity, and their priced-for-a-prince rack rates. If you're checking in, chances are you're prepared to not quibble over cost; you're there for the experience of it all.

Have you slept in any of the hotels mentioned below? Tell us about your stay—would you do it again? What other hotels would you nominate for this list?

We've also included ideas for experiencing a sliver of these old dames' magic without acquiring a room key and trivia to keep in mind if you're just walking through.

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Puerto Vallarta: For Tourists and Purists

In the third of a series of articles on travel to Mexico, Fodor's editor Eric Wechter heads to Puerto Vallarta and discovers Mexico's safest bet.

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Disney Cruises: Dream Big in 2011

Disney Cruise Line has announced the launch of its third vessel, the Disney Dream, which sails for the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, FL, for the first time on January 26, 2011. Seem like a long way off? Trust us, this is a trip worth waiting for, so you might just want to mark your calendars and book now. The folks at Disney are never at a loss for creativity and innovation, and they've applied plenty of both to the Dream.

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