Grabbing fast food isn't my first choice, but it's usually unavoidable while traveling with my family. Can you suggest some healthier, green options?
- Megan Morgan, Columbia, South Carolina

We know how difficult (and expensive!) it is to eat out for every meal when your family's on vacation. Fortunately, some conscientious companies are working to change the artery-clogging, Earth-trashing image of fast food chains. Locally sourced and eco-friendly, here are our five favorite "green" fast food restaurants across the country. The kids will love it and you'll feel good about it, too.

1. Burgerville, USA
Thirty-nine locations throughout Oregon and Washington

In addition to the natural beef burgers (free of antibiotics and hormones), you'll love the milkshakes, which are a mix of velvety ice cream and seasonal berries in the summer and sweet, rich hazelnuts in the winter. Even better, each Burgerville location is powered by wind power, canola oil used for frying is converted to biodiesel, and food waste is composted, not dumped in landfills.

2. Local Burger
Lawrence, Kansas

Ranked as one of the 10 best eco-friendly restaurants by Bon Appetit, Local Burger features grass-fed beef and seasonal organic vegetables. Or, try the quinoa-millet pilaf or a hearty Elk burger (which is actually quite delicious). If you've got a little one, they'll even puree an order of their organic peas and carrots.

by Rebecca Etter | Cookie Travel Assistant

With the current economic climate, train travel is on the rise, and why not? These train trips won't charge you and extra 15 bucks for your bags or drain your wallet for gas money. Even better, they'll give you something beautiful to look at outside your window.

1. California Zephyr. Traveling from Chicago to San Francisco you'll almost overload on gorgeous scenery as you pass through it all the Rockies, Sierra Nevada, and tons of beautiful lakes, canyons, and bays.

2. Pacific Coast. On Amrtrak's Coast Starlight train from Los Angeles to Seattle, enjoy the views from the glass-ceiling of the dome car and take in the ocean, beaches, and lush forests.

3. Maine Eastern Railroad. One of the coolest parts about taking a trip on this liner is that you'll be able to experience quaint seaside villages while riding aboard a restored vintage railcar. A great time to go is in the fall -- just before they shut down for the winter -- to experience the lush foliage.

4. Grand Canyon Railway. Take a ride on the historic Grand Canyon railway and enjoy your up close look at one of our nation's greatest natural wonders on and old fashioned steam train.

5. Metro North Railroad from New York City to Hudson, New York. There is something completely refreshing about this budget-friendly trip, maybe it's because you start out at Grand Central Station in New York City (basically chaos) and you slowly start drifting away from the city experiencing more green and you feel yourself relax. Check out our upstate New York road trip for options along the way.

The beloved L.L. Bean Boat and Tote, arguably one of the toughest bags around (seriously, it was designed to haul ice) is now 20 percent off during the Customer Favorites sale. The 64-year-old canvas tote comes in four sizes, with long or regular handles, and with or without a zipper. We suggest the open-top medium-sized bag with regular handles for the beach or running errands, while the extra-large zippered version with long handles is just the right size for a weekend trip. During the sale, the open-top totes start at $13.60 and the zippered bags start at $19.20. Plus, you can get your bag monogrammed for an extra $6. And then just try to wear this bag out. We dare you.

Now that the kids are heading back to school (insert sighs and cheers here), the responsible parent thing to do is to plan educational vacations, right? Sneak in some learning without sacrificing the fun with Colonial Williamsburg's Autumn Splendor package. The package, which is available August 31 through November 25, starts at $50 per person, per night and includes nightly accommodations, daily breakfast, and a Colonial Williamsburg admission pass valid for the entire stay. After the kids get tired of playing in the stocks, check out nearby Busch Gardens for a taste of Europe and some thoroughly modern rollercoasting thrills. Plus, parents can kick back with Williamsburg's many golf and spa packages. Ahh...

Southwest Airlines' winter schedule reflects a decrease of 196 flights systemwide and an addition of just six, according to USA Today's Today in the Sky blog. The blog's coverage of a Dallas Morning News story noted that the hardest hit cities are:

- Chicago Midway, losing a net of 22 departures to 20 cities;
- Baltimore, losing a net of 13 departures;
- Las Vegas, losing 12 departures; and
- Phoenix and Nashville, losing 10 departures each.

Southwest spokeswoman Brandy King says some flights might be added back in March. The airline said it might not expand at all in 2009 amid economy and fuel price concerns.

by Al Navarro | Cookie reader, Frenchtown, NJ

Blessed with fun, adventurous, and well-traveled in-laws on both sides of the family, my wife Laura and I have become big fans of the "three-generation vacation". It's my hope that our kids will get to know and remember our parents as active, vibrant people--quite the opposite memories I have of my own grandparents.

So when my uber-outdoorsy 60-something father-in-law asked over dinner in the spring when he could take his granddaughters (ages 8 and 10) "out to Montana," I countered with "Why don't we all go out, this summer?"

Given the relatively short lead-time we had for planning the trip, a packaged tour (something our family has avoided in the past) of Glacier National Park was the only way we could get rooms inside the park.  Little did I know what a smart choice that would be. It allowed all of us to relax and let someone else worry about driving, sightseeing, and perhaps most importantly, time management.

Trying to teach your urban tot about cows that go "moo" and sheep that go "baah" are more than characters in a talking book? Sign up for the Roots program at Rainbeau Ridge farm in Bedford Hills, New York (just 40 miles outside NYC). The 10-week, "Mommy & Me"-style program for two-year-olds is centered around daily themes that include introducing kids to a different farm animal, working together to cook a snack, and engaging in an art project. Go online to register for this fall's Wednesday sessions, which start September 17, and Thursday sessions, which begin on September 18.

Check out our directory of community-supported agriculture farms.

More travelers are opting for hybrid rental cars in an attempt to save on gas costs, but the New York Times reports that eco-friendly rides are "commanding a substantial premium." The Times chalks up the higher prices largely to supply and demand, but also notes that hybrids cost rental companies more to purchase than other vehicles, hence the markups. Travelers also might not make up the difference in gas savings, as the Times noted examples where renting an economy car or even an SUV (gasp!) might cost less than a hybrid.

Still, if a hybrid is the right financial and green choice for you, the Times suggests renting "at off-airport locations, which typically offer lower rental rates than those at the airport." Or, try a car-sharing service like Zipcar. If you're planning to drive to your Labor Day picnics by car this year, you'll be joined by 28.6 of your fellow Americans -- a 1.1% decrease from last year. We'll try to consider that to be the "bright side" as we're screaming at the traffic jams this weekend with a car-full of fussy toddlers.

By Yolanda Edwards | Cookie Travel and Lifestyle Editor

We spent an afternoon in Western Sullivan County, on the edge of the Catskills, at Crystal Lake.  Our friends came along with their two kids, and we made sure they read BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL before they got there.  Complete success. Two out of the three kids would not eat a blueberry before this day, and they left with the purplest tongues, and hardly a berry in the bucket. There is something about foraging in the wild that makes everyone excited...I personally get super obsessed and envision a freezer full of wild blueberries, especially since they are free.  And when the kids (and the other non-obsessed parents) got tired of picking (so many bushes we could have stayed all day), they went frog hunting (lots of those too), and for a canoe ride.  Mark this on your calendar as a perfect outing for next August.

"Little can top a summer vacation spent along the scenic shore of Grand Traverse Bay in upstate Michigan. The tart, juicy Michigan cherries that flood the area in the warmer months are amazing alone, but if you're looking for a more indulgent treat, Moomers  (7263 N. Long Lake Rd.) is the place to go. Housed at the Plummer Family Dairy Farm, the rich ice cream is made from the milk from cows like Nancy, C.L., Cookie, Red, and Grandma. Cherries Moobilee (black-cherry ice cream, Michigan cherries, a drizzle of chocolate fudge and bits of homemade brownies) puts Cherry Garcia to shame."
                                                                                                                --Sarah Engler, Associate Editor