I want to make my four-year-old daughter as comfortable (and happy!) as possible for our upcoming round of holiday travel, but I don't want to lug her pillows and blankets from home with us. Can you suggest any compact, kid-friendly travel pillows and blankets? -Emily Shepard, Lincoln, Nebraska

Right now we're loving Eagle Creek's Travel Bankie, which is a soft fleece blanket that folds up into a backpack that your kid can wear.

Another one of our favorites is the Lil Lewis Kids' Travel Pillow, which are equal parts stuffed animal companion and comfy headrest. We're partial to the monkey, but there's also frog, duck, dinosaur and more styles to choose from.

These pint-sized accessories won't eat up your travel budget, either. The blanket backpack is $25, and the pillow is just $12 (i.e. less than the cost of checking an extra bag).

The Associated Press took on a question that we at Going Places have been asking ourselves: If oil prices are down, why haven't airfares dropped?

According to the AP, "Fuel makes up about 40% of the total budgets of most major airlines" and in the past year has "surpassed labor as their biggest expense." However, oil prices are just part of the reason why airfares are so high.

According to Bob Harrell of travel and aviation consulting firm Harrell Associates, here are some other factors that are keeping prices high:
- Supply is lower as the major carriers reduce capacity, which is expected to go down even farther later this year and early in 2009 as airlines implement long-range plans.

- Airlines generally are very slow to adjust fare prices and are likely waiting to see if oil stays below $100 a barrel before considering price adjustments. However, Harrell noted that airlines could reduce fares if the economic crisis worsens and demand drops.

So the economy has to tank in order to get lower airfares? We'd rather keep rolling the dice with priceline, thankyouverymuch.

We found this great airport photo by V.Roby on Flickr.

My 8-year-old daughter is going to visit her grandparents in Georgia and she's flying alone for the first time (I'm more nervous than she is!). What are the latest requirements for unaccompanied minors? -Magdalena Klimczak, Chicago, Illinois

We understand your concerns - travel for unaccompanied minors can be complicated, not to mention expensive! Rules for unaccompanied minors and domestic travel vary by airline, but most carriers require that children take nonstop flights, prohibit kids from booking the last flight of the day, and charge up to $150 more each way. Also, many airlines require an Unaccompanied Minor Request for Carriage form, which includes the contact information for the responsible party at both he departure and arrival airports (the person picking up your child will have to sign the form and identify themselves).

It's also a good idea to bring along a proof of age, like a birth certificate or passport (if she has one). Some airlines also require that a parent or responsible party remain at the airport until the child has boarded and the flight has left the gate. Below are links to the unaccompanied minor requirements for several major domestic carriers:

-American Airlines
-Continental Airlines
-Delta
-Northwest Airlines
-Southwest Airlines
-United Airlines
-US Airways

Traveling abroad? Get the latest requirements on new passport requirements for kids.

My family is planning to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands over the holidays, and I'm unclear about the new documentation requirements. Do we need passports? -Lesley Grabias, Leesburg, VA

If you're all U.S. citizens, then you do not need a passport to travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix) since it's a U.S. territory. However, if you're also planning to visit neighboring British Virgin Islands (like a trip to the Baths at Virgin Gorda or a visit to Foxy's on Jost van Dyke), then you will need proof of U.S. citizenship. According to the Department of State, all Americans traveling to and from the U.S. by air must have a passport, and the requirement will be extended to sea travel (ferries included) "by the summer of 2008."  So, in the interest of island hopping, your safest bet is to just get passports for your brood, or make sure your passports are up to date. For more passport questions, check out our Kids' Passports FAQs.

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.

Caroline Smith | Cookie Travel Intern

"My son is allergic to nuts. [O]ne of the major inhibitors to a great vacation for us now is the fact that our 3-year old can't eat out in most places because of the risk. Any thoughts on great hotels, locations, etc. that might be able to work with food allergies? " -Kellie Monroe, Pennsylvania

Dealing with a child's severe food allergies is challenging, but fortunately allergy awareness seems to be catching on in many eateries across the country, especially in more upscale places (which tend to be more accommodating when it comes to specially preparing dishes) and some conscientious restaurant chains (Papa John's, Red Robin, P.F. Chang's, etc.). Even if a restaurant has an allergy-friendly reputation, caution remains the best policy: call ahead to speak to a manager about your needs, try to arrive during off-peak hours to ensure maximum attention, and consider carrying along a "food allergy card" to tack on to your order.

Hotels seem a little slower to catch on to this trend, but dozens of hotels across the U.S. and Canada have adopted a new service-the Pure room treatment-to help accommodate guests with dust, pollen, yeast, mold or other airborne allergies. The intense seven-step Pure treatment essentially deep-cleans rooms between guests by scouring surfaces and fabrics with a special cleaner, installing air and chlorine filters, and blasting the room with ozone to zap any lingering bacteria. The rooms tend to cost about $10 to $20 more than standard rooms and are now being offered by select properties of chains such as Marriott and Wyndham. Click here for a complete list.

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Email us with your travel stories and tips!

Rebecca Etter | Cookie Travel Assistant

"Hi, I know Copenhagen to be a very family friendly city and would love one of your fabulous, authoritative city guides to help me plan a trip there." -Tamara Shand, London

General Touring:
Copenhagen is an incredibly accessible city and there are multiple ways for your family to see the sights. Tour the city by canal via DFDS Canal Tours and kids will get a chance to ride in boats named for famed former resident Hans Christian Anderson's life works. What child (and child at heart) wouldn't want to ride on boat named for the Little Mermaid? Or make like a local and ride bikes - there are lot of safe, clearly marked paths.