The World's 50 Best Drives

They may be cheap, but you really don't want to stay in them

(NEWSER) - Unless you like urine-scented rooms and hairs in the bathtub, you probably won’t want to stay at any of Trip Advisor ’s top 10 dirtiest hotels in the US. Below, a sampling of the user reviews:

1. Heritage Marina Hotel, San Francisco: “The second room ‘appeared’ clean until we realized the next morning that we slept with bed bugs.”
2. Days Inn Eureka/Six Flags, Eureka, Mo: “The smell was horrible. The floors and walls were dirty. There was food and beverage spilled and dried up all over the place.”
3. Tropicana Resort Hotel, Virginia Beach: “The ice machine produces dirty ice and is not fit to use.”
4. Super 8 Virginia Beach/At the Ocean, Virginia Beach: “There were hairs in the bathtub, and bugs on the counter.”

Can't afford a vacation? Don't worry about skipping these locales

(NEWSER) - Sure, you could read one of the many lists of destinations you should visit this year—but in this economic climate, wouldn’t it be more useful to check out a list of places not to visit? Hailey Eber thinks so, and gives her top 10 in BlackBook :

• Oymyakon, Russia: In this Siberian village on record as the coldest town on Earth, the temperature must drop to -62 degrees Fahrenheit before schools close.
• Paula Deen Cruise to the Caribbean: You usually put on a few pounds while on vacation…and a few more if that vacation is the neverending buffet of a cruise ship. Add Paula Deen’s butter-filled recipes into the mix, and you’ll soon be “too ashamed to waddle around the lido deck in your bikini.”
• Pakistan: “Violent extremists, Al-Qaida, and Taliban elements do not a vacation make. But, you probably knew that already.”

Find a bathroom, cheap gas, or a hiking trail wherever you are

(NEWSER) - If you’re traveling for the holidays, it should come as no surprise that the iPhone can be a handy tool. Michelle Higgins lists some of the best travel-friendly apps in the New York Times :

• HearPlanet, $4.99: Text and recorded commentary for 250,000 attractions and landmarks worldwide.
• SitOrSquat, free: Need a bathroom stat? Find the nearest toilet, or, if you’re picky, check out restroom ratings.
• Gas Buddy, $2.99: One of the best apps for finding cheap gas on the road, but there are many others available for free.

Get advice from locals, exchange currency, and more

(NEWSER) - The summer is winding down, but there’s still time for a last-minute vacation. The Times of London lists 10 new websites to check out:

• Tripbod: Answer questions about your interests and hobbies, and a local expert will plan an itinerary for you.
• Vimeo: The travel group on this video site features good information on countries, cities, festivals, and more.

(NEWSER) - Looking to vacation in a spot that inspired your favorite novel? USA Today asks travel expert Melissa Biggs Bradley about the best hotels to connect physically with the literature.

• The Resort at Paws Up, Greenough, Mont.: "The Blackfoot River, which runs through this 37,000-acre ranch, is the river referred to in Norman Maclean's wonderful A River Runs Through It," Bradley says.