Hey, foodies! Yes, we’re talking to you. The hottest thing about Arizona this June isn’t the pavement but the inaugural Dine in Sedona Restaurant Fest. The 16-day culinary event is guaranteed to be a party for the taste buds as well as the wallet.

Here’s the scoop, a variety of Sedona restaurants are offering three-course, prix-fixe dinner menus beginning Monday, June 15 through Tuesday, June 30, 2009. Diners will be able to select an appetizer, entree and dessert. There are three different price points fitting every foodie’s dining budget.

The Dine in Sedona Restaurant Fest Web site lists all the participating restaurants but here are our picks from each price point:

Modest Dining $19.95
Dine like a Sedona local at the hopping Blue Moon Café with cooked-to-order entrees and portions mama used to serve. Dining options are outdoors on the patio (where Fido’s welcomed) and inside.

Classic Dining $29.95
Okay, we admit the name of this Sedona restaurant piqued our interest and although it’s a favorite with tourists, the Southwestern cuisine on the menu is worth the trip. We’re talking about the Barking Frog Grill which proclaims to be “An American restaurant with a Southwest bark!” Don’t worry, you won’t find any dishes made with amphibian frogs on the menu.

Elegant Dining $39.95
Planning a date night during the Dine in Sedona Restaurant Fest? Reserve a table at Cucina Rustica for the romantic atmosphere, magical musicians and Continental cuisine. Enjoy an adult beverage before or after dinner on the outdoor patio to take in a perfect Sedona evening.

Dine in Sedona Restaurant Fest is coordinated by the Sedona Chamber of Commerce. Ready to book your Sedona vacation? Check out the best accommodation rates available June 15 – 30, 2009. Importantly, don’t forget to tip your server!

Photo Courtesy: Sedona Chamber of Commerce

The good people over of AAA are making it easier for AAA members to save money while vacationing in the United States and Canada. A free GPS-based application called, “AAA Discounts,” for the iPhone is now available. First in a series of AAA applications planned for the iPhone, the app displays retail locations participating in the AAA Show Your Card & Save program. There are more than 100,000 discounts being offered throughout the U.S. and Canada. On average, AAA members each save $100 annually which pays for the cost of membership and then some.

It’s pretty sweet how technology and the discounts come together. The iPhone app pinpoints a user’s location then displays all merchants within the area offering an AAA discount.  The search can be customized by selecting business categories of interest including entertainment, shopping and travel. Details of the AAA discount are provided as well as address, telephone number and the best route from the current location with narrative directions.  The AAA Discounts app works on the iPod Touch as well when the user has access to WiFi.

Need roadside assistance? Select the “More” option to request assistance and the GPS location is transmitted, too. Not an AAA member? What are you waiting for? The only way to take advantage of these savings is to become a member and the AAA Discount app makes it easy to become one. A few finger taps connect you with an AAA membership counselor to begin savings and peace of mind with roadside assistance. Kinks are still being worked out of the free AAA Discount app but it’s still fabulous to have when traveling this summer.

Yup. There’s an app for everything.

The discount airline Direct Air (formerly Myrtle Beach Direct Air) is offering non-stop flights to Myrtle Beach, S.C., from 10 U.S.-based cities. Why is this a big deal? Because Direct Air leases A319 and A320 aircraft from Virgin America meaning passengers have the pleasure of indulging in buttery leather seats, satellite television, and a nice purple hue in the cabin versus that harsh, white light. Flight attendants are hosts and legal beverages (their term for drinks with alcohol) are ordered by touch screen. Alcohol-free drinks are complimentary while plastic is accepted for the adult beverages (on board it’s a cashless society).

The sweet cost to fly with this swanky airline? Depending on the departure city, airfares begin at $79 one-way plus taxes and airport fees. Advance seat assignment and checked baggage cost extra. Flights aren’t offered daily from departure cities but Direct Air is the perfect airline for a get-up-and-go long golfing weekend with the buds. With more than 100 golf courses to choose from, every weekend could be spent in Myrtle Beach playing on different greens. Or, venture off the course and onto the race track to fulfill the need for speed at NASCAR SpeedPark, a 26-acre race-themed amusement park.

Direct Air’s flights to Myrtle Beach are also ideal for a weeklong getaway with the family. There are 60 miles of beach for building sandcastles along with manmade and natural attractions guaranteed to create happy memories. Ride the Swamp Fox, an all-wooden roller coaster at Family Kingdom Amusement Park & Water Park or take a cruise aboard a riverboat. You get the idea.

Direct Air offers nonstop service from: Allentown, Pa.; Fort Myers (Punta Gorda), Fla.; Kalamazoo, Mich.; Newark, N.J.; Niagara Falls, N.Y.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Plattsburgh, N.Y.;  Chicago (Rockford); Toledo, Ohio; and Worcester, Mass.

Now that flights are taken care of, book your Myrtle Beach accommodations now.