The Innovative Traveler

Crime Tours for the Voyeur in All of Us

What better way to learn about a city than take a tour of its sordid past? Get up close and personal with local architecture, rock, politics, social commentary, and oh yeah... crime. Los Angeles' Esotouric skips Hollywood's usual celebrity fanfare and mansions and opts for the dark, gritty side of its history. Esotouric also delves into the social and political commentary of the time and explores the city from a victim's, and hysterical locals', point of view.

Find the best deal, compare prices and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor

Best known for its focus on the famous The Black Dahlia case, it also exposes guests to stories of a husband who lets a rattlesnake bite his wife in hopes of collecting the insurance money, only to hire an outside source to drown her and finish the job. Also on the 2007 roster? James Elroy Digs LA, a tour that allows guests to accompany the author to parks where he stalked classmates, houses he broke into, and the history of 1950's murder cases that captivated him as a youth and feeds his passion for writing today.

Since its inception in 2005, the tours have become increasingly popular. And why not? With a current cultural climate of reality TV, slanted news, and media voyeurism, this idea can't fail. But more interesting to me than the tour itself or its statement about society today, is how it all came into fruition. Founder Kim Cooper started blogging in 2005 about crime scenes of each day from 1946. As her readership and contributors grew, she began offering tours of the chilling crimes and mysteries she blogged about. The site has an old-school newspaper type kind of feel that entices readers, making them feel like they're reading the latest scoop. Here's a clip from their site:

We're not your ordinary tour bus company.

Our routes veer off into fascinating, neglected neighborhoods. Our expert guides are passionate, brainy and hilarious. Our tour themes are provocative and complex, but never dry, mixing crime and social history, rock and roll and architecture, literature and film, fine art and urban studies into a simmering stew of original research and startling observations.

Even our snack stops are unique: a Chinese dumpling picnic in a garden of concrete sea monsters, homemade mint lemonade and cookies at the site of the first UFO sighting in the Southland, or Black Dahlia and Nicotine flavored gelato at Scoops in East Hollywood.

When you climb aboard for an Esotouric bus adventure, you're guaranteed an intelligent, unpredictable ride into the secret heart of the city we love. These tours are recommended for natives, tourists and anyone who likes to dig a little deeper and discover the world beyond the everyday. Come ride and see for yourself.

Tours run approximately $70 on up and gift certificates are even available for your twisted loved ones. For those who want to make crime tours part of their life, season passes can also be arranged. And who knows, maybe you'll even stumble upon a fresh crime scene that needs solving.

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Hit the Open Road With a Free Car and Tank of Gas

Cookie-cutter vacations are a thing of the past and true innovation allows for bragging rights at your next cocktail party or office banter. I challenge everyone to pick a destination and give themselves a year to achieve it. Right it down, post it up on your fridge, and focus on it. But don't just focus on forking over several hundred bucks, figure out how to do it with inspiration and save yourself some money along the way.

But what if you let someone else decide where you're going? Imagine the adventure of waking up one day and get a call that you're going to drive to San Francisco or Lake Tahoe or Wyoming... and that it will essentially cost you nothing? AutoDriveway.com is one of the leading industries for transporting vehicles. And that means they need drivers to transport them safely and quickly. The company acts as an innovative matchmaking service between car owners and those looking for transportation. You can opt for just about any route or let them contact you with new opportunities. And what will it cost you? Just about nothing. There is a $350 deposit which is refundable at the nearest AutoDriveway office or by mail if the car is delivered in satisfactory condition. And the first tank of gas is free. Drivers must be at least 23 with a valid licence and sign an agreement so they know you're not going to drive 18 hours a day to get a car delivered and agree to delivering it safely. Here's a list of requirements from their website:

- If you are at least 23 years of age or older with a valid driver's license (foreign travelers also need a passport with valid exit visa), you can travel the United States with Auto Driveway Company.

- A refundable security deposit of approximately $350.00, check with the office that you are driving for to get the exact amount and method of payment on deposit.

- You will receive the first full tank of gasoline, a certain number of days and an appropriate amount of miles to complete your trip!

- A current MVR (motor vehicle driver�s record) for ALL drivers will be needed when you arrive at the office to pick up the vehicle. If you do not have a MVR, one will be generated at a cost to the driver(s). Foreign travelers must bring a current Motor Vehicle Record from your home country.

Although it's true that the rising cost of gas is keeping travelers grounded, there are always ways around this issue. If you buddy up with a few friends wanting to hit the open road, you're looking at a cheap vacation and a cool story to tell when it's all over. But be sure to utilize the road trip to your advantage. Use a credit card that gives you frequent flyer miles when paying for your gas and lodging so you can earn for future trips. Try Couchsurfing.com for a free couch to crash on for the night or log onto priceline to find a cheap hotel along the way. But to really put dollars in your pocket, check Craigslist or post your own ad and see if anyone needs their own delivery. Someone may be looking for a way to transport a computer or audio equipment without paying costly shipping and insurance fees. Ask for a competitive but comfortable fee to make it worth their while. They don't have to know you paid $0 for the car.

There's plenty of ways you can make a few bucks on the road and keep your expenses in check. Come up with at least 10 ways you could make some extra change in transit and put them in motion. What else can you try? How about hitting up your local newspapers, blogs, and magazines and pitch your innovative road trip story -- for a fee, of course. Make your vacation work for you.

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Assasination Vacation

While nursing a turkey hangover after Thanksgiving, I found The Incredibles on TV and decided to settle in for the night. I use to be an assistant film editor and love going to imdb.com to see who did what on a film or TV show I like. I found it curious that the part of angst-ridden Violet was played by Sarah Vowell, a 30-something year old who is best known for appearing on NPR. But I also discovered that while she was doing the voice over for The Incredibles, Vowell wrote a book called The Assassination Vacation which chronicles vacations in areas where Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley were assassinated.

Always wanted to know where fragments of Lincoln's skull lay? Try the National Museum of Health and Medicine. Aside from the grit and gore, Vowell also gives the skinny on the social and political circumstances surrounding the assassinations in that dry wit her fans are accustomed to. Readers will even find conspiracy theories and bizarre events.

While it can be daunting to consider starting up a travel search engine, service, or even a blog without feeling like it's been done to death -- there are always unique concepts out there to explore. Imagine running a business revolving around conspiracy theories, assassinations, and politics. I'd love to see someone design a travel itinerary based around when Lincoln kicked it. Or John Lenon. Though every itinerary would probably take tourists to see leftover beatniks playing their guitars at Strawberry Fields in Central Park.

It would be even cooler if Violet Parr was the one designing the itinerary. That would be sweet.

Check out other strange travel trends...