Did you know that Hollywood is one of the top tourist destinations in the world? And did you know that the movie star footprint place – Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – gets 4-million visitors a year? Did you know that’s more visitors than the Empire State Building in New York gets? More than the Palace of Versailles in France gets??

Well I didn’t know either, which is why we’re lucky to have the Los Angeles Times around to clue us in.

However, right now, business is down – the crowds are thinner and they’re not buying those little fake Oscars and other Tinseltown crap souvenirs. What to do?

Look for the discounts. If you’re ogling those movie star footprints and are approached by a representative of the venerable Starline Tours (think movie star houses) – bargain with them – chances are, they’ll cut the price of the $38 ticket. Or get a discount by purchasing online.

Or, if you can’t decide whether to go to the Hollywood Wax Museum, the Guinness World of Records Museum or Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum – understandable. After all, the first two are $12.95 each and Ripley’s is $14.99, but – hold on to your hats – you can buy a ticket for all three for just $26.95. You do the math! God knows I can’t.

When you think group travel, you think expensive, and, you think just hanging around with fellow tourists, right?

And you pronounce “tourist” with a sneer, don’t you?

Well, you just might be wrong, according to an article in Australia’s theage.com. Their point: work with a travel agent (or research it yourself) to find a group that caters to YOU.

The article busts some myths along the way – group travel need not be expensive (in fact, it can save you money, and the author gives a nice example of a solo traveler getting in the wrong toll lane in Portugal, and having to fork over about $85 for his mistake). Then there’s the matter of “not being able to mix with the locals” – and you won’t mix, if you just spend your time in restaurants and bazaars – you have to get out and do something physical , i.e., go for a walk, rent a canoe, climb a hill – got that?

You can travel in a group – and make it an authentic experience. Click here for ideas – but mostly, it’s up to you.

Heeeeeee’s baaaack! Or maybe I should say, his stuff is.

And of course, I’m talking about Tutankhamun, Egypt’s boy king who lived…uh, a long time ago. His fancy stuff (gold crowns, jewels and other geegaws) has arrived in the U.S. on American Airlines, and you’ll be able to see the exhibit, formally called “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” when it opens in Dallas on Oct. 3.

Take a look if you can – 4 million people did during a 4-city U.S. tour back in 2005 – 2007, and they all liked it.

Do mummies move you? Keen on coffins? Have we got a tour for you.

VirtualTourist.com has a list of 8 top burial sites (via Reuters) that includes such gems as “Hanging Coffins” in the Philippines; the “Bone House” of Austria; “Sky Burials” in Tibet; or just good old-fashioned long-haired mummies in Peru.

Boy, oh, boy do they have something for everyone!

Now, just imagine the souvenirs.