We're giving away a $15,000 weeklong vacation for four to Charleston, South Carolina--four nights in the city (pictured above) followed by three nights by the sea.

For a shot at winning the $15,000 vacation extravanganza for you and up to three travel companions, all you need to do is enter your best travel tip here. I've been sharing some of my favorite tips that are rolling in, and today's comes from Greg Oates, who keeps a blog called Greg Oates: Sustainable Travel for Surfers to Suits:

"One night every trip I try to lay out a pair of casual clothes and comfortable shoes so I can get up early without too much fuss and go for a walk. Before 8 a.m., you can get an entirely fresh, non-touristy look at a destination without the big crowds and commercial traffic, while enjoying coffee or breakfast and hanging with the locals. Some of my most perfect travel moments have been those early morning aimless walks in places like Amsterdam, Vancouver, Chicago, New Orleans, etc."

I couldn't agree more: Sunrise is the best time to see--and photograph--many of the world's great monuments too, from Petra in Jordan to Angkor Wat in Cambodia.  To soak up places in the early morning and then use the midday hours to hop to the next city on your itinerary is, in fact, one of my 25 Golden Rules of Travel. 

What's your best travel tip? Share it with us for a chance to win the $15,000 trip. You might even see your tip featured here on The Perrin Post!