Research your next trip online
Plan your vacation with the help of the Internet and leave the stress behind
By Brenda R. Solman
Planning a trip can sometimes be more work and stress than what you're trying to take a break from, but the Internet can make things much simpler. You already discovered that you can book your travel arrangements online, but did you know that you can also find out what the weather will be before you arrive, read what others have thought of your chosen hotel, and learn some of the language of your destination?
On This Page
1. Stay safe
Find out about potential health risks and get up-to-date country reports before you book tickets or visit your vacation destination.
2. Convert your cash
Discover what your hotel bill total will be in your local currency and research travel insurance.
| • | xe.com: A currency converter featuring every currency. |
| • | Squaremouth.com: Compare more than 60 travel insurance plans from the top providers and get immediate quotes. |
3. Travel wisely
Make getting to your destination easier and more comfortable than ever with sites that show you the best places to sit on planes and trains. Or, get help planning a last-minute getaway.
| • | Seat Guru: Tips on which seats on your plane have the most legroom and cargo space, which are the quietest, and which have the best view of the movie screens. |
| • | The Man in Seat Sixty-One: All the information you need when travelling by train or by ship. |
| • | Sky Guides: Guides to the world's major airports, including maps, car-rental options, public transportation, and airport hotels. |
| • | Airtreks: TripPlanner, a service that lets you plan the travel phases of your journey, no matter how complex. |
| • | Sky Auction: A site that lets you bid on airfares, cruises, and packages. |
4. Pack your pet
Unsure of what to do with Fluffy while you're travelling? Find out if you can bring her with you and if not, learn about boarding her until you come home.
| • | Pet Friendly: Accommodations in the United States where you can bring your pet. |
| • | Pet Travel: An international database of accommodations and services that welcome pets. |
| • | The Pet Center: A good guide to boarding your pets if you can't take them with you. Includes how to find a kennel, what to look for, how to prepare your pet for boarding, and what to do when you pick him or her up. |
5. Love your lodging
Find out what real people thought of the hotel you were planning on booking before you spend the money.
| • | Hotel Guide: This site lets you book at more than 100,000 hotels worldwide with a low-price guarantee. |
| • | Hotels.com: This site enables you to book not just hotels, but also flights, car rentals, and complete vacation packages. |
| • | Hostelz.com: More than 22,000 hostels worldwide, along with reader comments and travel tips. |
| • | Hostels.com: More than 10,000 hostels worldwide, user ratings, and a message board. |
6. Discuss your destination
The best advice often comes from real people, so visit these forums to get unbiased information on destinations; you can even find out about places you'd never discover in a travel brochure.
| • | The Thorn Tree: Lonely Planet's forum, with sections on more than 22 world regions, news, and other travel-related topics. |
| • | Virtual Tourist: Discussion board, travel tips from members, photos, and travel resources. |
| • | I Go U Go: Photos and reviews from travellers. |
| • | Expedia: Flights, hotels, cars, and packages, promising exactly the trip you want. |
7. Watch the weather
Never get stuck without important travel gear like your umbrella or bathing suit again. Find out what the weather is like before you leave so you'll know what to pack.
| • | The Weather Network: International weather reports and warnings. |
| • | WorldClimate: Although not a forecast site, WorldClimate tells you what the weather is usually like at different times of the year using approximately 85,000 climate records for tens of thousands of places around the world. |
8. Have fun with the family
Conquer the challenges of travelling with kids with great tips and kid-friendly activities.
| • | Travel for Kids: This site lists fun things to do with your children around the world and has travel tips, food guides, and book recommendations. |
| • | Family Travel Network: Tips and reviews, suggestions for Interest-based travel, and message boards. |
9. Learn the language
Learn some useful words and phrases before you go.
| • | Word 2 Word: In addition to basic translation, the site has etymology, word games, world alphabets, and many other language and translation resources. |
10. Travel with technology
Find out how you can use technology to share your travels with others and stay in touch with those at home.
| • | Traveljournals.net: Friends can check out your travel stories and pictures, leave you messages in your guestbook, and even learn something about where you are in the Maps and Locations database. |
| • | TravelPod: In addition to travelogs and forums, this site features trip-planning resources, including a hostel finder, adventure tours, and travel insurance. |
| • | A Global World: If you're bringing any electronics, you'll need to plug them in. Use this site to figure out what kind of voltage converters you'll need. |
11. Dare to be different
Stray from the beaten path with these trip ideas.
| • | Generous Adventures: This site lets you bid on resorts, outdoor adventures, exotic destinations, and special interest trips—and the proceeds go to charity. |
| • | The International Ecotourism Society: Information on responsible travel to natural areas. |
| • | G.A.P Adventures: G.A.P helps you put together your dream adventure based on destination, activity, or, if you're open to anything, whatever fits into your schedule. |
| • | Cruise Critic: Lets you read user reviews of cruises and find your dream cruise, and also offers tips for your first cruise and for planning your cruise. |
Article written by Brenda R. Solman and adapted from an original piece from Microsoft Home Magazine.
