By Joel Burgess
About this time of year around my neck of the woods in West Michigan, many are looking for adventures. So, I thought I’d share a few travel tools I’ve come across that may be beneficial, no matter where you call home. As mentioned in a previous newsletter, a great place to start is www.bookingbuddy.com. Bookingbuddy.com allows you to search and compare many travel websites from one location.
The Top 25 Travel Websites by category according to CNN are:
Getting There
Sidestep.com – Booking flights (overall)
Flycheapo.com – Researching low-fare carriers in Europe
Farecompare.com – Locating the best international airfares
Farecast.com – Knowing when to book a flight
Getting Ideas
Kayak.com – Booking hotels (Overall)
Lastminutetravel.com – Finding last minute deals on luxury hotels
Menupages.com – Previewing menus in the U.S.
Seatguru.com – Snagging a perfect seat
Chowhound.com – Dishing with “global foodies”
Homeandabroad.com – Customizing an itinerary
Cruisecritic.com – Planning a cruise
Getting Around
Hopstop.com – Mapping routes on U.S. public transportation
Viamichelin.com – Driving directions in Europe
Maps.google.com – Creating comprehensive maps worldwide
The Basics
Xe.com – Converting currency
Weather.com – Finding reliable weather forecasts
Tripprep.com – Learning about safety abroad
8 Others to Watch
Vayama.com – Prices from all international flights originating in the U.S. (including those of low-fare carriers)
Yapta.com –Airfares tracking, e-mail updates on price drops, and information about loopholes for refunds
Travelistic.com – Compilation of on-the-ground travel videos from real people around the world
Meethalfway.com – U.K.-based site, with a soon-to-launch U.S. version, helping you find a geographic compromise for travel
Seriouseats.com – Compilation of all the juiciest global food news and opinions (by: New York Times writer Ed Levine)
Airtreks.com – Planning guide for complicated, multi-leg itineraries
Dontforgetyourtoothbrush.com – Create your own handy before-you-leave checklists
TheBathroomdiaries.com – A seemingly silly, surprisingly useful resource reviewing 12,000 public bathrooms in 120 countries
Source: www.cnn.com from http://www.travelandleisure.com
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