General
Websites
Expedia
This online travel agency helps you find the best deals, fares, and vacation packages. Browse today’s top travel deals or build your trip by searching for fares and value packages. Has a rewards program for repeat customers.
Fodor’s Travel Guides
Here you’ll find a world of travel information from the publisher of these popular travel guides: destinations, hotels, restaurants, cruises, travel news, forums, and a link to book your trip on Expedia. Sign up for Fodor’s weekly newsletter or browse previous issues. Buy Fodor’s books in the online store.
Frommer’s
More than 50 years ago, Arthur Frommer published Europe on $5 a Day, and since then the series has grown to more than 300 popular travel guides. The official Frommer’s website is packed with travel tips, advice, ideas, and destinations. Besides articles, forums, a store, a database of hotels, and a link to book your trip, you’ll find podcasts and a blog.
Hotels.com
As its name implies, Hotels.com helps you find a place to stay when you travel. When you search, you can narrow results by setting a price rating, star rating, or guest rating, and then locate hotels on a map. You can shop for flights and vacation packages here.
Kayak
Kayak is a super search engine that searches more than 140 travel sites, so you can compare results and find the best deal. Even better, you can filter and sort the results in various ways—for example, narrow your price range or the time window for a flight. Also offers last-minute deals, comparisons and statistics, and a free account so you can keep track of your searches. Kayak is not a travel agency; when you choose to make a reservation, you go directly to the site of the company making the booking.
Mobissimo
When you search for something here, Mobissimo scours scores of travel sites to find you the best deals. Search for flights, hotels, cars, deals, or activities (like golf or wine tasting). Has a blog that’s updated each weekday.
Orbitz
This online travel agency lets you research, plan, and book a trip, whether for business or pleasure. Find up-to-the minute rates, fares, packages, and deals.
Travelocity
A full-service online travel site where you can book vacation packages, flights, hotels, cars, rail, cruises, last-minute deals, and activities. Sign up for the Fare Alert service for notification when fares drop between your home airport and your favorite destinations.
Tripso.com
A travel news and commentary site that’s been around since 1998, Tripso.com offers a blog, columns, and forums for travelers.
Blogs
TravelBlog
TravelBlog hosts hundreds of blogs journaling travelers’ voyages, photos, adventures, and musings. You can read the blogs on the site or create your own. You can search for blogs by region, which is helpful when you’re planning a trip and want to read others’ experiences with that destination.
Podcasts
JourneyPod Luxury Travel
For those who like to live the good life as they travel, this podcast focuses on luxury hotels, gourmet restaurants, and see-and-be-seen hotspots.
PodGuides.net
PodGuides combine a map (PDF or JPG) with a series of audio tracks (mp3) that relate to numbered spots on the map, which you can download to your video iPod or similar device. On this site, you’ll find free PodGuides to interesting sites around the world. You can also create and submit your own.
Travelography
http://podcasternews.com/travelography/
Get commentary on travel-related news from Alan A. Lew’s podcasts.
Related Sites
http://travelgeography.blogspot.com/
Wikis
Wikitravel
This wiki offers free travel guides to destinations around the world, written and edited by travelers. Do some research, or jump in and contribute.
Social Networking
Driftr
Driftr is a community where travelers get together to share experiences, advice, photos, reviews, and tips. Research your destination before you go—where to stay, where to eat, what to see, and how to get around—and share your trip after you’re back home.
IgoUgo
When you join this travel community, 350,000 strong, you can connect with others who share your travel interests. Create a travel journal and submit reviews and photos; this earns points toward frequent flyer miles, so you can travel some more. If you want to research a destination, IgoUgo has more than 5,500 of them covered. A bonus: the site’s editors check reviews and other content submitted by members, so you can trust the info you find here.
Travellerspoint Travel Community
With more than 150,000 members, this large community of travel enthusiasts is a great place to swap travel stories, make like-minded friends, remember past trips, and plan future ones. Create a blog, upload photos, map your trips, ask questions, share advice, and help build the sites’ Wiki Travel Guide.
Forums/Discussions
Extravigator
Extravigator is an open forum for those who enjoy the good life to discuss luxury travel. Membership is free.