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Travel Resources on the Internet
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You may be interested in an exotic vacation tour, or a weekend getaway, but where do you start in the researching and planning of a trip? Start right on your own computer or here on the MGPL Internet Access terminals. With the wealth of online resources, everything from automatic itineraries to travel tips is right at your fingertips. Thanks to the Internet, exploring the globe "virtually" is made possible by a simple click of the mouse.
The World Wide Web offers the latest information about seeing Europe by rail; currency equivalents; tips on getting the best deal on airline tickets; booking your own flight, car rental, and hotel rooms; and even information about travel-related health, safety, and security issues. Read up on what's going on at the destination of your choice and find out what other travelers have to say on your get-away spot.
We've organized our introduction to Travel Resources on the Internet into the following categories for the online traveler. The sites included here have been selected to get you started on your search for travel information. Once you have embarked upon your virtual journey, the options will be almost limitless. Enjoy your trip!
Updated May 2004 by Bonnie Zeitlin, Susan McGowan
Index
What's Your Destination? Researching Your Options
- JohnnyJet.com
- Billed as "The Ultimate Travel Website," this directory of travel links covers everything from pilot information to religious travel. (www.johnnyjet.com)
- Rough Guides
- More reading about your destination needed? Try this site to access the online text of many country and city guides, including Rough Guide to the USA, complete with hypertext links to clubs, restaurants, hotels, and other travel services - nationwide. Be sure to scroll to the very bottom of the page to see information - some links appear blank at the beginning. (www.roughguides.com/website/travel/default.aspx)
- Fodors.com
- This publishing giant's Web site delivers a plethora of travel information for the virtual and the actual traveler--true one-stop shopping for all your travel needs! (www.fodors.com)
- Lonely Planet Online
- Long a favorite of travel guide aficionados, these guides explore the world with a bit of irreverence and a flashy style. If you're into environmentalism, human and animal rights issues or simply just obsessed with checking your e-mail, you'll like their WebLinks page! Here you will also find information on their email service, eKno, and their free 12-page quarterly newsletter, Comet, replete with travel news, reviews and travelers' letters. (www.lonelyplanet.com)
- ShawGuides
- Based on the Shaw Guides directory of thousands of learning vacations and international career training programs, this site will help you combine travel with education. Choose a course in culture, art, cooking, golf, tennis, photography, languages, writing, tennis, and more. (www.shawguides.com/)
- Enjoy Illinois!
- The Illinois Bureau of Tourism sponsors this site dedicated to providing information on year-round events and attractions in the Land of Lincoln. See a calendar of events, maps, a list of accommodations, suggestions for 3-day getaways, and more! (www.enjoyillinois.com)
- Specialty Travel Index
- Adventure vacations, packages and tours indexed by activity type or geographic location, as well as specific tour operators. (www.spectrav.com/)
Who's Going with You?
Special circumstances benefit from additional travel planning. Whether you are traveling with children and/or pets, a woman traveling alone, a student looking for adventure on a budget, someone whose disability requires assistance for travel, or a gay/lesbian/transgendered person seeking welcoming accommodations, there are Web sites to help make your trip as convenient and enjoyable as possible.
- Travel for Kids
- Find out about enjoyable cities to visit with kids in over 30 countries around the world - fun things to do, interesting food to try, stores and markets for souvenirs, and good kids' books about the cities. Most important, Travel Essentials will tell you about documents, medicine, packing, school absence, and safety issues for kids abroad. (www.travelforkids.com)
- Kids Can Travel
- Whether you are searching for a particular activity or destination, planning a vacation or simply exploring a corner of the world, this website offers inspiring editorial content and the tools to get you and your family there. (www.kidscantravel.com)
- Family Travel
- The Travel Channel provides this site with ideas for great trips for families with kids. View information about great cities for kids to visit, best destinations, a national parks guide, kids & family events around the world, and more! (travel.discovery.com/ideas/familytravel/familytravel.html)
- Petswelcome.com
- This site lists lodging places in the U.S., Canada, and France that will accept pets along with their owners. Boarding kennels and pet sitters are also listed, as well as links to emergency pet clinics, airline pet regulations, and U.S. campgrounds and beaches that allow pets. (www.petswelcome.com)
- Tips for Women Travellers
- This site from the Australian government is useful for information about health and safety for the woman traveling by herself. (www.smartraveller.gov.au/tips/womtrav.html)
- World on Wheels: Accessible Travel Information
- Travelers using wheelchairs can find reports from site editors and other travelers on a destination's attractions and accessibility. Reports from many places in the USA, England, Canada, Mexico, India, Australia, Iran, and the Cook Islands are available. Check out Chicago on wheels! (www.geocities.com/Heartland/6295/)
- Access-Able Travel Source
- Links to information on every aspect of accessible travel for special needs adventurers: destinations, travel agents, tips, and organizations. (www.access-able.com)
- Elderhostel
- Elderhostel offers inexpensive short-term academic programs for seniors, placing them in university environments, environmental study centers, or field programs around the world. Research program options in exotic or familiar locations! (www.elderhostel.org/)
- Travel Tips for Older Americans
- This site from the U.S. Dept. of State has valuable information for seniors on travel abroad - trip preparation, passports and visas, health, money and valuables, safety precautions, and prohibited souvenirs. (travel.state.gov/travel/olderamericans.html)
- Travel Resources: Senior Travel
- Information on how to obtain senior travel discounts for hotels, airlines, cars, buses, trains, national parks, etc. (www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=83&category=19)
- Purple Roofs: Your GLBT Key to World Travel
- Check this international directory of accommodations which are gay-owned or gay-friendly. (www.purpleroofs.com)
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Are There Health/Safety Concerns?
- Travelers' Health
- The National Center for Infectious Diseases provides this site on health issues in particular countries, lists of vaccine requirements, food and water precautions, and cruise ship inspection reports. (www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm)
- Embassy World
- Locate the U.S. embassy in any country around the world, or find out how to contact another country through their embassy here. (www.embassyworld.com/embassy/directory.htm)
- Travel Warnings
- This site, from the U.S. Dept. of State, lists the latest developments in countries around the world that may affect the safety and security of travelers. (travel.state.gov/)
- A Safe Trip Abroad
- Tips from the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, including how to apply for your U.S. passport, location of offices, and travel warnings abroad. (travel.state.gov/travel/abroad_pub_safetrip.html)
How to Get There? Planes, Trains, Automobiles, Buses and Boats!
- FlightAware
- View live flight tracking of private and commercial U.S. air traffic on this site by entering airline name and/or flight number or airport code. (flightaware.com)
- Orbitz
- A consortium of 5 major airlines began this site which now makes it easy to locate flights and low airfares from any of over 400 airlines. In addition to booking airfares, you can also rent a car, reserve a hotel room, check out a cruise, and find a vacation package. (www.orbitz.com)
- Expedia
- A comprehensive online travel service for checking and booking flights, cruises, lodging, car rentals, and travel packages. (www.expedia.com)
- Travelocity.com
- View fare and flight information, then make airline reservations using the SABRE computer reservation system. Check out the handy destinations and interests page that lists places to go and things to do. (www.travelocity.com)
- Airlines of the Web
- This list provides extensive links to 500 scheduled airlines in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, North America, South America, and more. (flyaow.com/)
- Airwise Airport Guide
- Everything you need to know about access to the airport, and bus/shuttle transportation and rates - including directions to downtown areas near to the largest airports in the U.S. and abroad. (www.airwise.com/airports/index.html)
- InsideFlyer
- Sponsored by Inside Flyer Magazine, this site offers very detailed information about frequent-flyer miles, from the fastest ways to earn miles to how to donate them to charity. There are also direct links to specific airlines and their individual information. (www.insideflyer.com/)
- Air Travel Consumer Report
- See the most recent report from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation on flight
delays, mishandled baggage, oversales (overbookings), consumer complaints,
and disability complaints. The monthly reports are available in Word or in
PDF format. (airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm)
Trains!
- Travel Time (Train Reservation Center)
- Need a train schedule? Look here for worldwide information on trains galore, including subways of the world's cities and train travel information for students. (vacations.traveltime.com/c/17/17580/1789064_17580.htm)
- Amtrak
- The link for the U.S. passenger rail system has a ticketing system, timetables, travel destinations and more. Includes Amtrak routes, vacation packages, and a guide to making reservations. (www.amtrak.com)
- Railpass.com
- Describes all the various ticket plans available to travelers from Europe by Eurail and Britain by BritRail , along with prices and any additional bonus promotions. For actual train schedules, you must consult printed schedules, such as the Thomas Cook Train Schedules for specific countries. (www.railpass.com/)
Automobiles!
- America's Byways: National Scenic Byways Online
- Check here before your next driving trip! Search by state or road name to locate an especially interesting, historical, or just plain beautiful road. Information about each byway covers its archaeological, cultural, historic, environmental, scenic, and recreational significance. (www.byways.org/browse/)
- Free Trip
- Personalized trip itineraries for the automobile traveler. The mapping feature will give you a detailed route from your starting point to your final destination. Receive a print copy of your itinerary via e-mail when you send in your e-mail address. (www.freetrip.com./)
- Maps On Us
- For maps and directions for your vacation trip, use this site to get the fastest or the shortest routes. (www.mapsonus.com)
- Directory of State Highway and Transportations Departments
- Check current road conditions across the country with links to U.S. highway departments listed alphabetically by state, including Illinois. (www4.nationalacademies.org/trb/homepage.nsf/web/state_sponsors)
Buses!
- Greyhound Bus Home Page
- Passenger service information, special pricing, fare and schedule information for selected cities, and ticketing options - all are available here at your virtual bus terminal. (www.greyhound.com)
Boats!
- Cruise2.com
- Search by cruise destination or boat on this comprehensive cruise booking site. (cruise2.com)
- Cruise Web
- Select a destination, choose a cruise line, select an itinerary, view pricing plans, or sample in-depth information about any line. (www.cruiseweb.com/)
- George's: Canal Boating in the U.K. and Europe
- A privately maintained list that gives a good introduction to canals and boating by canal waterways on the Continent and in Britain. (www.canals.com/index.htm)
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Where to Stay? Hotels, B & Bs, and That Home Away from Home!
- TravelWeb
- Handy for booking accommodations in hotels, primarily in the Hyatt chain, as well as independent hotels, flight information, and specialized services for the business traveler. (www.travelweb.com/)
- Lodging Guide World Wide
- Comprehensive guide for hotels, motels, resorts, bed & breakfasts and other lodgings world wide. Containing over 84,000 listings and growing daily. (www.lgww.com)
- BedandBreakfast.com
- Extensive listings with current information on approximately 27,000 worldwide inns and bed and breakfasts. You can use different search strategies and find the perfect match for your dreams and your travel budget. (www.bedandbreakfast.com/)
- ASE.NETwork (Accommodation Search Engine)
- Search (in any of six languages!) by geographic location for world-wide accommodations . (www.ase.net/)
Bargain Travel: How to Find the Best Deals and Prices!
- Budget Travel
- From About.com, this site has useful tips from a well-traveled journalist. Check the links to the latest information on discount travel deals and scams. (budgettravel.about.com)
- Vacations to Go
- Touting itself as "America's clearinghouse for Discount Cruises," this site lists cruise ships that want to fill their passenger lists at the last minute with discounted fares. Be prepared to leave in 90 days or less! (vacationstogo.com)
- Farecast
- Decide when to buy your plane tickets to all U.S. airports by viewing Farecast's predictions of whether the fares will go up or down in the near future. Connect directly to an airline's website to purchase your tickets when you're ready. (www.farecast.com)
- BestFares.com
- These bargain-basement fares don't last long, so check here often and book right away. Guests can browse some sections of the site free - other information is available only to subscribers. (www.bestfares.com)
- LowestFare.com
- No subscription is necessary to view the variety of discounted airline tickets, hotel and car reservations, and discounted cruise and tour packages on this site. (www.lowestfare.com)
- LowestAirFaresHomePage.com
- European Travel Network offers thousands of links to information about discount air fares, hotels, cruises, and more. Budget travelers can search LowestAirFares by destination, travel agent, or city of origin. You can sign up to be notified by e-mail of new discount programs for many services. (www.etn.nl/dttickets/)
- Priceline
- Name your own price on flights, hotel rooms, and rental cars to see if your bid will be accepted. (www.priceline.com)
- SideStep
- Here's a site that will check multiple travel sites, including consolidators and discounters, for airfares, hotels, and cars. (www.sidestep.com)
- WebFlyer: The Frequent Flyer Authority
- Find information, ratings, and reviews of all the frequent traveler programs at this award-winning site. Use your airline flight mileage, hotel stays, etc., to get free or reduced-fare flights, accommodations, and other travel perks! (www.webflyer.com)
- Hotels.com
- Check here for discounted hotel rooms in cities in the U.S. and many countries around the world. (www.hotels.com)
- Consumer World - Travel and Entertainment
- Certainly a fast, mega-travel resource, this answer to all a potential traveler could ever want to know, is worth checking out in detail every time you are planning a trip. Travel Bargains is a special feature where you will find many links to good travel deals. (www.consumerworld.org/pages/travel.htm)
- Let's Go Travel Guides
- Take a virtual tour to an exotic destination and check out other great links that will help round out your travel agenda, always with an eye to the pocketbook. (www.letsgo.com/)
- Hostels.com
- A very thorough and well-maintained Web site that includes frequently asked questions about hostelling, a Worldwide Hostel Directory, The Backpackers Guide to Budget Guidebooks, a bulletin board for hostellers to post messages, and links to many other Internet sites on hostelling. (www.hostels.com/)
- Hostelling International
- Here you can locate information on hostels worldwide and also find information on how to reserve beds ahead through the International Booking Network of over 5,000 hostels for budget travelers. (www.hihostel.com)
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What's Left to Do?
Now that you've picked your location, bought your tickets, made your hotel or lodging reservations, and are awaiting your departure, there are many details left to finalize: making sure your passport is up-to-date, checking to see just how far your U.S. Dollar will stretch in your exotic or not-so exotic destination, checking out the weather forecasts for your vacation spot so you can decide whether to pack that extra pair of Bermuda shorts, picking the scenic driving route, etc. The following sites provide solutions to just a few of these loose ends. Also included are a couple of cybermagazines and a travel discussion list. You can find out what your fellow travelers have experienced and benefit from their tips and suggestions.
- Universal Currency Converter
- Just how far will your American dollar go in Zimbabwe? Check here to get the latest exchange rate for the currency of your destination. (www.xe.net/ucc)
- Languages (BBC)
- This site from the British Broadcasting Corporation has online beginning language courses in French, Spanish, German, Italian, and more! The audio and video enhancements are great for travelers and students. (www.bbc.co.uk/languages)
- Foreign Languages for Travelers
- Help with basic skills in over 30 languages, basic words, drills for frequently used words and phrases, words for shopping and dining, common questions and answers. (www.travlang.com/languages/)
- Universal Packing List
- A handy guide for those who need reminders of essentials for that impending trip! (upl.codeq.info/)
- Anti-Jet-Lag Diet
- Learn how to avoid the dreaded jet lag after a transoceanic flight. Nearly all sections of this site are free. (www.antijetlagdiet.com/faqs.asp)
- The Cybercafe Search Engine
- Find out where to get access to the Internet at cafes and businesses in 170 countries around the world. (www.cybercaptive.com)
- UM Weather
- A comprehensive source of weather information from the University of Michigan. From here you can access forecasts, current conditions, color satellite photos, radar images, and weathercams nationwide. (cirrus.sprl.umich.edu/wxnet/)
- CNN Weather
- World forecasts with featured weather stories of the day. Select the city of your choice for an up-to-date weather report. (www.cnn.com/WEATHER)
- Britannia Internet Magazine
- A fine example of a monthly electronic magazine ("e-zine") with a combination of articles and Web resources on travel, sports, news, science, history, people, government, the arts, and other topics on the British Isles. (www.britannia.com/)
- TravelMag
- Written and produced by British freelance travel author Jack Barker, this electronic magazine has regular features contributed by world travelers, highlighting their adventures. (www.travelmag.co.uk/)
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