Guides & Reservations

Don't go it alone! Travel guides like Fodor's and the Travel Channel online show how to plan and book a trip anywhere, and how to get special deals on reservations.

Expedia Travel
If you want to do a quick search for flight reservations, the Travel Wizard comes in handy. But by becoming a free member, perks include weekly fare reports on your favorite cities.

Travelocity
You can get some great deals on airline reservations here without having to first sign on as a member, thank goodness.

#1 Discount Vacations
Offering deep discounts on cruises, all-inclusive vacations and tours.

Sky Auction
This is the place to bid on last-minute deals, like weekend packages to St. Croix including airfare.

Lonely Planet
This guide is known for producing well-researched, up-to-date information that travelers can depend on no matter where they're going. Budget-minded travelers and students will feel at home here.

Concierge.com
This guide features content from Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Look for bargains, photos, discussions and listings of top places to visit.

Fodor's
There's good information here just like you'd find in one of their famous travel guide books. But you're not likely to find some beach hut or out-of-the-way restaurant listed here.

Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel
You'll find some good deals on travel if you sign up for their daily e-mail newsletter. All the other information here is for the thrifty traveler, just like the name suggests.

Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory
This guide lists only official government tourism offices, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce and similar agencies that provide free, accurate and unbiased travel information to the public. No travel agents. No tour operators. No hotels.

Travel Channel
Cable TV's Travel Channel offers the whole gamut for travelers, including planning trips and booking reservations, live web cams, weather, maps and a travel store.

The Savvy Traveler
National Public Radio's Rudy Maxa gives tips and tells travel stories. This site has some excellent feature stories like weddings abroad, belly dancing and extreme vacations in Oregon.

Farebeater
Plug in your information to this guide and in three easy steps get a variety of fares to choose from -- all this without having to establish a membership.

Preview Travel
Provides comments and ratings from real travelers to help you find the perfect vacation.

Rough Guide to Travel
Travelers get all the practicalities about the destination of their choice, including details on when to go, language, entry requirements and currency. They also provide information specific to women, gay and lesbian, and disabled travelers.

iExplore
This is where you can find off-the-beaten-path travel. From Alaska to Zimbabwe, they've been there and done that.

Biztravel
As a registered member you will receive a weekly bulletin, via e-mail, which contains good deals on airline, hotel and rental car reservations.

Council Travel
This seems to be the travel hub for students. Find study-abroad and work-abroad programs, plus loads of other perks if you just happen to be in school or a recent graduate.

Away.com
Formerly known as Green Travel, this ecotourism guide offers trip planning, ideas and inspiration from a community of seasoned, adventurous travelers. Experts will also answer your calls and e-mails, and help you book trips.

Gay Travel
Their team of experienced gay travelers have journeyed the world in search of the best trips, vacations, lodging, services and excursions. They encourage travelers to share their experiences, recommendations and referrals as well.

Surf & Sun
This is a guide exclusively for beach and island vacations. Some of the listings are currently thin, but what exists is very good.

Ski Central
Nearly 600 resorts, daily ski reports, trip planning and equipment information for anyone wanting to ski or snowboard.

Access-Able Travel Source
A Colorado couple started this site using first-hand experience. They are not travel agents, just messengers for disabled and mature travelers.

Vacation Packager
Plug in where and what you want to do and the "vacation planner" lists various outfitters and their web sites.

Last-Minute Specials
This group claims to offer tickets between 50 percent and 70 percent off the airlines' published fares through the use of consolidators, bulk airfares, travel brokers, business-class upgrades, first-class upgrades, frequent flyer mileage and other discount programs.