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When do you need a passport to travel out of the country these days? What can you take on an airplane? What to do if your bags go missing? This and much more practical advice is available from the Los Angeles Times at their convenient Travel Sourcebook 2008 site. For example, under cruises read: Should you tip? How much cash should you bring on board? And what do you do if you miss the boat? (Olga Coello) There comes a time when you want to take a trip but it’s just not convenient to have Fido (or Kitty) with you—or is it? There are many pet friendly hotels, campgrounds and even restaurants you can identify at Pet Friendly Travel. And don’t forget, she will enjoy playtime with the other new pet-pals she will meet there while you are at the theatre or concert. (Smart Computing) Planning a trip abroad? Get prepared by visiting the redesigned and more user friendly State Department's Travel site, where you can get information on passports, health care, crime, currency, entry requirements and locations of US embassies. Plus, of course, there are warnings of dangerous situations, including recommendations not to travel to a particular country. (St. Petersburg Times) If you’re going to travel to Europe, it helps to know where the various cities are. Check out your knowledge by visiting Virtual Pilot!, Lufthansa’s geographical quiz. You get a few seconds to locate each city on a map of Europe and are scored on how close you get to the true location. You’ll need Adobe Flash Version 7 or higher. (George Lott) Want to know the best airlines to fly? Then check out the SkyTrax one- to five-star quality rating system applied to over 500 of the world’s airlines. The system appears to be objective, based on paid inspectors’ reports on various factors, comparable to the Michelin guides for restaurants. You can also read individual reviews submitted by travelers. Finally, there is a section devoted to assessments of over 500 airports. (St. Petersburg Times) A panoramic view of scenery clearly overleaps the capabilities of the regular still photo. It’s not just that a scenic view benefits hugely by being seen in full width, it’s also that on the internet you can zoom in and pan it a full 360º. And when you find the control, you can see the whole thing in full screen mode and it becomes really spectacular. The high quality and technical advances now on display at ViewAt.org are pushing the state of the art forward closer and closer to being there—without the hassle. (Kim Komando) I’ve only just learned that the gorgeous National Geographic magazines are also available online in their entirety. There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that it is free, the archive goes back a full ten years, you don’t have to clutter up several feet of your bookshelves with back issues and you won’t get that black ink all over your fingers. For me, the bad news is that I frankly can’t enthuse over reading extensive articles on a computer monitor. (Kim Komando) Over two million people in close to two hundred countries have tried their hand at Geography Zone. It’s a free test where you identify the location of ten countries on a map of the world. (That’s why it’s in my Travel section.) You sign up and represent your country just to prove to the world that Americans are not as dumb about geography as has been claimed. Let’s show them! (St. Pete Times) Think you are well traveled? Well, here’s another humdinger of a test of your knowledge of world geography. All you have to do is identify the location of various cities around the world—against the clock! (As if it weren’t difficult enough already.) It starts with a very easy level one and then they get harder. See how close you can get to the super-expert twelfth level at The Traveler IQ Challenge. (Kim Komando) In recent years, the UK government has implemented a policy of free admissions to national museums throughout the country. This now applies not only to traditionally free museums like the British Museum and Imperial War Museum, but also to previously paying museums. To learn about these museums and galleries, start by visiting the government’s sponsored museums and galleries site. (David Henry) Magellan’s calls itself America’s Leading Source of Travel Supplies, and judging by their website that seems like a fair claim. In addition to a broad product line, there is plenty of sensible advice here for travelers, from packing for security, to travel insurance, to clothing by destination and much more. It is oriented to air and auto travel; I didn’t see anything specific for those taking cruises. (David Henry) There are many websites where you can look up airfares, but one with the emphasis on minimum fares is called Fare Compare. Just enter your origin and destination and it shows you the lowest fares by month for the next year. Click on a month and you get lowest fares by the week, and so on till you zero in on your chosen airline/fare combination. Look also for the best deals available from your departure city—great for international travel. (Kim Komando) “If you travel overseas, it is important to be able to communicate. So spend some time at the Beeb's Languages site. It has fun lessons in a number of different languages. The more popular ones are on the front page. Audio and video clips will help you learn. Plus there are tips to help you retain what you've learned. You can read about mistakes other people have made while traveling. Some of these stories are rude. But you'll learn from them. Hopefully, they'll help you avoid making a faux pas!” (Kim Komando) Story Book England is a quite delightful site that will appeal to children and grown-ups who remember Alice in Wonderland, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Harry Potter, Mary Poppins, Winnie-the-Pooh and many others. Click on a book name, and several stars appear on a map of England; click a star and you’ll find out how the story relates to that place. There’s a special Teacher’s pack, too. (St. Petersburg Times) Do you like meeting people from other cultures? Do you like traveling? Do you love helping other people? Then the Hospitality Club is the place for you to be! Over two hundred thousand members around the world help each other when they are traveling – “be it with a roof for the night or a guided tour through town. Joining is free, it just takes a minute and everyone is welcome.” (Kim Komando) You haven’t been to Germany’s lovely smaller cities? It’s almost as good as being there at City Panoramas. “Here you can visit cities and take a good look around. View most interesting locations from all point of the compass, and experience the architecture in its totality. Find your way around at the train station or look around the park and market place in the city. Here you can visit over 400 locations in German cities….” Try Koblenz or Dresden or Heidelberg to enjoy city centers free of automobiles. (David Henry) Maybe it’s time to take a break from vacations in Thailand, Namibia, Peru and other far-flung destinations, and take another look at locations closer to home. SeeAmerica.org is a comprehensive state-by-state guide to traveling, touring and vacationing in the U.S. and “is the premier online portal to all the U.S. travel websites you need to make your travel decisions. “ Plus some wonderful travel articles I’m exploring. (Kim Komando) What a wonderful site is A View on Cities! Limited to twenty top cities (London, Paris, San Francisco, New York…) it is a great resource whether or not you are planning to visit one of them. It’s a well-indexed, clean layout that’s easy to navigate and will satisfy a passing interest as well as a serious one. Descriptions of sights and attractions are compact, there’s an excellent collection of photos and the interactive maps are most helpful. (David Henry) The Sunday Travel Section re-connected me to earlier days when I enjoyed several of the London Walks – an excellent way of getting to know the stories behind the places. Always guided by an expert with inside knowledge, you will delight in the mystery, the atmosphere and the history of your chosen walk, such as Shakespeare’s London, Ghosts of the West End, and Jack the Ripper. Click on The Guides (on the left) for mini bios of your guides and for a link to Paris Walks. (St Petersburg Times) Here’s another kind of walk—a New York City Walk -- that in this case covered every single street in the borough of Manhattan, and that’s why it took the walker about 2½ years. There are plenty of fine photos here, sorted by neighborhood, including much that is of historical interest. For me the most interesting part is About, the story of the walk. (Netsurfer Digest) If you are an eBay fanatic but can’t find just what you want—and you also happen to be visiting England, you might care to check in at Bumblebee Auctions. Found items often get turned in to local police stations, and now you can bid on them online. If you win, you have to go to the local cop shop to pick up the goods; this should be interesting. Some things people lose are truly amazing. (Netsurfer Digest) You like to experience foreign cultures but find the hotel rates excessive? Why not take a look at Worldwide House Sitting, where you get free rent in exchange for looking after someone’s house, pets, garden etc for an agreed period? On the Sidemenu, click “Need a sitter” and type in the country or city you would like to be near to get a feel for this program and see what is available. Or pay a membership fee to post your own profile and maybe you’ll get a fit that way. (AARP) If you want to go a step further into a shared home situation, start at Friendship Force International. (AARP) They say our country needs more engineers. Well, why not look at some of the great engineering marvels as you travel the country on vacation, and perhaps encourage a technical interest in your grandchildren? At A Sightseer’s Guide to Engineering, click on any state and view several colorful and informative pages of inspiring engineering achievements that are well worth a visit. (Netsurfer Digest) Based on the evidence at Brooklyn.01 this huge borough of New York City might take a prize for ugliness. Many who live there or have lived there however will staunchly defend its many rugged personalities. Judge for yourself at this intriguing site; it starts with an aerial photo, with outlines of Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and Williamsburg South. Click on one of these, then you can zoom in on specific close-ups. No explanations are offered, so just point and click. (Netsurfer Digest) If you have come across Passport to Adventure on TV, you are probably addicted to this kind of travel, even if only vicariously. If not, how about this description by PBS: "PASSPORT TO ADVENTURE is a dynamic travel series with a twist – cultural insights and history are subtly intertwined with adventurous activities and the fascinating people that share our planet. Hosts Julie Conover and Mark Jennings travel on foot, bicycle, rafts or canoes, atop horses, camels and elephants, to uncover off-the-beaten-path excursions." The mini-articles under "Destinations" have some good material for the armchair traveler and may even succeed in selling you a trip. (AARP) Travels related to friends and family may include horror stories about the unsanitary bathroom facilities encountered in some of the more remote locations we visit worldwide. A bit of research ahead of time might help you avoid such situations by checking in at The Bathroom Diaries, a cooperative site that has visitors reporting both their bad and good experiences. The coverage seems comprehensive, and you can search by country and city. Do not forget to click on The Golden Plungers, showing the finest public toilets, one of which--in Branson, Montana--is the reader's choice for the world's best bathroom. (Netsurfer Digest) The blog phenomenon roars on apace; it seems there is no limit to the number of people who are willing to share their thoughts in online diaries. The trick is to find the ones that are worth reading, and in The Travel Blog you may have to search a bit. It's a free hosting site, meaning that anyone can post their travel journal there; and you will encounter some travel ads, but they aren't too intrusive. Click on the map of a country you are interested in and you may encounter many blogs, a few or none at all. It seems the samplers on view in the home page lead to the better blogs. Good photos are encouraged and the layout is satisfyingly easy to follow. (Netsurfer Digest) What was it like in the Middle East before Saddam? Before Westernization? To get a feel for some of the less well-known areas, you can look at some of the fascinating photos taken before and after WWII by Wilfred Thesiger, a somewhat eccentric Englishman who explored and lived for extended periods in several countries surrounding the Arabian Gulf. He was the first Westerner to cross the vast Empty Quarter (twice) in Saudi Arabia and befriend the local tribesmen there. Some 100 of his 38,000 black-and-white photos may be viewed at the Wilfred Thesiger Web Gallery at Oxford University. (Saudi Aramco World) You would like to travel first-class on the oceans but can’t afford it? You’re willing to try something rather different than the typical packaged cruise? Give Cruise by Freighter a try, where your accommodations are typically at first-class standard but the price is typically at tourist-class level. If they offer you a container ship, make sure your view won't be blocked by a small mountain of containers. Dine with the captain, get to know your other adventurous passengers (the limit is typically 12) and understand the ship’s workings, especially in port. For a truly deluxe experience, ask this very helpful agency if the spacious Owner's Suite is available, you might just be lucky! If your schedule can be flexible, you’ll love it. The agency also offers passenger liners working regular schedules in far-flung areas of the globe. (David Henry) You can find information on 23,000 inns at Bed and Breakfast that also features a quick search for accommodations by country, city and state. Although some listings have good details and a photo, most simply offer a name, address and phone number. Bear in mind that, in Europe, the rate for a double is often twice that for a single, or, alternatively, singles get a big discount on the room rate, whichever way you want to look at it. All include in the room rate an all-you-can-eat breakfast that's probably enough to keep you going till dinner time. (Smart Computing) I have just spent an hour or more clicking through some of the wonderful travel photos at The Visual Record, a fine site by a fine photographer. This lady, apparently an amateur, produces some spectacular images that are quite captivating. But what really completes one's satisfaction are the "stories of the shot" alongside each image; they are enthusiastic, personal, and unpretentious. For a fine introduction to the hundreds of images from around the world, click About, then look for the link to Favorites. (Netsurfer Digest) Instead of just reading about travel, why not listen to a stimulating weekly travel program put out by the BBC, called Excess Baggage. It's hosted by an entertaining traveler named Sandi Toksvig, who interviews guests like Michael Palin ("Around the World in 80 days") and generally those with off-beat travel experiences. Earlier programs entitled Patagonia, Caves, and Being Lost may assure you that these are not your usual travelogues; in fact, this is really about adventure travel by interesting people. After listening to Being Lost, I was obliged to admit that I probably could not have done what they did and still survive. (Union Jack) What's it like in Hawaii right now, or New York, London or Sydney? Take a quick peek at EarthCam, where you can see current views of these locations via webcams. Some of these show fixed images, some are refreshed periodically, and a few show "streaming video". Some actually let you control the camera from your PC, so you can pan or maybe zoom the view. The parent site has hundreds of webcams at a wide variety of sites for your pleasure. (John Hallgren) Next time you visit Montreal, be sure to take a ride on the swift, quiet Metro, one of the quickest ways of getting around the city. It's also by far the best in the snowy winter season, when it seems that much of the city's life descends underground, like H. G. Wells' troglodytes. You'll be impressed by the architectural design of the stations, and by the sculptures, frescoes, and mosaics on display. (Netsurfer Digest) Perhaps you recall your first visit to the City of Light? If your memories are fading a bit, refresh them at Paris by Night, a stunning 360 degree panorama of the beautiful city at dusk. The camera is located near Notre Dame cathedral, of which you get a striking closeup, but the image shows many other famous monuments, too. Just use your browser's horizontal scroll bar to pan around. (Netsurfer Digest) Travel these days is not such a simple matter, especially if it's overseas. In addition to the basic arrangements, you have to concern yourself with all sorts of unforeseen circumstances, such as delays, cancellations, accidents, illness, wars, terrorism, and so on. Enter the insurance industry, ever ready to sell you protection against whatever can mess things up for you. But which insurance shall I buy, and how much does it cost? For a comparative analysis of travel insurance companies and plans, visit Insure My Trip. (St Petersburg Times)
Have you flown in cattle class lately? If so, you'll probably derive some rueful satisfaction from contemplating the tongue-in-cheek satire at SkyHigh Airlines. Click on the non-existent SkyHigh mileage stamps, or contemplate the Global Baggage Tracker (it's out there somewhere) while pondering the Super Scrimper Fares (connecting through Elko, NV). Life's got to be better than this in cattle class, for sure. (Netsurfer Digest) Next time you are in Europe, why not drop in at the Lejre Experimental Center, not far from Copenhagen. Here you'll be able to see, and experience if you wish, life in various eras in the past. In an iron age settlement, try paddling your own dug-out boat or making fire with a fire drill. In the Viking section, check them out in battle and feast, then join a story telling session around a camp fire (in Danish?) Great for the grandkids methinks. (Netsurfer Digest) Someone had the bright idea of displaying photos of airline meals on a website, then letting anybody post them, along with the customer's rating and comments (meal quality and service quality). Following each close-up photo you'll find details such as the airline, route, aircraft type, city-pair, class and ticket price, date etc. The results, at Airline Meals, are fascinating, from the excellent to the execrable. You can select your favorite airline to see how they are doing in the quality stakes. (Netsurfer Digest) A new wrinkle in map-making is the series of Passenger Flight Maps, designed specifically to help airline passengers figure out where they are and what are those objects or features they can see down below. Crammed with facts and history, they could make your flight more interesting; there are even plan views of the cities at each end of the itinerary so you can pick out landmarks during the take-off or landing approach. (Netsurfer Digest) It's sobering to contemplate the transformations that have come to a noble place like Castle Howard in the last 30 years or so, after nearly 300 years of stability as a great English House. (It's where Brideshead Revisited was filmed). Today it is a visitors' Mecca, like a more dignified Disney World, with Porsche races, Promenade Concert, archeological digs, fabulous gardens, and of course the stunning interiors of this enormous pile near York. In effect, you can tour the place from your armchair. (Netsurfer Digest) If there are still some far away places with strange sounding names that you haven't visited yet, One Minute Vacations can give you the flavor of distant and unusual locations. Every week since early 2002, another one minute sound recording has been added to the site for your listening pleasure. Even the names are evocative: Venice, Capetown, The Presidium, Beijing, Kerala, Nepal, Nashville, Benares... The fascinating sound clips are accompanied by a few well chosen descriptive words. (Netsurfer Digest) What about that historic artifact you bought for Aunt Dottie in the souk at Marrakech? Don't wait till you arrive home only to find yourself slapped with a big bill by the Customs inspector. Instead, it's probably a good idea to visit the US Customs Service site before you leave. (It's now known as the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection.) Click the Travel button for the useful Know Before You Go! online brochure. (St. Petersburg Times) Hawaii is a place that can seem like paradise on earth, or it can be a tacky tourist trap. To sort out the best things to see and do, you probably can't do much better than visit the Hawaii State Vacation Planner. You can practically feel yourself relaxing as you browse through the evocative photos and helpful ideas about Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island. You can also use the Vacation Planner Service or simply sign up for a monthly News Hawaii e-Newsletter. (Smart Computing) We are a nation that hungers for lists (think USA Today) and here comes yet another one -- from Travel and Leisure magazine. For the top 500 hotels in the world, look for the T&L500 button on the left. They are not necessarily the most expensive but are assigned points for good value, small, cool factor, quietness, kids friendly, romantic and must see. The result is lists by city in which a hotel's points are quoted to two places of decimals, such as 89.27! Cities are grouped by region such as United States, Europe, Asia etc. (Netsurfer Digest) How do people find the time or energy to produce a comprehensive site like State Guide, a compendium of information on every significant community in the nation -- 4,000 in fact? Tampa's page has everything you could conceivably want to know if planning to visit our fair city, with links to maps, accommodations, yellow pages, TV and Movie guides and much more. As if that's not enough, State Guide has done the same for over 200 countries; it's a true one-stop planner. (Netsurfer Digest) When you visit a famous city destination, do you head for the standard tourist attractions and locations? Why not also look elsewhere and you may find underground and offbeat alternatives such as those described at Laughing Squid for San Francisco and surroundings. It's aimed at the young arty set, but all artists have to have audiences, right? Be prepared for practically anything in this guide to the city's rich counter cultural scene in music, art, film, events, performances and places. (Netsurfer Digest) What is the longest railway in the world? Yes, you got it right, it's the Trans-Siberian Railway that takes over a week to go more than 5900 miles from Moscow to Vladivostok on the Pacific ocean. Its story is but one of the aspects thoroughly covered with text, music, photos and videos at Lake Baikal, site of the world's deepest lake. It's very informative, covering animal and plant life, climate, geology and people, with some stunning photo galleries. For a quick overview, click Word of Poet. (Netsurfer Digest) Here's another delightful illustrated travelogue, this time by a couple who travel around Europe (and Egypt) in their camper van. The site is called Leafpile and has Kathleen's professional quality photos and Henry's nicely written commentary on them. The largest section of Leafpile covers the couple's discoveries in Transylvania (Romania). You may also be interested in their Richmond, VA Traditional and Folk Dance Floor that illustrates Contra, Swing, Celtic and Israeli folk dances. (Netsurfer Digest) I was introduced to the Lonely Planet travel guide website via the 2002 best website awards, when both the Webby Awards and Peoples Voice declared it the best travel website. After extensively browsing it, I must agree it is good; these guides offer a nice balance between practical advice and well written background material. There are slide shows and extensive discussion groups on your favorite destination (click on Thorn Tree), or you can even download a city guide to your handheld computer. (David Henry) Are you interested in an Elderhostel-type vacation, but want better living arrangements plus educational opportunities? Check out the College of the Third Age which offers light hearted residential adult education programs in four-star hotels in Spain, Great Britain and Italy. Using the teaching skills of retired people almost exclusively, the two-week to one month "Learning for Living" programs cover many areas including painting, bridge, computers, golf, and music appreciation. (Roger Preslar) Surprise, surprise! Bristol* (where's that?) is the top place in the state of Florida, according to ePodunk, where you will also find listed the top places in the other states, too. Plus the top ten small towns and the top ten cities in the nation, historical towns and places with strange names. Then there are regional food specialties from Alabama Egg and Albany Beef to West Virginia Coleslaw. *Bristol, pop. 845, in the Big Bend region. (St Petersburg Times) For some time, many have been accustomed to visiting Mapquest to get maps and driving directions for locations across the country. Now we can do the same for most locations around the world, including the USA, at Maporama where maps of over 600,000 cities worldwide are available. Isn't the Web wonderful? (Netsurfer Digest) If you are over 50 and widowed, single, divorced or even married but your man doesn't like to travel--or can't or won't, there's a site made just for you at Senior Women's Travel. You'll get your own single room with no single supplements. Don't look here for el-cheapo travel as these tours are classy affairs, mostly in Europe, but some in New York. (St Petersburg Times)
Practically
everywhere that's anywhere has a website touting its virtues as a travel
destination these days. There's
one that's quite different because it offers you hard copy travel kits
you can have mailed to you instead, including brochures, maps,
attractions, lodgings, toll free phone numbers etc. Travel
Information lets you order from 100 regional, statewide and city
kits (no more than 25, please) from top vacation destinations in the USA
and Canada. (Tour Bus)
"The
Travelzine is a strictly non-commercial source of information for those
who love to travel. That's the dry definition. We think TheTravelzine
is for independent travelers who know that anticipation is half the fun,
and that the joy of travel is that much greater for the people you meet,
and the experiences you share." Good travel writing and photos from Don and Linda Freedman plus
sensible practical advice. (Net Surfer Digest) For
a vicarious vacation to a civilized, yet rather off the beaten track
country, why not visit Discover
Portugal? "We will
provide you with an in-depth review of the country, as we share our
experiences, maps and photos of our travels throughout mainland Portugal
including Madeira and the Azores." There are over 400 wonderful photos here. Travelocity.com
has always been one of the best general travel sites for air, cruise,
vacation packages, hotels and car rentals.
But don't overlook their extensive Destination
Guides that give you well written guides to major destinations
around the country and the world, warts and all.
In fact you may get two, one from The Lonely Planet and one from
Frommer's. The latter even
lets you select topics for a Custom Mini Guide you can print out and
take with you. Some
folks are laying out vast sums of money to ride a space rocket, but you
in effect can do it for nothing at yet another NASA site.
This one is for the Mars
Odyssey launched in early 2001 on a six month journey in search of
water on Mars. It
"provides remarkably sharp and dramatic views before and during
lift-off with two cameras attached to the Delta 2 rocket, one facing up
and one down". Plus many other interesting features - good for kids too!
(Netsurfer Digest) Do
your travel photos sometimes have a ho-hum look - rather flat, somehow
failing to capture your interest when you took the shot?
Smarten up your snaps by reviewing Fodor's Focus
on Photography, full of
illustrated advice and tips for the amateur travel photographer. Headed
for Washington DC? Get a good handle on practically everything going on
there in Washingtonian Online with
its Visitors Guide for accommodations, must-see sights, the Arts &
Entertainment section and Capital Comment for some insider talk. Want
to know what time it is in Tokyo, Tel Aviv or Timbuktoo? Take a look at World
Time and you will also see the
onset of dawn or dusk shown as a shadow projected on an image of the
globe. You can rotate the globe, zoom in or out and display country
boundaries. Pretty neat. If
you first fell in love in Paris, perhaps it's time to revisit the City
of Light. Wherever in France you would like to go, by all means plan
your trip using the resources at the French
Government Tourist Office for
accommodations, transportation, activities and cuisine. Visiting
a region of the States for the first time? Why not look at it from the
viewpoint of a foreign USA
Tourist, who wants to know
everything about this great land up front. It's a photo-laden site that
will lead you from sea to shining sea. What's
the best website to check before a real - or virtual - visit to London?
You can't go far wrong with the BBC's London
Live page with links to News,
Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sport and Who Runs London? It's
generously furnished with live web cam views of the City. Click on the England
link for similar coverage outside the capital and the BBC
Online logo for worldwide
coverage. You
can also get spectacular views over London by riding the recently
completed London
Eye or alternatively by
viewing from the web cam at the site. There are 360° views,
descriptions of the better known landmarks and monuments to be seen from
the cabs on the 450 feet high Wheel and a technical discussion of how
and where it was constructed (in five countries!) and erected on its
site on the Thames River opposite the Houses of Parliament. Did
you know that the length of the nose on the Statue of Liberty is
4'6", or that 12 million immigrants entered the US via Ellis
island? These and many other equally important trivia can be found
at the government's official Statue
of Liberty site. If you find it a bit stodgy, you can enjoy a more user
friendly visit to Liberty Island at NYC
Tourist. While there,
check its parent site that offers several other interesting NYC tours -
just scroll down to the bottom of the page for the links. (June Ramsay) Planning
a trip abroad? Get prepared by visiting the State Department's State
Department's Travel site,
where you can get information on health care, crime, currency, entry
requirements and locations of US embassies. Plus of course
warnings of dangerous situations, including recommendations not to
travel to a particular country. Why
not go to Britain by visiting the stunning and colorful site of the British
Tourist Authority that offers
all the information you might need to know in planning any visit there. Honestly. While there, consult This
Week in London Town which
offers a rich set of guides to the capital's restaurants, pubs, theater,
day trips, events, millennium and other sightseeing attractions, plus
practical information on transport, services, shopping, maps etc. There's
a redesigned, improved site for Carnegie
Hall (it's actually three
halls, soon to be four). Click
on Since 1891 then Timeline to see the major artists, composers and
events which took place over the last 110 years.
Or look for 100 years of Excellence to view a pdf version of the
history. A
practical, useful set of tips for Traveling
Light by airline, including the best kinds and sizes of luggage, optimal
clothing, electrical gadgets, etc. Have
you ever been bumped from a flight? or wondered what your options
were when your flight is delayed? or wanted to know just how much
luggage you really could check? In addition to its manifesto of
passenger rights, Passenger
Rights will submit your complaint to all selected parties including the
Dept. of Transportation, specific airlines, hotels and car rental
companies, cruise lines and even individuals. Each month the site
selects the most horrifying story and consumer complaint for the
Passenger Rights Victim Award. You
can find information on 23000 inns at the Bed
and Breakfast Channel that
also features a quick search for accommodations by City and State.
Use the Festivals
Finder to unearth details of
festivals around the world. There
is an all-inclusive guide to renting
vehicles at most major cities in the USA, Canada and Europe. Traveling
by rail in the UK? Then by all means visit UK
Railways, rich with
multimedia, a site that almost makes travel planning enjoyable. You
can check out prices and make reservations for hotels in more than 127
countries with reported discounts of 20% to 60% at 1800USAhotels.
The
driving maps you can print out from Map
Blast optionally include the
names and locations of useful places along the way such as banks, drug
stores, restaurants and gas stations. There are at least two Web approaches to finding out about our national parks. First, try the government's comprehensive, official National Park Service site to learn about the biggest, busiest, loneliest, oldest and smallest National Parks - and about the 49 others, as well as National Monuments, National Historic Battlefields, etc. Then, to find a somewhat more relaxed view, with some truly stunning panorama photos, visit the The National Park Foundation. You can also send free postcards from this site. If you're serious about going maybe you should visit both. If Rick Steves is the kind of person you would like to have around when planning a European trip, or even when on it, it's all there at his companion web site to "Travels in Europe" His new web site is chock full of ideas including off the beaten path places to visit, driving vs. train travel, accommodation and dining tips. You can order Railpasses here and get a free guidebook and other incentives.
A primary resource for planning a trip anywhere, Fodor's Travel Online is
able to produce a customized mini guide to destinations around the
world. It also has several moderated newsgroups where you can ask
questions, get advice and share stories from your trips. If you're planning a vacation, you might want to start your research at the Travel Industry Association that offers a list of 800 numbers for all 50 of the state travel bureaus.
Don't miss the National
Scenic Byways Online website, which
offers travelers current, detailed information about scenic drives
throughout the United States. As a destination, one place that
sounds great to me is a small inn or family operated resort at The
Chalet Club in the North Carolina mountains. Or, if its Florida you want,
go to the official tourism site at flausa.
If
you are going by car, you can get an excellent set of driving directions
from FreeTrip,
with optional list of motels and restaurants en route. Custom maps
for your journey are also available at Maps
On Us or at Map
Quest. And if the
journey is by a student or other person of limited means, you can get a
directory of Rent
A Wreck locations.
If you're headed for Europe and like wandering
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destinations. They also offer rail passes, packages, hotel
vouchers, reservations and airfares. Don't forget to get your free
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