If You Don't Know These By Now...(You Will Never-Never-Never Know Them)

Originally taken by Nancy Beaton, courtesy of Wikipedia

Unless you are one of those people who hop on their private jets to escape for the weekend, traveling somewhere takes a considerable amount of planning.  Finding when to go and where to stay can often be an arduous process, but if you know where to look online, it doesn't have to be!  Below is a list of websites that I've found to be the most helpful (and the cheapest!) when it comes to making a trip happen.

Best Airfares:

Kayak and Hotwire.  

Forget what everyone else has told you about online airfare.  These two are unquestionably the best, as they compare airfares from every other online site and narrow them down to give you the least expensive ticket.  

Or, if you want your flights to be more personalized, check out airfarewatchdog.

This website allows you to pick the primary airport you use for departures and then constantly updates you about the cheapest flights leaving from that airport.  

In college?  StudentUniverse offers airfares that are often cheaper than mainstream fares.  Take special advantage of this when planning to study abroad, as travel costs often aren't covered by schools. Oh, the perks of higher education...

Hotel Help:

Tripadvisor allows you to search through dozens of hotels/accomodations in your destination city and provides reviews from travelers who have already stayed there.  Compare prices and opinions to find the place that's best for you.

Transportation:

A friend recently introduced me to Hopstop, a website that allows you to get subway and bus directions for a handful of major cities.  So far, Hopstop's only international city is London, but if you're a city trip in the US to places like New York or Chicago, definitely check out the website.  

Other:

Package deals are frequently to good to be true; after you add in all the taxes and extra fees, they cost way more than advertised.  But if you want to make life easier for yourself by going on a trip that's already planned out, the best place to look is BudgetTravel.  The magazine's website offers a "Real Deals" section, where they list the best trip packages being offered and then tell you why they're a deal.  This way, you can easily compare what you'd spend on the package, to what'd you spend if you planned the trip yourself.  (*Also, BudgetTravel is my favorite magazine--if you don't have it, get a subscription!  The helpful tips and ideas definitely pay off).

Don't want to spend $15 on a travel guide before your next trip?  I've scoured all the typical travel guides' website (Frommers, Rick Steves, etc.), and the winner?  Lonely Planet gives really useful information on your destination, laid out in a format that's clear and accessible.  However, online travel guides in general stick tend to put only general facts on their websites, so if you're looking for a comprehensive study of your destination, don't expect to find one online.

Happy planning!