Travel Resources

Want to get started traveling? Here are some of my favorite travel resources to book travel and stay connected on the road while not breaking the bank!

Woman posing with a palm tree

Travel Like a Pro with These Resources

Planning a trip has a lot of moving pieces and getting them all to line up can be a challenge. You need access to the right travel resources.

Having planned hundreds of trips for myself and others, ranging from day trips up to a solid 13 months, I have whittled down all of the travel sites out there to my go-to travel resources.

Looking for something not included below?  Reach out to me.

Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase.

Flights

Skyscanner

If you have flexibility in your travel schedule, Skyscanner can help you find the cheapest destinations and rates. My favorite feature is searching by a city or country to a generic “everywhere” or to another country to see where flights might be the cheapest. It’s my favorite site for international flight research.

Visit Skyscanner

Expedia Flights

There are lots of awesome sites to search for flights, but Expedia is one of the best for aggregating flight options. Not only will you find great flight deals but you can also earn Expedia Rewards points to put towards discounts on future bookings.

Visit Expedia

Going Cheap Flight Alerts

Going, previously Scott’s Cheap Flights, is one of the best ways to receive flight deal alerts right into your email Inbox. Sign up to follow your home airport and you’ll be notified of flight deals as they pop up. You could save up to 90% on your next flight!

Visit Going

Kayak

Kayak is my go-to site to start scoping out domestic flights. It aggregates all airlines (except Southwest as far as I am aware) to provide a comprehensive view of your options. My favorite features are being able to search plus or minus 3 days plus limiting the times I fly in and out.

Visit Kayak

Google Flights

Google Flights is a flexible way to search for flights. You can put in your departure airport and leave it wide open on date and destination to get a solid feel for what is out there. It’s a good place to start putting your feelers out for both domestic and international travel.

Visit Google Flights

Accommodations

Booking

Booking gets my vote because it lists hotels, hostels, and at times, other types of accommodations – many of which with zero deposit and free cancellation!  If I’m not 100% sure of my travel dates or locations, this is a great site to use for flexibility.

Visit Booking

Agoda

Agoda is best known in Asia and offers a huge selection of hotels and rentals over there.  It does operate in other parts of the world, but I recommend checking it for any Asian trips you are taking.  Great selection and great price.

Visit Agoda

Hostelworld

Hostelworld has one of the largest listings of hostels I have found.  Hostels offer an affordable solution to traveling solo or with friends.  Having stayed at hundreds of hostels in my life, it is one of the best ways to meet other travelers guaranteed.

Visit Hostelworld

VRBO

VRBO offers you the opportunity to live like a local in exotic locales. You can rent a room or an entire home from a resident for a day, a week, or a month. Some places even give discounts, like a monthly rate, for longer stays!

Visit VRBO

Trusted Housesitters

Another alternate way to travel on a budget is to house sit. Trusted Housesitters brings together a huge international community of people looking to have their house and pets looked after while they are gone for a weekend on up to a year.

Visit Trusted Housesitters

Couchsurfing

Stay with locals, for free! Couchsurfing is a community based on the idea of travelers helping other travelers by providing them a place to stay at no charge. It can be a great way to meet locals and get the insider view.  Just follow a few tips to stay safe.

Visit Couchsurfing

Transportation

Discover Cars

Car Rental

Search and compare car rentals from over 500 suppliers to find the best rates for your trip. You’ll be able to find a rental car with no hidden costs, 24/7 support, and free cancellation. It’s one of the fastest and easiest ways to aggregate car rental choices.

Visit Discover Cars

BusBud

Bus Travel

Booking buses online can be challenging, but BusBud makes it easy. Search across the most popular bus companies, such as Greyhound, Flixbus, Amtrak, and more on one site.  It’s a simple and easy way to find your best route options for your upcoming trip.

Visit BusBud

Trainline

Train & Bus Travel

Find and book your train and bus tickets ahead of time using Trainline. This site searches over 270 companies to find the right ticket for you and promised no hidden fees. Best of all? You can book your tickets in US Dollars and pay securely online.

Visit Trainline

Omio

All-in-One Transportation

Compare and book train, bus, flight, and ferry tickets all in one place. With Omio, you can easily find the best travel option and the cheapest tickets, whether you’re flying across the country or catching a Greyhound bus. Search routes, check timetables, and book with confidence.

Visit Omio

Rome2Rio

Transportation Options

If you need to know the best way to get from Point A to Point B, Rome2Rio is it. Plug in any two points, and it will suggest multiple routes using planes, buses, trains, ferries, etc.  It is my favorite way to determine how to get somewhere and get an idea of cost.

Visit Rome2Rio

The Man in Seat 61

Train Travel

Should your trip include any train travel, this is your one-stop shop. The website can be a bit overwhelming, but it provides clear insights into everything trains. You can easily find how to get places by train, what to expect on the train, train schedules, and more.

Visit The Man in Seat 61

Other Travel Resources

Get Your Guide

Tours & Activities

Whether you’ve just started planning your trip or are ready to book something, Get Your Guide is a great resource for finding activities and tours around the world.  It’s also a perfect way to also get an idea of the cost of activities at your destination to help budget out your trip.

Visit Get Your Guide

Viator

Tours & Activities

Viator is another great option for finding tours and activities at your destination.  It especially is great for United States based activities.  Whether you want to book ahead or just understand what your options are, it’s an ideal site to get ideas for your trip.

Visit Viator

iVisa

Travel Visas

Before traveling abroad, you should always check if you need a visa for the country you’re headed to.  In some cases you can send your passport directly to the embassy to get it, in other cases using a service is faster and easier.

Visit iVisa

Maps.me

Offline Maps

Maps.me is the single most valuable app I have used in my travels. It provides downloadable offline maps – you just need to remember to download the maps when you have Wi-Fi. Beyond that, the capabilities are wonderful, and you’ll spend way less time lost!

Download Maps.me

World Nomads

Travel Insurance

I was an uninsured traveler for years… until I was mugged at knife point by a gang in Brazil (no joke).  Now, I am a convert. World Nomads gets my vote as they can cover extreme sports, be extended on the road, and cover theft as well as illness.  The low cost is worth the piece of mind.

Visit World Nomads

T-Mobile

International Phone Plan

T-Mobile has won me over with it’s free text and data in 215+ countries and destinations, the ability to use it the same in Canada, the US, and Mexico, and it’s free in-flight texting and one hour of data usage.  Planning some intense travel? Check them out so you can stay connected.

Visit T-Mobile