Be Your Own Travel Agent

Using the Internet to Plan Your Next TripSkokie Public LibrarySeptember 22, 2010

Terry Ratoff

How Web Resources Can Help You Plan Your Next Trip

• Choosing a Destination• Planning Your Itinerary • Comparing Costs• Reviewing Transportation Options• Selecting Accommodations• I’m Hungry – Where should we eat?

Choosing a Destination

Travel Guides and BlogsInformation comparable to printed guides

andAdvice from other travelers

andOnline communities to ask questions and

discuss your plans

Travel Blogs and WebsitesMany travel blogs & guides online, useful for:– choosing destinations– creating itineraries – making plans

Travel blogs present one person’s or groups point of view about travel. A few favorites:

– Peter Greenberg’s Blog– The New York Times Travel Page– The Wall Street Journal Travel Page

Peter Greenberg

• Peter is the Travel Editor for CBS News, and appears on The Early Show and across many CBS broadcast platforms.

• Offers tips and the latest travel news.

Peter Greenberg’s Blog

Peter Greenberg’s Blog-Costa Rica Search

New York Times Travel

• Has searchable destination guides that include maps, reviews and reader comments for activities, restaurants and accommodations.

• Has links to The New York Times Travel Blogs:– In Transit A Guide to Intelligent Travel

Costa Rica Travel Guide from the NYT

Choose a Featured Interest Guide from the NYT

NYT Travel Featured Interest Guide Biking

New York Times Travel Blogs

• In Transit – Guide to Intelligent Travel– Globespotters - City guides and posts– Frugal Traveler - Budget Travel– Blogroll - List of blogs from other

sources

NYT In Transit Blog

NYT Globespotters Blog

NYT Frugal Traveler Blog

NYT Blogroll and Guides

Wall Street Journal Travel

• Compilation of recent articles about travel that have appeared in the Wall Street Journal

• Includes a link to “The Middle Seat Terminal” – one of my favorite blogs- written by the travel editor of the Wall Street Journal.

WSJ Middle Seat Terminal Blog

Where do I want to go?• Travel Guides useful for choosing

destinations and planning itineraries.

Trip Advisor

• A travel site where you can gather information about destinations and accommodations and see other travelers’ reviews.

• Links to other sites to where you can make reservations.• Trip Advisor is owned by Expedia. Has links to other useful

sites.

Trip Advisor

Trip Advisor Seattle Guide

Trip Advisor Seattle Hotels

Trip Advisor Hotel Traveler Reviews #7 Hyatt

Trip Advisor Seattle RestaurantsNear Hotel

Trip Advisor Travel Forum

Fodors.com

• An online version of the familiar print guide.• Like Trip Advisor, has a “forum” section for user

comments, questions and answers, planning ideas and a Blog.

Fodor’s Seattle Travel Guide

Frommers.com

• An online version of the familiar print guides.

• Easily printed guides and itineraries.

Frommer’s Website

Frommer’s Destination Guides

Frommer’s Seattle Guide

Frommer’s Seattle Itinerary

Frommer’s Itinerary Planner

Frommer’s Itinerary Planner Neighborhood Guide

Frommer’s Itinerary Planner Neighborhood Guide- Downtown

Frommer’s Itinerary Planner Restaurants

Frommer’s Forums

Rick Steves

• Good for European travel itineraries. • Travel tips, questions and message

boards. • A little heavy on selling books, backpacks,

and other products.

Lonely Planet

• If you like to go a little bit off the beaten track.

• ThornTreeTravel Forum.

Moonguides

• More off the beaten track advice.• Trip ideas and itineraries by activities like

surfing or backpacking. • Printable maps

Moon Guides Home Page

Moon Seattle Guide

IgoUgo

• Very similar to Trip Advisor.• Destination Guides are attractive.• Owned by Travelocity.

IGOUGO

IGOUGO New York Travel Guide

IGOUGO New York Guide Things to Do

IGOUGO New York Guide Things to Do-Nightlife

IGOUGO New York Guide Things to Do-Nightlife

IGOUGO New York Guide - Restaurants

IGOUGO New York Guide - Restaurants

How much will this trip cost?

• Metasearching- Websites that allow you to compare airfares, accommodation and rental cars options from multiple sites.

• Where can I stay and how will I get there?• Southwest Airlines is not included in these

searches.

The Big 3 Metasearching Sites

Expedia Home Page

Expedia Hotel Search Results

Expedia Car Search Results

Travelocity Home Page

Travelocity Hotel Search

Travelocity Car Search Results

Travelocity Rail Search Results

Orbitz Home Page

Orbitz Hotel Search Results

Orbitz Car Search Results

Newer Entry in the Travel Metasearching Business

• An international, youthful slant.

• Colorful graphics and city guides with reviews.

• Not a booking site.

Momondo City Guide

Momondo City Guide Rome

Searching for Flights• Sites for comparing airfares and other

costs. Will be directed to another site for booking.

More Tools for Flying

• SeatGuru.com - Find the best airplane seats.

Has airplane seating charts.• FlightStats - Track flight arrival, departure, and

airport delay information. Can track flight progress on a map.

• FlightArrivals.com - Similar information to FlightStats.

SeatGuru.com

FlightStats

FlightStats

FlightArrivals.com

FlightArrivals.com

Additional Booking Sites• Priceline

• Hotwire

– Name your own price. – Bid on unknown hotels in rating categories and

locations you specify. – Can save money if you can live with a little uncertainty.

• Bidontravel.com– Learn about bidding strategies for Priceline and

Hotwire.– “bidding tips to make an informed bid that has the

greatest chance of being accepted.”

I’m Hungry, Where Can We Eat?

• Restaurant Review and Reservation Sites

Special Interests• Cruise Critic

– Reviews from cruisers who have sailed on the ship you are considering.

• The National Park Service – Links to the National Parks to plan a visit.

• Google Maps – For planning walking routes, bicycling routes and public

transportation options.

• TripIt – for managing travel plans and creating itineraries.

Cruise Critic

Cruise Critic – Disney Magic Traveler Reviews

National Park Service

NPS Acadia National Park

Google Maps

Trip It Sample Itinerary Part 1

Trip It Sample Itinerary Part 2

Be a Tourist in Chicago!

Government Sites• Department of State

– Get passport and Visa Information.– Travel warnings and advice.– Useful links to :

• Students Abroad website• The TSA • CDC’s Traveler’s Health

• TSA – Find out what you can bring on a plane or if you are on a travel

watch list.

• Traveler’s Health – Find health information for your destination.

U.S. Dept. of State Travel Information

TSA: Transportation Security Administration

CDC’s Travelers Health

U.S. Department of State Students Abroad

Happy Travels!