Here's a list of what I consider the 10 most important Web sites for travelers, whether they're honeymooners or experienced trekkers. All are free to use. Be sure to bookmark any you find to be exceptionally helpful:
Many travelers begin planning a trip by establishing a budget. If that's how you operate, and your destination is flexible, use Travelocity's maps of the United States and Europe to find out how far your money can take you. Simply type in your departure city and airfare budget, and you'll be one click away from knowing your options.
When it comes to help selecting a hotel, Expedia is head and shoulders above the competition. Its Hotel Wizard is extremely flexible, allowing users to sort hotels by name, rating, or "Expedia Picks" -- i.e. properties with specially negotiated rates. Photographs of hotel interiors and exteriors are available, along with property descriptions of hotel and room features. Virtual tours also are available for many hotels. So when you buy from Expedia, you have a good idea beforehand of what you'll be getting.
3. UNIVERSAL CURRENCY CONVERTER
Recently I had to figure out the value of pesetas, escudos, Canadian dollars, and Icelandic kronurs against the dollar so that I wouldn't end up spending $30 for a Coca-Cola...or tipping a waiter 5 cents. Set up in a way that even those of us whose mind drifts when it comes to math, the Universal Currency Converter provides fast answers. If you plan to do a lot of shopping, I also recommend buying a currency converter (sold at luggage stores). They cost less than $10 and are so easy to program you can convince a small child to help you do so.
I also recommend the WORLDWIDE METRIC CONVERTER. It can help you to avoid embarrassing faux pas. My husband still taunts me about the time I asked a cabbie in Montreal, "How many centimeters do you get to the mile?"
Traveling with someone who's germ-phobic? To help calm him or her (or yourself) down before going away, check the Center for Disease Control to see if there are any outbreaks where you're heading. This site, which benefits from a recent redesign, covers specific destinations and also makes cruise ship sanitation reports available.
5. U.S. TRAVEL WARNINGS & CONSULAR INFORMATION SHEETS
Of course, health issues aren't the only hazards the road holds. Crime, political uprisings, rebel attacks, kidnapping, terrorist threats, even bad roads sometimes happen to good travelers. This site, provided by the U.S. State Department, posts consular information sheets that cover the likelihood of these and other dreadful possibilities for every country in the world.
10 Best Web Sites for Travelers - continued >
6. Where to Find Frequent Flyer Deals
7. How to Speak a Foreign Language
8. When to Use a Downloaded Passport Application
9. How to Be Notified of New Travel Bargains
10. Who Provides the Best Destination Guides
