Destinations already visited are crossed out and destinations in orange are the current planned/booked vacations.

I've also included a map at the bottom of this page as John and I start to plan for trips together.

 

 

Click an area on the map to go to the destination

and visit its online tourism guide

 

 

 

TIPS

  • Research your destination.  Destinations listed below are linked to their online tourism guide.  If your destination is not listed, go to www.towd.com to find the link.  Request a free travel guide sent to your home if available or print out important info.

  • Join online forums.   They are a great tool that provides views and tips from locals and visitors.  It's also the easy way to get answers fast.  You may also meet new friends.  There are links to forums in the list below.  If the forum for your destination is not linked below, try www.tripadvisor.com.  For general travel forum, go to www.flyertalk.com.

  • For airfares, set up a farewatcher at www.kayak.com.

  • Don't settle with one or two travel sites, search several. Compare fare quotes from airfare aggregators1 (see list below), booking agents (see list below) and your destination's local airline's website including www.southwest.com (Southwest is not usually included in aggregators), among others.

  • Airfares vary all the time and the availability of promotions and discounts are hard to predict.  So don't decide on WHEN you should book, but do some fare watching.  If possible, begin using the farewatcher a year early.  Do some fare forecasting with www.farecast.com.  Ask around (i.e. forums) and do some search at  www.farecompare.com of what usually is a good deal for your vacation time.  If you find a good deal, get it.  Though a sometimes last-minute airfares are cheapest, I suggest purchasing your ticket no later than 4 weeks before your vacation even if you don't get the best deal.

  • For great deals, subscribe to Travelzoo.com's Top 20 and your favorite airlines.

 

RESOURCES

 

REFERENCE

www.towd.com - list of online guides

www.cdc.gov - travel health

www.tripadvisor.com - reviews

www.flyertalk.com - general travel forum

Yahoo! Trip Planner

 

FAREWATCHER

www.kayak.com

www.travelocity.com

www.farecast.com - fare forecast

www.farecompare.com - fare history

 

AGGREGATORS1

www.kayak.com

www.farechase.com

www.sidestep.com

www.mobissimo.com - international

www.airfarewatchdog.com

www.travelzoo.com - deals

www.hotelscombined.com

 

BOOKING AGENTS

www.expedia.com

www.travelocity.com

www.orbitz.com

www.hotwire.com

www.priceline.com

www.flycheapabroad.com - international

www.roomsaver.com
 

TOOLS

www.yapta.com - price tracker for specific flights

www.mileagemanager.com - manages your frequent flyer programs in one place

www.seatguru.com

www.flightstats.com

www.longtermparking.com

www.triphub.com - group trip planning

www.travbuddy.com

 

OTHERS

www.insuremytrip.com - travel insurance

www.quotewright.com - travel insurance

 

 

1Airfare aggregators search several websites from airline websites to online travel agencies.

 

 

 

Click a destination to visit its online tourism guide

Click diamonds for free guides or forum
Click smilies for plans/reviews

 

North America

Free Guide Forum Plans / Reviews

alaska

     

atlanta, ga

   

atlantic city, nj

 

boston, ma

 

cape cod, ma

 

charlotte, nc

 

chicago, il

   

colorado

   

connecticut

 

fort lauderdale, fl

 

grand canyon, az

   

guam

     

hawaii

 

iowa

   

jersey shore, nj

 

las vegas, nv

 

los angeles, ca

 

miami, fl

 

new orleans, la

     

niagara falls, ny/on

 

orlando, fl

 

pennsylvania

 

phoenix, az

   

rhode island

 

salem, ma

 

salt lake city, ut

   

san diego, ca

   

san francisco, ca

   

seattle, wa

   

south dakota

   

toronto, on

 

virginia beach, va

   

washington, dc

   

west palm beach, fl

   

wisconsin

   

 

C. & S. America & the Caribbean

Free Guide Forum Plans / Reviews

aruba

   

bahamas

 
 

barbados

 

belize

 

bermuda

   

bonaire

 

british virgin islands

 

cancun, mexico

   

the caribbean

     

cayman islands

costa rica   plans

cozumel, mexico

    plans

dominican republic

 

galapagos islands, ecuador

     

jamaica

   
los cabos, mexico

puerto rico

 
st. lucia  

trinidad & tobago

     

us virgin islands

   

 

Asia, Australia & Pacific Islands

Free Guide Forum Plans / Reviews

bali, indonesia

   

boracay, philippines

     

bora bora & tahiti

   
cook islands      

fiji

     

guam

     

hong kong

     

japan

     

maldives

     

new zealand

   

palau

     

palawan, philippines

     

sydney, australia

     
truk lagoon, micronesia      
whitsundays, australia      

 

Africa, Europe, & Middle East

Free Guide Forum Plans / Reviews

egypt

     

greece

   

rome, italy

   

london, uk

   
paris, france    
seychelles      

spain

   

 

 

    

 

 

Our map is a little pathetic I know, but we hope to fill the map someday.  Or at least the places near the shore :).  International map will follow when we start traveling out of the country.  Putting up the international map right now will make it look even more pathetic :P.

 

 

Airlines

 

AAdvantage 4E03B64
Delta 2673886202 (J)
2675236448 (G)
Korean Air SkyPass BA 171 1574 8
Northwest WorldPerks
Northwest / Delta SkyMiles
600 540 345
6600540345
US Air Dividend Miles 2A901M6
Hotels  
Choice Hotels MXR022810 (mgmros) - Skymiles
Best Western Gold Crown Club

6006636019389834 - Skymiles

Hilton HHonors 825590892m- inactive
Hyatt Gold Passport G49973252H (mgmros)
Mandalay Bay Paradise Club gmros@yahoo.com
Marriott Rewards 540453669 (mgmros) - Skymiles
Priority Club 733461501 - NWA
Starwood Preferred Guest 41739885637 (gmros@yahoo.com)
A50842761465 (gmros)
Wyndham ByRequest EL3593086
Wyndham Rewards 115270289D (mgmros01) - Skymiles