Travel Resources

You’ll find all manner of travel resources below – from useful travel related websites to accommodation booking sites to travel forums to travel sites geared towards your age.

Useful Travel Related Websites 

• Currency Converter I head to the XE currency conversion site all the time. I find their rates are close to what you get at the bank.
• International Travel Requirements by Country  Cost, length of stay, required documents and recommended vaccines alphabetically by country.
• One Bag This is an amazing website. There is an extensive packing list broken down by category – into luggage, toiletries, wardrobe, laundry, health. And if that weren’t enough you can find out what kind of bag to buy and how to pack it.
• World Clock I should have looked at this before I went to Chile. Then I would have known that there was a 5 hour time difference between Vancouver and Santiago, Chile.
• World Electric Guide  The plug and the voltage used in every country is provided in an easy to understand alphabetical format. Look at this site before you finish your travel shopping. Better yet, buy a universal plug.
• World Time Engine A super easy tool to figure out what time it is anywhere in the world – or what the time difference is between two places.
• Worldwide Airlines A surprisingly useful guide since all countries and all airlines – even the discount ones – are listed.
• Worldwide Weather Not only can you get weather forecasts but you can find out where in the world severe weather is occurring.

And the Sites I’d Use if I was Younger

The Guide to Sleeping in Airports Over 6500 airport reviews provide the information you need to find the best and worst airports in the world for sleeping in.
Hitchsters This website pairs up travelers going to and from the same airport to share a ride and the costs. Get the first name and cellphone number of who you’ll be riding with.

And if you’re a Boomer

Boomer Places A good resource for more than just travel. Look for info on entertainment, living, jobs, health and even social media.
Going Like Sixty Great and funny writing.
My Itchy Travel Feet is a terrific travel blog geared to the active boomer crowd; read hotel reviews and get ideas for where to go and what to do.

Train Information

The Man in Seat 61  Wonderful site on rail travel; provides info on routes you might have thought only serviced by planes. You can buy ferry and train tickets on this website for travel around the world.
Trains on the Brain A well written blog with a personal emphasis on train travel, focused mainly in Europe.

International Phoning

Nobelcom International phone cards.

Airline Information and Bookings

AirfareWatchDog Get airfare alerts when prices drop for flights you want to take plus other money saving tips.
Booking Buddy Compare prices across dozens of sites and book flights.
CheapFlights  Compare cheap flights and research airline tickets to worldwide destinations.
CheapOAir  A very popular sight with good deals. Book cheap flights and discount plane tickets.
Cheap Tickets  Cheap airline tickets.
Expedia I use this to get a ballpark idea of how much a flight will be but rarely book with them because our experience is horrible customer service and leaving you out to dry when things go wrong. Good though for multiple airlines on one ticket.
FareCompare Search, find and compare the cheapest travel deals on cheap flights.
Kayak  Lots of travel bloggers head to this site first. Usually they cover off the weird and wonderful places in the world that other sites ignore.
Orbitz  Cheap flights and cheap tickets.
Priceline  Deep discounts on flights. Prices in US dollars even on Canadian only flights.
SeatGuru  A great guide for airplane seating, in flight amenities and airline information.
Travelocity More cheap seats.
Yapta  Helps you track flight prices before you buy and get airline refunds after you buy. 

Accommodation Ideas

House Sitting

Aussie House Sitters  House and pet minding service for Australia and New Zealand only.
Housecarers Free room and board in a wide range of countries in exchange for house and pet sitting – with a little plant watering thrown in.
House Sitters America  House sitting, pet minding and caretaking in the US only. To register as a house sitter it costs $US30 per year. Membership is free for the home owner.
House Sit World An international house sitting service. Free registration for house sitters in the US and Canada.
Mind My House An international directory of listings. Free for homeowners – $20 for house sitters.
OZ House Sitters Join for $AUD 60 annually and get access to homes listed in Australia.
Trusted House Sitters Especially good for finding house sitting jobs in the UK.

Home Exchange

Casa Swap A free housing service, primarily for students, where you can rent, sublet and swap accommodation.
Exchange Zones Home exchanges, B&B’s and vacation rentals.
Global Home Exchange Long term house swaps, weekend home exchanges, simultaneous exchanges and more. You can get three month to lifetime memberships from $25.95 and up. 
Home Base Holidays A club you need to join for online listing and contact privileges. Costs £29 per year.
Home Exchange They have 40K listings in 142 countries – though you have to join to get access.
Home Exchange 50plus 50plus Home Exchange is geared to the older traveller. Swap your home with other like minded seniors. Stay free. Travel more.
HomeForExchange.com A non commercial home exchange. You stay in theirs and they stay in yours.
International Home Exchange Network Home exchanges around the world.
Intervac House swap and home exchange in 50+ countries.
Rent For Your Vacation A rentals directory that specializes in connecting owners and vacationers.
Seniors Home Exchange  Choose between a straight exchange of your home or exchange hospitality. You visit them, then they visit you.
VRBO (otherwise known as Vacation Rental by Owner) They offer over 160,000 vacation rentals worldwide.

Hospitality Exchange – Stay in People’s Homes for Nothing

CouchSurfing Stay in people’s homes around the world – for free – and make local connections. Just don’t overstay your welcome.Home Exchanges, Couchsurfing
Global Freeloaders  Online community matching guests and hosts for accommodation exchange.
Hospitality Club They bring together hosts, guests, travelers and locals. You might get a free bed for a night or a guided tour of the town. Free to join.
Servas  There is a fee to join and you must apply and be interviewed to become a Servas host or traveler. It was founded as a peace movement but it tries to connect hosts with travelers who want to get to know the heart of a country.
Staydu  Host and travel for money, for work or for free.

Work Exchange = Free Food and Accommodation

Caretaker Gazette A newsletter containing caretaker and house-sitting jobs.
Helpx  Free volunteer work exchange in Australia. Includes farms, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&B’s and even sailing boats.
World Help Link  They offer programs with and without fees around the world.
WWOOF  Worldwide opportunities on organic farms. It links volunteers with organic farmers in exchange for food, accommodation and opportunities to learn.

B&B’s

Bed and Breakfast.com  International B&B’s.
B&B Canada A substantial list of B&B’s across Canada.
Pamela Lanier’s Bed & Breakfast Inns Look through over 45000 B&B inns, cottages and guesthouses in the US, Canada and worldwide.
Roomorama Live like a local around the world with short term accommodation options.

Hotel Information and Bookings

Booking Buddy  Choose from over 69,000 hotel deals.
CheapOStay  Look for cheap hotels and make online reservations.
Expedia 
Hotels.com
Hotwire
Luxury Link
Orbitz
Priceline
Sky Auction.com
Travelocity
TripAdvisor

Travel Forums

Flyer Talk An interactive community that provides information on travel related loyalty programs.
Fodors Share travel experiences, tips and recommendations.
Frommers
Thorn Tree Travel Forum Exchange travel information, advice, hints and tips with fellow travelers. You can pose and answer questions.
Trip Advisor
Virtual Tourist  Worldwide travel and vacation advice from over one million members.

More Useful Travel Related Sites

Compare Museums  Museum type, location and what they charge – US only.