Most Useful Web Sites for Travel

Lisa Shipman, Director of Administrative Services

General Travel



v     Portals to the World: Travel information for different countries as well as an overview of each country; from the Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/portals.html

v     U.S. Department of State’s Background Notes:  A factual publication that contain information on all the countries of the world with which the United States has relations.  They include facts on the country's land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and its relations with other countries and the United States. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn

v     Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory: A guide to official tourist information sources: government tourism offices, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, and similar organizations that provide free, accurate, and unbiased travel information to the public. http://www.towd.com



v     Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets: Countries where avoidance of travel is recommended will have Travel Warnings as well as Consular Information Sheets. http://www.travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html



v     U.S. Customs, Traveler Information:  To learn whether you need a passport and/or visa for travel to a particular country or for information on applying for a U.S. Passport. http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/xp/cgov/travel



v     Universal Currency Converter:  See what your dollar is worth in more than 100 other countries. http://www.xe.net/currency



v     Weatherbase: Find the best vacation spot by checking the monthly climate of locations you might wish to visit. http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/vacation



v     Upcoming Weather: For an upcoming forecast of weather at your destination (local or foreign). http://www.weather.com/

 

 Travel Planning

v     Sites that allow you to comparison shop for airfares, access special bargains, book flights, and reserve hotel rooms and rental cars:

§         http://www.Frommers.com

§         http://www.Travelocity.com

§         http://www.Expedia.com

§         http://www.Orbitz.com

Air Travel

v     Airlines: Toll-free numbers and web sites http://www.geocities.com/Thavery2000



v     Nashville International Airport: Check departures and arrivals http://www.flynashville.com



v     Official Airline Guide (OAG): OAG is the leading source of flight schedule information, operating the world’s most comprehensive and up-to-date schedules database.  It is an independent company based in the UK and USA, with regional offices in Asia.  http://www.oag.com



v     WebFlyer: Information on frequent flyer programs.http://www.webflyer.com



Lodging



v     Discount Hotel Rates Worldwide from Cheap Hotels Ltd.: They offer all types of accommodation from B & B's, to 5 star luxury hotels and aim to give the best choice and value in discount hotels worldwide.  http://www.discounthotels.co.uk/

v     American Camping Association Database of Accredited Camps: Find campgrounds in the US. http://find.acacamps.org/finding_a_camp.php



v     Bed and Breakfast Inns Online: Locate B and B's in North America http://www.bbonline.com



v     Hotel 800 numbers: Make reservations at national hotel chains by phone.http://www.southwest.com/help/hotel800numbers.html



v     PlacestoStay.com: Lists more than 17,000 hotels, inns and bed & breakfasts.http://www.placestostay.com



v     PetsWelcome.com: Listing of pet-friendly lodging in the U.S. and tips for traveling with your pet.http://www.petswelcome.com



 

Maps

v     Map Quest: Find directions for and explore towns and cities worldwide. Display addresses on a map, view nearby businesses, get driving directions and maps, and plan a trip with city information. Also includes aerial photographs of selected areas. http://www.mapquest.com/

v     Google Maps: http://maps.google.com



v     Yahoo Maps: http://maps.yahoo.com

Ground Travel



v     Amtrak: Find schedules and fares (no Amtrak service to Nashville). http://www.amtrak.com



v     Rail Europe: Purchase a Eurail pass and find schedules for trains.http://www.raileurope.com/us



v     Greyhound: Find bus schedules for Nashville and other US cities.http://www.greyhound.com



v     Metro Transit Authority: Locate Middle Tennessee area bus routes and schedules. http://www.nashvillemta.org

v     Subway Navigator: Find international subway maps and directions.http://www.subwaynavigator.com



Travel – Medicine



v     CDC Traveler's Health: Gives important health information and warnings for foreign countries. http://www.cdc.gov/travel



v     International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers http://www.iamat.org

 Travel Guides



v     Elderhostel: Provides educational adventures for older adults. http://www.elderhostel.com



v     Fodor's: Includes features from the popular travel-book series. http://www.fodors.com

v     Great Outdoor Recreation Page (GORP): Suggestions and information for campers, hikers, and travelers looking for adventure.  Includes guides to gear, books, and parks http://gorp.com

v     New York Times Travel Section: Read articles from the past 6 years http://www.nytimes.com/top/features/travel/destinations/index.html

v     Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality: Offers a wealth of travel resources for all types of disabilities and informed recommendations on destinations, access guides, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, and companion services.http://www.sath.org

References for this list include

Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, May/June 2001, Volume 4 Issue 3 

Nashville Public Library, Recommended Websites, Travel: http://www.library.nashville.org/research/res_ws_travel.asp 

Arthur Frommer’s Buget Travel Online: http://www.frommers.com