| There is no shortage of travel resources on | | | | other websites that offer travel packages and |
| the internet. There are two enormous sites | | | | deals. There are clickable sections for |
| dedicated to flight and auto bookings at and | | | | discount hotels and listings of travel |
| For purposes of exploring the cheapest way | | | | packages that are not advertisers on the |
| to fly from point A to point B, these two | | | | site. It's a thorough resource and very |
| options are the best. They will show every | | | | informative about destinations and |
| flight available, with no bias toward | | | | attractions as well as how to get there and |
| advertisers or major airlines. They will also | | | | where to stay. |
| take a regional approach, and give you the | | | | |
| cheapest flight to your destination from all | | | | You'll find an interesting approach at |
| locations in metro areas that have multiple | | | | Choose from a menu of concepts: beach |
| airports. You can retrieve flight information | | | | vacations, weekenders, health spas, romantic |
| to Boston, for example from San Francisco, | | | | getaways, family destinations, golf |
| Oakland and San Jose - all airports within a | | | | vacations, low cost choices, etc. The site |
| fifty mile radius of one another and easily | | | | will give you options in your chosen category |
| reached via public transit. | | | | that are both near and far, with a range of |
| | | | prices. At you can click on any of the fifty |
| You can also book car reservations through | | | | states on a map of the U.S.A. Your choice |
| these sites, if you are so inclined. | | | | will provide you with a list of popular |
| Occasionally the auto rental agencies will | | | | tourist destinations for the state. Click on |
| have bargain rates for online rentals. Both | | | | a destination within the state, and you'll |
| Travelocity and Expedia have hotel packages | | | | get details on the location, popular |
| to match up with your flight destination but | | | | attractions there and links to more local |
| those are basically promotional deals and | | | | information such as the local chamber of |
| have little to do with enhancing your travel | | | | commerce or tourism bureau. |
| experience. | | | | |
| | | | If you do an online search on a destination |
| IF you are interested in some online feedback | | | | you've chosen, you'll get lots of sites from |
| on hotels and attractions in various | | | | local promotional organizations and even |
| locations, is a good resource. The site has | | | | governmental sites, such as the Costa Rica |
| its share of advertising for hotels and other | | | | Visitors Bureau. There are also United States |
| services, but it also has a rating system | | | | regional sites to assist in planning touring |
| based on consumer feedback. For San | | | | vacations to some of the countries most |
| Francisco, the site has a list of the 234 | | | | scenic or historical areas. After all, |
| most popular hotels in the city, based on | | | | there's no rule you have to confine your |
| published reviews and opinions submitted by | | | | vacation to a single state. |
| people who have used their site. There is | | | | |
| also information on tourist attractions and | | | | One of the better ones is which is dedicated |
| public transportation for vacation | | | | to planning a vacation in New England. It is |
| destinations, | | | | a nicely done site, addressing the vacation |
| | | | opportunities for the various seasons in the |
| You can search the site by destination and | | | | region. There is a section dedicated to the |
| retrieve a list of hotels ranked by | | | | winter sports, the fall foliage, and a great |
| popularity, by price and by availability. | | | | page for children's attractions at their New |
| They also provide a list of attractions and | | | | England for Kids Page: |
| dining options, also ranked by popularity and | | | | |
| including pricing information. There is a | | | | These are a few quality selections; the |
| section for maps and an area for forums that | | | | internet is a rich resource for planning |
| will contain commentary on your chosen | | | | vacations. If you opt for a travel package |
| destination. | | | | however, be sure to check with the BBB and |
| | | | sources in the travel industry on the |
| Prominent on the page are advertisements for | | | | reliability of the firm you've chosen. |