Ok this page actually isn’t tedious, it’s helpful. People often ask me for suggestions on how to plan their own boring (or exciting, ugh) adventure. Guidebooks are great, and believe me I read them all the time just for funsies, but to really enhance your trip and make it your own you need to piece it together from a lot of different sources. So here is an ongoing list of my current favorite resources.
Wings & wheels (logistical stuff)
Loco 2 -My current fave for booking European rail tickets and viewing schedules, prices, and classes of service. Don’t even mess around with Eurail that site is glitchy AF and never accurate. If this site doesn’t have what you need it will actually tell you why (ex. too early to book, site not compatible with that country, rail system doesn’t allow advance booking, etc), and they are adding more rail networks all the time. They make the booking process very clear and user friendly.
The Man in Seat 61 -A WEALTH of information on this site created by a dude who looooves trains. Huge collection of information on train travel all over the world, and users submit pictures and video so you can actually SEE the trains you might be traveling on. Lots of links and other travel info as well. It’s not a pretty site but damn it is packed with info and I love visiting it so much.
Google Flights -My current favorite tool for flight searching. Accurate, simple and straightforward. Nobody trying to sell me a fucking hotel while I get flight info. Plus the price alert function is really helpful and easy to use. Scored some $400 direct roundtrips to Paris for this summer because of price alerts.
Scott’s Cheap flight list -Scott is the best. Since I stopped working at the travel agency I’ve tried all manner of sites, twitter accounts & lists that claim to find good deals and this dude is the only one that delivers. He is knowledgeable about what prices are and should be, and relentless about searching fares. You have to sign up for his email list, which has as free and a pay version. This is not for when you need a SPECIFIC flight, but amazing if you are the traveling type who is open to going lots of places and just wants a nice flight deal.
Seat Guru -I am an airplane nerd and nervous flyer, so Seat Guru was made for me. If you like to know exactly what your seat will be like and what the layout of your plane looks like, this site has got you covered. Don’t book flights on here just use it for information.
Do I need to mention Trip Advisor? I mean, duh. I’ll put it here just in case you discovered the internet today.
Get Inspired! See, do, learn, eat!
Guidebooks- Too much to cover here, but I get asked about my favorite guidebooks a lot, so I’m writing an entire post just on that topic.
NYTimes 36 hours -This site is a good starting point for me, especially when visiting a new city. The guides are hit or miss, as sometimes the ‘theme’ isn’t really something I’m into, but I like the simple condensed format and the fact that they include more unusual suggestions not just the check-the-box tourist sites. Plus they include a map.
Context Travel -My hands down fave walking tour company. They run thoughtful and in-depth tours on a range of topics, and the leaders are often professionals in their field (archeology, art, history, etc) who are happy to nerd out with you for hours and answer all your questions. Perfect for anyone who wants to dig deeper and really learn about a place, and hates following a flag/umbrella or listening to someone on a microphone. Groups are very small & intimate, worth the price tag. Especially great in gigantic overwhelming cities like Paris, Rome, London.
Atlas Obscura -Oh Atlas Obscura, you created the resource I always wished I could, charting the worlds oddities and unusual places. I never leave for a trip without consulting this site for at least one recommendation, and it’s usually the experience I end up remembering and talking about most when I get home.
Airbnb Neighborhoods Guide -I have mixed feelings about Airbnb, but I love this resource on their page. Learning more about the ‘flavor’ of different neighborhoods in a big city helps me decide where I might want to stay, shop & visit if I go there. I like these guides because they are written by local Airbnb contacts. Aww yay look at their page about Astoria! Home sweet home 🙂
Indie/specialty travel sites
Don’t be afraid to cast generic travel guides aside! Be your own person! Whatever your interest is, chances are there is a site devoted to that type of travel. When I’m researching a new place I usually try to find cool blogs written by locals about their home. If, like me, you have leanings towards art/design & food, check these out for inspo:
Design Sponge City Guides– Design Sponge is primarily a design blog, but I love their city guides, especially the emphasis on smaller, lesser-traveled US cities. Written by locals, usually in the design field.
We Heart city notes– Also primarily a design blog, and a great source for up to date info on happenings in the contemporary art scene. Street art, galleries, etc not just big museums featured here. I think they are based in Australia because they tend to focus there, which makes me super jealous because everything looks awesome and I don’t have current plans to go there.
Cereal– this “style and travel” mag definitely gives off an elitist vibe and its recommendations lean toward luxury, but I just can’t help myself! It is so beautiful. If you want to get travel inspiration while treating your eyeballs to some delightful images then realizing you can’t afford any of the hotels, go here for sure.
Luxe City Guides– leaning towards luxury again, but much more approachable than Cereal. I like the variety of themed articles and restaurant coverage. I also love the focus on the under-covered Asian destinations. Most specialty sites will cover Hong Kong and Tokyo and maybe Singapore if you’re lucky. This site has multiple articles on KL, Sri Lanka, Ho Chi Minh, etc.
Suitcase– refers to itself as ‘travel + fashion’ but there’s really just a ton of good stuff on here. Highlight for me is the ‘insider guides’ section where creatives of all kinds (models, DJs, chefs, bloggers, etc) are interviewed about their favorite things to do in their hometown/city. Love getting a totally new perspective. Also this site is refreshing in that they recommend everything from hostels to luxury hotels and street food to 5-star dining.
50 Best Restaurants list– I just consider this a permanent travel/eating wishlist. Updated every year.
Spoon & Tamago– A Japanese design/culture blog. Not specifically about travel but full of inspiration if you are planning on visiting Japan.
Little Yellow House 