It’s a big world out there.
This is my (hopefully) useful list and guide to travel websites and resources. Enjoy! You can also check out my frequently asked questions or feel free to shout at me on Twitter @travelsfoadam.
Hotels, Hostels or Apartments?
How to Choose Cool Hotels
Finding the right hotels can be a challenge, but I use a few tips & tricks to find cool places to stay. I usually start by checking out what’s listed on Tablet Hotels, TripAdvisor’s Top 10 Lists and Design Hotels. I also sometimes use the Hotel Tonight app for last-minute bookings.
I tend to book hotels either directly or through either Booking.com or Agoda.com. Both are popular and easy-to-use websites for narrowing down searches and sorting by location or price. HotelsCombined.com is a useful search site for comparing prices. And for last minute hotel bookings, I’m a big fan of the Hotel Tonight app.
Choosing Hostels – The Good, Bad, and Ugly
Hostelworld and Hostelbookers are the two main players here.. I also like the search functions from Hostelsclub which includes over 28,000 listings. Hostelscentral includes search filters for gay-friendly, eco-friendly and design hostels.
Holiday Apartments
The best options are going to be found on Airbnb.com. Other apartment-rental options include HomeAway and countless smaller, more regional and local companies, but honestly I just always go with Airbnb—it’s reliable and the customer service is pretty spot on. There are even gay apartment rental options like Misterbnb, but I’m not always a fan.
Read my entire collection of accommodation reviews.
How to Choose Vacation Rentals
Vacation rentals offer a unique and often more spacious alternative to traditional accommodations, perfect for families or larger groups. Websites like VRBO and HomeAway are popular for finding vacation rentals, but I also like to explore more specialized sites.
For example, Seattle Vacation Rental offers a variety of properties in and around Seattle, while Doneright Vacation Rentals is great for finding homes in McCall, Donnelly, Cascade & New Meadows. Blue Sky Cabin Rentals features charming cabins in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and First Flight Rentals offers a range of oceanfront condos in the Outer Banks. Blue Maple has a collection of unique properties throughout West Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
These platforms provide reliable options with excellent customer service, making it easier to find the perfect home away from home.
Favorite Airlines
Europe: Unfortunately I’m not much of a fan of the airlines in Germany, but thankfully Europe serves up plenty of budget options. EasyJet and Vueling are more often than not my preferred budget options. RyanAir has more and more routes and has significantly improved their service making it one of the best budget options in Europe.
North America: My preferred airline has (and probably always will be) American Airlines. That’s because I’ve got a bit of a family history with them and I’ve been collecting AAdvantage miles since I was 16.
Booking: I use Expedia, Skyscanner and Google Flights to find airfares but generally prefer to book directly through the airline rather than third-parties. That usually ensures I get the most air miles as possible.
Twitter for Travelers
Twitter has long-been one of my favorite secret tools for traveling. Sometimes simply by posting a question and tweeting @ the right Twitterers, you can get some really useful tips. For example, anyone who tweets at me with a destination question, if I can help, I’ll happily reply!
Foursquare for Travelers
One of my first travel apps I really loved and recommended was Foursquare. For a certain period of time, it was one of the most useful app for finding nearby restaurants and things to do. And no: you don’t have to share your location with everyone in order to reap the full benefits of the app. Simply open the app once you’ve checked into your hotel and use it to see what’s nearby. If you are a regular user like myself, you’ll find it’s pretty good at recommending places.
My Foursquare travel guides: Berlin | Cologne | Tel Aviv | Jerusalem | Amsterdam | London | East London | Edinburgh | Budapest | Helsinki | Barcelona | Seville | Brussels | Antwerp | Rome | Toronto | Boston | Austin | More…
Recommended Travel Blogs, Links, & More
What I’m reading regularly changes, but below are a handful of some of my favorite travel blogs. There are lots of other great websites for travel inspiration as well, but these are the personal blogs I find interesting and/or informative.
Moving Postcard | Cheryl Howard | Globetrotter Girls | Heart Rome | Adventurous Kate | Young Adventuress | D Travels Round | Fly Brother | Wonderful Wanderings | Amsterdam Foodie | Backpack with Brock | Nomadic Matt | More…
Gay Travel Resources
For LGBTQ travelers and gay backpackers, there is a lot of information out on the web. Unfortunately much of it is outdated, but below are some useful websites and blogs.
USA State Department LGBT Travel Information | Pink News Travel | Passport Magazine | More…
Recommended Guidebooks
While I increasingly do my travel research online, sometimes it’s still useful to have a guidebook. And even still more useful is a printed & bound guidebook rather than one of those new-fangled apps for your iPhone. Below are some of my favorite guidebook brands but knowing which guidebooks are the best is really a difficult art. It’s important to know who the author of the book is and go from there.
My best guidebook tip? Visit a bookstore before you leave on your holiday and pick up a few different brands. Quickly thumb through them and read the descriptions for their mid-range hotels. Check the variety and if there’s any overlap, compare the writing to see which style you prefer.
Let’s Go | Lonely Planet | Wallpaper* City Guides | Time Out Guides | More Travel Books…
Packing Tips
Determining what to bring on a holiday can be rather challenging. And everyone travels differently, so really you have to determine for yourself what works best.
Do you want to escape reality for the week? Leave behind your computer.
Do you want to go clubbing every night? Make sure you bring extra shoes. Is it a beach holiday, a city break, an adventure trip? Know what’s needed and make sure you know the weather beforehand! Read the full travel fashion archives here.
- What to Pack when Studying Abroad
- A Summertime Packing List for Beaches & City Trips
- Summertime Travel Packing Essentials for Gay LGBTQ Pride Festivals
- Travel Fashion Tips: How to Look Good & Pack Light
- Hipster Fashion for Indie Travelers
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