These are the exact travel resources we use to plan our trips, and they're what we recommend to help you save time and money on your next big adventure.
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BEST TRAVEL RESOURCES: AIRFARE
- Use the FREE Skyscanner app to search for and compare prices on flights anywhere in the world.
- Set alerts to your most-frequently traveled destinations and receive notifications when the rate drops.
- Skyscanner is our preferred option for scoring last-minute flight deals!
- The site searches budget airlines that some of the other flight scanners don't cover.
- When you have a budget but aren't sure where you want to go, Google Flights is the best starting point.
- Set your home airport and Google Flights will display results from across the globe. Select the destinations that best fit your budget, then head to Skyscanner to set an alert in case the price drops!
- You can also search by interest, such as ecotourism, skiing, or foodie destinations.
ACCOMMODATIONS: HOME RENTALS
Before you book a vacation home, read these helpful tips and get a $40 credit on your first Airbnb rental.
How to Rent a Vacation Home You'll LOVE
- Airbnb is a huge hit amongst budget conscious travelers
- 3 million+ rental options
- You don't have to rent an entire home with Airbnb; you can opt for a single room in someone's home
- Costs less than hotels
- Click here to get a $40 credit on your first Airbnb rental!!
ACCOMMODATIONS: HOTELS
- TripAdvisor is the world's largest and most-trusted online travel community
- Fellow travelers post unbiased reviews about their stays so you can make informed decisions regarding your next trip
- Easily discover top-ranked nearby attractions and restaurants after you've booked your hotel
- Quickly decide all travel plans in one place
- Collect 10 nights through hotels.com and receive the 11th free via their rewards program.
- Take advantage of their “Low Rate Guarantee” to secure the best possible rates.
- Search hundreds of thousands of hotels worldwide.
- No cancellation fees from hotels.com
HELPFUL GUIDES & GEAR
- Lonely Planet's guidebooks are simply the best! They're incredibly organized, full of photos and include detailed maps.
- Download the PDFs to your phone or reader so you'll always have map info (particularly helpful in areas lacking wifi)
- Do not plan a major trip without travel insurance!
- World Nomads is recommended by National Geographic
- World Nomads is Lonely Planet's travel insurance partner
- Learn more about their in-depth coverage here