Introduction

The Adventure Builder is an organized compilation of travel-related websites, for

researching, booking, and carrying-out a trip, vacation or adventure of any kind. In general, the travel websites are those you’ve heard people talk about, you’ve read about in magazines or in books, you’ve seen in commercials, or may have even used yourself at one time or another. Some you’ll recognize; most will be new. No matter what kind of experience you have in mind this collection of sites will help you navigate the planning terrain.

The Adventure Builder’s flow follows the logical order of planning a trip. With all of the resources you’ll need arranged for you, this guide enables you to break the large and seemingly difficult task of preparing a trip into smaller more manageable tasks. Now when the inspiration to travel strikes, you can use this tool to zero in on the websites needed to see its fulfillment. You can use the table of contents and its hyperlinks to move around the book quickly, and because each website in the body of the book is live-linked to the internet simply click on the site of choice to jump to it.

I hope The Adventure Builder truly changes the way you go about researching, planning and pulling-off a trip, and inspires you to many meaningful and unforgettable experiences. These resources will always be here, recorded and organized for today or tomorrow, for you and yours. Enjoy it, have fun with it; may it be the compass in the planning of your adventures to come.

Table of Contents

Deciding Where to Go Information and Inspiration Build your Own Itinerary

Cruise Travel Deciding When to Go

Airfare Weather

What you need to Prepare and Bring Information about Destination

Airport Flight

Shipping Luggage Ahead Passport

Visas Health Safety

Insurance Family Money

Travel Gear Technology Languages

Pets Where to Stay When There

Hotels Hostels

Rental Properties Home Rental Experiences

Home Swaps How to Get Around When There

Rental Car Recreation Vehicle

Driving Bus

Train Subway

What to Do When There General Searches

Dining Active

Relaxation and Wellness Beaches

Theme Parks

1) Deciding Where to Go a. Information and Inspiration

i. www.gusto.com ii. www.tripadvisor.com iii. www.igougo.com iv. www.virtualtourist.com v. www.realtravel.com vi. www.tripmates.com vii. www.travelhub.com

b. Build your Own Itinerary i. www.zicasso.com ii. www.nileguide.com iii. www.tripit.com iv. www.lastminute.com v. www.voyagetrek.com

c. Cruise Travel i. Cruise Lines Association

1. www.cruising.org ii. www.cruisecritic.com iii. www.avidcruiser.com iv. www.whettravel.com v. Solo Cruises

1. www.singlescruise.com 2. www.solocruiser.com 3. www.cruisemates.com

2) Deciding When to Go a. Airfare

i. Prices for Airfares (including hotels and rental cars) 1. www.Travelbuddy.com 2. www.Kayak.com 3. www.Mobissimo.com 4. www.Qixo.com 5. www.Travelgrove.com

ii. Fare Changes and Trend Predictions – When to Buy 1. www.Farecast.com

iii. Search Engines that Include Budget Airlines 1. www.AirfareWatchDog.com 2. www.Whichbudget.com 3. Europe

a. www.Wegolo.com iv. Prices and Deals – Sent to you via E-mail

""TTwweennttyy yyeeaarrss ffrroomm nnooww yyoouu wwiillll bbee mmoorree

ddiissaappppooiinntteedd bbyy tthhee tthhiinnggss yyoouu ddiiddnn''tt ddoo tthhaann

bbyy tthhee oonneess yyoouu ddiidd ddoo.. SSoo

tthhrrooww ooffff tthhee bboowwlliinneess,, ssaaiill aawwaayy ffrroomm tthhee ssaaffee hhaarrbboorr..

CCaattcchh tthhee ttrraaddee wwiinnddss iinn yyoouurr ssaaiillss.. EExxpplloorree..

DDrreeaamm.. DDiissccoovveerr..""

--MMaarrkk TTwwaaiinn

1. www.Expedia.com 2. www.Travelocity.com 3. www.Smartertravel.com 4. www.Travelzoo.com 5. www.FareCompare.com

v. Customized Flight Plans 1. www.Insidetrip.com

vi. Name-your-own-Price Biding 1. Helpful Information

a. www.Biddingfortravel.com 2. Auction Sites

a. www.Priceline.com b. www.Skyauction.com c. www.LuxuryLink.com

vii. Multi-Destination Trips 1. www.Vayama.com 2. www.MontroseTravel.com 3. Multi-stop International Tickets

a. www.Airtreks.com viii. Choosing the Seat for You

1. www.Seatguru.com ix. Best Flights Times and Airports

1. www.Avoiddelays.com 2. www.Delaycast.com

x. Airline Credit After Price Reduction 1. www.Yapta.com

xi. Frequent Flyer Miles 1. Promotion Tracking

a. www.Webflyer.com 2. Frequent Flyer Forum

a. www.Flyertalk.com b. Weather

i. www.Weather.com ii. www.Worldweather.org iii. Includes Hurricane Coverage

1. www.Accuweather.com

3) What You Need to Prepare and Bring a. Information about Destination

i. Central Intelligence Agency 1. World Fact Book

a. www.cia.gov ii. Local Newspapers

1. www.World-Newspapers.com

""AA jjoouurrnneeyy ooff aa

tthhoouussaanndd mmiilleess mmuusstt bbeeggiinn wwiitthh

aa ssiinnggllee sstteepp..""

--LLaaoo TTzzuu

b. Airport i. Getting a Parking Space

1. www.aboutairportparking.com 2. www.airportparkingreservations.com 3. www.avistarparking.com

ii. Packages on Parking and Airport Hotel 1. www.parksleepfly.com

iii. Security 1. Check Wait Times

a. Transportation Security Administration i. www.tsa.gov

2. Personal Fast-Moving Security Lines a. Companies

i. www.flyclear.com ii. www.rtgocard.com

c. Flight i. Delays and Airport Congestion

1. Association of Air Traffic Controllers a. www.natca.org

2. Avoiding Delays a. www.Avoiddelays.com

ii. Status, Duration, Routes and More 1. Official Airline Guides

a. www.oag.com iii. Checking Flight Status

1. www.flightstats.com 2. Orbitz TLC Traveler Update

a. www.orbitz.com iv. Passenger Rights

1. Federal Aviation Administration a. www.faa.gov/passengers

d. Shipping Luggage Ahead i. Air-Freight Service

1. www.LuggageConcierge.com 2. www.VirtualBellhop.com 3. www.LuggageFree.com

e. Passport i. Applying

1. U.S. State Department a. www.travel.state.gov/passport

ii. Fast Processing (2 weeks) 1. National Passport Information Center

a. Call: (877-487-2778) 2. Private Expediters (24 hours)

a. www.passportexpress.com b. www.abriggs.com

""FFoorr mmyy ppaarrtt,, II

ttrraavveell nnoott ttoo ggoo

aannyywwhheerree,, bbuutt ttoo ggoo.. II ttrraavveell ffoorr ttrraavveell''ss

ssaakkee.. TThhee ggrreeaatt aaffffaaiirr

iiss ttoo mmoovvee.."" --RRoobbeerrtt

LLoouuiiss SStteevveennssoonn

3. More information a. National Association of Passport and Visa Services

i. www.napvs.org iii. Online Storage of Passport

1. www.Passportsupport.com f. Visas

i. Applying 1. U.S. State Department

a. www.travel.state.gov/visa 2. Private Expediters (24 hours)

a. Passport expediters (above) also handle visas g. Health

i. Investigate Health Issues 1. Center for Disease Control

a. www.cdc.gov/travel 2. World Health Organization

a. www.who.int/topics ii. Food and Travel Translation Cards

1. www.selectwisely.com iii. Travel Medicine

1. The Society of Travel Medicine a. www.istm.org

iv. Medical-Evacuation Assistance 1. SOS Assistance Emergency

a. www.intsos.com 2. AirMed International

a. www.airmed.com 3. MedjetAssist

a. www.medjetassist.com v. Diet

1. Food Allergies a. www.foodallergy.org

2. Vegetarian a. www.vegdining.com

vi. Staying Fit 1. The American Council on Fitness

a. www.acefitness.org 2. Healthy Travel Network

a. www.healthytravelnetwork.com 3. Airport Gyms

a. www.airportgyms.com 4. Travel Workout Kits

a. www.jfit.com 5. Weight Loss

a. www.weightwatchers.com

""TTrraavveell aanndd

cchhaannggee ooff ppllaaccee iimmppaarrtt

nneeww vviiggoorr ttoo tthhee mmiinndd..""

--SSeenneeccaa

h. Safety i. U.S. State Department

1. www.travel.state.gov ii. U.S. Embassies

1. www.usembassy.gov iii. www.ComeBackAlive.com

i. Insurance i. Compare Policies

1. www.insuremytrip.com 2. www.squaremouth.com 3. www.totaltravelinsurance.com 4. U.S. Travel Insurance

a. www.ustia.org ii. Providers

1. Access America a. www.accessamerica.com

2. HTH Worldwide a. www.hthworldwide.com

3. AIG Travel Guard a. www.travelguard.com

j. Family i. Information

1. www.family.go.com/travel 2. www.familytravelforum.com

ii. Flying with Children 1. www.flyingwithkids.com

iii. Babies 1. www.babiestravellite.com 2. www.babyant.com

iv. Grandparent or Grandchild 1. www.grandtrvl.com

k. Money i. Getting Foreign Currency Before Departure

1. International Currency Express (60 Foreign Countries) a. www.foreignmoney.com

ii. Exchange Rates 1. www.xe.com 2. www.oanda.com

l. Travel Gear i. TSA Regulations

1. www.tsa.gov ii. Travel Kits

1. www.solutions.com

"AAddvveennttuurree iiss wwoorrtthhwwhhiillee..""

--AArriissttoottllee

2. www.minimus.biz 3. www.drugstore.com

iii. Bags 1. www.luggage.com 2. www.protravelgear.com 3. www.hartmann.com 4. www.baileyworks.com

iv. Outdoor Apparel 1. www.rei.com 2. www.ems.com 3. www.thenorthface.com 4. www.landsend.com 5. www.patagonia.com 6. www.orvis.com 7. www.coldwatercreek.com 8. www.tilley.com

v. Camping 1. www.campmor.com

vi. For Vehicle 1. Rooftop Boxes

a. www.yakima.com m. Technology

i. Information 1. www.kropla.com

ii. Cell Phones 1. Using your Own Internationally

a. SIM card for the Country i. www.intouchsmartcards.com ii. www.brightroam.com iii. www.worldsim.com

2. Renting a. www.allcellrentals.com b. www.cellularabroad.com c. www.travelcell.com d. www.internationalcellular.com

iii. Travel Electronics 1. www.panasonic.com 2. www.pioneerelectronics.com

iv. Connectivity and Technology Services Information 1. www.geektools.com 2. Wi-Fi

a. www.wififreeSpot.com b. www.wi-fihotspotlist.com c. www.jiwire.com

v. Equipment Rental 1. www.inmotionpictures.com

““PPeeooppllee ssaayy tthhaatt wwhhaatt wwee

aarree sseeeekkiinngg iiss aa mmeeaanniinngg ffoorr

lliiffee.. II ddoonn’’tt tthhiinnkk tthhiiss iiss wwhhaatt wwee’’rree

rreeaallllyy sseeeekkiinngg.. II tthhiinnkk wwhhaatt

wwee’’rree sseeeekkiinngg iiss aann

eexxppeerriieennccee ooff bbeeiinngg aalliivvee..””

--JJoosseepphh CCaammppbbeellll

vi. For Vehicle 1. Global Positioning System

a. www.garmin.com b. www.magellangps.com c. www.tomtom.com d. www.navigon.com

2. Audiobooks a. Renting

i. www.simplyaudiobooks.com b. Purchasing

i. www.audible.com 3. Radio

a. Satellite i. XM (over 170 channels)

1. www.xmradio.com b. Stations (around the world)

i. www.radio-locator.com n. Languages

i. www.ilingo.com o. Pets

i. Policies 1. Air Transportation Association

a. www.airlines.org ii. Services

1. Boarding Kennels Association a. www.abka.com

iii. Travel information 1. Veterinary Medical Association

a. www.avma.org 2. Animal Hospital Association

a. www.healthypet.com 3. www.petfriendlytravel.com 4. www.petsonthego.com 5. www.tripswithpets.com 6. www.go2pets.com

iv. Pet Loss Assistance 1. Help 4 Pets

a. www.help4pets.com 2. National Dog Registry

a. www.nationaldogregistry.com v. Sitters

1. The National Association of Professional Pet Sitters a. www.petsitters.org

""OOnnee''ss ddeessttiinnaattiioonn iiss nneevveerr aa ppllaaccee,, bbuutt aa nneeww wwaayy ooff sseeeeiinngg tthhiinnggss.."" --HHeennrryy MMiilllleerr

4) Where to Stay When There a. Hotels

i. Reviews 1. www.tripadvisor.com 2. www.i-escape.com 3. www.travelpost.com

ii. Search by Theme 1. www.uptake.com 2. Hotel comparisons

a. www.tvtrip.com iii. Choosing a Room

1. www.tripkick.com iv. Booking

1. Wholesalers a. www.hotels.com b. www.hotelclub.net

2. Discounters a. www.hotwire.com

3. Coupons a. www.roomsaver.com

v. Wi-Fi Availability 1. www.geektools.com 2. www.jiwire.com

b. Hostels i. Hostelling International

1. www.hihostels.com ii. U.S.

1. www.hiusa.org c. Rental Properties

i. Houses, Apartments & Condos 1. www.homeaway.com 2. www.forgetaway.com

ii. Villas International 1. www.villasintl.com

d. Home Rental Experiences i. www.slowtrav.com

e. Home Swaps i. www.homeexchange.com

""LLiiffee iiss eeiitthheerr aa ddaarriinngg

aaddvveennttuurree oorr

nnootthhiinngg.."" --HHeelleenn KKeelllleerr

5) How to Get Around When There a. Rental Car

i. www.expedia.com ii. www.orbitz.com iii. www.avis.com iv. www.priceline.com

b. Recreation Vehicle (RV) i. Information

1. www.gorving.com 2. www.goodsamclub.com

ii. Rental Association 1. www.rvra.org

iii. Cruise Across America 1. www.cruiseamerica.com

iv. El Monte (North America) 1. www.elmonterv.com

c. Driving i. International Driving Permit

1. American Automobile Association (AAA) a. International Travel Link

i. www.aaa.com ii. Maps

1. AAA TripTiks a. www.aaa.com

2. Online Resources a. Google Maps

i. www.google.com b. Mapquest

i. www.mapquest.com iii. Traffic and Direct Routes (100 cities)

1. www.traffic.com iv. Rules, Laws, Sign Meanings, and Local Tendencies

1. Association For Safe International Road Travel a. www.asirt.org

v. Gas 1. Prices

a. Gas Buddy i. www.gasbuddy.com

b. Gas Price Watch i. www.gaspricewatch.com

2. Information a. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

i. www.fueleconomy.gov vi. U.S. Camping

1. www.roadnotes.com vii. AAA Fuel Cost Calculator

““IItt iiss iinn tthhee ccoommppeelllliinngg zzeesstt ooff hhiigghh aaddvveennttuurree

aanndd ooff vviiccttoorryy,, aanndd iinn ccrreeaattiivvee

aaccttiioonnss,, tthhaatt mmaann ffiinnddss

hhiiss ssuupprreemmee jjooyyss..””

--AAnnttooiinnee ddee SSaaiinntt--

a. www.fuelcostcalculator.com viii. Help!

a. www.aaa.com d. Bus

i. Aggregator 1. www.gotobus.com

ii. United States 1. Greyhound

a. www.greyhound.com 2. Northeast

a. Peter Pan Bus Lines i. www.peterpanbus.com

b. Trailways i. www.trailways.com

c. Eastern Travel i. www.easternshuttle.com

e. Train i. United States

1. Amtrak a. www.amtrak.com

2. TrainWeb a. www.trainweb.com

ii. Canadian Rail 1. www.viarail.ca

iii. European Rail 1. www.eurail.com

f. Subway i. Navigation (Around the World)

1. www.subwaynavigation.com ii. U.S. Transit Maps

1. www.hopstop.com

6) What to do When There a. General Searches

i. www.viator.com ii. www.whatsonwhen.com iii. www.ticketmaster.com

b. Dining i. Restaurants

1. www.urbanspoon.com 2. www.dinercity.com 3. www.chowhound.com 4. www.roadfood.com

""TTrraavveell iiss mmoorree tthhaann tthhee sseeeeiinngg ooff ssiigghhttss;; iitt iiss aa cchhaannggee tthhaatt ggooeess oonn,, ddeeeepp

aanndd ppeerrmmaanneenntt,, iinn tthhee iiddeeaass ooff lliivviinngg.."" --MMiirriiaamm BBeeaarrdd

5. Reserve Ahead a. www.opentable.com b. www.dinnerbroker.com

6. Tipping a. www.tipping.org

c. Active i. Information

1. www.athleticmindedtraveler.com 2. www.maxlifestyle.net

ii. Finding Fitness Centers 1. www.healthclubs.com

iii. Swimming Sites 1. www.swimmersguide.com

iv. Running Races & Routes 1. www.runtheplanet.com

d. Relaxation and Wellness i. Yoga Locations (85 countries)

1. www.yogafinder.com ii. Spas

1. www.spafinder.com 2. International Spa Association

a. www.experienceispa.com e. Beaches

i. www.threebestbeaches.com ii. The Blue Flag

1. www.blueflag.org f. Theme Parks

i. Ratings and Reviews 1. www.themeparkinsider.com

ii. Busch Gardens 1. www.buschgardens.com

iii. Six Flags 1. www.sixflags.com

““TThhee ppuurrppoossee ooff lliiffee iiss ttoo lliivvee iitt,, ttoo

ttaassttee iitt,, ttoo eexxppeerriieennccee ttoo tthhee uuttmmoosstt,, ttoo

rreeaacchh oouutt eeaaggeerrllyy aanndd wwiitthhoouutt ffeeaarr

ffoorr nneewweerr aanndd rriicchheerr

eexxppeerriieennccee..”” --EElleeaannoorr

RRoooosseevveelltt