Top 5 Websites I use for Travel Planning

Want to plan a trip but don’t know where to start? Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of travel websites? After planning and traveling to 12 countries, I have narrowed down the top 5 websites I find most useful when planning a trip. Full disclosure, I’m not sponsored by any of these companies, I just genuinely love their services.

Google Flights

My all-time favorite site to search for flights is Google Flights. I could go on and on about how much I love Google Flights, but for now, I will only give a quick glimpse at some of my favorite features I use every week. And for those of you wondering, yes, I am a weirdo who looks up flight prices frequently and randomly, just for fun.

For starters, Google flights will show you whether flight prices are high, average, or below average. This feature will help you know whether you are getting a good deal on your flight or not. Not to mention, if a flight is more expensive than what you want to pay for, you can track the flight and receive email updates when the price of the flight has changed. In my experience, I have noticed that the earlier you start looking for flights, the better. That way you can get a sense of the price pattern, as flight prices fluctuate constantly, and you can spot a good deal when you see one. If you’re feeling adventurous, use the “explore” tool to find the best deals around the world. The more you use it and get used to the little tricks, the more you’ll love and appreciate this website. 

Link to Google Flights

For a more in-depth look at how I use Google Flights, check out my budgeting post, How to use Google Flights to Save Money

Booking.com

While booking.com offers flight, car rental, airport transfers, and attractions, I primarily use this site to book hotels and hostels. In general, I found that booking.com has the lowest prices for accommodations. On top of that, by signing up for free, you automatically join their genius rewards program. The program has three levels and gets you discounts on stays, free breakfast, and room upgrades at specific properties. I also recommend downloading the app as some hotels offer a mobile-only price that is cheaper than if you book it on a computer. It’s also nice to use the app to keep track of all of your upcoming bookings in one place. 

Pro tip: It’s good to check the reviews before booking a stay to ensure it’s in a good location and there aren’t any red flags. In general, if a property is rated an eight or higher, you know you’ll have a pleasant stay.

Link to booking.com

Omio

Omio is an awesome transportation tool for figuring out how to get from one city to another using bus, train, or plane. Not only does it show what your transportation options are, but it also shows how much each option costs, and how long the trip lasts. Omio allows you to buy your tickets online and you can show your bus/train tickets on your phone. My last trip to Europe was my first time using Omio, but I quickly realized how much easier it made transportation. From what I can tell, it works in other continents too, but I haven’t tested it, so don’t completely take my word for it.

Link to Omio

Viator

Viator is an experience-based booking company owned by TripAdvisor. It can be tough to choose what to do in a new city, so I use Viator to find inspiration for things to do. Often, there are exciting activities like boat tours, paragliding, or sea kayaking that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. Other times it gives me ideas for things I can do on my own, such as hiking or day trips to nearby cities. I tend to only book tours that have at least a few hundred reviews, so I know it’s legit. They also have great customer service and have free cancellations within 24 hours of the event. I’ve used this site for experiences in Europe and the US, but I’ve also searched the website for other continents and as far as I can tell, it’s widely used no matter where you go.

Link to Viator

Google Maps

Many people, including me, use Google Maps as a GPS tool, yet not everyone realizes the great features it has for planning a trip. Besides being a great mapping tool, Google Maps also allows you to “save” places to lists. I use this app to plan the cities I want to go to, search for cool landmarks, and "save" the sights I want to visit at each destination. "Saving" sights to a list on google maps is an effective way to make sure you will not forget a sight while you are traveling. 

Another feature I love on Google Maps is the ability to zoom out for a view of the world map or zoom onto a specific street. I have never planned a multi-city or multi-country trip without exploring Google Maps. I like to use it as a visual tool to see where I am going and what other cities or countries are nearby. 

Link to Google Maps