When I was a boy I took a quote by St. Augustine to heart: “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” I have been intent on devouring as much of that book ever since. These innovative websites have helped me to delve into the adventure of experience. They allow for intelligent decisions, open planning and most importantly they get you from A to B as cheaply as possible.

Farecast is an airfare prediction website like the world has never seen. Statistical models elegantly inform you if you should buy now or wait. They show you how much the price is set to rise or drop and are correct up to the penny 74.5% of the time with an average savings of $55. They offer fare graphs for when to travel and grids that may offer cheaper options for length of stay. For now they only offer data on domestic flights.

Travelzoo researches, tests and evaluates thousands of deals. Value is the key and they deliver consistently with accuracy and open availability. Their mission is to provide the smartest, most current information and release it via e-mail in their Top 20 Newsletter and their Last Minute Travel section.

Trip Advisor is an easy to use comprehensive database of traveler hotel reviews, boasting over 10 million to date. They include candid photos, comprehensive trip planning and active forums. It is the first site I look at when searching for honest opinions.

Wikitravel has a rich database of free travel guides that are contributed and edited by the community. It is a great place to get the creative juices flowing when openly searching for destinations. The section off the beaten path showcases lesser-known and unusual destinations.

Trip-o-Rama gives users the versatility to plan, share, explore and rate group trips. You can invite others, share trip research, participate in discussions and find deals according to the size and destination of the group. You can browse trips that were taken by other groups and plan according to the pluses and minuses that were given by people who had already embarked on a similar journey.

Geobeats features professional, high production value travel guide videos for destinations worldwide. They work with local guides and hosts to reflect the local ‘flavor’ and personality. The videos are relevant, interesting and reliable.

Trivop is the first website to offer video guides for hotels. Their goal is to change the way people choose their hotel before traveling. So far the site has amassed a large video collection of hotels in France and is growing rapidly. Finally a better way to actually look at your room in full motion video before you book.

AirTroductions gives you the ability to actually choose the person who sits next to you on your next flight. Over the years some of the best conversations I have ever had have been with my fellow passengers. This is just goes one step ahead of filtering through to find someone in your industry or even a hot date at 10,000 feet.

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