Whether planning that long-awaited post-pandemic vacation or a quick weekend road trip, one thing is certain — travel is back in full force. But with endless options for destinations, the logistics of travel planning can still be daunting.

Where to find the most affordable flights?

What hidden gems provide the best experience for the cost?

Enter the multitude of online travel resources available at our fingertips, offering everything from comprehensive booking sites to niche blogs offering insider tips on a specific locale.

After visiting the highest-praised travel websites over the past year, We’ve honed a list of essential stopovers for trip planning that will meet every US traveler’s needs.

From travel veterans to newbies, families to solo wanderers, business trips to buddy getaways — these sites deliver. Here are the 10 best websites to fulfill your future travel dreams .

1. TripAdvisor

By far the web’s most comprehensive travel planning resource, TripAdvisor helps us explore every destination imaginable through over 859 million reviews and opinions from the world’s most active travel community.

We love exploring user-generated content like Traveler photos and attraction ticket prices to get excited about far-flung destinations.

We always reference TripAdvisor reviews of lodging options before making hotel reservations.

2. Skyscanner

Our go-to source for flexible and affordable flights to just about anywhere, Skyscanner helps us save hundreds of dollars through their unique search algorithm that surfaces discounted flight options from all airlines and OTAs in one place.

We love using their “Everywhere” destination search when our schedules are wide open to travel at the best available price anywhere around the world.

3. Airbnb

Enabling unique accommodation options from cozy home shares to exotic houseboats in Offbeat locales, Airbnb transforms the conventions of lodging and infuses cultural immersion into every trip.

As monthly travelers on a budget, we rely on Airbnb for full apartment rentals with kitchen access to save on dining expenses, especially abroad where grocery stores provide affordable meal options.

4. Google Flights

Trusted as an unbiased flight search engine, Google Flights analyzes vast historical fare data to predict the optimum time to book flights for top value.

We love their unique map interface for visualizing endless destination possibilities within set budget ranges, their price tracking for monitored trips, and email alerts if lower fares open up after booking.

5. Going

The premium membership at Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) gives us elite access to exclusive airfare sales and mistake fares that aren’t advertised publicly elsewhere.

We’ve scored $550 roundtrip flights to Europe and $700 roundtrips to Australia thanks to their curated deals newsletter.

From last-minute getaways to far-flung destinations, this service helps us travel more often for less.

6. Atlas Obscura

Dedicated to discovering the world’s most astonishing forgotten places, Atlas Obscura fuels our sense of wonder and curiosity about what’s hidden in overlooked corners across the globe.

As monthly travelers seeking transformative experiences, we reference their database of obscure sites and unusual attractions to build journeys around destinations that surprise, provoke emotion, and inspire through their stories.

7. Lonely Planet

Regarded as the most thorough travel guide publisher for adventurous backpacker-style exploration, Lonely Planet provides us with endless recommendations on top sites, hole-in-the-wall eateries, affordable lodging, regional transportation how-tos, and safety guidance essential for off-the-beaten-path travel.

We reference Lonely Planet first when dreaming up plans for exotic expeditions to unfamiliar territory.

8. EscapeMonthly

Founded in 2013 with the ambitious vision of transforming modern lifestyle through the lens of travel, our own EscapeMonthly.com provides ongoing inspiring content on gear reviews, destination recommendations, outdoor adventures, self-care promotions, and secret tips to help our audience escape into blissful vacations.

Our notable series on how to travel monthly has encouraged working professionals to maximize their paid time off through thoughtful trip planning.

We pride ourselves on delivering the most worthwhile recommendations tailored to frequent travelers.

9. Travel+Leisure

Offering compelling travel stories and photo essays that transport readers to locales worldwide alongside practical planning content, Travel+Leisure stimulates our appetite for adventurous vacations and offbeat discoveries.

As fans of immersive long-form stories revealing insider perspectives on culture, cuisine, art and history, we eagerly explore new issues of Travel+Leisure for a monthly dose of inspiration.

10. Roads and Kingdoms

With its journalistic approach focused on culture, food and politics, Roads and Kingdoms publishes gripping long-form articles and vivid photography transporting readers into the heart of destinations worldwide.

Their globe-trotting correspondents deliver intimate stories of time spent embedded within remote communities, conflict zones, and locales wrestling with identity.

As travelers continually broadening our worldliness through books, films and music beyond borders, we relish the unfiltered on-the-ground reporting of Roads and Kingdoms for rare perspectives illuminating the human experience.

Final Thoughts

Equipped with this trusty lineup of essential travel websites, we’re able to consistently craft incredible monthly journeys matching our wanderlust bucket lists on modest budgets.

We hope our curation of outstanding utilities for optimized travel savings and inspiration empowers fellow US jet setters to travel more frequently to stretches of the globe both near and far.

Let the journey unfold!