The Travel Mavens recommend other websites that provide reliable and credible information for travelers. The following listings are not ads, as these websites did not pay to have their names listed. We will add topics and sites as they are reviewed by the staff.
Cruising, cruise shipsFran Golden: Cruise writer Golden, a member of the TravelMavens.com staff, frequently is at sea, writing about her adventures. Her Cruise blog at Porthole Magazine. Fran's Experience Cruise blogs at USA Today.
USA Today: Interactive chat with reporter Gene Sloan about cruise news and cruise ships.
Cruise Critic: Popular interactive site for reading reviews of cruise ships by staff and by vacationers who comment in forums about experiences on their cruises. Staff asks and answers questions. Staff also writes news about new ships in the building stages and about cruising issues, such as which ship has the best specialty restaurants.
Peter Knego: Maritime Matters is the forum for Knego's cruise ship reviews and news from around the world, including looks at old ships and ocean liners.
Ralph Grizzle: Author, photographer and video guy, Ralph Grizzle usually is at sea. His Web site and blog is Avid Cruiser.
Award-winning websites
Top Online travel sites in the 2013 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition:
Destinations and commentary
WorldHum: International travel dispatches with an entertaining twist and a well written travel blog. Winner in Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition, sponsored by the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation. WorldHum.com, founded in 2001, was bought by the Travel Channel in 2007. Founding editors Jim Benning and Michael Yessis continue to manage the site.
Budget Travel Magazine wins Lowell Thomas awards, because of its money-savings tips and short destination videos.
The Traveler's Journal One of the Internet's daily online travel resources, featuring free "audio postcards," travel articles, videos, press releases, and a bookstore.
Tripatini A forum for writers who travel, travelers who write -- a free web site to "mix it up with the experts."
Restaurants
Zagat: The famed guidebook series based on customer restaurant reviews operates an authoritative Website that has news and reviews about top restaurants around the United States and in many cities worldwide. Zagat's blog takes you to hot restaurant news and openings.
Consumer tips and troubleshooting
Christopher Elliott's First aid for Travel: Entertaining Elliott will tell you how to get there, what to avoid and how to save money. Sign up for his free email weekly newsletter of travel tips and news. Elliott's Troubleshooter column began in 1999 as a question-and-answer feature for the Website Ticked.com. Now it is nationally syndicated.
Fun, fun, fun
Signspotting: Doug Lansky, editor of the book, "Signspotting," is a world traveler with a keen sense of humor. Signs are from Namibia, left, and Canada, right.
Lansky invites travelers to share the crazy signs they see around the world at his Web site, Signspotting.com. You may rate your favorite signs.
Lansky also edits the Titanic Awards for worst vacation experiences. TheTravelMavens editor David Molyneaux contributed his Titanic favorites.
GolfBest Golf Resorts of the World: Links to top luxury golf resorts in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe, as well as some nice pictures that may encourage you to take up the game because golfers always seem to get the best views. Contributors include golf travel writer Dale Leatherman and Ed Stone, editor of Go Golf and Travel, a good site for reviews of top U.S. golf resorts and courses that Stone has played.
GuidebooksLonely Planet and Frommers, both Lowell Thomas winners, provide travelers with expert guidance beyond the printed pages you see in the book stores.
Flying
Choose your airline seat at Seat Guru: The site shows every airline and every seat on every kind of plane, including the positives and negatives of each seat. SeatGuru.com may help you avoid that spot next to the lavatory.
Business Travel
Joe Brancatelli's insightful business travel column.
The Travel Insider is edited by David Rowell, formerly a corporate traveler and travel wholesale owner who writes and consults on the travel industry.
For travel blogs, see Best Travel Blogs.
A good informative post and really appreciate your work.
Got to visit some good sites on travel.
Thanks for the list and keep sharing your information.
Posted by: Turtle Inn | January 20, 2011 at 01:36 AM