Lucerne Switzerland
This article provides information and links to websites that I have found helpful in planning my trips outside of the USA. I am hoping that they will be helpful to you too. If you see something that you feel is missing and that would help you in your planning process please leave a comment below or drop me a note at joe@travelingonmyagenda.com My goal is to provide a comprehensive list that we can all use.
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Travel.State.Gov is a must visit site if you are planning a trip out of the US. This link is to The U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consumer Affairs. It lists all travel advisories issued by the U.S Department of State. It has a place to search by Country the standard for mobility-impaired travelers, a section to help you get a passport, plus many more things you should know before you travel outside of the country.
You will also find information here on what the country you are visiting requires as in Visa requirements, passport validity, how many blank passport pages are required and if you need a vaccination or not. The visa requirement is something you should look into early in your trip planning process. Do this early so you won’t have to pay extra fees to expedite the process.
The Department of Homeland Security Here you can get information on The National Terrorism Advisory System, links to press releases and how to follow this agency on social media.
Transportation Security Administration or TSA. Most of us know this organization by going through the security checkpoint at airports. Here you can get wait times at the security checkpoint at your airport, list of TSA Pre airports and how to apply for your TSA Pre. If you travel by air very much this is something you should look into. I know it is the best $90 that I have ever spent for travel.
Trip Advisor This is the largest travel website. I have not booked anything through them, but I use it extensively in finding hotels and things to do. You can create an account and save the hotels you are interested in.
The Man in Seat 61 This is a great resource for train travel in Europe. I have not booked anything through this site but I have found his advice to be very helpful.
The Traveling Professor is a name to remember if you don’t like large tour groups and are hesitant to travel because you aren’t ready to plan everything yourself. Steve is a friend of mine that runs small group tours to Europe and South America. He will even plan a trip for you if you want to go by yourself and not with a group.
Rick Steves is an icon in the travel industry. He is probably the most recognized and respected person when it comes to travel advice. So far far I have only used his site for researching travel to Europe. I have not booked anything through this site and have never participated in one of his tours. Rosita and I have friends that travel a good bit and and enjoy participating in his tours.
OneTravel This sight has a wealth of contact information. It has phone numbers and websites for airlines, hotels and car rental agencies. It has a glossary of travel terms. I have not booked anything but you can also book flights, hotels and cars from the site.
Google Flights and Skyscanner are a couple of web based sites to help you check out pricing on major airlines. Hopper is an app that will let you search for flights. You can either purchase your flights through these sites or you can go to the airline website to purchase. These are good sites to check to find the best prices for your destination. If you are flexible you can change your days and get better prices.
You will need to get some power adapter plugs before you travel internationally. Power plugs and sockets of the World is a great site for determining what adapters you will need. Here is a good universal plug adapter that you can use in most places in the world. It has a couple of USB ports and two ports for type A & B, the types used in the US. Also check to see if you will need a power converter. Plugs for Apple products and most other phones and laptops have power converters built in so you won’t need one. If you are carrying other items you possibly could need a power converter. Hair dryers, beard trimmers and other items might need a power converter. Read the ULL listing for your products to see if you need a power converter. If it is listed as 110 to 120 only, you will fry your device if you only use a plug adapter in most parts of Europe.
If you have any questions or comments about the content you can leave me a message below or drop me a note at joe@travelingonmyagenda.com
Thank you and start planning your trip!
