Travel sites
The Travel Channel Online Network (http://www.travelchannel.com/index.html) integrates broadcast and online programming to provide an evolving resource for a personalized travel experience. It includes sections that point to vacation information sites, travel newsletters, program listings for The Travel Channel, submitted photographs, and a monthly spotlighted new topic, and a travel chat room.

(Site description courtesy of InterNIC Net Scout, Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin - Madison.)Travel-Ease is a new discussion list focusing on leisure travel for individuals and families. Participation by leisure travelers of all ages is encouraged. Travel-Ease is not intended to be a forum for business travelers. However, membership by business travelers is encouraged as they likely have many valuable suggestions that they have learned and carried over to their leisure trips. To subscribe send email to:
MAJORDOMO@POBOX.COM
In the body of the message type:
SUBSCRIBE TRAVEL-EASE

(Site description courtesy of InterNIC Net Scout, Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin - Madison.)EarthWise Journeys (http://www.teleport.com/~earthwyz/) is an independent resource for travel adventures worldwide with special emphasis on socially responsible travel, cross-cultural exchange, and the environment. EarthWise Journeys is dedicated to travelers who seek environmental awareness, adventure, personal growth, and discovery of our global community. EarthWise Journeys assists members find fun and rewarding travel adventures, learning opportunities, volunteer trips with non-profits, and personal retreats. In addition to travel planning, members receive newsletters, the discount airfares ...and more. 

(Site description courtesy of InterNIC Net Scout, Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin - Madison.)If you're planning some time away from the computer in the near future, Fodor's site (http://www.fodors.com/) can help you make your getaway. The Trip Planner allows the user to search for recommended hotels and restaurants by location, price range, and facilities/cuisine, and to get "inside info" and "top picks" for planning activities. The restaurant and hotel index provides listings for over 40 cities and regions; each establishment is reviewed and rated. The "Smart Travel Tips" page provides general advice on such topics as packing, trip insurance, and saving money on airfare. Through a pull-down menu, this page can be tailored to a specific destination, offering local telephone numbers and resources. "Know Before You Go" provides links to other web sites covering such topics as weather, currency exchange, and government travel and health advisories. There is also a catalog of current Fodor's publications.

(Site description courtesy of InterNIC Net Scout, Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin - Madison.)Rivendell International Communications has provided a language dictionary and translator page on the Web (http://rivendel.com/~ric/resources/dictionary.html). It contains pointers to searchable and browsable dictionaries with one way and both way translations. It points to a language for travelers page, with translations for basic words, numbers, shopping, travel, directions, places, and time and dates. In addition, a free translation (any of five languages) service is offered for messages of 200-300 words. Dictionaries, of course, vary in size and reliability, but the advantage of this site is that it is a gateway to dictionary and translation services for over thirty languages. Note that at this time, most of the dictionaries translate from and/or to English, but the language for travelers page will translate from any of 29 languages.

(Site description courtesy of InterNIC Net Scout, Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin - Madison.)FineTravel Magazine, produced by Louis Bignami and Big-Ray Publications, is a webzine aimed "at the traveler, not the tourist." It contains first person account feature articles about interesting nooks and crannies of various travel destinations in the US and around the world. Updated weekly, it features a searchable and browsable archive of past FineTravel articles, as well as pointers to airline information, books and videos, and resorts. It is an informative and entertaining site for the Internaut interested in travel. [JS]

Graphical entrance:
http://www.finetravel.com/finetrav/
Less graphical entrance:
http://www.finetravel.com/finetrav/contents.htm

(Site description courtesy of InterNIC Net Scout, Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin - Madison.)Ever get hungry and not know what you are hungry for? With the World Travel Guide, at http://www.wtgonline.com/, you can search for a country when you don't know which country you want to visit. This site touts that it has information on every country (and I believe 'em!) which includes information on accommodations, important addresses, business information, climate, essentials, resorts, social, and travel.  Also at WTG are maps, information about the country's size, population, capital, geography, language, religion, time zone, electricity, communications (do they have Internet connections??) BBC and Voice of America frequencies, history, and government. You'll also find at this site travel news and features, travel industry endorsements, Far East in Focus, and much, much more.

(Thanks to CJ Eagle for the site description.)At The Travel People (http://www.1travel.com/)  you will find Travel Talk! bulletin board, view hotels & destinations, search for travel agents, travel books, and online travel resources -- which is a link to an online travel magazine "travmag".  The site is organized by types such as tropical, european, world, U.S. destinations, sports, specialty, and packages like Club Med and cruises. You can also make airline, train, cruise and lodging reservations.  This is a nice site and pretty well organized with alot of travel information.

(Thanks to CJ Eagle for the site description.)Coming in for a landing at Travelution (http://www.rosenbluth.com/)...This site breaks your travel experience down into three major categories -- Escapes (gotta get away), Road Warrior (gotta travel), Jump Start (before your trip).  And each category is then broken down even more by traveler -- singles, families, couples, sports & spas, specialty, and cruises. The site is easy to navigate, and online booking for cars, flights, and hotels is also possible. While you're here, check out the planet cam for live pictures from sites around the world.

(Thanks to CJ Eagle for the site description.)Check out Travel Trends at http://www.traveltrends.com. This quarterly e-zine is edited by travel book author Edward Kaye. The 'zine has quarterly features and travel tips along with recommended travel reading in the "traveler's bookshelf". All in all, this is a nice addition to your travel bookmarks or favorite places folder.

(Thanks to CJ Eagle for the site description.)State Parks Online (http://www.crl.com/~ddickson/parks.html) contains links to information on state parks in all 50 states. Most of the links are to state departments of tourism, but there are some to personal pages. Also included are a park of the week, miscellaneous individual state park sites, and a link to L.L. Bean's ParkSearch service. This site provides one-stop shopping for prospective vacationers.

(Site description courtesy of InterNIC Net Scout, Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin - Madison.)The Air Traveler's Handbook FAQ covers just about any question you might have about going up in the air, junior birdman: including how to get free upgrades to first class, details on those pesky restrictions on electronics, info on special fares for military and clergy, and a whole lot more. It's interesting reading and great stuff to know if you fly regularly: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet-faqs/bygroup/rec/travel/air/top.html

If you're one of those people who packs six bags for a weekend trip, them you should read the "Travelite FAQ: How to travel with just a carry-on". This short file will coax you into the wonderful world of traveling light. It's at http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/travel/air/travelite-faq/faq.htmlWhen you're ready to book a flight: did you have any doubt that there was a way to do it on the Internet? Try the On-line Airline Information Page at http://iecc.com/airline/airinfo.html. This site will show you how to get airline schedules on the Internet for free, buy tickets from online travel agents and maybe get a special deal because you're an Internet user.The rec.travel newsgroups are great places to discuss all aspects of travel. The newsgroup names pretty much speak for themselves -- some of the choices include rec.travel.air, rec.travel.cruises, rec.travel.bed+breakfast, and rec.travel.resorts.all-inclusive. Other newsgroups are specific to a certain area or country: rec.travel.africa, rec.travel.asia, rec.travel.europe, rec.travel.latin-america, rec.travel.usa-canada and others.

If you're going to be heading to a far-away country, or if you're just interested in other cultures, you'll be interested in the soc.culture newsgroups -- there are nearly 200 newsgroups, from soc.culture.afghanistan to soc.culture.zimbabwe. Discussion topics here are as varied as the cultures themselves.The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs is online and makes available a variety of helpful information for travelers including the official U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets, at http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html

Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Countries where avoidance of travel is recommended will have Travel Warnings as well as Consular Information Sheets.

Consular Information Sheets are available for every country of the world. They include such information as location of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the subject country, unusual immigration practices, health conditions, minor political disturbances, unusual currency and entry regulations, crime and security information, and drug penalties. If an unstable condition exists in a country that is not severe enough to warrant a Travel Warning, a description of the condition(s) may be included under an optional section entitled "Areas of Instability." On limited occasions, we also restate in this section any U.S. Embassy advice given to official employees. Consular Information Sheets generally do not include advice, but present information in a factual manner so the traveler can make his or her own decisions concerning travel to a particular country.

Public Announcements are a means to disseminate information about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term and/or trans-national conditions posing significant risks to the security of American travelers. They are made any time there is a perceived threat and usually have Americans as a particular target group. In the past, Public Announcements have been issued to deal with short-term coups, bomb threats to airlines, violence by terrorists and anniversary dates of specific terrorist events.If you're a U.S. citizen going out of the country, you'll need a passport. The government issued 5,263,989 passports in 1995 -- if yours is going to be one this year, you'll want to visit this web page.

The State Department's Passport Services web page (http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html) includes a downloadable passport application, a nationwide list of where to apply for a passport,  and a list of 
Frequently Asked Questions about passports.This fantastic site offers images of flags of the 192 independent countries, 
arranged alphabetically. Be patient: the graphics-heavy web pages can be slow to load. It's at http://www.wave.net/upg/immigration/flags.htmlThe U.S. State Department offers many helpful travel publications at http://travel.state.gov/travel_pubs.html, including:
Tips for Travelers to Canada 
Tips for Travelers to the Caribbean 
Tips for Travelers to Central and South America 
Tips for Travelers to Mexico 
Tips for Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa
Tips for Travelers to the Middle East & North Africa
Tips for Travelers to Russia and the Newly Independent States 
Tips for Travelers to China 
Tips for Travelers to South Asia 
HIV Testing Requirements for Entry into Foreign Countries 
Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad 
Tips for Older Americans 
Sending Money Overseas to a U.S. Citizen in an Emergency 
Travel Warning on Drugs Abroad
A Safe Trip Abroad
...and more.