The internet is filled with travel planning information. There are lots of travel planning sites and lots of travel blogs. How can someone know what information to use? The answer comes down to being able to simplify all this information and use a few trusted resources. Here is my list of tried and tested travel resources. Note: This page includes some affiliate links. This means that if you buy anything using these links you get the best price available and I get a small commission. I am really grateful if you use them, but you don’t have to.SMART Travel Planning
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Finances
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. This is my favorite credit card for traveling to Europe. Very flexible travel rewards and lots of travel benefits. Hands down, the best travel credit card today.
Capital One 360 Checking Account. If I would open another checking account, this one is the best for foreign travel as it doesn’t charge any foreign ATM fees.
Moneygram. For sending/receiving money to/from any foreign country. Lowest fees and the best coverage.
Hotels
Booking.com. I have used Booking.com throughout England, Italy, Germany and Austria. Every time I have found that the reviews were true and I could actually get in touch with the hotel staff and get my questions answered. I highly recommend this website.
Rental Cars
DiscoverCars.com. In Europe I have rented from all major car rental services: Hertz, EuropCar and Enterprise. You can save quite a bit of money by using DiscoverCars.com to compare prices and services. They include a number of smaller companies that offer great savings.
Costco Car Rental. Part of Costco’s Travel websites, its car rental services have given me great prices for renting a car in the United States. If you are a Costco member check out their car rental deals.
Plane Tickets
Air France/KLM. I have always been impressed by the service and prices from AirFrance KLM, even before becoming the same company. Their connections to Europe are great and their prices are the best. Highly recommended.
Sky Scanner. Great mobile app and website for setting up price alerts for certain routes. Another great site for bargain hunting…if you’re flexible again.
Electronics
Two simple electric plug adapters for Europe or a reliable universal plug adapter.
USB car charger with two ports. This is a simple car charger that is a must have when traveling.
New Moto E Global Unlocked Phone. Any unlocked smart phone will do as long as it is dual band so it works both in the US and Europe. The new Moto E is cheap, has long battery life and works great in Europe. Just buy a local SIM card with a local number once in Europe and you’re good to go.
KeepCalling.com. Cheapest international calling card and mobile app. Please use referral code: F4640 when signing up for an account.
Planning ideas
Get Your Guide. Newer tour aggregation company with lots of local tours and museum discounts. I check it everytime I plan my trips abroad or in California. Their selection is expanding all the time.
Viator.com. Excellent collection of tours, museum tickets and city passes throughout the world. If you’re looking for a walking tour or boat ticket then Viator is the place to search. Viator is also a great place to figure out local itineraries even though you will not buy anything.
TripAdvisor. Very helpful site for most tourist attractions across the world. I find Trip Advisor invaluable especially in the beginning phases of planning a trip.