511 Destinations
“Travel guides for major tourist destinations are a dime a dozen on the Internet. We focus on the not-so-major destinations… the true undiscovered gems!” says the new website, 511Destinations.com.
511destinations.com is a different kind of travel guide. While most vacation guides on the Internet concentrate on the major tourist destinations, this new website presents smaller market and off the beaten path destinations… with a twist.
Rather than being bombarded with local information to sift thru, each 511destination is a snapshot. Where to stay, eat, go and how to get around are the basics, presented in a clean, well designed layout with eye-catching graphics and great functionality.
What’s more, users are encouraged to build their own destination guide simply by submitting a brief overview. Right now, there are no limits. You can be a proud resident that wants to tell the world about your town, a traveler that’s itching to share a destination they’ve discovered, or a business looking to promote themselves via a little local information.
It’s a great little website loaded with information that you often just can’t find anywhere else. 511destinations.com is also built to accommodate viewing on smartphones and mobile devices!
Read MoreA2Z Traveler
A2Z Traveler bills itself as “The Ultimate Travel-Only Search Engine and Directory” and they are well on their way to becoming that. When we visited, they had accumulated “more than 65,000 of the very best travel websites from around the world.” in their directory, which is supplemented with results from the DMOZ project.
Searching for travel-related goods and services has become one of the principal uses of the Internet and, considering that volume, it’s logical that travel-only search engines and directories would serve that market. A2Z Traveler does that very well.
The website design is top rate and uses pastel colors give you that informal, travel and vacation feel. While the navigation system is quite detailed, it manages to remain simple and intuitive. Graphics are well incorporated and only used to enhance navigation, not overpower it.
While the directory and search features are the principal components of this website, it successfully supplements them with targeted topics of specialty travel and/or seasonal links. “Shortcuts” to air travel, cruising, destinations and highway travel are just a few. When we visited the site in February, their “Trip Planning Toolbox” offered Top 10 links to Ski Resorts and Cruise Destinations. Season specific travel content is an excellent feature.
While this website is ad-supported, advertising is minimal and the majority of ads are related to travel.
A2Z Traveler earned 5 stars. It’s well designed, content rich and a great resource for travelers.
Visit A2Ztraveler.com
Read MoreRVBuddy
If you one of the millions of campers out there, you’ll appreciate this fairly new website. RVBuddy was introduced about a year ago and is already one of the most popular camping and RV related websites on the Internet. The site is well designed, easy to navigate and offers some great content.
There are two main functional areas of RVBuddy… Campground Reviews and the Camping/RV Directory. The Campground Review feature is great. Most of the reviews have photos and give you an excellent overview of the campground. Good or bad, you get a campers opinion of the property, cleanliness of the facilities and attitude of the staff. Thumbnail sized US location maps add a nice touch.
The Camping/RV Directory is substantial and includes links to everything camping, from campgrounds to dealers, manufacturers and services. Listings also include website ratings that reflect the sites content, usability, navigation and design.
There is a handy Wi-Fi search feature on the homepage that will locate wireless Internet access sites throughout the country. You can search by location (campground, hotel, rest area, etc..), by state and by fee (free or fee). We tried a few test searches and the results were accurate and very helpful.
While this website is ad-supported, advertising is minimal and all ads are related to camping, RV and outdoor recreation.
RVBuddy is smartly designed using greens and browns that reflect the mood of camping and the outdoors. Navigation is simple and easy to understand. Content is substantial and personalized… which makes this site stand out. It’s a great site and gets better with every new review.
Visit RVBuddy.com
Read MoreMidwest TravelBuddy
If you have plans to do any traveling in the US Midwest, you must give this site a look. Highway travelers have seen Midwest TravelBuddy coupon books in hotel lobbies, restaurants, gas stations and rest areas for years and now they have an Internet edition! Find your state or route, choose your hotel and print your coupon. Every coupon in their printed publication is available on their website… and the discounts are substantial. The Midwest TravelBuddy website is efficiently-designed. No frills, no flash. Just the facts. Hundreds of discount coupons for lodging in Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas are available online. If you’re considering Branson for your next trip, stop here first. Branson lodging is well represented here.
We choose this site to feature because of it’s unique focus on the Midwest US highway traveler, as well as it’s simple design and value to the visitor. Great find!
Visit Midwest TravelBuddy
Read MoreI-95 Exit Information Guide
If you travel the eastern United States you’ve probably used Interstate 95 for a portion of your trip. I-95 is considered to be the most heavily traveled Interstate in the country, running from the Canadian border and Maine to southern Florida. With those kind of numbers, why not have a website devoted to I-95 travelers?
That’s where The I-95 Exit Information Guide OnLine comes in. As websites go, it’s a granddaddy! This site has been around a long time… since 1994! The guide has an impressive amount of content for the I-95 traveler. The “bread and butter” for this website are the exit service listings. You’ll find detailed listings for every exit from end to end. Lodging, restaurants, campgrounds, and rest areas are just a few of the services listed.
One of our favorite features of this website is the “I-95 Forum”, a discussion area that gets lots of traffic and is an excellent opportunity to ask fellow road warriors for tips and hints along the way. The forum has been around for quire some time and there is a wealth of information shared be seasoned I-95 travelers here.
Over and above the forums and exit service listings are plenty of interesting and valuable info. CityGuides is a feature that offers “quick travel reference to cities and towns along America’s East Coast”. There are tons of city guides out there on the Internet but, for the most part they feature the country’s larger or more popular metro areas. Visitors are invited to create their own hometown CityGuide and the best ones are included in this websites listings. The CityGuides here feature the small to medium size cities and towns along the I-95 route. Again, just what the I-95 traveler is looking for!
Another feature, “The Highway Gourmet” offers reviews and recommendations of restaurants, diners and fast food establishments along the way. You’ll find a few hidden jewels here. The “Travelers Alert” section identifies areas of major highway construction activity as well as other events that may result in traffic delays along your route. Gas prices, alternate route suggestions and seasonal features round out the array of travel content.
While The I-95 Exit Information Guide is heavy on content, the navigation systems is extremely easy to master. The site design is well balanced with good use of color and graphics. Content is king here and this website has it all. As Yahoo’s Internet Life Magazine says ” “The I-95 Exit Information Guide is, flat out, the single best site for auto travelers on the web…”
Visit The I-95 Exit Information Guide
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