Planning travel and finding gear online can be overwhelming.
I’ve been planning and executing several trips a month for years now, so I’m here to help. The following are my personal choices for booking travel online, as well as my recommendations for where to buy books online and where to get your travel gear.
Some of the following are affiliate links, which means at no extra cost to you, shopping from these links may generate small commissions that support the ongoing operations of this free resource. However, I’ll never promote something just to make a few cents; everything you see here is a company I actually use and would recommend to my dearest friend.
For more information or to collaborate, read my Review Policy.
Bookshop.org
The best place to order books from indie bookstores online. Often, prices rival those on Amazon. Proceeds go directly to indie bookstores around the US.
Hotels.com
My go-to site for booking hotels around the US and Europe. You can also find apartments and locally-owned rentals.
SkyScanner
My favorite resource for finding cheap flights. I love the “everywhere” function and the open date function to find the cheapest times to fly.
Kayak.com
I use Kayak.com most often to find the cheapest car rental deals online, though you can also use it for finding lodging and flights.
Viator.com
When I’m looking for tours and activities to book in my next destination, I go to Viator. You can read reviews from people who have actually taken the tours you’re interested in, and most experiences are fully refundable.
Amazon.com
I can’t claim that the company’s ethics are my favorite, but you can’t deny the convenience of Amazon. It’s an undeniably convenient online marketplace to find travel gear and just about everything else.
Rakuten
When you’re booking travel online, make sure you’re logged into your Rakuten account. Many websites offer a percentage cash back after you book, including Hotels.com and Viator (which actually has a very high percentage cash back rate!)
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
The Chase Visa Sapphire Reserve Card gets my top recommendation for the best travel card. Visa is accepted just about everywhere in Europe, with no foreign transaction fees. Plus, there are tons of travel perks, like free TSA PreCheck and included travel insurance.
A Well-Read Wanderer Gear Coming Soon
$19.99
Stay tuned for upcoming products designed for the bookish traveler
