Don & Diana’s Favorites

Booking.com is one of the most comprehensive travel booking platforms on the planet, with millions of hotels, apartments, villas, hostels, and guesthouses worldwide. We love it for its massive inventory of free cancellation options, flexible payment choices, and the Genius loyalty program that unlocks discounts at select properties. Whether you’re planning months ahead or booking last-minute, Booking.com is always our first stop.

Expedia is one of the world’s leading full-service travel platforms, letting you book hotels, flights, car rentals, and vacation packages all in one place. The One Key rewards program lets you earn and redeem points across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo — making it incredibly rewarding for frequent travelers. Bundling your hotel and flight through Expedia can also unlock significant savings you won’t find booking separately.

Hotels.com offers an enormous selection of properties in over 200 countries — from budget-friendly options to five-star luxury resorts. Part of the Expedia Group, Hotels.com shares the One Key rewards program so your loyalty points work across platforms. We love their intuitive search filters, transparent pricing, and the “book now, pay later” flexibility that lets you lock in great rates without immediate payment.

Agoda is particularly powerful for finding accommodation deals in Asia, though it covers destinations worldwide. Known for consistently competitive pricing and a wide range of property types, Agoda is a go-to for budget-conscious travelers and luxury seekers alike. Their AgodaCash rewards program and frequent flash deals make it worth checking alongside other platforms, especially if Asia is on your itinerary.

Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner) specializes in whole-home rentals — perfect for families, groups, or anyone who wants more space and privacy than a hotel room provides. From cozy beach cottages to sprawling mountain chalets, Vrbo’s inventory is especially strong in North America and Europe. It’s our top pick when we’re traveling with family or a group of friends and want a home away from home.

Hostelworld is the world’s leading hostel booking platform, connecting budget travelers with affordable stays and social experiences across the globe. Whether you’re a solo backpacker looking to meet fellow adventurers or simply seeking the most affordable accommodation option, Hostelworld has an impressive range of properties from basic dormitory beds to stylish boutique hostels with private rooms. A must-know resource for budget-savvy travelers.

Viator is hands-down our favorite platform for finding incredible things to do at every destination we visit. With over 300,000 experiences available globally — from skip-the-line museum tickets and private city tours to cooking classes, sunset cruises, and helicopter rides — Viator truly has something for every type of traveler. Real traveler reviews, trusted local operators, and easy booking make it the first site we check when planning activities for any trip.

Tripadvisor is the world’s largest travel platform and the first place we check when researching any destination. With hundreds of millions of honest traveler reviews covering hotels, restaurants, attractions, and experiences, Tripadvisor gives you the real story before you ever arrive. Beyond reviews, you can also book hotels, restaurants, and tours directly through the platform — making it an all-in-one research and booking powerhouse.

GetYourGuide is one of the top platforms for booking tours, activities, and attraction tickets worldwide. With tens of thousands of experiences across hundreds of destinations, it rivals Viator in scope and quality. We particularly love GetYourGuide for European destinations, where their inventory of skip-the-line tickets, guided walking tours, and day trips is exceptional. Free cancellation on most bookings makes it risk-free to plan ahead.

Klook is Asia’s leading travel activities and experiences platform, though it now covers destinations worldwide. If you’re heading to Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, or anywhere across Asia, Klook is an absolute must. From theme park passes and day trips to airport transfers and SIM cards, Klook makes it incredibly easy to pre-book everything you need at competitive prices. Their mobile app is particularly well-designed for on-the-go travelers.

Tiqets specializes in instant, mobile-ready tickets for museums, attractions, and cultural experiences around the world. No printing required — just show your phone at the door. We love Tiqets for its seamless booking experience and the ability to purchase tickets right up until the last minute. It’s especially strong for European museums and landmarks, making it a great companion to GetYourGuide and Viator when planning your cultural itinerary.

Go City offers all-inclusive attraction passes for major cities worldwide, letting you visit multiple top sights for one flat price. If you’re planning to pack in a lot of sightseeing in cities like New York, London, Paris, or Sydney, a Go City pass can save you a significant amount compared to buying individual tickets. Choose between an Explorer Pass (select a set number of attractions) or an All-Inclusive Pass (unlimited entry for a set number of days) based on your itinerary.

Discover Cars is a powerful car rental comparison platform that searches hundreds of suppliers worldwide to find you the best deal. What sets them apart is their full-to-full fuel policy and all-inclusive pricing options — no hidden fees or surprise charges at the counter. We’ve used Discover Cars across multiple continents and consistently find it offers some of the most competitive rates with the most transparent pricing of any rental platform.

QEEQ is a rising star in car rental comparison, offering smart search tools that help travelers find the best rental rates across major and local suppliers worldwide. Their platform is particularly well-regarded for its transparent pricing and customer-friendly policies. QEEQ also offers useful extras like roadside assistance and flexible insurance options, making it a solid alternative or companion to other car rental search engines.

Economy Bookings lives up to its name by specializing in finding the most budget-friendly car rental options across thousands of locations worldwide. If keeping rental costs low is a priority, Economy Bookings is worth checking. They compare rates from major international brands as well as smaller local suppliers, often surfacing deals that larger comparison sites miss. A great tool for cost-conscious road trippers.

GetRentACar is a straightforward car rental comparison platform covering thousands of pickup locations in destinations across the globe. It searches across a wide network of rental suppliers to help you quickly compare availability and pricing. While not as large as some of the bigger names, GetRentACar can sometimes surface competitive rates — especially in less-common destinations where the major platforms have fewer supplier partnerships.

LocalRent is unique in that it specifically focuses on connecting travelers with local and independent car rental companies rather than the big international chains. This often means more personalized service, flexible policies, and pricing that can be significantly cheaper than the global brands. If you enjoy supporting local businesses while traveling and want a more authentic rental experience, LocalRent is an interesting option worth exploring.

Rail Europe is the premier platform for booking train travel across Europe, offering everything from point-to-point tickets to multi-country Eurail passes. Traveling Europe by train is one of the most scenic, efficient, and enjoyable ways to explore the continent — and Rail Europe makes it easy to plan and book your entire rail journey in one place. We highly recommend rail travel for anyone visiting Europe, and Rail Europe is where we start every time.

Omio is a fantastic all-in-one transport comparison platform that lets you compare trains, buses, and flights across Europe and beyond — all in one search. Instead of visiting multiple sites, Omio shows you every travel option between two destinations with times, prices, and journey details side by side. It’s particularly useful when you’re flexible on how you get somewhere and want to find the fastest or most affordable combination of transport modes.

12GO is the go-to platform for booking trains, buses, ferries, and transfers across Asia. If you’ve ever tried navigating transportation in countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, or Indonesia, you know how complex it can get. 12GO puts it all into one easy search engine with real-time availability, operator comparisons, and user reviews. We’ve used 12GO to book overnight sleeper trains, island-hopping ferries, and cross-country buses throughout Southeast Asia with great results.

Busbud is the world’s largest bus ticket search engine, covering routes across North America, Europe, Latin America, and beyond. With access to hundreds of bus operators in one search, Busbud makes it easy to find affordable intercity bus travel — often the most budget-friendly way to get between destinations. Real-time seat availability, easy booking, and e-tickets sent directly to your phone make Busbud a hassle-free choice for ground transportation.

GetTransfer specializes in private airport transfers and point-to-point transportation in destinations worldwide. Instead of haggling with taxi drivers or navigating confusing public transit after a long flight, GetTransfer lets you pre-book a professional driver who meets you at arrivals with a name sign. We find it especially valuable in destinations where unofficial taxis can be unreliable or overpriced. Fixed prices, vetted drivers, and peace of mind make it well worth it.

Holiday Taxis is a trusted airport transfer and shuttle service connecting travelers with reliable transport between airports, hotels, ports, and resorts worldwide. With a network spanning hundreds of destinations across Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond, Holiday Taxis takes the stress out of arriving somewhere new. Pre-booking your transfer before you fly means no waiting, no negotiating, and a driver ready when you land — a small investment that makes a big difference.

Kiwitaxi offers private transfer services in over 100 countries, connecting travelers with professional local drivers for airport pickups, city-to-city transfers, and custom routes. Fixed prices, no hidden fees, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before your transfer make Kiwitaxi a flexible and reliable choice. We appreciate that Kiwitaxi operates in many destinations where other transfer services have limited coverage, making it a solid backup option.

Sea Radar is a specialized cruise search platform that makes it easy to discover and compare cruises across major cruise lines worldwide. Whether you’re dreaming of a Mediterranean sailing, an Alaskan adventure, a Caribbean getaway, or a river cruise through Europe, Sea Radar helps you filter by destination, duration, price, and cruise line to find the perfect voyage. For cruise lovers, it’s a wonderfully focused tool that cuts through the noise and gets straight to the sailings.

VisitorsCoverage is a leading online marketplace for travel health and visitor insurance, letting you compare plans from dozens of trusted providers side by side. Whether you need coverage for a short domestic trip or a multi-month international adventure, they have plans for every need and budget. We love how clearly they present policy details — deductibles, coverage limits, and exclusions all in plain language. Travel insurance has saved us more than once. Don’t leave home without it.

Insubuy is a well-established travel and visitor insurance marketplace particularly known for its expertise in coverage for international visitors to the USA, as well as US residents traveling abroad. Their platform offers a wide selection of plans from reputable insurance providers, with detailed comparison tools that help you understand exactly what you’re buying. Insubuy’s customer service team is also highly regarded for helping travelers navigate the often-confusing world of travel insurance.

AirHelp is in a category of its own — it helps travelers claim compensation for delayed, cancelled, or overbooked flights. Under EU regulations and other air passenger rights laws, you may be entitled to significant compensation when your flight is disrupted, but claiming it can be complicated and time-consuming. AirHelp handles the entire process on your behalf, only taking a fee if they successfully win your claim. If you’ve ever had a flight go wrong, AirHelp is absolutely worth checking.

Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM marketplace, offering digital SIM cards for over 200 countries and regions. Simply browse plans by destination, purchase, and activate — no physical SIM swapping needed. Airalo works with all major eSIM-compatible devices and offers both local, regional, and global plans so you can find the right data package for any trip. For travelers who want the most straightforward way to get connected internationally, Airalo is our top pick.

Yesim offers a global eSIM service that works in over 150 countries, letting you get mobile data the moment you land without swapping physical SIM cards or paying roaming fees. The Yesim app is beautifully designed and incredibly simple to use — purchase a data plan for your destination and activate it in minutes. We’ve found Yesim to be a game-changer for staying connected for navigation, messaging, and sharing travel photos in real time. A must-have for any modern traveler.

TicketNetwork is a large secondary ticket marketplace offering tickets to concerts, sporting events, theater performances, and live entertainment across the USA and beyond. Whether you’re hoping to catch a Broadway show in New York, a major league baseball game, or a headline concert while traveling, TicketNetwork gives you access to a vast inventory of tickets — including hard-to-find and sold-out events. Adding a live event to your travel itinerary can transform a good trip into an unforgettable one.

Big Bus Tours is the world’s largest open-top sightseeing bus operator, running hop-on hop-off tours in over 30 of the world’s most iconic cities including London, New York, Paris, Dubai, and Sydney. It’s one of the best ways to quickly get your bearings in a new city — hop on, listen to the audio commentary, hop off at whatever attractions interest you, and catch the next bus when you’re ready. We recommend Big Bus Tours particularly for first-time visits to major cities.

BikesBooking is a specialized platform for renting motorcycles, scooters, and mopeds across destinations worldwide. If you want to explore a destination on two wheels — whether cruising the coastline of Southeast Asia on a scooter or touring European countryside on a motorcycle — BikesBooking connects you with local rental operators at competitive prices. It’s a fantastic option for adventurous travelers who want freedom and flexibility beyond what a car rental can offer.

Trip.com is a global travel platform offering flights, hotels, trains, car rentals, and vacation packages all in one place. Particularly strong for flights across Asia and international routes, Trip.com is backed by one of the world’s largest travel companies and offers competitive pricing alongside a comprehensive loyalty rewards program. Their 24/7 customer service is highly regarded, making it a reliable choice for travelers who want support available around the clock no matter where in the world they are.