Once you’ve got a trip planned, there is nothing to do but wait — aside from the research, that is. Researching a destination, particularly one to which you’ve never been, can be pretty overwhelming. A simple Google search can yield millions of results to sift through. Still, some people absolutely relish the act of exhaustive research. These people have developed shortcuts and tricks, as well as found the best websites to search. These people can help.
One great place to search for information about a destination is right here on Gadling; either by typing your destination into our search box or surfing our Explore the Map tab (above). If you’re still hungry for more, here are some ideas from our readers (collected on Facebook) about how to best research an upcoming trip.
The top ten ways Gadling readers research their upcoming trips
1. “Double-check the site or restaurant’s hours (and seasons), using their own webpage if they have one, to avoid wasting precious time on the trip!” — Lillian
2. “I usually look at the the public transportation options and I look at TripAdvisor.com for things to do then on top of that I use Yelp.com and I Google around to see what other people have said about the area. Sometimes I even check Craigslist for community events and whatnot.” — Anita
3. “New York Times Travel section.” — Evan4. “Always start with locations (cities and how many days), then the hotels, then the transportation, then the daily sight-seeing/activities.” — Saadia
5. “Look up EVERYTHING about it. Wiki, CIA, State Dept, Google, etc. and then look at a map (I think I have paper maps of every area) and plan out routes and points of interest, etc.” — Despina
6. “AAA TripTiks.” — Jeneveve (AAA members only)
7. “I LOVE LOVE LOVE guidebooks, I know, but I love reading ’em.” — Saadia (again)
8. “It is about a two week process that includes internet, books, magazines and tips from friends. I use all that information and cross reference and double check.” — Jennifer
9. “Combination of travel books, Google, TripAdvisor, the city’s tourism website, and when i get to the destinations, I ask around.” — Darvin
10. “It all starts with a particular attraction or life goals to scratch off the list.” — Rodney
Got a better idea? Want to join in the conversation? Visit Gadling on Facebook.
[Photo by celesteh via Flickr.]