Need help choosing the best travel companies to book your trip with?
We began traveling full-time in 2018 and we’ve tried countless hotel reservation websites, tour operators, car rental agencies, and many other travel-related sites since.
Below are the companies we use and trust for getting great deals on transportation (flights, car and RV rentals, buses, trains, and ferries) and accommodations (hostels, hotels, and vacation rentals), reserving memorable tours and activities, buying quality travel gear, getting good travel insurance coverage, and more.
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Flights
Skyscanner: Our favorite airfare search engine! It always finds the best price compared to other sites. Use their flight price map to search for the cheapest destinations across the globe in one glance and setup price alerts.
Kayak: The best thing about Kayak is that it includes tons of budget airlines in the search results. It also gives advice on when to purchase by telling you when prices are expected to go lower.
Expedia: Another fantastic way to find cheap flights, Expedia consistently finds great deals on flights around the world.
Accommodations
Booking.com: This is our go-to site for booking hotels, but they also have hostels and vacation rentals. Most of their hotels offer free cancellation and many come with breakfast included. Be sure to join their rewards program to get 10%! Hotels.com is our backup on the rare occasion we can’t find a specific hotel on Booking.
Vrbo: Unlike Airbnb, Vacation Rentals By Owner (Vrbo) focuses on private vacation home rentals, and many of them are much better quality. We booked one of our most memorable vacation rentals ever on VRBO: a beautiful bamboo cottage surrounded by nothing but lush jungle in Hawaii.
Hostelworld: Hands down the best site for booking hostels and budget-friendly hotels. Hostels are a great option for budget travelers seeking a community experience. Save big by staying in shared rooms or book private rooms for a fraction of the price of regular hotels.
Tours and Activities
Viator: A Trip Advisor-owned tour booking site, Viator offers more guided day tours, multi-day trips, cooking classes, and activities than any other, especially in Mexico. They make it easy to find the perfect tour because you can filter tours by location, category, and rating. Plus, they offer free cancellations and 24/7 customer support.
Get Your Guide: Find activities and day tours all over the world with Get Your Guide. A cool thing they offer is “Skip The Line” entry tickets for attractions that you’d otherwise have buy in person, allowing you to spend more time exploring and less time waiting in line. They also have 24/7 customer service and most bookings offer free cancellations.
G Adventures:The leaders in small group adventure travel for over 20 years, G Adventures offers small group tours made up of like-minded travelers. We like that they give travelers a taste of the local culture, food, and life, and they offer tours for people of all ages, including family-friendly tours.
Transportation
Discover Cars: Renting a car is our favorite way to get off the beaten path while traveling. Discover Cars compares all of the top car rental agencies, like Hertz and Avis, plus local companies to find you the best deal across the globe.
Bookaway: Our #1 site for booking buses, trains, and ferries around the world. Forget trying to figure out the transportation schedules in the local language! Bookaway offers timetables and ticket-booking online in English. Plus, you can pay using your favorite travel credit card, so you don’t lose out on your travel rewards points!
Outdoorsy: This is like Airbnb for recreational vehicles instead of houses. Search hundreds of camper vans, RVs, and travel trailers and rent the perfect one for your camping trip. If you’re looking for a van life adventure, Escape Campervans offers beautiful camper vans that come with everything you need for the perfect trip!
Baja Bound Mexican Insurance: Driving your own car or RV south of the border? You need to get additional Mexican auto insurance (third-party liability coverage is required by law). You can buy reliable Mexico auto insurance online in just a few minutes with Baja Bound.
Travel and Outdoor Gear
Amazon: Pretty much whatever it is you need for your trip, the world’s largest online retailer has it. Packing cubes, snorkel sets, and UPF shirts are just a few of the many things we’ve purchased on Amazon over the years that we still use for our travels.
➡️ Visit Our Amazon Shop to see our favorite travel gear and packing lists!
REI: From hiking shoes to travel-sized insect repellent to carry-on bags, REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc) has everything you need for your next adventure. This store has an amazing return policy and knowledgable staff to help you choose the right gear. Become an REI Member to get a lifetime membership, Co-op Member Rewards, and deep discounts.
Patagonia: One of our favorite outdoor and travel gear brands! Patagonia not only sells outdoor clothing and gear, it’s also an activist company that pushes for political action on climate change and strives to reduce its environmental impact. They sell sustainable outdoor and travel gear like bags made from 100% recycled plastic bottles and Kristina’s down-alternative puffy jacket.
Travel VPN
Express VPN: Connecting to unsecured wifi at places like hotels, airports, and coffee shops while traveling is a major security risk! Using a Virtual Protection Network (VPN) gives you privacy while browsing the internet, hides your location, and encrypts your activity to protect you from hackers and prevent data theft. Plus, you can stream your favorite shows and browse the internet in English, just like at home.
Travel Insurance
TravelInsurance.com: A travel insurance comparison site which makes it easy to search for and buy travel insurance coverage from top-rated insurers. You can get quotes for multiple companies at once and compare their plans, prices and benefits.
Visitors Coverage: This travel insurance company sells insurance coverage adapted to the way you travel. You can get only travel medical insurance, only trip insurance coverage, or both! It’s a one-stop shop to browse, compare, and purchase travel insurance policies.
SafetyWing: The best travel medical insurance for month-long trips, nomads, and remote workers. Their affordable Nomad Insurance plan includes access to a qualified global network of hospitals and doctors for unexpected medical problems and accidents and coverage for travel delays, lost checked luggage, emergency response and natural disasters, and personal liability.
