WEB TRAVEL GUIDE

In this feature:
Great for last-minute planning
Name your price
Best online guidebooks
Indulge your special interest, sport or adventure
Be on e-mail alert for deals
Also:
Basics: maps, weather reports and more
Case studies: readers explain how they did it

The basic tools
Before you begin your research, check out this list of helpful tips and resources to make your travel plans fruitful.

Maps, maps and more maps. Click on mapquest.com or mapblast.com. For more specific road trips: mapsonus.com and interstate4U.com.

Picture this. The Travel Industry Association (www.tia.org) lists state tourism offices with links and lots of pics. Or go to a major search engine such as yahoo.com, type in a destination and meander.

Travel agent. For a quick, register-free check of available point-to-point airfares to major cities and popular sites, use expedia.com (1-800-397-3342).

Security blankets. Read the fine print. Web sites are not all equally secure or foolproof. If you're uneasy, book by phone instead. But either way, your credit-card info is stored in potentially accessible databases.

Talk to me. Chat rooms offer tons of advice from fellow travelers. Go to Web sites geared toward the travel you like; even post questions on e-bulletin boards.

What's the weather? Check out weather.com or accuweather.com. Worldwide, try worldclimate.com.

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Case studies: Our readers explain

FINDING YOUR OUT-OF-THE WAY SPOT

CHALLENGE: Moab, a mecca for mountain bikers and hikers in southeastern Utah, has no commercial airport, complicating long- distance travel. Salt Lake City, 238 miles northwest, is the air hub for Canyonlands and Arches national parks. Grab a bus or car rental there.

WEB TACTIC: Sandy and Bill Zurkey of Avon Lake, Ohio, used a combo of sources to plan a vacation with their kids. Says Sandy, "I like to cross-reference what the site for each city or national park [www.nps.gov] says compared to the AAA book [aaa.com], which is tried and true."

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CUTTING BIG-CITY PRICES

CHALLENGE: Chicago has two major airports, served by dozens of airlines, so finding a competitive fare is easy. But city hotel costs can be steep.

WEB TACTIC: Judy Holzmann of Campbellsport, Wis., made the winning bid at the Ebay.com auction site for two rooms at the centrally located Swissôtel for a flat $112.50 a night; the best she found on her own was $218, plus tax. Holzmann also likes expedia.com.

"They have a great variety of hotels, rental cars and plane tickets, and they're very competitive."

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ROUNDING UP THE BEACHES

CHALLENGE: The Tampa Bay area's proximity to Orlando and the many beautiful beaches of Florida's Gulf Coast (including Bokeelia on Pine Island, above) make it a desirable destination, but finding a good price to encompass it all isn't always easy.

WEB TACTIC: Liz and Troy De Roche of Chimacum, Wash., used Delta Air Lines' Web site to book a flight to Orlando (about 80 miles northeast), where fares are cheaper than to Tampa. To save money on hotel rooms, Liz lists all the family's memberships when booking hotels online. "Depending on whether you belong to AAA, credit unions, associations -- any affiliations -- you may be eligible for a discount." Local Chamber of Commerce sites such as www.gulfbeaches-tampabay.com list local events and occasional discounts on food and lodging.

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SIMPLIFING FOREIGN TRAVEL

CHALLENGE: Overseas airfares fluctuate in price, but the most current info and best bargains frequently are found online.

WEB TACTIC: Researching travel outside the United States is often easier online. "I don't have to worry about time zones," says Tanya Escobar of St. Louis, who with husband Robert built a trip to London around a show they wanted to see and even booked the tickets online. By avoiding language barriers, lengthy confirmations by mail and pricey long-distance calls, booking online is cheap and fast, too, the Escobars note. For global travel restrictions, check out www.state.gov.

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FINDING NEW PLACES

CHALLENGE: One-time gamblers' paradise Las Vegas has shifted from adults-only to family fare -- but do your homework.

WEB TACTIC: Susan Cronin of Glenview, Ill. -- who visited Vegas three times last year alone -- shopped around for a trip that would appeal to the young as well as to her and her husband, Tom. "I wasn't sure about Vegas for the kids [there are five!], but they loved it -- the lights, the arcades. And each hotel has a theme, so it's fun to walk around. I probably wouldn't even have thought of going until I got on the Internet." Research hotels and shows at lasvegas.com; check out nearby historic Hoover Dam at hooverdam.com.