From my favorite pair of shoes to travel with to the exact websites I use to plan all my trips, here are all of my go-to travel resources! I’d recommend bookmarking this page and referencing it when prepping for your next adventure! Heads up, this page does contain some affiliate links, which means I may get a commission if you make a purchase. To find out more, you can read our full affiliate disclosure right here.
ACCOMMODATIONS
EXPEDIA
When planning domestic trips, Expedia is my go-to online travel agency (OTA). I use Expedia to find hotels within my price range, but I always check a hotel’s price directly on the official hotel website, too. If the nightly rate is comparable, I book directly on the hotel’s website (instead of Expedia) to ensure better customer service if there is a room mix-up.
AIRBNB
Airbnb is the website I use to find long-term stays. I’m upset that Airbnb axed their Superhost filter, one of my favorite ways to search for guest-vetted stays. Other filters I turn on are WiFi and free parking. I still check for Superhost status while searching (as these hosts tend to be more reliable and responsive).
HILTON
If I’m booking a Hilton Hotel (including DoubleTree, Curio, Waldorf Astoria, or any of Hilton’s other brands), I use Hilton’s website. I book directly on the Hilton website because I’m a Hilton Rewards member (it’s free to sign up – no catches). And sometimes, I get fancy room upgrades when I do (and really, who am I to deny a free room upgrade?).
GETAWAY
$25 OFF with code TOEDEN
Dotted all around the United States, Getaway House is a cozy cabin in the woods just an hour (or two) drive from the big city. It’s a quiet, big-windowed forest glamping escape (equipped with a shower and toilet) where you’re encouraged to tuck away your phone and disconnect for a while.
HOME EXCHANGE
If you couchsurfed in your early twenties, Home Exchange is for you! Home Exchange allows you to easily swap homes while you’re on vacation. These homes are usually not as polished as Airbnbs, but Home Exchange is meant to be more casual and community-centric.
GETTING AROUND
ENTERPRISE
Now that I’m past my mid-twenties, I use Enterprise. I book online because it’s cheaper, and I choose a mid-size vehicle. If you have an Enterprise location near you, you can also check different locations for rates (each the rate varies shop-to-shop).
ATTRACTIONS
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
If you love National Parks, the America The Beautiful Pass is worth the investment! This pass has saved us so much money while traveling, and made driving into National Parks a breeze (instead of waiting in line, most rangers just wave us into the park once they spot the pass in our car).
GET YOUR GUIDE
If you’re planning a Europe trip (to Italy, France, The Netherlands, or England), check Get Your Guide for popular attraction tickets and day tours that will deepen your experience! Passport To Eden readers usually enjoy Get Your Guide’s variety of culinary classes and romantic dinner cruises.
GOCITY
GoCity offers bundled (and deeply discounted) attraction passes for several cities around the US, from New York City to New Orleans. If I’m spending a few days in a city and want to save money on the highlights, I check if there is a GoCity All-Inclusive Pass available!
CITY PASS
Every time I’ve used City Pass, I’ve saved about 40% on attractions. I used this pass to be a tourist in my own home in Dallas, enjoy a quick weekend escape to Houston, and see the highlights of Atlanta in a day. I wouldn’t recommend City Pass for Orlando and Southern California (I think there are better options for theme park savings), but I recommend it for non-theme-park driven cities in the US!
FLIGHTS
SKYSCANNER
Skyscanner is my favorite website to search for flights (I have a full guide on how I search using Skyscanner right here). Skyscanner is a flight aggregator, so you’ll see lots of different OTAs in their results. I only book through an airline’s official website. Even if it’s a few dollars more, booking through an airline’s official website gives me peace of mind that my tickets are valid and I can access an airline’s official cancellation policy.
MOMONDO
I use Momondo the same way I use Skyscanner: to narrow down dates for an upcoming trip. I prefer Momondo when I already know the month I’m planning on traveling, but want to find a week within that schedule to take days off from work. When I find the dates for a flight, I use the airline’s official website to book because I don’t trust a lot of third-party companies’ offers.
SEAT GURU
Seat Guru is a helpful tool for selecting flight seats because Seat Guru shows you a seat map of different flights. When you hover over a seat (on the seat map), you get details, tips, and notes about that particular seat. Looking at a seat map helps me prepare for a flight beforehand (I have time to figure out how to stay comfy while on board).
FARE DROP
As someone who lives in Nashville, Nashville-based Fare Drop is my favorite flight deal notification service (and y’all, I’ve tried many). FareDrop scans the web for the best flight deals and sends them straight to your email (you can also choose your home airport and preferred travel regions to get emails relevant to an upcoming trip). The limited plan is free (worth it if you’re only flying domestically), and the pro plan is worth it even if you’re planning just one international trip outside the U.S. this year.
GOING
Now rebranded as Going, Scott’s Cheap Flights is the service most of my friends use to get notified of cheap flight deals. You choose a departure airport and get notified when a price drop occurs. Going is one of the easiest ways to save on flights (like FareDrop, it takes away a lot of the effort in finding cheap flight deals but still carries the reward of saving money on flights).
SECRET FLYING
I wouldn’t recommend Secret Flying if you’re new to travel hacking, but if you’ve hunted for a flight deal before and feel confident booking cheap flights, Secret Flying is for you. This website is full of mistake fares. Note: The deals on Secret Flying expire quickly (most websites catch onto error fares fast), so you’d have to be ready to book same-day.
FLIGHT HACKING
10 Last-Minute Tips For Your Next Flight
My next flight is a week from now. In seven days, I’ll be hopping on a plane and traveling to Philadelphia. It’ll be my sixth round-trip flight this month. And somehow I’ve managed to spend…
In My Carry On
Essentials
TSA-Compliant Liquids Bag — an easy way to adhere to TSA’s 3-1-1 rule. I bought mine from Target, but there are also plenty of options on Amazon.
Packing Cubes — I pack carry-on only, so my packing cubes and clothes compressors end up in my carry-on backpack. If you’re checking in luggage, pack your clothes into your checked luggage but keep a spare set in your carry-on (in case the checked luggage gets lost or delayed)
Passport Holder — to help organize ids, cards, and vaccination documents. The Stouchi Passport Holder has an airtag holder if you tend to misplace things and already own an Apple airtag.
For tHE flIGHT
Kindle — how I while away time on a flight. I love reading on a plane using my Kindle. It’s a quiet, comforting activity that doesn’t take up much space, and entertains me for hours.
Travel Pillow — a dense neck pillow for long flights is a must for me. I tend to get neck pain after a flight, so I purchased a stiff, compact neck pillow so I can’t bob my head around as much. Works like a charm.
Hydroflask — a reusable water bottle that keeps me hydrated on every plane ride. I empty the bottle before heading into TSA and refill it at one of the airport water fountains before boarding my flight.
Cameras
Sony Alpha a6400 — the mirrorless camera I use for vlogging. I love that the Sony Alpha a6400 has a flip-out screen, solid autofocus, and a stereo input (where I connect my Rhode Mic).
Canon Eos Rebel T7 — Most of my blog photos are taken on an older version of this camera that is, unfortunately, no longer manufactured. But the Canon EOS Rebel T7 is another durable, beginner-friendly DSLR camera for anyone looking to improve their photography.
GoPro Hero 10 — a compact camera that catches action shots with ease. I usually wear this camera like a necklace while hiking, and have it mounted on my car during cross-country road trips.
Social Media
Other Favorites
