The all-purpose Web sites described earlier in this article are the best places to book chain hotels. But if you are looking for something special a romantic retreat or a cozy hideaway look to these sites:

-  BedandBreakfast.com: If you are turned off by impersonal hotel chains, this is the site to visit. Address: www.bedandbreakfast.com

-  HomeExchange.com: At this site, you can look into exchanging vacation time at your home with the home of someone in a destination that you want to visit. Address: www.homeexchange.com

-  InnSite: This is a guide to inns and bed and breakfasts in the United States and abroad. This site is slow, perhaps because it indexes 50,000 pages of inn directories. But the wait is worthwhile. Address: www.innsite.com

-  Vacation Direct: Owners list their vacation homes and condos at this site, where you can find descriptions of the vacation rentals and instructions for contacting the owners. Address: www.vacationdirect.com Of course, you can also go the Web sites of the different hotel chains to book last-minute deals.

Traveling by rail

Traveling by rail offers the pleasures of traveling by car without the hassles. You can get up and stretch your legs. Instead of fast-food restaurants and highway clutter, the picturesque and the seedy roll past the window. Railroads cut through mountain passes and fly above wild rivers. The planet never looked as beautiful as it does from a railroad car. Here are some Internet resources for traveling by rail:

-  Amtrak: This, of course, is the United States passenger railway service. From this site, you can plan a trip by railroad and purchase tickets. Address: www.amtrak.com

-  European Rail Travel: This site offers planning tips and advice for traveling by rail in Europe. You can get information about the famous Eurail Pass, as well as schedules of all European trains. Address: www.eurorailways.com  

-  Via Rail Canada: This is the official site of Rail Canada. Use it to purchase train tickets when traveling in the United States’ winsome windswept neighbor to the north. Address: www.viarail.com

Resources for Traveling Abroad

Many people like to travel abroad. When you go to the expense and trouble of traveling, you may want to land in a place where things look different and no one speaks English. That way, you really feel like you’ve traveled somewhere! Here are some Internet resources for world travelers:

-  Centers for Disease Control Traveler’s Health: This invaluable Web site offers advice for staying healthy during your vacation. It explains which vaccinations you need and presents health information about specific regions. Address: www.cdc.gov/travel

-  Crazy Dog Travel Guide: This site offers tips, advice, and numerous hyperlinks to help budget travelers all over the world plan their adventures. Address: www.crazydogtravel.com

-  Foreign Languages for Travelers: How do you say “excuse me” in Swedish? You say, “Ursakta,” as this Web site so ably points out. What makes this site cool and useful is its sound capabilities. When you click a foreign-language phrase, the Windows Media Player comes on-screen, and you can actually hear the phrase. Address: www.travlang.com/ languages

-  Lonely Planet Online: From this superb Web site, you can research different destinations, get travel tips from others, or post a travel question that is bound to get an answer from Lonely Planet’s legion of adventurers. Click the Search hyperlink to research a destination abroad or in the United States. Click The Thorn Tree hyperlink to see what others say about a destination or post your own question about it. Address: www.lonelyplanet.com

-  Time Out: This site focuses on nightlife and entertainment in a couple dozen European cities (and a few American and Asian cities as well). Address: www.timeout.com

-  The Universal Currency Converter: One United States dollar will fetch how many Malaysian ringgits? The answer: 3.799 (as of this writing, anyway). Go to this easy-to-use Web site to see what happens when one currency is converted into another. Address: www.xe.net/ucc

-  U.S. Customs and Border Protection: This very helpful Web site explains such matters as how to import a car and why you were charged for what you thought was a duty-free purchase. Address: www. customs.ustreas.gov

-  U.S. Department of State Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets: Here, you will find the visa and entry requirements that Americans must fulfill to travel to every country in the world. You will also find safety statistics, descriptions of medical facilities, and embassy addresses. Address: travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html

Eccentric Sites for Eccentric Travelers

Finally, here are some eccentric sites for eccentric travelers. One of the drawbacks of getting travel information from the Internet is that much of the information was put there by corporate hotel chains that want to sell you something. These sites are devoted strictly to travel, its spontaneous joys, and its occasional apprehensions:

-  Bureau of Atomic Tourism: This site is dedicated to the promotion of tourist locations worldwide that have witnessed atomic explosions or display exhibits about the development of atomic devices. It’s hard to tell how far the creators of this site have thrust their tongues into their cheeks. At any rate, you can see many photos of nuclear devastation and yes, detailed tour schedules and visitor information are available, too. Address: www.atomictourist.com

-  Dead Presidents: Manus Hand, surely one of the most eccentric people on the Internet, has made it his hobby to take photographs of himself at the graves of the presidents of the United States. Writes Mr. Hand, “If you’re into dead presidents (and gosh, who isn’t?), you came to the right place. By simply clicking your mouse button, you can see pictures of me, Manus Hand, visiting the final resting places of every one of them (save three I’m still working on it!).” This site is living testimony that any excuse will do when it comes to traveling. Address: http:// starship.python.net/crew/manus/Presidents

-  Robert Young Pelton’s Dangerous Places: Traveling to dangerous places can be exciting. Traveling vicariously to dangerous places can be exciting as well, as this site demonstrates. Here, you can read tales of dangerous locations and get advice for traveling to dangerous places if you feel like taking the plunge. Address: www.comebackalive.com/df/ dplaces.htm

-  The World Clock: You’re going to Uzbekistan and you want to arrive fit and refreshed. To do that, however, you have to put yourself on Uzbekistan time three or four days before departure. What time is it in Uzbekistan? You can find out at this Web site. Address: www. timeanddate.com/worldclock

-  National Caves Association: This site is dedicated to spelunkers and their friends who enjoy exploring caves and caverns. Click the Caves & Caverns Directory link to go to the United States map. From there, you can click a state to look into its caves, caverns, and spelunking opportunities. Address: www.cavern.com

-  Roadside America: This is unquestionably one of the very best sites on the World Wide Web. Where to begin? How about the Electronic Map. Click this link to go to a page with links to weird roadside attractions in 50 states (New Jersey, with the Uniroyal Giantess and Palace of Depression, seems to have more than its share). Check out the pet cemetery or the Travel Brain Trauma Center or the Miraculous Virgin Mary Stump. Address: www.roadsideamerica.com

-  The Walking Connection: Walking, if you have the time and you are in good company, is the best way to travel. This site is devoted to walking tourism. It offers a message board for walkers, news of upcoming walks, and plenty of advice about good shoes. Address: www.walkingconnection.com