My Best Travel Resources

Discover Which Websites
I Use for My Travels

My Best Travel Resources

Not sure which companies are safe to book with?

With over 13 years of travel blogging and even more years of traveling, I’ve used countless companies, platforms, and products on my adventures. Some I’ve returned to again and again—those are the ones you’ll find here—the best of the best from my personal experience as a solo female traveler who’s visited 35+ countries.

Below you’ll find everything from my favorite anti-theft purse to tour booking platforms such as GYG and Viator. Below are my top picks for travel in Europe, North America, and beyond.

I’ve found these platforms to offer great deals, be easy to use, and deliver unforgettable experiences—which is why I’m sharing them with you! I’m making it easy to plan an international trip for you! And I’m keeping it safe and comfortable with these travel-friendly products and tools.

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Finding Affordable Airfare

Flight costs can sometimes be the largest chunk of your travels. But they don’t have to be!

Google Flights logo overlaid over an image of Japan's Torii Gate set in a body of water with trees and mountains in the background under a blue sky.

Google Flights

Google Flights has a wonderful “Anywhere” feature that you can input rather than a destination to show you affordable flights from your local airport. You can, of course, also search for a particular destination.

Save with Google Flights
Next Vacay logo in a purple-and-yellow color scheme features a plane in the logo.

Next Vacay

For an affordable annual fee, Next Vacay emails you flight deals departing from your local airport. Just subscribe and let them know where you’re located. It’s how I found my $350 roundtrip ticket to Barcelona!

Subscribe for Deals

Booking Accommodation

Since birth, I’ve been staying in hotels, but at 23, I booked my first hostel in Dublin, Ireland.

Between the two, there are 15+ hostels across North America and Europe, and countless hotels across those regions, plus Thailand that I’ve experienced.

Even as a 35+ year old, staying in hostels in expensive cities is one of the best ways to save. But, as someone not on a gap year, I also frequent hotels more regularly than I used to.

Whichever you choose, here’s where I book. I typically find the best deals on Booking.com, but check Hotels.com and Expedia just in case.

My Hostel Reviews

Here, you can find reviews of hostels a guest blogger, or I have stayed in.

If you’re interested in a hostel I haven’t listed, Hostelworld is the best hostel resource out there.

It aggregates hostels worldwide, allows users to post reviews, and provides tons of information (such as hostel safety) for each hostel it lists. I check it before booking any hostel stay to ensure not only my security, but also my comfort and enjoyment.

Below are dedicated reviews, as well as where to stay guides that feature both options.

My Hotel Reviews

The hotels I’ve stayed in are mostly in my city and where to stay guides, but I do have some dedicated posts as well.

Both are featured here.

Michelle L. Jensen (Travel HerStory) standing at the base of El Castillo at Xunantunich, Cayo District, Belize, a towering Maya pyramid with intricate stone carvings near the summit. The ancient structure rises dramatically above the surrounding jungle landscape.

Ways to Save on Flights & Hotels

Flights and accommodations are the two highest costs of any trip, no matter where you’re going.

So over the past 12+ years, I’ve found some secrets to saving!

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Chase was my very first bank as a teenager, and I’ve stuck with them since. I’ve had other cards with them, but have found the most use out of the Sapphire Preferred, which allots me:

  • 5x points on Chase Travel
  • 3x points on Dining, Gas, Groceries, and Streaming
  • 2x points on all other Travel
  • $100 Chase Travel Hotel Credit
  • $0 foreign transaction fees
  • Auto rental coverage, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, trip delay/lost luggage reimbursement
  • Price drop reimbursement (I got $50 back automatically on a flight I book thru their portal)
  • and much more!

Earn 100,000 bonus points with Sapphire Reserve® or 100,000 bonus points with Sapphire Preferred® if you sign up here!

Get this Card

Rove Miles

Earn Miles While Online Shopping

Rove Miles is a transferable travel rewards currency. Rather than your points being tied to one airline, hotel chain, etc., you can accrue points that can be used widely.

You earn them through everyday online shopping or by booking flights and hotels on the Rove Travel Platform.

Meaning you can “double-dip” by earning bonus points on top of the rewards you already receive from your credit or debit cards.

Get 500 miles instantly!
Screenshot of the Rove Miles travel rewards website homepage displaying a dark world map background with destination thumbnail cards for New York USA, Paris France, Shanghai China, and Maldives, plus a flight search bar and a black Sign up and earn call-to-action button below the rove miles logo.
  • Redeem, typically for a competitive value of 1.25 to 1.5 cents/mile
  • Shop at over 13,000 participating online merchants
  • Transfer points to over 15 major airline and hotel loyalty programs

Transportation Options

Whether you’re looking to hitch a ride on a train, car, bus, or otherwise, these are the best travel resources to help you plan how you’ll get around.

Omio

Omio offers tickets for trains, buses, flights, and ferries, as well as car rentals and airport transfers. I used this app extensively while in Europe for 4.5 months in 2025.

A hand holding a smartphone displaying the Omio travel app, with options for trains, buses, and flights to Paris, France.
The Omio App
DiscoverCars

DiscoverCars is a car rental comparison site where customers can find, compare, & rent a car globally. I found it very useful when looking for cars in Europe.

Tour Companies

I love booking with tour companies, especially when traveling solo, as it takes some of the work out of it.

Typically, they provide transport to the site and a tour guide for an affordable price!

GetYourGuide logo in bold white stacked text on an orange-red background, representing the popular travel experiences and tours booking platform offering activities and attraction tickets worldwide.

Get Your Guide

I book most of my tours through GetYourGuide (nearly 50 experiences!). They offer many options—day trips, food tours, excursions to attractions, walking tours, and more. They’re the #1 place I check when looking for fun things to do.

Explore GYG
Viator registered trademark logo in teal lowercase serif font on a white background, representing the Tripadvisor-owned online booking platform for travel tours, activities, and guided experiences worldwide.

Viator

I’ve used Viator less often, fewer than 10 experiences, but they still have some cool experiences! Sometimes they are the ONLY place I can find the tour I want on offer (such as the Hol Chan sailboat tour), so it’s good practice to check.

Explore Viator
Tripadvisor logo with its signature owl icon in green, black, yellow, and orange.

Tripadvisor

I’ve booked a Tripadvisor tour a handful of times, usually after a friend or fellow traveler recommends a tour they’ve loved. It’s a good place to check to ensure you’re getting the best deal before booking, but GYG typically wins out.

Explore Tripadvisor

My Must-Have Travel Products

These are the items I cannot do without on my packing list!

FAQs

For US citizens, starting with the Travel.state.gov website is a great idea. It’ll alert you to any warnings you should be aware of before departing. I go into this more in-depth in my things to do before traveling abroad guide, covering what to look for, such as passport, visa, and vaccination requirements.

I start with Google Flights and use the “Anywhere” feature to see where I can get the best deal from my local airport. I also subscribe to Next Vacay, which emails me flight deals—that’s how I found a $350 roundtrip ticket to Barcelona.

I typically find the best deals on Booking.com, but I always cross-check Hotels.com and Expedia before booking, since prices can vary.

I’ve had a few throughout the last 20+ years, but I currently have the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital One Venture. I recently switched from using the Capital One card primarily to Chase for added benefits, including 5x points on Chase Travel, flight price drop protection, no foreign transaction fees, and hotel credit. However, Chase recently changed its point redemption from 1.25 to 1 cent per point (they now offer a variable ‘Points Boost’ program that can occasionally get you up to 1.5–1.75 cents on select bookings), so I’m a bit bummed about the loss of that guaranteed value. But I still feel that all its other benefits make it worthwhile.

GetYourGuide is my go-to — I’ve done nearly 50 experiences through them. Viator is my backup when GYG doesn’t have what I’m looking for, and Tripadvisor is worth checking for price comparison before you book.

Once I’ve decided on a travel destination, I typically start research on Pinterest. I love supporting other bloggers, so it’s my go-to source. I have several travel-planning blogs to assist you. From there, if I have any unresolved questions, I head to Facebook Groups (particularly Girls Love Travel) for additional info.

I like starting my trip planning with Google Maps and pinning everything I’ve collected with my research. This way, I can see if they group together. This not only helps me figure out where it would be best to stay, but also whether anything is way out of the way and could be pruned from my itinerary. I also look into tourist cards, such as the Vienna Pass or the Lisboa Card, to see where I can save.

I’ve stayed in 15+ hostels across two continents, and as a solo female traveler, I really enjoy the social atmosphere and the cost savings. However, if you’re not interested in socializing or aren’t worried about costs, then a hotel is likely a better choice for you. For those interested in hostels, check out my hostel tips that cover booking, packing, checking in, and making the most of your stay.

Yes, with some precautions. I’ve stayed in 15+ hostels across North America and Europe over the past decade-plus. I always check Hostelworld reviews before booking, and I’ve written a full breakdown of what to look for (and one bad experience I learned from) in my hostel safety guide.

I primarily use public transportation when I’m abroad because I find it cheaper and far less stressful than driving solo, since I’m not solely responsible if I get a flat tire or encounter another travel issue. For trains, buses, and ferries in Europe, I use Omio — I relied on it heavily during 4.5 months of travel there in 2025. For rental cars, DiscoverCars is my go-to comparison site.