The concept is simple, but the possibilities are endless. All you do is list your house, complete with specs and pictures, and hunt around the site until you find a place that you think is comparable where you’d like to spend a few nights. Contact the owner, see if he/she is interested, and boom! You’ve got yourself a shag pad for your next vacation.
All around the world, people have jobs that need doing, and some are more than willing to put somebody up for a few nights and throw some meals in exchange for work. HelpX has projects for anyone looking to save some dough while traveling with a wide variety of tasks from farming and childcare to building. The site also allows you to see references from previous hosts and workers so you can figure out if you’re about to enter into indentured servitude.
Rather than shelling out big bucks to a travel agent to plan your trip, figure things out for yourself with the aid of an international community of people who have been there before, and have some seriously cool tips that they’ll give you free of charge. (Advice is always better when it comes commission free). Scroll through thousands of travel stories, blogs, and guides. You can also access portals to book travel through the website.
Similar to HelpX, but with a slightly narrower focus, WWOOF is a network to link hosts with volunteers looking to get their hands dirty on an organic farm, experience life in the countryside, and get set up for a time with accommodation and meals. For anywhere between two to six hours a day of work (really depending on the host), volunteers will learn the ins and outs of host farms ranging from small family gardens to organic commercial farms.
Sometimes you’re not able to dragoon a friend into taking a month off work to travel across the globe with you, but you don’t always want to travel the whole way alone. TravBuddy lets you connect with travelers across the globe who are heading the same way as you, as well as with locals interested in meeting new people cruising through their neighborhood. TravBuddy also collects reviews from users for a comprehensive look at anything you’d want to know about your next destination.
Adopting a pay-it-forward mentality, CouchSurfing allows travelers to check out registered hosts in their next destination and snag a couch, floor space, or back bedroom to save some money, rather than shelling out for pricey hotels. Hosts can be just about anybody who has the space and inclination to meet people from across the world, and most try to participate as both hosts and surfers at various points, depending on their travel status. CouchSurfing also allows you to read reviews of members, just to make sure you’re about to lock yourself in the same house as a reputable person.
Hotels and the like often inflate their prices to make up for expensive taxes, leaving customers to foot the bill. Airbnb avoids this by creating a user-to-user online marketplace for hosts to rent out their apartments, or even just rooms within their apartments, to guests visiting their city. User reviews and social connections ensure accountability, and guests get to put their feet up in a private home rather than a commercial hotel.
You’ve got the time, you’ve got the money, but you’ve got no idea where you want to go. TripTuner lets you play around with six situations to decide what you’re looking for: relaxing or active? Cold or hot? Urban city or remote countryside? It’s got a variety of location suggestions, as well as links to book hotels and the like in your chosen destination. Check it out for inspiration, and to satisfy that niggling wanderlust.
Insiders always have the best tips, so check out Vayable to get a collection of local travelers’ firsthand experiences and advice for visiting their neighborhood. You’ll get a more intimate look at your destination, and you can browse through the site based on a wide variety of activities you’re looking for.
mmMule is a couple services rolled into one, and they’re all awesome. Locals can post something they need done, or a favorite activity they have in their hometown that they’re anxious to share with others, and travelers can contact them to check it out in exchange for completing some type of work the host needs done. Travelers can also book expeditions that might need more extensive guides or equipment through the site on the cheap.
