Travel Smarter This Summer

Vacation tips from Netted

Summertime is finally here and that means vacation season has begun! But leaving town doesn't have to mean breaking the bank or putting up with major hassles. Netted has you covered with online tools to help you get the most out of your summer trips while making sure your time and money are well spent. So grab your sunscreen, prep your flight-booking fingers and get ready to hit the road--it's vacation time.

Find trips perfect for your interests - and budget

Most people know that they need to take a vacation: usually the hard part just comes down to getting it planned. Wanderfly can help by recommending destinations based on your interests, price range and dates. Looking for history and romance? Want a beach with nightlife? They'll provide you with the perfect places based on how much you want to spend. The best part is discovering a dream vacation...you can actually afford.

Try Wanderfly

Consolidate all your travel research and itineraries

TripIt helps you get your trip research (and final plan) under control and into one place for easy access. Not only are your itineraries and information automatically organized, but it also includes maps, directions, weather and the ability to book restaurants, theater tickets or activities from within the site. Using the iPhone and iPad apps make this the ultimate pocket concierge.

Try TripIt

The best weather site we know

There may be a reason why your flights to that beach destination were so cheap, and that reason may be something called "hurricane season." Weatherspark lets you look up years of past weather data to see what weather is really like during certain times of year. Knowing conditions before you book can help ensure you've packed the right clothes--and that the highlight of your vacation isn't cable re-runs.

Try Weatherspark

Rent an apartment instead of a hotel room

There's nothing like flying thousands of miles to overpay for a generic two-bed hotel room. AirBnB connects people who have space to spare with those who are looking for a place to stay by letting you rent lodging directly from locals. They offer everything from chic urban penthouses and lofts to castles and tree houses. It's a great way to save money, take in some real local culture, and have a unique travel experience.

Try AirBnB for Your Vacation

Get the cheapest gas around

There was once a time when filling up your gas tank didn't take half a year's salary. Until they invent a time machine, Gas Buddy is the closest approximation we can find. Available for iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry, GasBuddy searches prices at gas stations near your current location. Gas stations (and their prices) are mapped so you can find the closest and cheapest option. It's the best way to know you're not overpaying for fuel.

Download the GasBuddy app

Don't let your cellular bill sneak up on you

There's nothing worse than getting home from a trip abroad to find that your phone's data charges cost more than the trip itself. But these days, it also feels like being without your Twitter feed or email is just not an option--even on vacation. Onavo can help you avoid that mammoth phone bill by helping you cut down on the downloading required to use your favorite apps by squishing the amount of data you use through their cloud service. Now you can vie for foursquare mayorship of the Eiffel Tower without going broke!

Try Onavo for Your Vacation

Learn about your new surroundings

When you're traveling discovery is part of the fun. WikiMe for iPhone indexes Wikipedia articles about local points of interest, and then uses GPS and geotagging to show you those articles when you're nearby. We're just happy that we'll never have to kidnap another local historian ever again.

Try WikiMe

Let a local show you around

You know what they say: when in Rome, hire a Roman to show you around! Vayable lets you hire a local to give you a guided tour of his or her home city, on a subject your guide knows and loves. It's insider info at a wide range of prices, with tours covering everything from sailing excursions in CA to pizza tours of NYC.

Try Vayable

Send postcards of your own photos

If we've learned anything from traveling, it's that sending a postcard is just as fun as receiving one. Postagram lets you send postcards made from your own photos right from your cell phone. For just $.99 it's a super-easy way to share vacation pictures before you even get home. You can even link Postagram with your Instagram account to make use of their awesome filters. The only hard part? Not sending 15 snapshots to your friends back home.

Try Postagram