If travel plans are a part of your Spring Break agenda, it always helps to have a mapped out destination and hotels booked. However, a trip to the local travel agency may not be the most practical solution. Here are a few Internet travel sites that can help with travel plans that often seem overwhelming and impossible to coordinate.

www.fodors.com

This web site provides general traveling information. Although it does not offer maps or a destination planner, it does give top news stories about traveling.

The stories tell of airline service conditions, what travel documents you should carry and where it’s safe to eat beef at when you’re traveling out of country.

It includes a bargain section that tells where to get discounts on cruises, senior and kid airfare sales and other travel discounts.

The chat forum allows you to talk with other travelers about their rants and raves about hotels and restaurants or how to overcome your fear of flying.

www.travel.yahoo.com

By simply typing in a city anywhere in the world into the search box, this web site immediately highlights designated areas of interest in the area you select.

It provides a map of the area and spotlights entertainment features and restaurants and hotels in the selected city.

On this web site, you can make reservations for airplanes, car rentals, hotels, cruises or anything about traveling.

It stores all your information, and you can check your current reservations or flight time without picking up the phone.

If you’re not sure of a destination, this site will help you pick your spot by activity. By selecting the category of arts and education, cruises and tours, resorts or sports and adventure, it will pin point some of best places for your particular interest.

www.nationalgeographic.com/media/traveler

This site allows you to read articles from “The National Geographic Traveler.” The Traveler showcases fresh travel opportunities. The articles are always narrow in scope, but leans toward national and state parks, historic places, cities, little-known and undiscovered places, train trips and driving trips.

The magazine features places all over the world. Although the place you are interested in may not necessarily be in the magazine, the articles included may give you fresh travel ideas or make you curious about a particular place.

You can look at back issues and read about places all over the world.

The site also includes a travel guide, trip finder store and featured trips with National Geographic experts.

Although the online issue differs from the printed edition, it still provides helpful insight about travel hot spots all over the world.

travel.org

Called the directory of travel, this Internet spot has everything you could possibly want to know about travel – and more.

It provides you with access to travel agents, airlines and lodging.

By clicking on one of the globes displayed, you can enter any country and find out more about travel plans to that place.

Once you click on a globe, the next page divides the countries into territories (states, providences or whatever that country has.)

Each page also includes general information such as how to convert your currency or finding a hotel that will accommodate your pet.

You can also sign onto their travel information email list which will keep you up to date on travel specials around the world.