Weather. You watch it on TV (admit it), so you might as well heed the Weather Channel ( http://www.weather.com/) online as well. Along with its frequently updated forecasts for both domestic and international destinations, the site features video, historical data on vacation spots, airport and health info and skiing/golf conditions. The "Travel Smart" index includes a vacation guide and driving advice.
Honorable mentions: For the official word on U.S. weather, plus a top-notch hurricane center you can check frequently in season, go to http://www.noaa.gov. Also consider http://www.accuweather.com and http://www.wunderground.com.
Xenophobes. If even thoughts of lands with no hamburgers leave you in a cold sweat, do your homework before grabbing your passport. Start with the official word from the U.S. State Department ( http://www.travel.state.gov/). The scary stuff includes travel warnings, public announcements, a fact sheet on avian flu and an article on spring-break safety. It also includes practical details on document requirements for traveling abroad, which countries require visas and how to get a passport.
Honorable mentions: For a more global view, try http://www.worldtravelwatch.com and the United Kingdom's Foreign & Commonwealth Office (http://www.fco.gov.uk). For rules about what can and can't be taken into the country, go to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel. For security travel products, http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com.
YOUTH. Students and everyone else 25 and younger have a friend in the travel agency STA Travel ( http://www.statravel.com/). It offers modest discounts on airfares; a round-trip ticket on British Airways from Dulles to Heathrow was recently priced at $476, while members of the general public were paying $498. Anyone can purchase tickets, but only students and people 25 or younger get discounts. Site also offers package deals, car rentals, cellphones, hostels, etc.
Honorable mentions: Check http://www.studentuniverse.com, another travel agency geared to students (and college faculty). You must have a university e-mail address to get its deals, which are similar to those offered by STA Travel. Another youth-oriented site, http://www.wanttravel.com, offers bookings plus the latest clubbing news.
Zoos. Make sure you have some time set aside if you go to Zoos Worldwide ( http://www.zoos.worldwide.de/). Its collection of live video feeds from zoos across the globe is addicting. The site also offers links to zoos, aquariums, animal sanctuaries and wildlife parks.
Honorable mentions: To find an accredited zoo or aquarium near you, search at http://www.aza.org/findzooaquarium. For info on our own Smithsonian National Zoological Park, go to http://www.nationalzoo.si.edu. For those who want serious debate on the pros and cons of zoos, http://www.goodzoos.com.
