Unlike most people, I get a lot of joy out of planning trips. I especially love helping others with their plans and watching the endless possibilities arise throughout the process. Traveling to new places and experiencing different cultures has had such a powerful impact on my life, so I want as many other people as possible to experience this. I am also a huge advocate of following your dreams and passions, no matter where they may lead you. As you can imagine, my friends are constantly being pushed to travel and explore, and I have been surprisingly successful in seeing that my friends decide to take big steps into the unknown. As much as I would like to take full credit for that, the truth is that I just point them in the right direction. I wholeheartedly believe that what keeps so many people from traveling is that they don’t know where to start. Lucky for me, I think finding this information is fun, whereas most people find it overwhelming. To help make this process less tedious, I have compiled some of my favorite travel sites that can be used as starting places.

1. Hey Nadine

Before you start planning a trip, maybe you need a little inspiration. Hey

Nadine is cute, quirky and loads of fun to watch as she navigates her adventures. Her videos will inspire you to see the world.

2. Nomadic Matt

Matt has everything you could possibly want as a future traveler, from destination information to travel tips. He keeps his blog full of stories and useful guides, which make his site such a great starting point, especially if you are still figuring out where to go. On top of that, Matt is just an overall awesome guy. Even though he runs one of the top travel blogs, he will respond to your email if you send him a question (trust me, I’ve sent him a million), and he’ll even grab a drink with you if you’re in the same place!

3. Grassroots Volunteering

A lot of college students are interested in volunteering, but all they see are

expensive trips or short-term experiences. About a year ago, I spent five months volunteering in India and had an awesome experience, but I wish I would have known about this site beforehand. Although my experience turned out to be right for me, this platform removes some of the problems with other volunteer organizations. This site puts you directly in contact with organizations that could truly use your help. You are able to pick the exact program you want, and there is no middle party fee, so any money you contribute will directly aid that organization. I couldn’t think of a better way to organize volunteer opportunities. Seriously, check this one out.

4. WWOOF

If nature, working outside, free room and board and organic farming sound like a

good combination, than WWOOF is for you. The World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms requires a small membership fee and then connects you with organic farms all over the world. Each farm has their own objectives and set of guidelines, but I guarantee, there’s at least one for you. Once you find that perfect fit, all you have to do is begin the communication process. Next thing you know, you’ll be on a plane, heading to another country to farm the fields, and in return, live with a great family and eating the local food (and maybe eating the food that you farmed)!

5. Workaway

This is another site that’s fairly new to me. It is similar to WWOOF in that it

presents opportunities for you to work in exchange for room and board. The site lists hosts from all over the world who are looking for someone to provide a service, whether it’s babysitting or working in a hostel. The opportunities are endless, which is what makes it so fun!

6. TEFL

Ever thought about teaching English abroad and getting paid for it? Well if not,

now you have! TEFL will certify you online to teach English in classrooms overseas. In order to help yourself acquire a teaching job, search "Nomadic Matt teaching abroad" on Google, and you’ll be provided with articles and a book (all written by Matt) that will help you land an opportunity.

7. Intrepid Travel

Maybe you want a treat in between volunteer gigs, or maybe you want to see

something that’s too hard to navigate on your own. That’s where Intrepid comes in. Frankly, I’ve never actually had to use a tour group before, but if I was going to do something like visit Cuba or go trekking, I would turn to a tour group. There are countless different tour groups, and Intrepid not only offers trips all over the world, but is also recommended by most travel blogs.

8. Hostelworld

For a long time, I held the belief that everyone knows what a hostel is. Well, guess what? I was wrong. My cousin also told me I was acting rude and stuck-up for

assuming so. I’m glad we can always count on family for a reality check. So, in case you don’t know, Google’s definition of a hostel is “an establishment that provides inexpensive food and lodging for a specific group of people, such as students, workers or travelers.” The typical hostel will be priced cheaper than most other options. It will often look like a room full of bunk beds and other travelers. Most people freak out when they first hear this, but don’t worry. From my experience, hostels are great. I actually feel safer in hostels because I’m constantly surrounded by people. They also tend to have a cool vibe because they are filled with people from all over the world. And on top of that, they are a great way to meet people. HostelWorld is awesome because they have such a large database of hostels and provide reviews, ratings and any other necessary information.

9. Airbnb

I just booked my first stay with Airbnb, which will be in Paris for about $25 per night. If you’re not sure what that means, let me tell you it’s an amazing price. This site

allows people to rent out rooms in their house or apartment, so a traveler can pay to stay there. This site has reviews and information checks and all the good stuff you need. Plus, you can chat with your host to make sure you feel good about it.

10. Couchsurfing

Are you a broke college student? Yeah, same. Couchsurfing is where people all over the world let you stay on their couch for free in hopes that good karma may earn them a spot on someone else’s couch in the future. Now, although the idea of Couchsurfing is awesome and I’m all for it, I would err on the side of caution. But if

you feel good about where you’re going and who you’re staying with, then go for it! Isn’t creating a sharing economy what the Internet is good for, after all?

11. Rome2Rio

If you’re in the transportation phase of planning then, this is a great site. I, especially,

recommend it if you’re planning to travel throughout a general area (such as Europe or the U.S.). This site presents all of the options and compares costs for getting from point A to point B. For example, it will tell you if it is cheaper to take a plane or bus from Barcelona to Paris. It even links you to the sites where you can buy tickets.

12. Google Flights

If you’re planning to fly, you will want to find the best possible flight(s) for your trip.

There are many options for looking at flight prices (Kayak, Priceline, etc.), but personally, I like Google Flights the best. It’s a good place to look at basic comparisons, and it will even list other company’s prices at the bottom. Plus, I love pulling up the map and seeing where it’d be cheap to fly to from where I am. Hint: It’s almost always cheaper to fly in and out of New York. And, hey, a few extra days in NYC? Count me in.

13. World Nomads

Get travel insurance! If this is the only thing I manage to teach you in this post,

I will be happy. Some of you may be surprised to find out that your own insurance doesn’t cover you while you travel, but it probably doesn’t. The great thing about travel insurance is that most of your "what if’s" like, “What if my bag gets stolen?” or “what if someone gets really sick while I’m gone?” or “what if I get really sick while I’m gone?” are solved with travel insurance. They will cover your bags, fly you home, pay your hospital fees and all the rest. Of course, the majority of the time, you won’t need travel insurance, so I can just hear someone saying, “Um, isn’t that a waste of money?” Well, that depends on if it is worth it for you to have peace of mind and coverage if something were to happen. If so, then get it. I recommend World Nomads because they are a well-known and reliable company. They’re even trusted by Lonely Planet.

So, there you have it, friends. Now, one of your top reasons for not traveling is gone. I hope that at least one of these resources will help you plan your travels. Bon voyage!