Tired of vacationing at the same old, same old travel destinations? Looking for a place to frolic in the  sun, take in some history and learn about a new culture?  Aside from sources of the rich and famous, where does a regular Joe find extraordinary vacation ideas? Beside the typical cruise or the all inclusive resort in Mexico, Jamaica and other Caribbean Islands, where else can a person in quest of new vacation ideas, discover exotic places in the world to see and experience?

It's called the Internet, which is a host of travel news, deals and destinations. From fact gathering, to booking affordable hotel rates, here are three stages of making your travel idea come to life:

These sites offer a wealth of information to help plan your travel itinerary. From local tourist attractions as well as the culture, the following sites feature a plethora of travel ideas: 1) Tripwiser.com 2) IgoUgo.com, TripTie.com. But, do not be too hasty to book your itinerary on these sites. Prior to booking any travel plans, cost comparison is key.

        •   AirTran

•   Alaska Airlines 

•   American Airlines

•   Continental

•   Delta

•   Frontier

•   Multiple Airlines

•   Northwest

•   Southwest

•   United

•   US Airways

If you're interested in a specific airline, both Kayak and SideStep allow you to search by carrier only. Depending on which continent you're planning to travel to--certain airfare search engine directories present specials and discount prices on flights, cars and hotels. For example, if you are planning a trip to Europe, SkyScanner.net gathers information from airline carriers who fly to any major city in the United Kingdom. Not to mention, the site has affiliations with travel agents who have real deals on airfare tickets.

After your flight is booked, you may want to shop around for hotels. The best online resource to begin your research is at TripAdvisor.com. (Personally, when I booked my trip to New Zealand, this site was an invaluable resource). This site is an awesome treasure trove of hotel information. Written by real travelers with real vacation delights and nightmares, TripAdvisor alleviates some of the uncertainty involved in booking a hotel.

So, there you have it, three stages of booking travel for a new experience in vacationing.

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