Click here to see the Times Online selection of the top 100 travel websites. Don't agree with our choices? Know of one that merits inclusion? Let us know

CITIES

www.gridskipper.com
This "urban travel guide" has tidied up its act for 2009. It's now easier on the eye and most straight forward to search. Great for advice on how to spend your city break in London, Paris, NY, LA, Berlin, Washington, Sydney, Tokyo or San Francisco like a local, not a tourist. The quirky tips on restaurants, shops, parks and nightlife are fresh and eclectic, and the site makes good use of images and maps. For city break advice also see thecoolhunter.net (great photography of design shops, restaurants, bars and hotels), itravelishop.com and urbanjunkies.com (for Barcelona and London).

www.spottedbylocals.com
This Amsterdam-based series of city blogs covers European cities inlcuding Berlin, London and Lisbon. It features shops, restaurants, bars, videos and tips and is written by a hand-picked team of residents in each city.

RANTS

www.travel-rants.com
Whether it's online check-in, the rights of disabled travellers or the British rail network, this blog is ready to take up the cause, get answers and allow you to vent your frustrations using the comment function. Also handy for travel and money-saving tips. Also check out crankyflier.com for its airline grumbles and airport tips.

FOOD

www.seriouseats.com
A colourful food blog with some good restaurant recommendations once you get past the recipes and head straight to the Eating Out section. A definite burger and US bias.

www.chowhound.com
In its own words, this site has a "voracious devotion to hyperdeliciousness". Foodies swap restaurant recommendations, which are listed by country, plus there's tips on food shops and bars and an avid user base who will answer your foodie questions.

COMMUNITIES

www.dopplr.com
Frequent travellers will love this stylish site. Users share their travel plans with friends and colleagues, with the hope of flagging up occasions where you might meet. Coincidences aside, you can also get travel tips from friends who've been to places you're heading to, but the best bit is the end-of-year report of your annual trips, carbon footprint and missed opportunities to meet with friends.

www.pprune.org
This isn't the prettiest of sites, but if you want to dish the dirt from the aircraft galley, this is where to come. Pilots and cabin crew, who descirbe us passengers as SLF, or self-loading freight, discuss the latest topics and gossip. Great for picking up aviation buzzwords, although much of it is too geeky for non-planespotters.

http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com
And oldie but a goodie in the travel blogosphere. Travellers heading to far-flung corners can ask the advice of those on the ground, previous visitors or locals or visit an existing forum. The main section of the website also provides maps, guides and booking.

www.wayn.com
Still not really made it's mark as the "Facebook for travel" it was once mooted to become, but the sheer size of this site's membership (13 million) means there's plenty of fresh content and active forums. Video, photo and maps also worth a look, although some of the sections require registration.

www.travelblog.org
Popular site hosting blogs for travellers free of charge. Use it to create your own site and post pictures as well as text. Every country is covered through interactive maps. Also try www.travelpod.com, which calls itself the original travel blog website, and is a well-presented alternative.

www.igougo.com
Easy-to-use community site with intuitive navigation and a visual user rating on hotels, restaurants, nightlife and things to do. Not as many members as some of its rivals (some of the ratings are based on just one review), but worth a look before you head somewhere unfamiliar.

www.gumtree.co.uk
Perhaps you don't want to go on holiday with a stranger, but you don't mind sharing a lift. This site will hook you up with people who are making the same journey and want the comapny and/or some help paying for the petrol. UK-only options for regular or one-off journeys are www.carshare.com and www.car-pool.co.uk.

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