Google Maps and Directions -- get
maps of locations, find businesses, and get directions within the United States
MapQuest! -- maps and directions; now
gives you the ability to plan more than one stop, and you can locate
restaurants, cinemas, malls, etc. in the area you will be visiting
Yahoo Maps -- maps and directions for
places in the United States
Travel Planning
AAA -- get maps and directions, or check out road conditions;
AAA members have additional options
Expedia.com -- large collection
of travel-related resources
Rand McNally Online --
in addition to maps, this site also has family and business travel information,
construction zones, and reports from the Weather Channel
Recreation.Gov -- go to this
web site to find out which federal parks have what you are looking for;
searches can be done by state, activities, lodging; and there's even a
link to check on the weather!
Trip Advisor -- Before planning
your next trip, check this site for recommendations and places to avoid, from
people who have been there. Country pages include histories, brief facts
and trivia, events and festivals, and more things you want to know before you
go.
Languages
Note that translator services may not be 100%
accurate. Always try to verify the translation by searching for the
translated phrase, or use another web site to see if the translation is the same
on both sites.
Babel Fish -- Type in text to
translate, or enter a web address to translate an entire web page at once.
Google Translate -- Type in
text, enter a web address, or upload a document to translate from one
language to another; covers more than 50 languages.
Livemocha -- Learn a new
language by talking to native speakers! That's the idea behind this
web site, which offers free and paid-subscription courses for 32 different
languages. Crash courses for those who are traveling are also
available for a fee.
Country Facts and Flags
Background Notes -- provides
information on countries and regions, put together by the U.S. Dept. of
State
Country Studies
-- a much more indepth look at countries than Background Notes; focuses on "lesser known areas of the world" so Western
European countries may not be listed; published by the Library of Congress
between 1988 and 1998, with "Country Profiles" that provide more
current information
World
Factbook -- put together by the CIA, has flags and basic facts about nearly every
country in the world
State Traffic Laws --
"a summary of and links to state laws related to speeding"
Using and Finding Other Maps
How to Use a Compass
-- lessons on how to use a compass by itself and with maps, plus links
to other useful websites on the subject
Infoplease Atlas
-- click on a country or use the map index to find a map; also provides
basic facts about each country, and printable outline maps for the United
States.
Maps from National
Geographic -- one of the most comprehensive collections of maps on the web, this site now
also offers printable outline maps for just about any country in the world as
well as topographic maps of recreational areas of the United States.
Maps
of the United States -- includes current and historical maps, as well as
links to other sites for specific types of maps.