Travel resources for college students

A reader at the Vagabonding.net Q&A writes: "I was inspired by your book and I am planning a trip to Europe for a few months. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed, however, by how much it all might cost. Any advice for a budget oriented college student dying to see new and wondrous things?"

College students, I told her, have many great advantages in Europe. Your student card alone should save you lots of money on museums and historical sights around the continent. You should also check and see if your campus has a student travel office with information on travel discounts and overseas work opportunities. The Student Travel Association, for example, is a great resource for saving money and generating travel ideas for the road. Student Traveler magazine is another great resource worth checking out. Also, as a student, you’ll want to check into Let's Go guidebooks, which have been the leading budget travel guidebooks for college students for the past thirty years (I used a Let’s Go guide myself when I traveled the USA for eight months when I finished college). A guidebook will clue you in on the best forms of transportation (which doesn’t always involve Eurail passes), as well as cheap hostels, places to eat, places to party, and sights to see. Online, Eurotrip.com is another useful resource and travel community. The Lonely Planet Thorn Tree and the Bootsnall.com forums can also come in handy if you need an online forum to vent your questions and fears.

In addition to these resources, I might also suggest keeping your eyes and ears open as you travel Europe itself. The other travelers you meet -- as well as the locals -- should help to point you in money-saving directions. They’ll also help you have a good time, and provide you with some of your best travel memories!