Summer’s here and for many, it’s time for the classic road trip. The internet is a wealth of tools for every traveler- even the road tripping traveler. Here are a few tools to help prepare for a great trip:

• Ask.com‘s mapping feature allows a user to plot specific points on a map by address (or mark a general location), and also lets the user draw and doodle on the map. This is a lot of fun to play with even for someone not planning a trip anytime in the near future.
• As gas prices soar this summer, Gas Buddy helps users find the best gas prices in town. It is a user-generated site, so be sure to contribute gas prices in your area.
• Looking for a ride (or a riding buddy)? The internet has a wealth of rideshare services online, which are presumably safer and likely far more reliable than sticking out the trusty old thumb on the side of the highway (or picking up the random hitchhiker). Ridester arranges rides between cities for a finder’s fee. eRideShare is a free service that boasts nearly 4,000 cross-country travel listings, as well as 19,000 commuter carpool listings. The bottom line about internet rideshare services, though, is well spoken in the disclaimer on the eRideShare website: “Please keep in mind that there are crazies out there. Don’t travel with someone you don’t trust.” Intuition and common sense go a long way in the world of travel.
• Traffic.com offers real time traffic information for the U.S., including delays, accidents, and construction. Users can sign up for “hotspot alerts” and receive traffic information via email, text message, or by phone.
• Parking can be a nightmare in some major cities. It wastes time, gas, and takes quite a toll on the environment as cars idle for prolonged periods. Some internet sites offer places to reserve (for a fee) parking spots, even to rent a spot in front of someone’s home. SpotScout is available in the United States, currently covering only New York, Boston, and San Francisco. This website offers three levels of product: garage spaces for rent, personal spaces (such as private driveways) for rent, and also tips on when somebody will move their car from a public street space (not a guaranteed space- just a guarantee of “My car will be leaving the northeast corner of Main Street and 44th at 12:00 on Wednesday). Find a Carpark is a similar rental service that serves Australia, charging people to list their spaces for rent, but free for renters. The United Kingdom has its own version, Park at My House, which uses Google Map technology to show exactly where the spaces are and what amenities they are nearby.

These technologies can help take a little bit of aggravation out of a long driving trip, leaving a traveler’s energy for things other than fighting traffic and battling for parking spaces.