Several months back I wrote a post about my love for travel networking sites like Couchsurfing or Matador Travel; today, I’d like to take a moment to re-affirm that love.

Sure, networking sites are great for sharing travel tips and practical information, reading about other people’s travel exploits, and fueling daydreams about your own. But the real pay-off is when you’re able to connect with some of those like-minded travelers, offline. And that’s just what I’ve been doing over the past couple weeks: putting real faces and voices to the user names and profile pictures of some of my online acquaintances in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

I’ve gotten a fair bit of practice at this now, and I’m being completely honest when I say that I have yet to have a negative experience meeting a fellow traveler in person.

So go ahead! Join Matador Travel, or a newer community like Tripwolf. Sign up for Couchsurfing, and even if you’re not traveling anytime soon, invite travelers to your home to look you up for coffee or a drink.

I can guarantee you won’t regret it.*

*No actual guarantee. But, you know, I’m pretty confident you’ll be glad you did.