Online Travel Planning

Need help planning your summer vacation? Here are five Web sites where you get just that.

* Fodor’s Travel Online (https://www.fodors.com): Create a customized guide to any of 110 destinations, listen to and learn dozens of useful phrases in four languages, and check out the forums for firsthand advice from other travelers.

* Lonely Planet (https://www.lonelyplanet.com): This site has the lowdown on any imaginable destination, including Antarctica. Well-written capsule descriptions cover how to get there and what to do, and provide background on each area’s culture, economy, history and more.

* Travelocity.com (https://www.travelocity.com): Use the fare finder to pinpoint the lowest available fare on any route, then choose your travel dates accordingly. You also can sign up for the Fare Water e-mail program to get updates on significant changes in the air fares to your favorite destinations.

* MedicinePlanet.com (https://www.medicineplanet.com): If you’re traveling overseas, this is a great place to check for what vaccines you’ll need, and learn of ways to avoid potential health risks.

* VacationHomes.com (https://www.vacationhomes.com): Why cram your whole family into a hotel room when you can have a whole house for the same price or less? This comprehensive listing has everything from a modern condo in Orlando, Fla., to an 18th-century cottage in a small French village.