We here at Wibki are sick of the verb “to do” when it comes to travel: “I did Florence and then I did Rome…” Well, what did you do exactly? Did you create memories that can’t be captured in an Instagram photo? Did you take advantage of the local offerings? Or did you just check the country off a list?
So in response to this epidemic of superficial tourism, these travel sites are about getting you an authentic experience – opening your mind and filling it with new perspectives of looking at the world. If you like one of these travel sites, make sure to save it to your Wibki for easy access.

Unique

Experienced travelers always try to see a new place through the eyes of the locals. What do they eat? Where are their favorite pubs? How do they enjoy a weekend night? Unique understands these desires and has created a site with point-of-view walking tours of some of the world’s most fascinating cities. Before visiting, browse a metropolis with an expert guide that brings you to the best insider locales and landmarks. The guide is interactive, so you choose your destinations. At some locations the purveyors and owners tell you stories about their establishments. Unique puts you face-to-face with top travel destinations – it’s up to you to make the introduction.

Roadtrippers

This is a great tool for simplifying an American road trip. Whether you’re going cross-country or upstate, Roadtrippers will find you the perfect detour. Just plug in your destination, and a long list of categories will appear on your screen. You can sort by food, attractions, or, my personal favorite, scenic drives. Once you’ve checked off your preferences and roadstops, Roadtrippers adapts your driving directions to map the route. It even estimates fuel costs! Great for those who like to be prepared. And for those who prefer spontaneity, use the Roadtrippers app to adjust your path mid-drive (from the passenger seat, of course).

Peek

What to do, what to do? Peek offers listings for off-the-beaten-path activities in the most vibrant cities in the U.S. (and a couple international as well). The site is easy to navigate, and the browsing categories are specific to each destination. Peek’s strongest feature is the “perfect day” write-ups for every listed city. In these sections tastemakers and trendsetters talk about their favorite locales and activities. Through their writing you get a strong sense of the city’s flavor and personality, and of course they know the best spots! Trust them, they’re pros.

Wanderio

At first glance this site looks a bit like Kayak and Priceline. But don’t be fooled, Wanderio’s algorithms are more clever than they appear. Wanderio helps you get to specific locations – museums, restaurants, landmarks – even if you’re starting in a different country! That’s right, they will guide you through local and international transportation, and calculate cost all along the way. And a nice touch; their searches include other non-traditional travel like boats and ferries. Plane travel is overrated! So take the long way and see the countryside, you’ll be glad you did.

Tripobox

Like some other sites on this list, Tripobox provides ideas for trips and activities you would be hard-pressed to find on your own. Dinners with locals, tours with neighborhood sages, rooms in the upcoming areas of the city; Tripobox gets you in the door. But where Tripobox gets it’s edge is the ability add friends, your “trip mates”, to the itinerary. Once their on the list, they will get updates from Tripobox with additions and adjustments to the schedule. You can even divvy up the prices and pay online! Saves a lot of logistical hassle when just want to focus on the fun!

Stayful

Stayful is our only bonafide hotel booking service on the list, and it’s here for good reason. Getting a hotel in a new city can be a crapshoot, and the airline-like price changes are a mystery. Stayful addresses both of these issues. First and foremost, the site lists all the best boutique hotels a city has to offer. But after finding your dream room comes the nightmare of boutique-prices, right? Not so fast. Stayful allows you to bid for your rooms, which can potentially lower your costs dramatically. Ditch the mainstream mega hotels and find a room with tastes as refined as your own.

The Adventurists

A shot of adrenaline, please! The good people at The Adventurists have concluded that travel has become boring and monotonous – and we couldn’t agree more! So they created a handful of (intentionally dangerous) races and journeys to put a spark in the unknown, and make a bit (actually, quite a lot) of money for charity at the same time! Here are some of the events, or “Slices of Anti-Progress”, that these maniacs have come up with; a 10,000 mile drive across Mongolia in a car you wouldn’t give to your worst enemy, traversing India in a pimped-out rickshaw, and crossing ice-covered Siberia in a Soviet-era motorbike, just to name a few. Use their quests as inspiration for your own wild exploits!