International travel can often seem tricky to those who don’t country-hop frequently. Between passports, visas, birth certificates and the varying rules from country to country, it might seem easier to just stay home than to plan a foreign trip. But we’re here to set the record straight and alleviate your traveling stress with a breakdown of Visas so you’ll know exactly what you need for your next vacation!

1. Traveling Without a Visa

If you’d like to travel with just your passport and not have to go through the hassle of applying for an international visa, you have plenty of options including the entirety of Europe. But be aware that there are restrictions. You can only stay in certain countries for a set period of time without obtaining a visa. If you’re vacationing or heading out on a business trip for less than a month, your options are vast. There are many countries that allow US Passport holders to stay for up to 30 days, like Aruba, Jamaica, Thailand or the Dominican Republic. Some countries let you stay for up to 90 days without a visa such as Sweden, Iceland, Italy, Germany, Bermuda, France, Greece and New Zealand. If you’re looking to travel for up to 6 months, you can gain entry to Mexico, The Bahamas, United Kingdom or Canada with just your passport.

Are you putting off traveling for lack of funds? There are a few sites that I keep in my travel planning arsenal that save me hundreds of dollars on hotels, flights and car rentals every time I book. Take a look at my favorite travel deal websites so you can stop pinching pennies and start planning your next vacation!

Flights

1.) SkyScanner: The flexibility of this website is astonishing. You can search for flights throughout a whole country or region which means no more having to search each local airport separately. You can also leave the arriving city open-ended and the site will list the cheapest flights from your departing city first, which is great if you are unsure of a destination or are very budget-driven. The site also allows you to search an entire month’s worth of flights to ensure the very best deal.

2.) Secret Flying: Don’t book a flight without checking Secret Flying first. This site aggregates all airline price errors (that the companies legally have to honor) and it happens more often than you’d think!

3.) Airfare Watchdog: This comprehensive website compiles all discount and mistake fares in one place to save you a ridiculous amount of money. Use the “top fares” feature to snag the lowest prices or comb through all of the budget airlines in one fell swoop.