When it comes to travel (business or pleasure) we all know things can get a little “hairy.” Canceled flights, dirty hotel rooms, bad food… these are just a few of the nuisances that many of us deal with.

So how can fix this? How can we use the experiences of others to build the perfect vacation or worry-free business trip?

Social media of course!

There are countless sites that offer travel tips, photos, itineraries and general ratings of anything and everything you would need while traveling. Here is a quick review of my top 5.

1. TripAdvisor. This is the travel guy or gal’s Bible. Users review attractions, restaurants, hotels, airports… basically anything and everything you could ever visit. Items are ranked with a star system and many include user photos. This site is fantastic for choosing hotels, restaurants and attractions. Just remember that this is like a popularity contest. Just because someplace is the most popular doesn’t mean it is the best.
2. Tripit. While the essence of this site and mobile app isn’t social media I still categorize it under this tab because of its social nature. Tripit allows you to upload all your travel reservations and access them from one place. No more paper! You can share your trips with others on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc. that can in turn lead to recommendations from friends who have been there.
3. Facebook. All the best places in a city or region have a Facebook page… ok ok so maybe not, but many of the top destinations do. Use the search function to find your favorite place for coupons, advice and visitor information. Facebook Places is also great if you have the mobile app and are looking for something to do/see/eat nearby.
4. FourSquare. Traveling wouldn’t be complete without location based services. Even if you don’t want to checkin at a particular location, you can see what other users have said about a place and see what other options are nearby. This is great for picking out a good, nearby restaurant, scenic state park, parking area, etc. You can even earn badges and discounts for checking in at participating locations.
5. YELP. The original travel buddy, this site is always updating itself with the times. It now gives you the capability to link with Facebook, Twitter and several other social sites to form a complete personalized resource for travel advice. Quick tip: the more reviews the more reliable they are. Example, if a location has a low rating from 1 or 2 reviews don’t take it to heart. Check another social site.

So don’t fret about choosing a bad hotel or nasty restaurant. Let social media do it for you! Checkout my top 5 sites for a worry-free vacation or business trip.