With all the "what to do" posts around these forums, I thought it would be interesting to hear how everyone figures that out (other than simply asking on a forum).

For me, I usually start with my AAA guidebooks for activities in the towns I'm visiting (different guidebooks if outside USA or Canada). I also check the listing for the next towns over within an easy day trip.

Next, I check the internet for up-to-date details on the sights and activities from the guidebook that I'm interested in. I also do a dogpile search online for "things to do in xxx" and see if anything else of interest shows up.

Once I've been through those, I will go to the forums and peruse through past threads looking for something new or different.

So far, this has worked well for me and I've never been at a loss for things to do.

How about you?

Same here, toedtoes.

Another thing I do is ask people in "real life." Often family members, friends, acquaintances or co-workers have been to the places that I want to visit.

If I don't know anyone who lives in my desired destination and if I don't know anyone who has been there, my first form of enquiry sometimes is to look at itineraries of two or three guided coach companies. I have no desire to go on a guided coach tour at this stage of my life, and I have no intention of travelling as fast as they usually travel. Nonetheless, I find that their itineraries are useful if one just wants to get an initial, very rough idea of a given country's popular attractions.

I do the same things as you and Judy. Often, though, I find that in spite of all my research, we end up doing some spur-of-the-moment thing we just saw in a brochure or happened to hear about from another traveler.

The internet (and the people on it, like Judy) is such an incredible help in traveling. When I think back on our travels pre-internet, I wonder how many cool things we never even realized we missed.

I do the same and also peruse the website of the official tourism site of the prov/region/city. Often times they have listings of upcoming special events, and I like checking out the local festivals and events to get a flavour of the locale.

Enjoy-la!

These are great. I hadn't thought of checking the coach and group tours for ideas of what to see, but that makes a lot of sense - you'll learn about most if not all of the "must see" attractions that way.

Devonmcj - I usually add something at the last minute also based on the brochures in the hotel room or lobby, etc. I know to leave enough "free time" in my itinerary to be able to fit them in as they appear.

The festivals are a great way to meet folks also. Usually people are in really good moods at festivals, so they tend to converse with strangers more (at least in my experience they do).

Don't forget the traditional, non-web-based sources of info like the tourist information offices. Electronic media still doesn't have the physical "feel" of a brochure or map (to me anyway).

I just thought of something else - if we're in a park, we almost always go to the ranger station or visitor's center to ask the park employees about hikes, programs, or special places to go.

We are AAA members and I always get an AAA guide book and maps. I don't really find the guides as helpful as ones that describe a geographic area rather than listing towns and cities alphabetically. I go to the library and take out any guides they have to supplement and use the internet for state/regional/city tourist guides. I like to go to a book store with a big selection before picking out a guide to take.

Devonmcj - I finally asked a park ranger about a good day hike in the area a few years back and was thrilled with the "secret" places she told me to go to. After that trip, I was sold on asking them for tips.