I feel everyone's frustration regarding this website. I've seen that there have been some alternative sites recommended on some past posts. Unfortunately, they don't always have a forum or a message board and if they do, they are still not as good as fodor's. Does anyone know of any forums that are comparable?

Travel and the Internet are two of my greatest passions, so I've gone to just about every travel site. I will state with some conviction that Fodors has both (1) the WORST server and (2) the best postings, of any Internet travel bulletin board. I come here often, even knowing that their server is the worst I have ever dealt with.

My favorite is, Lonely Planet: lonelyplanet.com/lp.htm
You will find the message board in the Thorntree. Loads of info. and a speedy response to your questions.

Paul is correct. another one to check out is the expedia forum - http://expedia.msn.com/daily/forums/

It is little used but has the advantage of local "experts" monitoring the postings and responding. Unfortunately, AOL won't let me access it without filling out an incomprehensible questionnaire, so I can only get to it from work.

The irritation with Thorntree is that most postings are from a younger generation than me looking for cheap booze, drugs, parties, illegal work, etc.

Perhaps if we were to leave Fodors "en masse", and take our quality content over to one of these other forums, ....

So do I.

If you guys want a discussion forum for Las Vegas, check out www.lvol.com for their discussion board. People there are extremely helpful and you get responses very quickly.

Ron (above post) is correct about many of the posters on Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree, but it's still a pretty good site. I like the format better than any of the other message boards I've seen - very easy to follow and add posts to (although nearly everyone seems to make multiple posts when they're just learning how to use the site).
Lots of useful information on the Thorn Tree, too. The "Your Choice"
section may or may not (usually not)
provide information about travel, but the posts are variously thought-
provoking, insightful, amusing to hilarious, and fun (they can also be variously annoying, exasperating, and disgusting, but let's not talk about those).

Try www.frommers.com for travel bargains. Their forum is under "Travel Message Board".
If you sign up, they will send you a daily e-mail of outstanding deals.

Just for jollies, I check out Lonely Planet's sites every so often. Many participants seem to be Australian, speak a strange slang, and have an uncommonly strong interest in illicit drugs, furtive sex, and bad language. Many are too lazy to look up what can easily be found in a public library or many places on the internet. Most sound as if they have never been anywhere before and are rather pathetic. But, boy, do they have an ATTITUDE!

It sounds like you guys above have a love/hate relationship with loneyplanet! I think it is very refreshing to ask a travel question and receive a recommendation that is not the Holiday Inn or Red Lobster!

I found a new forum this morning :

http://www.kcinter.net/~bruno/forum

I have a list...Fodor's is fun to read and has some great posts.

Rough Guide

Frommer's

Lonely Planet

Preview Travel

GORP

Try dejanews rec.travel forums. Do a search to find address(I have it bookmarked so don't know it). Lots of action by a large diversity of people here. I ahve had numerous questions answered. Also try: http://www.where2stay.com/islands/islands/barbados.html