The Social Path

A North American odyssey, built one connection at a time.

This is the story of two friends who set out in their 2008 VW Rabbit, "Burt Reynolds," to explore their world both geographically and socially. 

In September 2009, Toronto friends Alex and Luke decided to set out on an adventure to experience every state and province in North America. But how could you ever decide on an itinerary for such an epic journey? It’s easy if you leave it up to the social media masses to be your virtual and real-life tour guides through the trip.

Alex and Luke post polls online allowing people to vote for their next destination. Similarly, what they do once they arrive depends on the recommendations and connections made through social media channels, particularly Twitter — as well as shaking hands and making friends the good-old-fashion way on the streets they visit. In turn, they are sharing their experience and invite you along for the experience. 

Unfortunately, I found out about this project too late to catch them in Alabama (which they loved, I might add). However, it's a fascinating case study in the power of social-media-built relationships and the ever-shrinking world we live in.

Alex and Luke departed home in March of 2010 and have since covered 32 states and 6 provinces to date but they still need your help. Follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and GoWalla, watch them on YouTube, and vote on their website.

Most importantly, if you have the means, make a donation to their project. 25% of each donation to the trip is given to a cause defined by the region in which they are currently traveling. Check their pledge page to learn more.

Kammie Avant is a social media planner for Luckie & Company. You can contact her by e-mail or follow @KammieAvant on Twitter.

The year's top travel sites: Check out the 2009 Luckie Fifty

We live in a time when Americans simply can't afford to risk a bad vacation

Far fewer Americans are planning leisure trips this summer than in years past. And those who are vacationing are being tremendously careful to plan and budget their journeys more doggedly than ever before.

To help travelers and marketers alike keep tabs on the most effective tools out there, I'm excited to introduce the 2009 Luckie Fifty. This is the second year my colleague David Stutts, Luckie & Company's director of brand planning, has compiled a list of the most useful, innovative and fun travel sites on the Web.

Click here to download the full PDF of The Luckie Fifty.

And don't miss this handy one-sheeter, which you can print out and pin on your office wall next to that picture of a Saint Martin cabana.

There's just a ton of great stuff in the report, so I won't inundate you with all of it here. But after the jump, you'll find David Stutts' summary of 10  social networks that are redefining how travelers connect and share.