American tourists on the never-ending quest for family vacation spots will undoubtedly appreciate this Web site. While the National Caves Associations site is not overflowing with content, those with a cave-craving will find a comprehensive list of caves in the U.S., indexed by state, along with an address and phone number. The National Caves Association could do a better job of describing the caving experience for those unfamiliar with the charms of exploring dark, dank caverns filled with bats and any number of other subterranean creatures (its answer to the question why cave? is why not?). However, this site is worth a quick visit for those planning an expedition. - Rachel Saidman
This may seem petty, but an online journal with a textured background that makes it unpleasant (if not downright impossible) to read the text needs to rethink its design strategy. That gripe aside, Scotch.com pays homage to Scotch whiskies with such flowery descriptions that you almost expect to hear the sounds of bagpipes bleating plaintively and kilts flapping in the breeze. Besides learning the all-important difference between a single malt scotch whiskey and a blended scotch whiskey, scotch whisky drinkers and collectors can meet at the site and exchange information. If scotch is your passion, you'll be in good company at Scotch.com. - Rachel Saidman
Civilian crushes on TV personalities have included everyone from Wilma Flintstone to the latest new hotty on Law & Order. Add to the list Norm Abram, a a key figure in the television series This Old House. This bear of a master carpenter has his game so down its inspiring. And the site measures up to him. For those who like to compare notes or shoot the breeze on cork flooring, This Old House is ready with bulletin boards and chat rooms. You can also learn about styles of houses, which tools supersede others, and why your house will never appear on the show. Its also nice that Norm isn't indisposed to recommending ecologically sound products. - Ismael Marrero
W5s author must be performing a special kind of community service, because most of the site is dedicated to other authors and their sites. A minefield of links to contributors and shareware providers makes up the bulk of the content, so be sure to use one of the eight buttons to navigate through and get directly to the title or header you want. Its disappointing only if you expect to find computer-generated working on wood or a duck lamp demo here. But as far as resources are concerned, W5 is a good place to bookmark. - Ismael Marrero
Founded in 1972, the National Gardening Association (NGA) has become the largest non-profit gardening organization in the country. From feeding the hungry to helping gardeners gardens grow, the NGA assists people with the many nuances of growing flowers and vegetables. The NGA Web site provides a comprehensive resource for gardeners and educators, with Q&A forums, online catalogs, gardening tips, and educational ideas. All the information is tediously complete and comes from recognized experts in the field. If youre looking for something specific, you can search the NGA library, although my search for Papaver Somniferum turned up nothing useful. - Mike Hase
Ah, the sweet memories of youththe plastic models, the delicate half-ounce bottles of Testors paints, the airplane glue. Testors, a long-respected name in hobbies and crafts, has come online with an infomercial for its various product lines (Aztek, Pactra, and so on). Currently, you can learn about the various products Testors offers, or visit one of several links to other modeling Web sites. By the time you read this, the site should also offer much-needed online ordering. The tips section could stand a table of contents in addition to the search interface, and an online modeling forum would vastly improve this site. - Mike Hase
The Antiques and Collectibles Guide provides a simple but useful service by furnishing the names and addresses of antique dealers and shops around the world. The site indexes its 2500 listings by both location and specialty item, and features an on-site link to InfoSeeks street maps, which will direct you to your chosen store. If youre looking for anythingfrom nautical antiques to tobaccianain any locationfrom New York to Buenos Airesthe A&C guide will help you out. Dealers can add their own shops at the site, while a frighteningly large, month-by-month events calendar provides enough potential activities to sate the most avid collector. - Mike Hase
This dude really loves cats. I mean loves cats the way I love oxygen, the kind of love that can move mountains, make the crooked straight, and turn the rough places plain. He dedicates his site (and by all appearances, his life) to making cats lives better. The Cats House is a beautifully designed set of walks, steps, scratching posts, catnip dispensers, and trapeze-style obstacle courses for your cat that are integrated into the architecture of a human habitation. Did I say integrated? The cats live better than the people in this house; they have overwhelmed Bobcats (do you think thats his real name?) life and spilled onto the Internet. You thought you loved animals.... - Daniel Alarcon
You wont find any Gingriches here; this site covers another kind of slimy amphibian. Home of the only known newt-cam, this zine devotes its energies to covering global newt happenings. You get real-time newt chat, international newt events, environmental news, and newt discoveries. Where else can you hear about a giant newt-relocation project in England or the eviction of a pair of ducks (Tom and Jerry) from a pond containing great crested newts? The site could use an update, but youd be hard pressed to find this much newt-related news anywhere else (except maybe under a rock). - Emily Soares
Billed as the Cyclists Cybersource for All True Knowledge, Bicycle Transit Authority (BTA) offers a database of information on more than 2000 1997 bike models. This is the place for all the information you might need when buying a bike, including a Bike Search engine, where you enter your purchase criteria; a Dealer Hub, for shops in your area; and the Marketplace, where you can buy just about anything. But thats just the beginning. BTA also tracks the bicycle industry, as well as bike-related legal, political, and societal issues. A great one-stop resource. - Emily Soares