By Michelle Johnson, Globe Correspondent

Boston traffic
SmarTraveler monitors the roads in and around Boston (www.smartraveler.com), and they throw in the latest conditions on commuter rail and MBTA routes, too. (That's something you can't get at www.mbta.com). And, hey, if you can't see the Artery or Expressway from your office window, you can always click on the Smartraveler Traffic Cams link for a peek at what's going on out there.

Get There from Here
So what if you can't afford a pricey built-in navigation system for you car. You can still get door-to-door directions and maps to your destination. Motor over to www.mapquest.com or www.maps.yahoo.com, type in your starting point and your end point, then push a button to call up detailed driving directions and maps.

Mapquest throws in a ''Reverse Route'' button to show you the way back home, and lets you download directions to a PalmPilot. No, it's not as slick as an on-board computer guide, but it's convenient. Just print out your directions and carry them with you.

''Kewl'' Tire Kicking
The web's a hot tool for car buyers looking for deals, financing, and specs on new and used cars. There's www.cars.com, www.carsmart.com, www.bostoncarguide.com, www.goodasnew.com (used cars), to name just a few.

But what about look and feel? Well, there's nothing you can do about ''feel'' online just yet, but ''look'' is no longer just a ''click here for a snapshot'' affair.

For instance, visitors to Microsoft Carpoint's Surround Video Gallery (www.carpoint.msn.com/gallery) can get 360-degree looks at cars, mini-vans, and trucks. Most ''kewl'' is the interior view, which lets you slide into a seat and pan around the car. Zoom out, zoom in, or peer out of the windows at snazzy little vistas.

Dig Deep
You know those mazes they put rats in to see if they're smart enough to get to the cheese at the other end? OK. Well, you're the rat, and the maze is Big Dig detours. You'll find a tool to keep you from getting trapped at www.bigdig.com/thtml/traffic.htm. Big Dig traffic changes are listed here by neighborhood, by week, and ''upcoming'' just to make your day.

Get on the Bus
Modest graphics and just-the-facts content make Greyhound's web site (www.greyhound.com) a fast download and a pleasure to use. It's, well, sleek. The site's no-nonsense presentation of schedules, fares, and info on discounts, tours, and package shipping is a nice departure from other blinking, bloated, over-designed travel web pages. If you're planning to go by bus, getting info here is just a quick pit stop.