5 Places to Find Free Wireless Web Access

For years now, cities throughout the U.S. have attempted to launch Wi-Fi Internet projects that offer fast web access on the cheap, but many have failed. Philadelphia, for example, will have to scrap its citywide Wi-Fi service come June 12 after network provider EarthLink (ELNK) failed to attract enough subscribers to the service.

For travelers, such delays and false starts can prove costly. Hotels, for example, can charge as much as $15 a day for Wi-Fi access. "Paying for Wi-Fi on the road is not the best value for your dollar. That's why some people work so hard to find someplace for free," says Craig Settles, a wireless business strategist in Oakland, Calif.

Online hotspot directories such as Wi-Fi HotspotList, WiFi411 and Wifi Free Spot can help travelers sniff out free web connections at their destination. "These [sites] are probably the best way for someone coming in from out of town who doesn't know the area. Otherwise you're in hope and hunt mode," says Settles.

Even without the help of these sites, finding free wireless internet doesn't have to entail hours of wandering strange city streets. You just need to know where to look. View our slideshow to find out where you can surf for free:

Starbucks isn't the only java shop in town to turn to, however. Other chains, as well as independently-owned coffee shops, offer free Wi-Fi. Minneapolis-based Caribou Coffee (CBOU) provides free access at nearly half of its stores, for example, and San Francisco-based Peet's Coffee & Tea (PEET) is rolling out free service at some of its California locations this summer.