Best Travel Guidebooks

One of the most important items for your vacation is the travel guidebook. While you may search through the various editions at your local public library for destination ideas, you will want to purchase a new guidebook for the trip. Travel changes often: restaurants close, new hotels open and prices go up. So, use that Barnes & Noble gift card you received during the holidays and travel to the bookstore before you hop on the plane.

Travel guidebooks average $30 each. Buy as many as you like, but only take one or two on the trip. Tear pages from the ones you are not taking if there is something special not found in the one you pack in your carry on luggage. Destination, budget, and interest are all factors in choosing the right guide.

 

Along Interstate 75 by Dave Hunter

Award winning and full of insider tips, this is the best guide for driving I-75 between Detroit and the Florida border. The spiral-bound book easily lays open on your dash, lap or passenger seat for quick glances. Mile-by-mile, every exit is covered for food, gas, and lodging. Dave’s picks for good restaurants and sightseeing make this book a must for anyone driving even a short portion of I-75. www.i75online.com

 

 

Europe through the Backdoor by Rick Steves

A classic first-timer’s guidebook for Europe gets anyone ready to travel. Rick shares decades of travel experience to make your vacation worth more. This is a book you read before you go with the author’s picks included. Basic and detailed information about exchanging money, safety, packing, making phone calls, booking rooms, renting cars, public transportation – all your first time concerns are covered. For more information about a particular destination, check out Rick’s country or city guides. www.RickSteves.com

 

Lonely Planet Guides

This extremely popular series uses local travel writers to give the guidebooks an insider’s angle. It is perfect for independent travelers. They have a book for just about anywhere you want to go and cover all the need-to-know details about the destination. www.lonelyplanet.com

 

DK Eyewitness Travel Guides

You will notice the colorful pages right away. Detailed illustrations and numerous photos seem to have the destination jump out at the reader. This is a really good guidebook to cover sights and attractions but it does not cover everything for the traveler. http://us.dk.com

There are many good guidebooks out there. Browse and take your time; read through them and pick the one or two guides that cover your interests and style of travel. Some are heavy on background and culture and others are geared toward the budget traveler.

A guidebook helps you plan your vacation, gets you around once you’re there, and acts as a reference guide once you return. For about $30, it’s the best tool in your travel pack.

Michael Dwyer is a freelance writer and travel columnist. Michael writes about happenings in the Rochester area, travels across Michigan and destinations around the world. Contact him at Michael@RochesterMedia.com

About Michael Dwyer

Michael Dwyer is a freelance content provider. Michael writes about happenings in the Rochester area, travels across Michigan and destinations around the world. Contact him at michael@rochestermedia.com.

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