Best Tourist Destinations & Museums Guides
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2018 explains how Walt Disney World works and how to use that knowledge to make every minute and every dollar of your vacation count. And because they've found that "spontaneity and self-discovery work about as well at Walt Disney World as they do on your tax return," The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is packed full of essential advice for anyone braving the frontiers of the mother of all theme parks.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Recommend, if you are going to Disney."
"You don't want a rained on Kindle (God forbid ) It seemed as thought there was a lot of "filler" in this book, I understand this is a subjective book , but just my opinion."
"However, many rides in WDW have been closed (Maelstrom, Backlot Tour, Pirates of the Caribbean, the sorcerers hat in DHS, etc) that are so significant they need to urgently put out a revised edition."
"So informative, it's insightful, and it's the go-to book for how to successfully navigate Disneyworld."
"Just got back from my first trip to Disney, information made the trip much better."
"I have used this book every time to help plan my trip. I have learned that if you do not plan a WDW trip as a "type A" personality, you will lose out not only on time, but money, and in the case of Walt Disney World....time equals your money spent."
"This fantastically organized and well-researched book includes attraction details for all four Disney Parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios), plus the same level of attraction details for both Universal Parks (Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure). We admittedly went during the slower season, but following the touring plans in the book (with my modifications due to our interests) prevented us from having to ever wait in line for more than 10 minutes - and we got on most rides and attractions within about 2-3 minutes of arriving at the attraction. The Kindle version works great for how I use the book, but if you want to be able to have a hard copy of the park maps and touring plans with you, the paper book would be better. While older versions of this book would work in a pinch, I will likely continue to buy the latest edition of this book each time I plan a trip to Disney - the parks are constantly changing. I then use the touring plans in the back of the book to get an order in which to view the attractions in. Because we can ride things like that at any county fair in the state, we don't ride those sorts of rides at Disney - a fact which inevitably means the touring plans I used won't work for families with young children, as those are the rides they most want to see!"
Explore every centimeter of Paris, from the top of the Eiffel tower to the ancient catacombs below the city: with Rick Steves on your side, Paris can be yours! Rick Steves, author of 21 guidebooks and host of the television series Travels in Europe with Rick Steves, has spent 100 days a year traveling Europe, every year, since 1973.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"super helpfull to make a itinerary and make the most of Paris."
"Anyway, buy the book before you go but also buy Dixon Long's "Markets of Paris" - there is so much about Paris, it's impossible to overdo the preparation!"
"I can't say enough good things about this book."
"The book comes with a few pre-planned itineraries for a short 3 day trip and a longer trip, which with a little thought, can be customized to fit your schedule and desires. The guidebook covered common tourist scams, two of which were attempted on me which I easily avoided (friendship bracelet and found ring)."
"I read it over before going and it has lots of good information like when to go where, what days time etc. The only thing that I would double check before leaving for Paris or when in Paris is if the days certain places are open. at least 3 hours of waiting!"
"I did my best to read the book before leaving and plan the trip out ahead of time, but it was also extremely useful at the hotel to help finalize the next day's plans, and even once in awhile to have it out with me during the day in case my memory failed me or we changed our plans on-the-fly."
"Rick Steves is a real-live "regular" traveler, who understands that most of us don't stay at the Ritz Carlton, don't eat at 3-star Michelin restaurants, and that we crave authentic travel experiences."
"But it is terrible--bare minumum of info, often misleading or missing info (for instance not mentioning the existence, let alone whereabouts, of a famous restaurant in Paris, but only its satellite location out at Versailles)."
The world’s bestselling travel book is back in a more informative, more experiential, more budget-friendly full-color edition. Every entry from the original edition has been readdressed, rewritten, and made fuller, with more suggestions for places to stay, restaurants to visit, festivals to check out. “At last, a book that tells you what's beautiful, what's fun and what's just unforgettable—everywhere on earth.”. — Newsweek “The perennial guide to iconic travel destination....We read the entire book, stopping to gasp, comment and bookmark several pages along the way.”. — The Huffington Post “[ 1,000 Places to See Before You Die ] has joined the canon of classic reference tomes that earn periodic updates and cozy homes on the bookshelf next to the thesaurus. As always, her entries are irresistibly idiosyncratic, from ‘Beer in Belgium’ to ‘The Last Supper’ and Other Works of Leonardo Da Vinci.’”. — Chicago Tribune “The names of authors who have sold millions of travel guidebooks are widely known: Fodor. It’s fun to peruse when putting together your travel wish list.”. — Chicago Sun Times.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This was for a student who mentioned to me that she wanted to travel when she graduated high school."
"I just used the book this past October when we visited Budapest and Prague."
"This is a great book to kind of find out the "best of the best" in most of the countries in the world."
"It's small enough to bring on trips, but I would definitely recommend reading this before you get on the plane to your destination as the book is a bit heavy and bulky to carry around everywhere."
"I ordered this book to plan a month long vacation to Europe this year."
"Apparently I liked this so much, I've purchased it twice in my life."
"I bought it for my son who just graduated!"
"The 4 free months from September 2015 to December 2015 have no pictures."
Best Barcelona Travel Guides
Everything a busy traveler needs is easy to access: a neighborhood overview, city walks and tours, sights, handy food and accommodations charts, an appendix packed with information on trip planning and practicalities, and a fold-out city map. With the help of his hardworking staff of 80 at Europe Through the Back Doorin Edmonds, Washington, just north of SeattleRick's mission is to make European travel fun, affordable, and culturally broadening for Americans.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It was a gift, and the recipients found it helpful for their walking tours of Barcelona."
"With the help of Rick Steves book, we were able to make the most of our 5 days in Barcelona."
"He has helped us miss many a line to get into places because of his advice."
"This is the first time I used a guide book while traveling and I LOVED it!"
"I bought this book to help me plan my trip to Barcelona."
"Handy guide for the visitor to Barcelona."
"Not Rick's best travel book."
"Took this with us to Barcelona and found great restaurant recommendations and guided walking tours."
Best Delhi Travel Guides
India is a country of vibrant and enticing contrasts: exquisite palaces are juxtaposed against simple temples, and modern high-tech industry coexists with ancient customs and rituals. “Fodor’s is pitched a few notches higher….aimed at a fairly discerning traveler with an appetite for background and the occasional surprise.” – New York Times.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Used this 2013 guide all over northern India and learned much info from it in advance of each stop."
"It did give some good information but definitely not enough info on lodging.Been to India twice but it has been many years and I do know there was much more that could be said on lodging which I wanted specifically ."
"Also many locals didn't understand the English name used in the book for a certain temple or sight so that even asking cab drivers would not often get us anywhere."
"good book."
"seems very helpful in planning my trip."
"Great Information."
"Nice book very informative."
"The electronic version is not nearly as detailed as Fodor paper versions that I've used."
Best Austria Travel Guides
Beyond Vienna, stroll the Baroque street of Salzburg, home to Mozart and The Sound of Music for a taste of the Alpine living, head to the snowy peaks and green valleys of Tirol. Connect with Rick: facebook: Rick Steves. twitter: @RickSteves. instagram: ricksteveseurope.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"We just finished using this book for a trip to Vienna (but not anywhere else covered in this book), and it was well worth having!"
"This very useful guide includes information on Linz, Melk, and Durenstein Austria as well as Vienna and Salzburg, In addition there was a nice section on Bratislava, Slovakia which made it a very helpful companion on our Viking Danube River cruise which stopped at all these cities."
"I've learned my lesson and won't buy another travel guide electronically."
"I used this book to plan our trip to Vienna, Salzburg, and Tirol (Tyrol)."
"Rick gives his opinion on which sites to say to help you decide on what it's worth spending time on and what can be skipped."
"As always an excellent travel guide."
"It was so nice to just carry a light weight kindle--that I could also use for reading novels on the train or at cafes."
"We were totally satisfied with the information in the book and what it did in the way of helping us plan the trip to Austria."
Best European Travel Guides
Explore every centimeter of Paris, from the top of the Eiffel tower to the ancient catacombs below the city: with Rick Steves on your side, Paris can be yours! Rick Steves, author of 21 guidebooks and host of the television series Travels in Europe with Rick Steves, has spent 100 days a year traveling Europe, every year, since 1973.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"super helpfull to make a itinerary and make the most of Paris."
"Anyway, buy the book before you go but also buy Dixon Long's "Markets of Paris" - there is so much about Paris, it's impossible to overdo the preparation!"
"I can't say enough good things about this book."
"The book comes with a few pre-planned itineraries for a short 3 day trip and a longer trip, which with a little thought, can be customized to fit your schedule and desires. The guidebook covered common tourist scams, two of which were attempted on me which I easily avoided (friendship bracelet and found ring)."
"I read it over before going and it has lots of good information like when to go where, what days time etc. The only thing that I would double check before leaving for Paris or when in Paris is if the days certain places are open. at least 3 hours of waiting!"
"I did my best to read the book before leaving and plan the trip out ahead of time, but it was also extremely useful at the hotel to help finalize the next day's plans, and even once in awhile to have it out with me during the day in case my memory failed me or we changed our plans on-the-fly."
"Rick Steves is a real-live "regular" traveler, who understands that most of us don't stay at the Ritz Carlton, don't eat at 3-star Michelin restaurants, and that we crave authentic travel experiences."
"But it is terrible--bare minumum of info, often misleading or missing info (for instance not mentioning the existence, let alone whereabouts, of a famous restaurant in Paris, but only its satellite location out at Versailles)."
Best Corsica Travel Guides
Starting in Corscia's north-west, in picturesque Calenzana, the route winds south-east, through the heart of Corsica, finishing on the eastern side of the island, just north of Porto Vecchio in the township of Conca. Described in 16 stages with high level/low level alternatives for relevant stages, the route is roughly 200km in length and takes approximately two weeks to complete. He lives near the Lake District and has walked in every county in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales; writing about walks in every one of them.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Everything one needs to do the GR 20 - detailed but readable."
"Step by step directions."
"If you're going to travel to Corsica, this book can help you out on everything you'll need."
Best Puerto Rico Travel Guides
Puerto Rico is one of the Caribbean's most exciting destinations, and with many nonstop flights from major East Coast cities, it's one of the easiest islands to reach. Every year our local experts give you the inside track, showing you all the things to see and do -- from must-see sights to off-the-beaten-path adventures, from shopping to outdoor fun. Hundreds of hotel and restaurant choices in all price ranges -- from budget-friendly B&Bs to luxury hotels, from casual eateries to the hottest new restaurants, complete with thorough reviews showing what makes each place special.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Even with all the info available online--you can't beat a Fodors!"
"Just as a big plus if you can use an at&t phone with a good data plan you can use the GPS function on about 95% of the island with little issue."
"We finally did our trip to Puerto Rico and this book was a great reference."
"Found this book very helpful as we research and plan our trip to Puerto Rico."
"Trendier restaurants and clubs were often rated based as much on the scene as on the actual quality of the food."
"I did not like the structure at all-I cannot really tell what is is, there are chapters and headlines but somehow I get lost as soon as I start lookibg thibgs up.However, a pro is def."
"If you must, get this guide from the library to get a sense of the layout of Puerto Rico and the main suggestions, and don't bother taking this with you."
"One beach the book suggested as a great beach was ok but a 15 minute hike down the beach thru a trail led us to a gorgeous hidden gem of a beach."
Best Seoul Travel Guides
True to its name, this Seoul travel guide covers all the region's major sights and attractions in easy-to-use top 10 lists that help you plan the vacation that's right for you. This newly updated pocket travel guide for Seoul will lead you straight to the best attractions this city has to offer, from Changdeokgung to shopping to museums to parks. Packed with amazing ideas, informative maps, insider tips, and useful advice, DK's Top 10 guides lead you to the very best your destination has to offer. About DK Eyewitness Travel Guides : For more than two decades, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides have helped travelers experience the world through the history, art, architecture, and culture of their destinations.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"used this on our trip to Seoul."
"I traveled to Korea for a week with nothing planned."
"Great suggestions."
"Seoul was amazing and this book was incredibly useful in planning our daily activities throughout our trip."
"Perfect little pocket book for the semi-last-minute trip to South Korea."
"I love the DK series!!"
"It was really hard to use."
"this book is really lacking in detail."
Best Berlin Travel Guides
With the self-guided tours in this book, you'll walk through the Brandenburg Gate, climb the Reichstag's dome, and flash back to the city's turbulent past at Checkpoint Charlie. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As always, Rick Steves gives you the base for a great tour."
"This is a wonderful must-have guide to Berlin."
Best Andalusia Travel Guides
DK's insider travel tips and essential local information will help you discover the best of Seville and Andalusia, whether you want to visit the Alhambra Palace and the Plaza de España, explore the Alpujarra villages, or soak up the sun on the beautiful Costa del Sol. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Seville and Andalusia truly shows you this country as no one else can. Expert travel writers and researchers provide independent editorial advice, recommendations, and reviews. "Known… for its four-color maps, photos and illustrations, the [DK] Eyewitness Guides are extremely user-friendly for travelers who want their information delivered in a concise, visual way."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"They are our favorite because they have lots of wonderful pictures and history on glossy magazine stock as well as an outlining of the sites one should see when traveling thorough the subject area."
"I love all DK travel guides and they're a must when I'm going to a new country."
"It provided an easy to read walking path for each area as well as the city."
"Beautiful book, well illustrated, came in excellent condition from the seller despite being labelled as second hand/used."
"We only had time for three full days in Seville, and would use this to plan our next trip to Southern Spain."
"This book has a lots of information regarding the history, culture & specialities of the region along with lovely pictures."
"We did find it a little bit heavy for it's size, probably because of the glossy paper, but was worth it for all the beautiful and detailed maps, floor plans and photos."
Best St. Petersburg Travel Guides
Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - art, architecture, literature Free, convenient pull-out St Petersburg map (included in print version), plus over 15 colour maps Covers Sennaya, Kolomna, Smolny, Vosstaniya, Vasilyevsky Island, Petrogradsky Island, Vyborg Side and more. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I went to St Petersburg o my own and book gave great tips."
"Excellent , like all Lonely Planets."
"Very handy for my trip to Russia."
Best General Poland Travel Guides
Part memoir and part travelogue, this unique cookbook that the story of Beata Zatorska's childhood in rural Poland, mixing stories of her youth and her grandmother’s handwritten recipes with stunning photos of Poland in summer. From fold-out endpapers featuring colorful, folksy textiles, to the lace overprint on the front cover, the textures are so rich they almost render the experience three dimensional. "In addition to being a serious cookbook with more than 50 Polish recipes (from pierogi to poppy-seed cake) taken from Beata's grandmother's handwritten notes, as miraculously preserved as preserves, Rose Petal Jam is also part memoir and part travelogue, the story of Beata's idyllic childhood in the rural Karkonosze Mountains and her later day adventurous travels with Simon in Poland today.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I left Poland at the age of seven but my roots will always be there and the spirit of my homeland flows in my veins. I give it four stars because sometimes the timing and instructions to the cooking process needs to be modified slightly but all round a gem!!!"
"And, it is very much a “coffee table book”: It is artistically laid out; there are very many photographs, both new and old; the writing is thoughtful and thought-provoking, with the stories, history and information very interesting to read; the content of the book—the combination of the pictures and the words—is often very poignant. About the recipes: As an example of the flexible instructions: The recipe for rose petal jam is to gather 3-4 large handfuls of the wild rose “Rosa canina” and place them in a stone mortar, slowly pour in about a pound of sugar and crush with the pestle to create a paste. In a way, that “loose”, open attitude is exactly what’s wonderful about Babcia’s (Grandma’s) recipes, but in another way, it won’t be helpful to a new cook."
"This book is not only beautiful but it tells such a heart-felt story about childhood memories and the loss of leaving your homeland."
"Beautiful pictures and her writing paints a picture of the unforgettable landscape, people and food of a beloved country that still remains a hidden gem to western cultures."
"The book was much larger and weightier than I expected, but it was the size that encouraged me to slow down, and sit and enjoy the stories and pictures."
"This is probably the most beautiful cookbook I have ever seen."
"The format and photography is as lovely as you could find in an art book."
"I'm looking forward to Beata's next book and also the publication of this book in the Polish language."
Best General Scotland Travel Guides
Try Rick Steves Best of Scotland. Rick produces a best-selling guidebook series, a public television series, and a public radio show, and organizes small-group tours that take over 20,000 travelers to Europe annually. Since moving to Seattle and joining Rick Steves' Eruope (where he serves as content manager) in 2000, Cameron has traveled to more than 35 European countries, contributing to guidebooks, tours, radio and television shows, and other media.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Tips on saving money, renting a car, driving, using your credit card, etc.... His book provides valuable maps and a section an appendix that is chock full of information. I really enjoy how he takes your through the different parts of the country so you get valuable planning ideas."
"I am planning on moving to Scotland within the next 10-15 years and am doing research about which areas I would like to live, Though this book is written as a guide for visiting, the information in this was Wonderful for helping my narrow the areas to look at."
"Found being reviewed everywhere while I was touring Scotland."
"Love the Rick Steve's guides, will come in useful for our trip to Scotland this fall."
"Rick Steves Scotland has helped me plan my itinerary to Scotlad."
"As with all Rick Steve's books they are really great for travelers who want to get the most out of any trip!"
"I've used Rick Steves books for other travel and am excited for his book on Scotland!"
"As expected, Rick Steves didn't let me down with this great book on touring Scotland."
Best Hamburg Travel Guides
Using simplified sentence structures and a very basic vocabulary, this collection of short stories is carefully crafted to allow even novice learners to appreciate and understand the intricacies of coherent German speech.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"What lovely, charming books these are."
"Start with Dino in Berlin; each new set of stories ramps up the vocabulary and difficulty."
"Klein's book is a wonderful way to spruce up your German."
"Love these books, makes learning Deutsch fun."
"My class loves this series."
"I have all eight books."
"These stories are just challenging enough for a beginner."
Best general Italy Travel Guides
Check out Rick Steves Best of Italy . Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Filled with tons of practical advice and encourages travelers to immerse themselves in the culture rather than be a removed spectator."
"Always like his books and shows."
"Very helpful for planning best use of travel time and to decide cost and priorities to visit."
"Great for preparing summer trip to Italy."
"Complete indispensable guide for independent travel to Italy."
"Excellent book."
"As always with Rick Steves, very valuable important when planning a trip."
"I'm headed back to Italy in June and rereading sections of the new book, especially about cellphones, train travel, hotels, and restaurants."
Best Seville Travel Guides
PLEASE NOTE: A newly updated version of this STREETWISE map is available. In the 1970 s, Brown traveled extensively throughout Africa, India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Brown would take a large paper map, cut out the city center, folded it up and slip it into his pocket, thus preventing him from looking like a tourist in areas where discretion is the better part of travel. After many years on the road, Brown settled back in New York and decided to start his own business, based on the adaptations he had made to maps in his travels. Brown sold the maps during the day, zipping around Manhattan making deliveries on his Harley Davidson. STREETWISE® is one of the only, if not THE only map company that conducts research by walking or driving an area to ensure accuracy. This lengthy fact checking results in superior accuracy; in effect, we ve done the work, now you have the adventure.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"We walked everywhere and this map helped us get our bearings in a city with many old neighborhoods with narrow, winding streets."
"This appears to be impossible because the landmarks on the big map are not reflected on the smaller map, nor are the streets."
"I used this map every day while I was in Spain."
"Good for the 'on foot' tourist and also the "motorized" one!"
"Size is too large to fit in a back pocket, however I think the maps would be too hard to read if they were any smaller."
"In short, it may be good for general references for main attractions like the Cathedral, Real Alcazar & Plaza de Espana but otherwise we found it pretty useless for our needs."
Best General Colorado Travel Guides
Also look for: Volume Two – Central Region Volume Three – Southern Region Ghost Towns, Eastern Colorado Colorado’s Best Ghost Towns (in full color). Noted Colorado historian Kenneth Jessen has over twenty books to his name, including Ghost Towns, Colorado Style (a three-volume set covering Colorado’s mountains); Ghost Towns, Eastern Colorado; and Colorado’s Best Ghost Towns.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Got this for a friend as a gift."
"This series of 3 books is my favorite reference for Colorado Ghost Towns."
"Great way to explore the history of Colorado."
"This one goes into detail about the lost communities of Colorado boom and bust past."
Best General Hungary Travel Guides
You can count on Rick Steves to tell you what you really need to know when traveling in Budapest. More than just reviews and directions, a Rick Steves guidebook is a tour guide in your pocket. To recharge, Rick plays piano, relaxes at his family cabin in the Cascade Mountains, and spends time with his partner Trish, son Andy, and daughter Jackie.Connect with Rick:facebook: Rick Stevestwitter: @RickStevesinstagram: ricksteveseurope.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As soon as I learned that I'd spend a week in Budapest (mostly on business), I went to the public library to take out a few guidebooks (DK's Top 10 Budapest, Rick Steves Budapest, and Fodor's 25 Best Budapest). I ended up buying the Kindle version of the Rick Steves book. I'm a bit surprised at how few of the Amazon reviews actually speak to the usefulness of the guidebooks; most of them seem to be written by people who read the books before the trip rather than reporting on the books' helpfulness on the city streets. Top 10 Budapest: As with the others in this series, the fits-in-your-purse book has plenty of pretty photos, lots of clear maps, walking tours ("a day in the Castle District and North Buda"), and the promised Top 10 lists, from overall sights (Parliament, St Stephen's Basilica, etc.). Fodor's 25 Best Budapest: This book, too, is a short-and-sweet overview to the city, emphasizing the most popular sights, with good maps and photos. Instead of trying to fit everything into a tiny book (which necessarily limits how many things to include and how much to say), Steves' book shares a lot of detail, with real storytelling -- as if you had a (semi)-local telling you about his city. If I had to do it again, I'd get both the Rick Steves book AND the Fodor's guide -- the latter, perhaps, in the paper version, as it's light enough to put in your day pack."
"The book does a great job of listing places to visit,where to sleep, eat, the exciting night life, cultural events and other attractions in Budapest by district."
"We used it extensively to get off the beaten path and see some interesting sites."
"I normally find that it takes more than one guidebook to get the info I want during my visits because I try to have a good predetermined sequence in mind of POI's so I can maximize my weekend time off."
"Rick Steve's books are an indispensable asset to any trip!"
"Another great Rick Steves travel book which provides all the detailed information you need to have a great trip to Budapest."
"Excellent and the supplements for places to see outside Budapest were especially helpful."
"Book was decent but i very much disliked the fact that it didn't include a map like the other books i have purchased from Rick Steves."
Best Travel Reference & Tips
Talk about a bucket list: here are natural wonders—the dazzling glowworm caves in New Zealand, or a baobob tree in South Africa that's so large it has a pub inside where 15 people can drink comfortably. Not to mention the Great Stalacpipe Organ in Virginia, Turkmenistan's 40-year hole of fire called the Gates of Hell, a graveyard for decommissioned ships on the coast of Bangladesh, eccentric bone museums in Italy, or a weather-forecasting invention that was powered by leeches, still on display in Devon, England. “Fair warning: It's addictive.” — NPR, “Cosmos & Culture” “In this gorgeous collection, the celebrated Atlas Obscura website is condensed into 480 pages of awe-inspiring destinations. “Odds are you won’t get past three pages without being amazed at something truly strange that you didn’t know existed.” — San Francisco Chronicle. “Richly illustrated, delightfully strange, this compendium of off-beat destinations should spark many adventures, both terrestrial and imaginary.” — Boston Globe. “Whether describing a Canadian museum that showcases world history through shoes, a pet-casket company that will also sell you a unit for your severed limb, a Greek snake festival, or a place in the Canary Islands where inhabitants communicate through whistling, the authors have compiled an enthralling range of oddities. Featuring full-color illustrations, this hefty and gorgeously produced tome will be eagerly pored over by readers of many ages and fans of the original website.”— Booklist (Starred Review). a wonderful browse [for] armchair travelers who enjoyed Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York and Frank Warren’s PostSecret .” — Library Journal. It's the kind of book that makes you want to pack in your workaday life and head out to places you'd never have dreamed of going, to see things you could not even have imagined. “ Atlas Obscura is a joyful antidote to the creeping suspicion that travel these days is little more than a homogenized corporate shopping opportunity. Here are hundreds of surprising, perplexing, mind-blowing, inspiring reasons to travel a day longer and farther off the path. Never start a trip without knowing where a haunted hotel or a mouth of hell is!”. —GUILLERMO DEL TORO, filmmaker, Pan’s Labyrinth “ What a strange and wonderful book! Each page reveals some hidden realm—a realm that is frightening, or funny, or magical, or simply mad, but that always leaves the reader in wonder.”. —DAVID GRANN, author of The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Be grateful when visiting the Karni Mata Rat Temple if one of the 20,000 venerated rodents runs across your bare foot—it is considered good luck.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Revel in the places that you've seen!"
"I read a short description of the book in the travel section of the SF Chronicle a few weeks ago, and made the purchase based on that. That said, there are items about things I have no interest in seeing, e.g., “Lake Monsters of the USA,” but there don’t seem to be many of that sort of thing included. As with "Lake Monsters," even if you (or a recipient) aren't likely to visit many of the places described, I think for many curious people this would make for an interesting read even without the travel element. It's not a perfect book, and I don't think any one book can be perfect for all readers, but I do think it's very good and I can easily recommend it for anyone who might be potentially interested."
"This book exceeded my already higher-than-average expectations."
"I think she is gonna love this."
"For all who love the obscure in life, this is your book."
"Wonderful book to have on table in living room where everyone can see it."
"WOW!"
"A lot of interesting and informative info."
Best Boston Massachusetts Travel Books
This is the true story of Stan Zuray's incredible journey; the reformation of a man's heart and mind in the forbidding darkness of Alaska's endless winter.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Nice product like advertised."
"Love this book."
"One of the better adventure books about Alaska that I have ever read."
"I enjoyed Stans story, I found it was just enough story to make the point, & give a descent amount of detail."
"Very good book and very interesting ."
"Great adventure book."
"Excellent."
Best Chicago Illinois Travel Books
Produced in cooperation with the Chicago Public Art Group, Urban Art Chicago effectively conveys the vibrancy of community public art (now a national phenomenon) and how it alters the relationship of artist to audience. This terrific guide opens the doors of Chicago's public art to the caring tourist.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"good photos and details about the murals."
"Quick shipping."
"Also adding to the book's usefulness is a bibliography and a collection of capsule biographies of major artists in the mural movement. But my favorites include the following: William Walker's "Childhood Is Without Prejudice," with its interlocking faces of many races; Christopher Tavares Silva's "Soaring Toward Excellence," a symbolic, energetic celebration of books and education; Aurelio Diaz' "Latino Youth, Inc." mural, with its stunning pre-Columbian imagery; and Jeff Zimmerman's "Paid Programming," a visual satire in which the United States flag is morphed into a bar-code."
"Urban Art Chicago is a beautifully produced guide to many of Chicago's murals and would be an excellent gift for any school teacher."
Best Baltimore Maryland Travel Books
Streetwise Baltimore Map - Laminated City Center Street Map of Baltimore, Maryland - Folding pocket size travel map with integrated light rail & metro stations. This map covers the following areas: Main Baltimore Map 1:25,000. Baltimore Area Map 1:180,000. Downtown Baltimore Map 1:12,500. Past entries have also included a mobile beaver lodge, the Shrimptastic float complete with support shrimp on bikes, the nine-seater PLATYPUS (Personal Longrange All-Terrain Yacht Proven Un-Safe) and the perennial plastic poodle Fifi. After eight hours awards are bestowed including the Golden Flipper, Sock Creature of the Universe (a sock puppet is required of each team), Next to Last and the Dinosaur Award for the most memorable breakdown along the race. In the 1970’s, Brown traveled extensively throughout Africa, India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Brown would take a large paper map, cut out the city center, folded it up and slip it into his pocket, thus preventing him from looking like a tourist in areas where discretion is the better part of travel. After many years on the road, Brown settled back in New York and decided to start his own business, based on the adaptations he had made to maps in his travels. Brown sold the maps during the day, zipping around Manhattan making deliveries on his Harley Davidson. STREETWISE® is one of the only, if not THE only map company that conducts research by walking or driving an area to ensure accuracy. This lengthy fact checking results in superior accuracy; in effect, we’ve done the work, now you have the adventure.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This map is just what I need."
"I purchased this map for a replacement for the map I had dropped somewhere in Edinburgh."
"Nice for getting ourselves oriented in Charleston."
"Seattle is so gloomy and rainy."
"It is NOT a full size map."
"It even had our hotel on this map, which helped a lot as point of reference."
"At a minimum, I thought the Streetwise Edinburgh map would have an enlarged map of the Royal Mile and New Town, as these areas have the great majority of tourist sights."