Check It Out: Fall into travel guidebooks
When you are thinking about visiting a new place, travel websites and guidebooks can be invaluable in helping you research and plan your trip.
Offering information on everything from hotels and restaurants to local activities and even events calendars, you can plan as well as book reservations, tickets and tours, and even map routes by car, public transportation, or walking distance.
Websites are more likely to be up-to-date, but if you’re using a print guidebook, choose a current one, or double-check information for accuracy.
There are quite a few series of travel guidebooks, and each series has its own strengths.
I’d like to review some of the largest series, and give you some recent titles that are available at the library.
Lonely Planet: Series designed for independent travelers. Detailed and accurate coverage, budget to midrange prices.
- “Experience England” (2025)
- “Best Road Trips: Pacific Northwest” (2024)
- “Lonely Planet’s Where to Go When” (2022)
Rick Steves: Series designed for independent travelers. European destinations, practical custom and culture advice.
- “Rick Steves’ Croatia & Slovenia” (2025)
- “Rick Steves’ Germany” (2025)
- “Rick Steves’ Italy for Food Lovers” (2023)
Frommer’s: Series designed for family and value-conscious travelers. Several series tailored to different needs, range of budgets within guides, practical and detailed information.
- “Frommer’s Hawaii” (2025)
- “Frommer’s Washington, D.C.” (2025)
- “Frommer’s EasyGuide to Nashville & Memphis” (2025)
Fodor’s: Series designed for upscale and higher-end travelers. Offers worldwide destinations and tips from local experts.
- “Fodor’s Bermuda” (2024)
- “Fodor’s New England” (2023)
Rough Guides: Series designed for adventure travelers. Off-the-beaten-path experiences, travel tips and cultural immersion.
- “The Rough Guide to Iceland” (2022)
- “The Rough Guide to Southwest USA” (2021)
DK Eyewitness: Series designed for higher-end travel and visual immersion. Worldwide guides, user-friendly layouts with detailed maps.
- “National Parks of the USA” (2024)
- “Portland Like a Local” (2022)
Moon Travel Guides: Publish guides for some lesser-traveled and specialized areas, such as:
- “Washington State” by Melissa Pederson (2025)
- “Moon Baseball Road Trips” by Timothy Malcom (2024)
And a couple of travelogue titles, just for fun:
- “A Walk in the Woods” by Bill Bryson (1998): Bill Bryson has written many humorous travelogues.
- “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again” by David Foster Wallace (1997): Wallace’s essay about the cruise ship industry is priceless.
Beth Wood is the senior collection development librarian for the Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries. Email her at [email protected].
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