How to choose the perfect travel book

After the destination is picked, tickets bought and accommodations booked through venere.com, the next step is to mentally prepare for the trip. To help become comfortable with unfamiliar destinations, travel books and guides can ease the tension. If anything, they don’t make you feel alone.

Here are some tips when shopping for the perfect travel guide:

Dos:

• Glance at all titles. Something might pop-out at you

• Realize some publishers cater to individual travelers (Lonely Planet) and budget travel (Rough Guides)

• Choose a few and look inside… color photos vs. pencil drawings (DK Eyewitness vs. Rick Steves) What’s your preference?

• Think about the size of the book. Do you really want to carry a 500-page guide of Italy in your backpack?

• Think about the format. Do you understand the layout? Does it make you think too hard?

Don’ts:

• Worry about the price. Travel guides are a great investment.

• Be afraid to spend hours in the store or on-line browsing.

• Buy out-of-date books. If it was published in 2005, chances are the restaurant and store information is not valid.

• Lose focus. If you won’t be driving, stick to walking guides i.e. Frommer’s Top Ten.

• Buy a book only for the “fold-out map.” Travel centers, hotels, airports, tourists centers have free ones or print one out on-line.

Also, remember that your local library has travel books. Check one out and take notes… especially for short day/weekend trips.

Topic:  How to Tuesday | 2 Comments
Tags:  guide books

About the author

Morgan is a recent graduate of journalism and dance. She is writing and traveling until she runs out of ideas.