Guidebooks: Friend or Foe?

Are you a guidebook junkie? Before every trip, do you rush out and buy 2-3 copies of various books based on your destination? Maybe you are the addicted to the Internet type – spending hours online researching your holiday spot. Perhaps you are a free spirit; simply appearing in town, with a plan to figure it out as you go along. 

I’m definitely a mix of all three styles, and I bet a lot of other people are too. I love guidebooks cause I’m a reader, and nothing puts me in holiday mode more than curling up on my couch with a guidebook and reading about my upcoming trip. However, I also like to scout information out on the web, because that’s usually where you’ll find the most up-to-date essentials. And then there’s a part of me that likes to wing it – cause you never know what you might suddenly stumble upon. 

I find guidebooks to be best for the “constants:” Landmarks, museums and other sightseeing adventures. For hotels, restaurants, and other establishments that can easily change; I’ll usually research that online. Plus, many guidebooks send people to all the same sights. Their “hidden” treasure or “off the beaten track” gem quickly becomes the next tourist hot spot post-publication. 

I hiked the Cinque Terre in Italy last May and was shocked at all the copies of Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Back Door I saw being carried along the trail. Now, Rick Steves is my personal hero, and I totally recommend his books – but let’s face the facts. If he has recommended it, you know people are gonna go. 

Lonely Planet is another series I find to be honest and useful. They are geared towards the independent traveler, so have good tips on finding your way, yourself. 

Let’s Go is another classic budget traveler bible. However, they are REALLY budget, so if you are looking for perhaps a more upscale hotel or nicer restaurants, they may not be the best choice for you. 

Arthur Frommer’s first book Europe on $5 a Day made him the budget travel king. While his books are still worth looking at, I find sometimes he wanders a bit off the budget track. 

Do you have a guidebook you wouldn’t dream of traveling without? Tell us about it!