My first experience with travel guidebooks was as a tool to make the most out of our trip to Italy. This was going to be our first time traveling to Rome and we wanted it to be a rich experience.
I combed through a Rick Steves Italy book for a general sense of what was possible, how long to stay and what we all might want to see. Then as I took another look I dove into recommendations for neighborhoods to stay in and restaurants to eat at. The thorough guide also helped me plan for day trips and get recommendations for where to buy tickets online for everything from trains to the Colosseum to the Vatican.
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Since then guidebooks have been a key part of my travel strategy. Even after Covid, they are a go-to part of my travel planning strategy that I use to discover locally run eateries, great neighborhood experiences, and useful advice. Read on to learn why a guidebook is still worth it today.
Advantages of Using Guidebooks
When my family and I toured the Vatican we had a Rick Steves audio guide in one ear. We kept looking at each other as we walked saying things like, “Hey did you know…” or “That statue is…” We could pause the audio at any time and still, we had a private guide right with us the whole time (and it was free)! We learned the cultural context and perspective that came with Rick Steves’ love of history and locals that we would not have known otherwise.
We’ve traveled many places since then and while a Rick Steves guide is still a go-to resource for our European travel, there are so many guidebooks to choose from! While I also use podcasts, blogs (hello!), and a ton of other online resources guidebooks remain a key part of our travel planning strategy. I’m going to outline why I think they should remain an important resource for you as well. Helping you with travel tips on where to go, when to go, what to see, and how to do it all within your budget, travel guide books are your all-in-one-place travel asset.
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Here are a few reasons why you want to include travel books in your planning strategy.
- Rich information all in one place – guidebooks are such a time saver! As a working mom in charge of most of the family travel planning, this is a must for me! While I love the versatility of online resources I have to hunt for this and that all on my own. A guidebook’s author has already done all that work for me and packaged it neatly into one product! Score!!
- Authority – authors of guidebooks know this destination inside and out. Moon Guides for example uses well-qualified travelers to write guidebooks for travelers! Rick Steves has been to Europe multiple times a year for decades. Rough Guides, known for their straightforward opinions about locations, even have a Staycation travel guide series. The expertise and tips that come from that level of knowledge ensure you will have a better experience no matter what your travel motivations are.
- A hard copy of a physical book – don’t underestimate the joy that can still be found by holding the information in your hands. While yes, I have a kindle, I still enjoy holding a book and actually find it easier to keep track of notes I’ve taken on a paperback. A physical copy of the book can be easily flipped through, written on, and even have important pages ripped out for your safekeeping. Don’t want to take the whole book with you in your travel bag? No worries. Just cut out the chunk you want and bring that along.
- Practical souvenir – when I look at the guidebooks lined up on my bookshelf I think of all the good times we had in those places. The bookshelf becomes a lasting memory of travel adventures. And I know that I can reference them again if I start to plan a return to a previously visited location.
Because there is so much information in a given guidebook you can customize what you take away from each book.
Which Guidebook Should I Use?
Whether traveling across the United States on a national parks tour or traversing across Europe on an anniversary trip, guidebooks can help you craft an ideal itinerary customized to your needs and preferences.
New releases of travel books are happening all the time so how do you narrow down a choice that will fit your style? Let me help you with information about a few of the major travel guide players.
Lonely Planet deserves a spot on the list because of how well-known they are as well as how much they write. They have travel guides that cover just about anywhere on the planet that you would like to visit.
Moon Guides are my favorite recent discovery. They prioritize the local community and are often written by local experts who feel a special connection with the location that you can feel in their writing. They bring cultural and political awareness to their writing that encourages all adventurers to see their destination as a whole.
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National Geographic is a trusted authority and it’s no wonder they’ve chosen to spread out into the development of a travel guides series. From New Zealand to the Cote d’Azur, from the Keys to Alaska, they’ve got an affordable travel guide for you filled with the beautiful photography you’ve come to expect from Nat Geo alongside the details of how to get to and enjoy your destination. In the Travelwise section of each guide, they also include notes on local etiquette and accommodations for travelers with disabilities.
DK Eyewitness Travel Guides were my priority travel guides for the boys. They are famous for their imagery, diagrams, and colorful photography. The travel guide remains informative while grasping the interest of new travelers.
Rough Guides are a resource for me when planning our trips outside of Europe. They have guides on over a hundred destinations and provide trusted and independent reviews.
Rick Steves is my number one trusted guidebook for travel in Europe. You cannot beat the detailed reviews of locations. His passion for history and art comes through with each guide. His lens brings you context that you might have otherwise missed. His obvious attention to locals and culturally respectful practices is much appreciated. There is also a wonderful Rick Steve Audio app which I mentioned earlier loaded with walking tours and location-specific guides that add another level of support to your adventure.
How to Pick a Travel Guidebook
Your personal taste in travel has an impact on the types of travel guides that will resonate with you. Looking for authors that immerse themselves in a local experience and highlight activities that benefit local communities is a priority for me. For example, I recently purchased Detours: A Non-Colonial Guide to Hawai’i. The perspectives found in the book as well as the recommended self-guided walking tours open up a side of this oftentimes over touristed location that I would otherwise miss from a more traditional travel guide.
You can customize your search by looking at reviews for travel guides. Check out Amazon book reviews and dig into why people appreciated (or didn’t) that particular series style. Once you’ve settled on one (or 2 – 3 if you’re like me), books can easily be ordered in your local brick-and-mortar book store or online through Amazon.
The impacts of the pandemic should be taken into consideration when picking your travel guidebook. When was it last updated? I have found that in buying a 2022 edition it is still wise to do your due diligence. Travel guide authors are doing their best to catch up with updates but I still look up websites to confirm opening and closing hours as well as hours of operation. You would do this anyway I’m sure. It’s a wise practice as we know some smaller local businesses had to deal with quite a bit of hardship during Covid.
If you’re looking for an edge when planning your next trip, consider adding a travel guidebook to your resources. Travel guidebooks are a valuable asset for making the most out of your trips. They can help you save time and money, as well as provide an insider’s perspective on destinations. When selecting guidebooks, be sure to consider your needs and the specific destination you are traveling to. And finally, subscribe to our Travel Goals newsletter for more useful tips like this!