Enter to win one of 10 copies!
Thanks to this year’s Reader Survey, we know that many of our readers love to travel for fun. So, we are thrilled to announce a new feature in BookPage: Travels with Lonely Planet!
Robert Reid, the U.S. Travel Editor for Lonely Planet, will write the column every month and highlight some of the best new books (from Lonely Planet and elsewhere) to help you plan vacations.
The June column [PDF] suggests you take what may be the most classic of American vacations . . . to one of our gorgeous national parks. I love the reminder that an annual pass to our national park system costs only $80—or only $10 for life if you’re 62 and up.
This year, a perfect Father’s Day gift—or a gift to yourself, if you’re longing to hit the road—would be Discover USA’s Best National Parks, a full-color guide packed with essential planning tips. Check out an excerpt from the book here [PDF].
This week we’re giving away 10 (!) copies of the book. Here’s how you can win:
TO ENTER: Comment on this post with the name of the best guidebook you’ve ever used.
CONTEST DETAILS: Ten winners will be chosen by random.org from among entries received by 5 pm CST on Friday, June 8. The winners will each receive a copy of Discover USA’s Best National Parks. Prize must be shipped to a North American address, and Rhode Island residents are not eligible. (Full contest rules here.) Good luck!
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ETA: Congratulations to our 10 winners: Allison, Claudia, Amy, Judy, Susan, Jordan, Lana, Sarah, Jessica and Ron! They all shared great guidebook suggestions, but Lonely Planet and Rick Steves seem to be the crowd favorites.
Thank you to all who entered! Contest is now closed.
You have to love Maine. If you follow Route 1 all the way from Kittery to Calais you will never see anything more beautiful as the sights, towns and food of Maine. Try Five Islands Seafood for Lobster (a beautiful town on the peninsula below Bath). The best book to guide you is “The Coast of Maine Book” by Kick Ackermann and Kathryn Buxton. You will want to go back every vacation. There is just too much to do.
Fromers guide to San Francisco. It was perfect.
Frommers guides always seem to give the best information for popular areas. When travelling off the beaten path, you can’t beat Lonely Planet!
I love to use Lonely Planet
I have used Rick Steve’s guidebook to Italy which is informative, entertaining and extremely helpful.
MOON TRAVEL GUIDES
The Federal Highway Administration put a handy little guide called: Come Closer America’s BYWAYS. It has maps, descriptions of different areas, and phone numbers of Visitors Center. It is broken down by location. Great guide if you want to drive on America’s Byways.
I like the byways map but generally, I don’t use a guide. It’s much more fun to wander around a place I don’t know. And if I do need to get somewhere, nothing usually beats local knowledge.
The best guidebook that I have used was Lonely Planet’s Guide to the United States. Written for international tourists, I saw our country with a new understanding.
Looks like we’re all fans of Lonely Planet and Rick Steves.
Have to concur with the group and say Rick Steves and Lonely Planet – my family swears by them when we’re traveling. It’s a family joke that my mom would leave my dad for Rick…and probably vice versa!
I like different guides for different places. The DK Eyewitness Guide to Venice served me well!
Our go-to guide for hiking around our state is “On the Arizona Trail” by Pruett Publishing.
I used a Lonely Plant guide when I spent a summer in Greece. It was in tatters by the time I got home.
Peterson field guide to north Americas birds when we have been bird watching
Colonial Virginia is one of my all-time favorite places, and my husband and have enjoyed “Colonial Virginia Shrines”.
Lonely planet, too!
Does Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy count? Easily the most helpful advice I’ve ever received — don’t forget your towel.
Lonely Planet’s England 2005 got me everywhere I wanted to go!!
Fodor’s USA
National Geographic travel guides are great for road trips!
I’ve used “Off the Beaten Path” by the Readers Digest to find interesting places in the states that I’ll be traveling in. It’s full of interesting information.
Suzy Gershman’s guides to shopping are the best! Italy was my favorite book.
William Matthews’ book “A Guide to the National Parks” piqued my interest in our amazing parks and their natrural history long ago. I still have the book.
I’ve always used AAA’s guidebooks.
The last time I travelled was in early 2000. I was a single woman travelling alone and used Lonely Planet travel books. Flash forward to 2012 and I’m now a forty-two year old single Mom to a one year old daughter. I’d look for a travel books for families or single parents now. Kid friendly all the way! Advice on what to bring with (pack all the diapers or buy them along the way?) and what not to pack would be ideal.
We’ve used Rick Steves and Frommer travel guides on our trips.
Lonely Planet Russia!!
Rick Steves is first on my list,but we like to do a basic outline and see everything near he area and get off the beaten paths,we’ve stopped at places out of the way and met many characters and had many surprises(great)and saw many things we weren’t expecting,and asking people where some good places have given us many adventures well worth going…
I like the National Geographic guides for their completeness and coverage of wildlife in the parks.
The Next Exit is fun to use!
I love National Geographic Guides and Lonely Planet guidebooks. They are great to use on the road and fun to read at home when I’m dreaming of traveling.
San Juan skyway weaves through beautiful mountain passes in central CO, Ouray, CO is just gorgeous…these ideas and moreoften found in TRAVEL magazines
We have used Fodor’s and AAA’s
We’ve been using “Hunts Highlights of Michigan” by Mary and Don Hunt for years exploring our wonderful State of Michigan. Without this book, we never would have found so many hidden treasures.
I like to use Frommer’s. My favorite National Parks are Apostle Islands in Wisconsin and Pictured Rocks in Michigan.
The Lonely Planet Road Trip: Route 66. The best travel guide and trip of my life. I only regretted not seeing it when younger, so many famous sites are gone or in ruins. What a wonderful American travel route that holds so much to see still though. I love The Lonely Planet books period!!!
Best Hikes with Dogs in Georgia and South Carolina by Steve Goodrich
Lonely Planet is the guide I always recommend to family and friends!
I like the Lonely Planet Guide,plus we get maps from triple A,then we plan our way with the help of both,and other travelers we meet.The side roads offer much too,we weave in and out of them and the interstate.We will go down a road just to explore.Have a fun summer to all.
I usually write the Chamber of Commerce in the area we want to visit and get needed info plus coupons for local eateries and entertainments. Also, state information helps too.
Lonely planet
Frommer’s
I love all the DK Eyewitness Guide books. I like to buy and read them like novels. The pictures are amazing and the guide gives great tips for all areas of travel.
My favorite guidebooks for background history and great photos are the DK Eyewitness Guide books. But when I travel I usually use a combination of different books including the freebie ones from AAA.
My favorite travel guide was from Fodors for Alaska. It had a lot of excellent accurate recommendations!
Our national parks are favorite vacation locations for my husband and I. It would be great to win this book and explore those parks we have not had the chance to visit.
Froemmers guides to the Grand Canyon and Disney World
Lonely Planet guides are great!
“Along The River Road”…I used to live in Louisiana and would use this book on day trips along the river road!