1 comments about Fodor's New England, 27th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. Fodor's "New England" travel guide is an excellent introduction to a diverse region offering historical attractions, great scenary, and multiple recreational opportunities. All too many folks know no more of the Northeast than can seen from the I-95 corridor. In fact, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine have hundreds of years of history and a vibrant present to show visitors.
   
   Fodor's surveys each state, covering the major regions, noting scenic routes, sites of tourist interest, recreational opportunities, and suggestions for accomodations and dining. Skiing in Vermont, hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, historical Old Boston, and the beautiful coastlines of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maine get their due emphasis. Fodor's provides a variety of maps, including diagrams of the downtown areas of some of the major cities and a detachable driving map. Insets highlight items of local history or interest. Commentary on travel to and within New England, along with brief weather and safery considerations, is included.
   
   Fodor's eschews pictures in favor of more data; those looking for photographs for a sense of scale must look elsewhere. Inevitably, a survey-level guide for a large area must skim the surface; readers needing more information about a particular area or location can consult the listed web-sites or refer to other publications.
   
   This book is highly recommended to tourists planning their first vacation the New England region.

2 comments about Best Castles - England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales: The Essential Guide for Visiting and Enjoying.

1. I am a big fan of ruined castles. I like ancient, crumbling old buildings from times long past. There are many such castles in the British Isles, but there are also many more "modern" castles, built hundreds of years after the medieval period, filled with sumptuous carpets and luxurious wall coverings and such. I can see the allure of these castles for some people, but they do not hold the same wonder for me, and when I am paying a lot of money to visit a foreign country, I want to optimize my experience as much as possible.
   
   This book is wonderful because it lets me do just that. Many guidebooks (I use the Let's Go and Rough Guides) do not differentiate between different kinds of castles, and offer a brief description of each one. It's hard to know what you're getting into before you actually arrive. With this book, you can get a preview of each castle, so you're never surprised. I mentioned my personal love of ruins, but this book is great for any taste, or just the curious.
   
   The information on each structure is sparse, and much attention is paid to the glorious full color photographs. I never got the impression this book was trying to be the authority on castle information however, and I think it succeeds admirably at its chosen task. It is a good supplemental guidebook if you're interested in the topic.



2. Gorgeous photos, nice descriptions, but too short & not detailed enough. It would also have helped to have had captions under the photos; I frequently couldn't tell what I was looking at. I also wished it were longer. Overall a worthwhile book if a little on the shallow side.

1 comments about Fodor's Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, 10th Edition (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. FODOR'S MAINE, VERMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, 10TH EDITION is a great book about New England's northern section. In addition to where the best lodging, shopping, and dining are, it also describes plenty of outdoor activity ideas for anyone trying to look good for their significant other and/or their favorite celebrity. If any of those things are important to you, you need this book.

2 comments about Foghorn Outdoors Vermont Hiking: Day Hikes, Kid-Friendly Trails, and Backpacking Treks (Foghorn Outdoors).

1. This guidebook helps so much in planning a weekend getaway hike. Really, I don't know how I would have started without it. It's extremely useful and tells you about all the trails in the state! One of my favorites is the Robert Frost trail!



2. Easy to understand, good ratings system, and lots of great kid-friendly trails. (also more difficult ones). This book has something for everyone and is well written, and concise. Also helpful tips for hiking preparation.

No comments about AMC River Guide New Hampshire/Vermont, 4th (AMC River Guide Series).

5 comments about Roadside Geology of Massachusetts (Roadside Geology Series) (Roadside Geology Series).

1. James W. Skehan's Roadside Geology Of Massachusetts will please residents of Massachusetts and any with a special affection for its local geology, providing a geologic history of the mountains and rocks of the state. An organization by area makes it easy to locate the part of Massachusetts which is of particular interest, while geologic facts assume no prior scientific knowledge - lay readers will relish this guide.



2. I have bought other titles in this series when on vacation in the States, so I was delighted to find this book in a bookstore on a recent visit to Boston and Cape Cod. The descriptions of peri- and post-glacial geology were particularly illuminating as I walked beaches and trails on the Cape and Islands. Comparing these descriptions with older books on the geology of the Cape it is amazing how much detail is encompassed in a small number of pages. Similarly, descriptions of other areas familiar to me, such as Cape Ann, Boston and the Concord/Lexington area, all gave me a much better understanding. I look forward to visiting unfamiliar parts of the state, with this book in hand. It is not just for residents, but is a must for the vactioner interested in the natural history or landform of Massachusetts.



3. I read this book from cover to cover and was impressed with it's depth of information. I then actually brought this book into the field and it served me well. A great guide!!!!!!



4. I have been looking for this sort of detailed, hands-on guide to Massachusetts geological formations for a while, & am delighted with Skehan's book. It's a bit of a tome yet readable and easy to bring along on roadtrips and hikes.



5. Skehan uses the fascinating geology of Massachusetts to teach amazing amounts of geology. Great for anybody who'll be traveling around the state who's interested in understanding the land. I want more!

5 comments about Waterfalls of the White Mountains: 30 Hikes to 100 Waterfalls.

1. This book inspired one of the best vacations I've taken (while closest to home!)exploring the waterfalls of NH. The directions and descriptions are accurate and easy to follow, and the falls themselves are exquisite--even in dry August weather, when we saw them. This will be a gift to friends, to be sure. Experienced hikers will appreciate it, but it's suitable for beginners. Not many geriatric hikes, however.



2. To my thinking there is not much more thrilling than turning a corner to find a spectacular and beautiful rush of water cascading over cliffs or through a rocky terrain. Who doesn't like waterfalls?!

   This terrific guide to the waterfalls of New Hampshire's White Mountains details 30 hikes to 100 waterfalls, so many of the walks take you to several falls. A regional map pinpoints the thirty treks and a lengthy introduction relates waterfall nomenclature and origins, tells you how to use the book and offers tips to make your trip enjoyable. Detailed within four subregions (the Connecticut , Pemigewasset/Merrimack, Saco and Androscoggin watersheds), entries are 6-10 pages long and include location, distance, altitude gain, difficulty, access information, a map, trail and hike details, and a photograph of the falls.

   An indispensable guide for waterfall lovers, particularly those travelling with kids.

   The book concludes with appendices on regional geology and camping facilities, a bibliography and an index.




3. I enjoyed everything about this book. Not only are the trail maps well drawn but the descriptions of the waterfalls almost makes you feel like you are standing next to the falls as you are reading about it. One thing that makes this book unique to hiking books is the Historical Detour section at the end of each chapter. I enjoyed learning about the history of the White Mountain National Forest and the many stories about how these waterfalls got their names. I might add that the photography in this book is excellent. There are some beautiful shots of almost every waterfall mentioned in the book. Not only is this book goood for finding good waterfall hikes but it also makes for some relaxing reading.



4. I am an avid hiker of the Appalachian Mountains from the Carolinas to Maine. As such, I have purchased my share of guidebooks. Without a doubt in my mind, this is the best guidebook ever published. It reads more like a novel. I live in both Florida and New Hamphire and I find myself picking up this book to read for pleasure when I'm in Florida, 1000's of miles from the White Mountains. This book is efficient. As the title suggests, one can cover 100 waterfalls in 30 hikes, most of which are not very grueling. The book describes the waterfalls in detail but reads like a novel. It uses descriptions from early guidebooks as well, some over 100 years old! The directions to the waterfalls are clear and well written and include vital statistics like distance to each, vertical elevation gained, difficulty and altitude. A sketch map is shown for each hike (although one would use a separate topographic map for the actual hike). In addition, and I think this really separates this from other guides, a history is included for each hike of the area. These histories include Indian stories predating European settlement, stories of the early European settlements, the first grand hotels and even ski resorts. It truly gives the reader/hiker a sense of time and place. If you hike the White Mountains get this book!



5. I was very pleased with the book all the info in it was excellent!!!!

1 comments about American Map New England: Road Atlas: Connecticut - Massachusetts - Rhode Island - Maine - New Hampshire - Vermont (American Map).

1. This book was great for helping us get around the interstates and highways. It doesn't have much in the way of smaller town road maps making getting around in small New England towns a bit more cumbersome. But I do recommend the book for anyone planning a trip to multiple New England states.

3 comments about Massachusetts Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. The 80-page book is loaded with topographic maps showing in detail important information, like trails, rivers, forests, hills, and more. The Gazetteer is loaded with important information such as state and recreational areas, hiking and biking trails, paddling opportunities, golf courses, wildlife viewing areas, downhill and cross-country skiing areas, private campgrounds throughout the state, museums and attractions, and city maps of Boston, Springfield, and Worcester. For example, under wildlife viewing is liested Barre Falls Dam Project. Barre is famous for song/perching birds, upland birds, hoofed mammals, barrier free access, parking, picnic areas, restrooms, hiking, non-motorized boating, cross-country skiing, hiking. Folks! I have been here and what is listed is 100 percent true.

   Armand J. Courchaine, The Mansfield Buzz, May 27, 1999




2. Some back roads in western MA are incorrectly named. An otherwise excellent resource.



3. Hey! I like 'em. I've used these books for most of my trips for many years and they really are unmatchable time savers. ... With these books there is enough detail to find the feature you are looking for, yet not overly detailed as to require a lot of page flipping. ...To use as a fine detail map for driving they give terrific information about which streets to take. We used ours to try to negotiate the traffic at rush hour in Salem, Mass. ... The book was able to show us alternatives to avoid the worst of it. I also like the DelOrme software on my computer. ...

No comments about Michigan's Upper Peninsula: Great Destinations: A Complete Guide (Great Destinations).