1 comments about Diving and Snorkeling Guide to the Florida Keys (Pisces Diving & Snorkeling Guides).

1. We really like this book, and used it as a reference source for some of the information in our website (see email address). It has nice photographs, detailed descriptions of the bigger reefs, and is written with a fun, interesting tone. Definitely recommended.

No comments about Rand McNally Tallahassee, Florida: EasyFinder (Rand McNally Easyfinder).

No comments about Key West Fl City Slicker.

3 comments about Fodor's Disney Like a Pro: The Totally Unauthorized Guide to Saving Money and Getting the Most Out of Florida's Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Much More!.

1. is all that you will find in this book! This guy advises you to get your tickets by listening to time share pitches! Not only is that time consuming, it's unethical! Unless you want some good laughs, DO NOT buy this book



2. On a recent peak summer season visit to Orlando's overwhelming and expensive collection of theme parks and tourist traps, we found this book of tips, secrets and hints by an Orlando native to be useful, though not always applicable. Some advice was dead-on perfect (parking secrets & ponchos), other hints were intermittently so (how to avoid long-lines - sorry Rick, even at 11pm, Space Mountain was nearly an hour in the left hand line), and still others nearly useless (discount or free tickets demand strong sales resistance).

   The individual ride attraction reviews alone were far more honest and informative than the brief discriptions in the official guide maps. Worth the price of the book alone, we referred to them often throughout our visit - especially when trying to decide if the wait for Back to the Future was worth it (it was).




3. This should have been titled "Universal Studios Like a Pro" (in fact, the later edition is "Orlando Like a Pro"). The author spends most of the book pointing out how much more he likes Universal Studios over Disney World. Not only are his tips about Disney World useless, but many of his 'facts' are dead wrong (for example,'like a pro' he tells his readers that the stretching room in the Haunted Mansion ride at Disney World doesn't use elevators, which it does. He erroneously calls the Enchanted Tiki Room attraction "Tropical Serenade", etc). An insult to Disney fans and a poor guide book. Thumbs down to Foder's for not checking his 'facts' for accuracy.

1 comments about Miami Pocket Guide (Berlitz Pocket Guides).

1. This is the worst city guide book I've ever bought. The maps have an atrocious lack of detail. The info in the book sounds like it came straight out of the stack of brochures that can be picked up at any tourist board office. And the pictures look like they are from the 80s. This book was a major disappointment!

No comments about Rand McNally Jacksonville Florida.

1 comments about Larry Larsen's Guide to South Florida Bass Waters (Bass Water Series).

1. Book needs to be revised. Bass fishing waters that were good when the book was published are not so good now and visa versa.

5 comments about Caribbean By Cruise Ship: The Complete Guide To Cruising The Caribbean (Caribbean By Cruise Ship)(4th Edition).

1. I was incredibly disappointed in this book. I haven't taken a cruise in over a decade and still didn't learn a thing reading this book. It reads like a travelogue for various islands in the Caribbean but offers no insights on any of the ships or any of the lines. It didn't have much on shore excursions either. I learned more from the various cruise lines home pages than I did from this book.



2. This is an excellent guide book for both the first time cruiser and the seasoned traveller. My travel agent gave this book as a gift to those of us cruising as a group to the Eastern Caribbean this past spring. Athough I have sailed on many cruise ships and feel I know many of the differences between the lines and ships, those in our group who were new to cruising found the glossary section very useful and filled with practical tips to make their cruise more enjoyable and less confusing (ie) tipping policy,dining options, onboard activities.
   
   We liked the pull out map and had this hanging in our staterooms so that we could plot our course each day. The smaller maps of the ports of call were very useful, and often had more detail than the maps from the shore excursion desk onboard. So often on a cruise I feel the tour department is promoting their shops and excursions ... but having this book provided an unbiased synopsis of what there was to see in each port and where to go.
   
   The section on Caribbean history and the history of each island helps in understanding the people and the culture. When one 'drops into a port' for just a few hours or a day, it is not always easy to get the entire flavour of the people. By knowing a bit of the history, my onshore experience was
   certainly enhanced.



3. This book provided very good information about where the ships dock, as well as activities on the islands, modes and costs of transportation, and feedback about beaches, shopping and water activities. The maps and information that showed the distances from the ship to the activities/localities were just what I was looking for to plan my days on the islands. In addition, the book was very helpful in the selection of shore excursions that I could do on my own and through the ship (e.g., it helped to narrow down the best spots for snorkeling and golf, etc.). I would recommend it to anyone traveling via cruise ship to the Caribbean.



4. We just returned from a 10 day southern Caribbean cruise and found this book invaluable. The maps were great! Details on shore excursions and port attractions allowed us to focus on aspects we were interested in and also gave us the confidence to do walkabouts. Great book, highly recommended.



5. This is a physically heavy but informationally lightweight guide for crusing in the Caribbean. It is good but not great. We found it only slightly useful, preferring the Insight Guide Caribbean Cruises for more content and especially the "Cruising the Eastern Caribbean" more suitable to our nature oriented tastes. The latter book covers only EASTERN islands.

3 comments about Beyond the Theme Parks: Exploring Central Florida.

1. Ben Brotmarkle has covered the local art/culture scene for Central Florida for the last 7 years on WMFE radio, so he has a good grasp of the material. This is a great book for locals who want ideas on other places to go besides the big theme parks, and for visitors to know the depth of the local scene. A good buy for anyone who lives here or plans on visiting....



2. Mr. Brotemarkle is an expert in what the arts have to offer in the tourist capital of the south. His knowledge of all kinds of sites is amazing from opera, to historic sites to museums. He does this with a breezy style that makes of good reading and is a must if you live here and have visitors all the time. I got sick of the big parks years ago, so now I take my friends places like Leu Gardens, and museusm.



3. If theme parks just ain't your thing, here's an interesting book for the Orlando-bound traveler. Brotemarkle's uncovered hundreds of fascinating sites that most Florida visitors never even consider on their way to Space Mountain. Art festivals, unique architecture, and a fabulous historical legacy abound in central Florida; see them and support them before they're all paved over.

2 comments about American Map State Road Atlas Florida.

1. This Atlas is from 2003. The exit numbers have all changed on Fl State roue 75 since this was published and it is extremely confusing.



2. I bought this at a quickie mart in Florida after we moved here and have since found it VERY difficult to use. The exit numbers are the wrong, old numbers (as another reviewer points out). In addition, the maps are sparse on detail and confusingly laid out. There are map numbers and page numbers and the adjoining edges are marked with map numbers, not page numbers, so you have to find the maps yourself. Everything in the book is done this way.
   
   Although I had hoped for a Thomas Bros. map (Look them up for California -- They're the best!), the company doesn't do Florida. I'm ordering the Delorme atlas today. It seems to be the only one that ISN'T published by American Map (A division of Langenscheidt, I'm surprised to learn).
   
   -- D