2 comments about Cruising Alaska: A Guide to the Ports of Call (Cruising Alaska).

1. Concise, easy-to-read information fills every page of this bestseller. Unlike most cruise guidebooks, Cruising Alaska puts the emphasis on hard facts - not pretty pictures. Every detail is here, including stateroom size, passenger-crew ratio, dining options, current cruising routes, ship decor, onboard facilities and more. A candid analysis of the routes is given for every ship in Alaska this season, with details on the highlights, as well as what is missed. Maps, index.



2. Buying this book prior to my Alaska cruise proved to be well worth the investment. Per Ludmer's suggestion, we rented a car in Skagway and drove to Carcross, Yukon, Canada. What a wonderful outing away from the ship and for less then 25% the cost of us all taking the train. Get more tips from Ludmer by reading this book.

5 comments about Eyewitness Travel Guide to Chicago.

1. Great book, but not as great as other books from that series.



2. I used to live in Chicago, and I can tell you that had I had this book back then, I would have visited lots of places I never knew existed or didn't fully appreciate at the time. As in most DK Travel Guides, there's lots of information, photos, maps and graphs.

   Sure, the book is a bit outdated, but then again, IT'S A BOOK! In any case, the good people at DK keep updating their books from time to time.

   I do have one complaint, in the fact that this book has less than half the pages that the New York book's got. Because it's less famous it doesn't mean that Chicago is less of a great city as the big apple is...




3. I think these are the best travel guides. I wish they had them for every city!!



4. For the most part, Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness Travel Guides are terrific both as a backpack resource and as a keepsake afterward. I have about a dozen of their books at home, and I return to them frequently since I am a fan of the pleasing graphics and intuitive organization by neighborhood. The New York City guidebook (or more accurately, the Manhattan guide) is a particularly strong entry in the series, but the slim volume put together for Chicago, last published in 2003, is a relative disappointment. The gap comes from how the editors define the city's boundaries or at least what they perceive to be the areas of highest interest. Of course, the Loop and the Near North Side are covered thoroughly, but popular neighborhoods like Lakeview and Lincoln Park are given short shrift relegated to small paragraphs in the Farther Afield chapter.
   
   The first part of the book presents a brief history of the city that is interesting if rather cursory with events that are cross-referenced to the more popular sights you would want to see there. There is a well-presented survival guide toward the end of the book that highlights important travel information as well as recommendations on where to stay, shop and eat. Moreover, there is a comprehensive street finder, which helps you navigate without the inconvenience of fold-out maps. But again, the shortcomings reflect the selection of key areas at the expense of others. Even with copies of Chicago and Time Out, I was not able to achieve a more holistic view of the city when I traveled there.
   
   The pluses remain in its format. All the information is contained within a user-friendly, laminated paperback format that slips easily into backpacks and holds up well against inclement weather. Of particular use are the detailed pictorials showing animated aerial shots of neighborhoods and cut-away floor plans of the more heavily visited buildings like the Art Institute of Chicago. However, the net result is a guidebook that provides only marginal value in spite of the high quality of the series as a whole.



5. I've reviewed several travel guides lately, a number from Eyewitness Travel. This is another useful guidebook. And since I am from Illinois originally and Chicago always beckoned as a terrific place to visit, I was most interested in how well this book satisfied. Well, to end any suspense as to my answer, it satisfied very well indeed.
   
   As with any guidebook, there will be questions about why certain sights were mentioned, certain hotels selected, certain restaurants singled out, etc. But that is a part of development of any guidebook. Choices must be made.
   
   The first part of the book provides background context on Chicago--from four suggested tours of Chicago to a brief history of the place and other introductory information. On pages 21-25 are some bold selections. On Page 21, the top ten tourist attractions (I'm not sure that these would be my Top 10, but some are no brainers, such as the Art Institute, the Magnificent Mile, the Field Museum, and so on). Pages 22-23 feature the best museums in the city--and the choice is pretty reasonable.
   
   One of the standard features of any guidebook for a city is a consideration of the different areas within the city. Here, I'll just mention a couple.
   
   One, the downtown core, including the Loop (defined by a loop in the elevated train tracks). There are some great buildings and museums here--the Art Institute (both a great piece of architecture and a stunning museum), the old Marshall Field's flagship store (now Macy's; it's still hard to refer to the place as Macy's!), Sears Tower, Auditorium Building, and Millennium Park. Places to stay? I love the old classic Palmer House. I also enjoy staying at the Hyatt Regency (its restaurant, Stetson's is also worth mentioning, although it's not listed in this guide). Some grand ones. I always enjoyed Miller's Pub, with its fine baby-back ribs. And walk out toward the Lakefront from here and enjoy the view.
   
   Two, the North Side. Tribune Tower and the Wrigley Building are wonderful. Want to shop till you drop? Check out the Magnificent Mile; in the process go up to the observation deck of the Hancock Building. I'm nervous about heights and get conniptions, but I can survive because of the splendid view! Some fine steak houses are located here--the well known Morton's and a Don Shula.
   
   There is also a valuable guide as to where to go for antiques, art and art supplies, books, gifts and souvenirs, sporting goods, and so on.
   
   As someone who has visited Chicago numerous times and has a soft spot in his heart for the Windy City, I find this a very good volume. So, a strong recommendation!

No comments about Lyell's Travels in North America (Travels in America).

No comments about National Geographic Guide to Great Weekend Getaways.

No comments about The Smithsonian Guides to Natural America: The Southeast: South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida (Smithsonian Guides to Natural America).

5 comments about National Geographic Guide to Family Adventure Vacations: Wildlife Encounters, Cultural Explorations, and Learning Escapes in the U.S. and Canada.

1. This guide was a wonderful breath of fresh air. As parents of a 14 yr old we were really tired of the same old vacations and really had no idea that exploring North America could be so interesting. Our family used this book as a guide on a recent trip to Montana and South Dakota. It was a terific trip--from the Blackfeet tours to Little Big Horn to Lakota Pony Rides, we truly had a unique experience. Ms. Stapen's guide helped us navigate and explore the most interesting sites these states had to offer. The guide was very informative, especially pointing out those places that are "kid friendly". The book was even helpful in pointing out certain tours not especially suited for kids.---ie. the tour at Little Bighorn. While this did not stop us from going on tour, it did prepare us for the " are we finished yet" complaints of our 14 yr. old. I highly recommend this guide for anyone considering vacationing anywhere in the U.S. From the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast and throughout Canada, this book will help you if you are truly looking for a different type of vacation. I urge anyone to consult this guide---- it will open up a whole new world!



2. This book is a real dissapointment. There is no 'adventure' here. It's just a list of museums from around the country. Now these are nice museums, but perusing the AAA Tourbooks will give you the same information for free. This books is a waste of money.



3. Stapen's book on family adventure travel is one of the best of its kind. Our family was looking for new types of vacations (other than the usual places like DisneyWorld, the beach, etc) that would cater to children of different ages. We are looking forward to trying out several of the recommendations, such as a night at the zoo, space camp, dogsledding, llama trekking and exploring native american culture. The writeups are well done and the book is very enjoyable. A must for families. I am over 50 but could not put that in Box 5 for some reason .



4. As the mother of two active and intellectually curious boys, I was so disappointed with this National Geographic book that I am sorely tempted to return it to the publisher. My aim: to find some suggestions for hikes in the White Mountains and family resorts in New Hampshire for this summer and an exciting, wilderness approach to seeing the West for next summer. The cover: a healthy, athletic father and son, in a kayak on a pristine lake. The subtitle: wildlife encounters, cultural explorations and learning escapes in the US and Canada. The inside: Connecticut's only entry is an Indian museum at the Mohegan Sun gambling casino; four of Massachusett's five entries are museums in downtown Boston and the fifth a small recreation of the Plymouth Colony; New York's six entries include three museums in New York City, two adult continuing education programs in upstate NY and a weekend workshop on Indian culture in the Catskills. I could go on ,but it would only bore you. In short, every entry I read (and I quote only those states I am familiar with) could have been found in literally any run- of -the- mill (free) guidebook found in any hotel loby, restaurant or Chamber of Commerce office. (SeaWorld and Busch Gardens in Florida?? Give me a break!). I implore you to save your money and pass on this book!



5. This book gives you just enough information to help you to plan a great family vacation. They give you places and numbers to call to get more information on some great trips accross the country. For a busy parent who wnats to get more bang out of their short vaction this is a must have. We love the book.

No comments about ON THE ROAD TO MR. RIGHT.

No comments about Journey through a Part of the United States of North America in the Years 1844-1846 (Travels on the Western Waters).

1 comments about Columbia Journals.

1. David Thompson was an explorer and cartographer of great magnitude. These personal journals document his explorations in the Canadian Rockies and northwestern U.S. from 1800-1811. His responsibilities were to discover and map new trade routes for the North West Company across the mountains and eventually to the Columbia River Basin. The journals depict the many hardships he and his men endured while on several exploratory trips: the impenetrable mountain snows; surviving severe winters of -30 F; the trials and tribulations of building trading posts, canoes, sleds; the demeanor of local Indian tribes; lack of food; etc. As Dr. Belyea says in her introduction, "David Thompson's Columbia journals require of the reader a perseverence that is well rewarded..the journals are dry and difficult..and the reader must work hard to create his or her own pattern of understanding". It is a worthy book from an exceptional man. The seven reproductions of maps by Arrowsmith, Thompson, etc. are quite poor in quality and I would therefore suggest an atlas for those unfamiliar with the geography of the area so as to follow his whereabouts.

4 comments about Indiana Atlas & Gazetteer.

1. DeLorme's new Indiana Atlas & Gazetteer should be a big help in tracing Indiana's tributary streams to Lake Michigan. It features incredibly detailed maps of the entire state, showing all its major highways, back roads, lakes, streams, and rivers in an easy-to-use book format. Topographic shading and GPS grids add an extra level of detail and usability to these maps to satisfy even the most avid outdoors people. The full-size, 11 X 15 1/2-inch paperback book is perfect for the car or truck, RV, fishing boat, or backpack. Bill Takacs, MidWest Outdoors Indiana, Feb., 1999



2. I really like this Atlas and have found it very useful for mapping out bike routes. It's great for finding the back country roads. Unfortunately, it doesn't distinguish between paved and gravel roads and the topographic information is useless, since the elevation line separation is 60 feet. In Indiana, 60 foot elevation changes can include entire hills. I've looked at other maps and atlases, and unless you want to buy several small, regional, topographical maps from the USGS this is the best book out there for the money.



3. We use these books in business to get our service men where they need to be. They are excellent!



4. This atlas is shows all the small roads and some long driveways, has GPS longitudes and latitudes, marks places of interest for day trips, and is useful for traveling the back roads to see the real Indiana. My wife and I are retired and are not usually in any hurry to get somewhere. This means we can drive the back roads to most places we desire to end up. With this map we actually get where we intend to go and still see some very interesting parts of Indiana. These maps are in constant use by us whether referencing locations mentioned in the news or in the van going somewhere. A great purchase with many uses.