2 comments about The Inside-Outside Book of Washington DC.

1. My son is 5 and has become very interested in the buildings of Washington D.C. I had a hard time finding a book that had a lot of pictures without all the verbage. This book is the best that I have found! Delightful pictures will hold the interest of the very young. Recommended for the pre-book-report set!



2. While this book was a good idea for youngsters, it left out a number of important places in D.C., so wasn't as useful as I had hoped in helping my little one get ready or remember our trip.

1 comments about Insiders' Guide to Washington, D.C., 7th (Insiders' Guide Series).

1. THE INSIDERS' GUIDE TO WASHINGTON, D.C. is a great book, with an absolutely impeccable description of historical sites, music venues, theaters, shopping malls, neighborhoods, and freestanding stores of all kinds. It shows the DC area, despite its reputation for having the nation's highest percentage of couch potatoes, to be an area with enough ethnic diversity to provide healthy diet ideas for anyone with any kind of celebrity crush.
   
   There are, however, certain parts of the book that really need to be taken like the humor in comedy movies/shows featuring Alyson Hannigan, Jennifer Garner, Cameron Diaz, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Melissa Joan Hart, and Jennifer Love Hewitt. One of these is the section on the Virginia suburbs, which says that the schools south of the District are excellent, when, in fact, from all available evidence, the schools in Howard and Montgomery Counties in Maryland are much better in many areas. Another is the "Media" section, which fails to account for such changes as classic rock station WARW's recent change to Triple-A, with its new call letters being WTGB, and a local classical station's change to Adult Hits, the call letters WXGG, and the nickname "George 104" (after George Washington).
   
   Overall, however, whether you're planning to visit or move to the Washington, D.C. area, or are just proud to be American, this book will enrich your life.

No comments about Washington D.C. Museums: A Ross Guide : Museums, Historic Houses, Art Galleries, Libraries, and Other Special Places Open to the Public in the Washington Metropolitan Area (Washington, Dc Museums).

No comments about Washington, D.C. Off the Beaten Path, 3rd (Off the Beaten Path Series).

5 comments about Mastering DC : A Newcomer's Guide to Living in the Washington, DC Area.

1. I wish this book had been around when I came to the DC Area. It contains everything you need to know to get your new home connected with services and to find your way around the area. An invaluable book! I highly recommend it as a gift to someone you know who is moving to the area. I also find the book a great reference to keep in the office for "visiting dignitaries" and their families. It's a quick resource on Metro DC tourist sites.



2. Having just moved to DC, I was inundated with books about the city. Unfortunately, most of them were meant for tourists rather than new residents. This book offered helpful and entertaining information about life in the Capitol, and some very practical tips, especially regarding transportation/getting around.



3. This is a great book for those relocating to DC, VA, or MD. It explains the different neighborhoods and cultures, gives tips to getting past the utility and licensing red tape, and has some fun weekend acitivity suggestions, too. It's certainly not the definitive book on DC, but it has a useful level of detail on a broad array of topics.

   I moved from Indiana about 6 months ago and this book was worth the price about 10 times over.




4. As a recent college graduate and a new arrival to the DC area, I have found "Mastering DC" to be a fantastic resource. It gives the details without the fluff that I have found in many of the DC guidebooks. In addition to information on the immediate DC Metro area, it also gives in depth coverage of the surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia, which I have found useful. The recommendations are opinionated without seeming biased and the descriptions are enjoyable to read.

   I recommend this book as a gift to anyone with a loved one or friend moving to the area!




5. This book provides a good "intro" for a newcomer to DC- especially if you will be relying on the metro for transportation, as it lists what metro lines to take to local shopping centres. This may seem trivial, but when you need a can opener two days after moving and have no car it becomes very important.

   The only problms is that the info is very likly to become dated very quickly- especially the restaurant guide. Newer establishments and attractions weren't listed. As well, there seems to be a bias to certain areas with more "trendy" attractions, and a glossing over of less popular (and less expensive to live in) areas.

5 comments about National Geographic Guide to 100 Easy Hikes: Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware (National Geographic 100 Easy Hikes).

1. There's several books with basically the same theme and roughly the same hikes - e.g. those by Alan Fisher and those by the Appalachian Trail Club. This one does have more hikes described than any other single volume I've seen, but it doesn't have enough maps or sufficiently good trail descriptions to make it a hiking "bible". Only recommended for those folks who've already exhaused the other available guides and are looking for more.



2. Having been on many trails in the region (and now many more thanks to this guide), I highly recommend100 Easy Hikes. It's as good as it gets for hitting all the hot spots in the Washington DC area- from nearby jaunts on the trails of Rock Creek Park to the lesser known gems in the Shenandoah. Additionally, the author's insider tips and her clear directions to the trailheads make this guide exceptional.

   I was particularly impressed the "best of" recommendations. They were right on target. Neither bluebells nor waterfall classics escaped her attention. The maps, as you'd expect from the National Geographic Society, are clear and easy to follow. Anyone looking for a basic resource on the area should have this guide.




3. I have been looking for a book just like this for some time now. Having hiked a fair amount in and around Washington I was running short on ideas for new hikes. I had tried the Appalchian Trial Guides and some other books that are out there but felt that while they were great on trail details they didn't provide much of the practical information that you want when heading out to a new destination. Especially enjoyed the author's editorial comments and trail descriptions which combined to make the book a pleasure to read. The author must be a dog lover as well which earns her points in my book. She marks each trail to let dog owners know if their pooches are welcome.



4. Just tried to use this book for hike in North Point State Park and found it difficult to follow. Luckily, we had another guide with a map. This guide often does not have maps and the directions lack points on the compass, i.e. north, south, east, west.



5. I love this book! Many other hiking books for the D.C. area list hikes that are much further out, but this book lists easy to get to, fun hikes that don't require an entire day for the hike and travel time. I have purchased this book for friends in the area as well, and we are looking at future hikes together.

No comments about 2006 Washington, DC/Baltimore Restaurants (Zagatsurvey).

No comments about Mobil Travel Guide Mid Atlantic, 2005: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC, and West Virginia (Mobil Travel Guides (Includes All 16 Regional Guides)).

No comments about Fodor's Washington, D.C. 2009: with Mount Vernon, Alexandria & Annapolis (Fodor's Gold Guides).

2 comments about Michelin The Green Guide Washington, DC (Michelin Green Guides).

1. Anything with the name Michelin tells me that it is well thought out and offers practical advice and information. This book is no exception to that rule. The Washington DC Green Guide is up-to-date for life in post-9-11 Washington. Helpful contact information, hours of operation and maps are included among neighborhood histories and in-depth museum information that will make you think you've already visited the places! My favorite feature of the book is the address and contact information. The embassies, museums, theatres, major shopping locales and other businesses are listed in an organized manner making it most helpful to make reservations or equipe you to handle any other inquiry you might have. Though its descriptions are ample and helpful as a native, I must admit, I noticed the absence of some insider tidbits with which I have become familiar in my decades living in the Capital City. There are a few historical establishments & restaurants (Old Ebbitts, for instance) which are not included. Overall though, I must give this book a high ranking because it is hard to wrap up our grand city in one book without having to be choosy about what is to be included and what should be left out. Though I live in DC and have all my life, I enjoy this book because it allows me to become aware of some features of our grand town which I may have previously overlooked. It is a great resource for visiting tourists as well and great for Washingtonians to keep on hand when they forsee out-of-town guests. The only thing that would make this book more useful were if it came with a Metro card!



2. On a recent trip to Washington, DC, I brought along a copy of "Michelin The Green Guide Washington, DC." It was the first time I had used a guidebook in this wonderful city, which I have visited often over the years, spending much time in its extraordinary museums and the Smithsonian Institute. This updated, post 9/11, Micheline book really made a difference - opening up a new world, and saving me lots of time and money also.
   
   The White House, the Capitol, the monuments and the federal memorials - from the glorious Lincoln Memorial, (which I always visit when in town), to the always moving Vietnam War and the impressive Korean War Memorials, the brilliant Phillips Collection and other museums, the Washington National Cathedral, etc., all come to life with historical insight, color photographs and Washington, DC maps, detailed and marked with fascinating walking tours. The Michelin Green Guide to Washington, DC is extremely practical and covers all aspects of a trip to this historic city, including the most interesting neighborhoods to wander through, and a variety of some of the best restaurants the town has to offer. Excursions from DC highlight the best of Alexandria and the Mount Vernon area in nearby Virginia.
   
   Highly recommended!
   JANA