Welcome to the Rick Steves world.

The problems with Rick Steves guides is that he leaves out lots of stuff. His guides only contain what Rick likes. They are not comprehensive. His guide to Paris was the worst thing I've seen. He left out entire chunks of Paris and they were not off the beaten path sights. Complete waste of money.

Some people swear by his guides but they don't realize what they are missing.

I like what he does cover and have found his walking tours helpful but I must agree: they're not comprehensive. When we went to Croatia, there were places that I was frustrated he didn't have any information on. Travel does always require prioritizing, so perhaps that is his approach. Just trying to figure out which guidebooks to drag along to Ireland: I have Rick Steves, Frommer's and Michelin Green Guide. Hoping to only take two. Which two?

He gives a sampling;they are not comprehensive. He picks representative places. You also need a regular guide book like Fodor's. However, his guides give the best practical information
And wonderful self-guided walkkng tours for those towns and cities he includes.

There are lots of really good guides to Ireland, there are some average guides lower down the scale then some pretty poor offerings and somewhere under the rock at the bottom of the pond you will find the RS offering.

While I never visited Cork on my two trips to Ireland, based on my DD's experience in that city, I think there's probably a good reason Rick Steves left Cork out of his guidebooks.

I'm more of a "Lonely Planet" and "Rough Guide" sort of traveller. (Have you read either of those guidebooks for Ireland?) But based on what books you already have, I would probably choose Rick Steves and Frommer to take along.

Peg - can you choose the most comprehensive guide to take with you and then copy parts of the other books such as Rick's walking tours? That might work if there are not too many pages to copy. Or, if you have time, make notes of things such as restaurants, etc.

I would definitely take the Green Guide.

Have a great time!

RS is good for some countries/cities, OK for some, barely OK for Ireland (and downright awful for the UK). I'd get a different book - especially the Michelin Green guide.

For what it's worth, The Husband just returned from a golfing trip to Ireland and said he and his buddies had used the Rick Steves book as fire starter one evening while basking on a beach! He did use the Michelin Green guide book, however, as a resource.

I like Rick Steves. He has useful information on the sites he does list (such as the locations of laundromats), but his books are not comprehensive. I usually take both a Rick Steves and a Frommers on a trip where I'll be seeing multiple places.

If I am going to limited places, I take a Rick Steves.

I have bought guidebooks from both Rick Steves and Lonely Planet for several cities and countries in Europe. I've found the Rick Steves guidebooks to be helpful and they offer a diffrent perspective than the Lonely Planet guidebooks, but I wouldn't rely on Rick Steves alone. The Lonely Planet guidebooks are much more comprehensive. For example, my 2005 Rick Steves Ireland guidebook has three pages on Cobh but barely mentions Cork. My 2004 Lonely Planet Ireland guidebook has twelve pages on the city.

For the sightseeing part what you MUST have, IMHO is the Michelin green.

As for the rest - I wouldn't touch anything from Steeeeeeves with a barge pole. He just does't travel the way we do - and has way too much emphasis on things we dont't do. Markets??? What do I want to look at a market for. There's one on my corner. And a bunch within walking distance and several huge outdoor markets in the city as well as Fairway, Zabar's etc.

I suppose if you live somewhere that groceries come from Walmart - perhaps you want to see a real market. But, really, how interesting are vegetables?

The Steves book also has nothing on the wonderful Donegal/northwest. He, no doubt, emphasizes those areas he finds -- and thinks his readers will find -- most enjoyable. Clearly reasonable minds can disagree. Donegal is a great area and would be in my Ireland travel book. Enjoy your trip.

I've met RS a couple of times (local PBS pledge breaks years ago) and like I said IMO he is good (maybe even very good) for a lot of places. But - again IMO - Ireland is not one of them. His Ireland guide is OK, but there are much better options out there. At least it isn't full of ridiculous and downright incorrect info like his UK books.

But he did admit he has never been able to 'get into' England - just not his thing.

janisj,

Now you've aroused my curiosity. What are some examples of incorrect information in RS books on the UK?

I have Rick Steve's guides to Paris and to Italy. I admit, I am not an experienced traveler, but I was irritated when he said in the Italy book to completely skip Genoa. I LOVED Genoa. I just think he never spent quality time there. I can't quite point out what is wrong with his Paris guide, but it wasn't very helpful the second time I went to Paris. It was helpful the first time.

I just discovered Insight Guides and love the one I have from the library for Barcelona.

TimS . . . Oh, little things like >>Take a train from LHR to Bath and rent your car there. Avoids the traffic around the airport<<

1) There is no train from LHR to Bath
2) It is harder driving in Bath than it is near LHR

And, I kid you not >>Put an L on the rear bumper of your car so other drivers will think you are a learner.<<

I think that gem has been removed from the latest edition.

Very curious: When did RS have that about the train from LHR to Bath, etc. Is that something new he is saying or something in a really old book?

My book is 2005 and he clearly states that from LHR you can take a bus to Reading to catch the train to Bath. That may still not be a good way, but he absolutely never says to take a train from LHR.

Also, this is a direct quote, page 138: "You don't need or want a car in Bath."

He does say there are rental companies in Bath should you want to pick up a car there or drop one off.

All of the Fodor's guides and Frommer's guides that I have devote space to information about markets and shopping in all the countries and cities they cover. One had 15 pages. May not be my thing, but RS guide books are certainly not the only ones that include that kind of info.

"And, I kid you not >>Put an L on the rear bumper of your car so other drivers will think you are a learner.<<

I think that gem has been removed from the latest edition."

Perhaps the Driver of the Hertz Hire car (with "L" plates, mirrors turned in and no hub caps) pulled by the Garda on the M4 into Dublin had relied on an old version.

Sassafrass:It looks like they've modified the advice. However - it still doesn't make sense IMO. Why take a bus to Reading, transfer from the bus station to the train and then on to Bath when one can simply board an express coach at LHR and get off in central Bath.