Favorite travel magazine?
 

Well, here's a pretty stupid question. What is your favorite travel magazine? As I dream about our next trip I'd like to be amassing ideas...But every travel magazine I look at seems to focus primarliy on cruises and tours (neither of which interest me). Any suggestions?

I get several, but my favorite is Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel. National Geographic Traveler is also an excellent choice.

I have not been able to find a good travel magazine either.

I do subscribe to Frommer's Budget Travel and have found some very useful tips. Being retired and on the west coast, I find that most of their trip ideas and trip deals are for very short trips. Spending hours of the time getting to and from a location for just a few days is not my idea of a trip. I need to have information about longer trips.

I receive Conde Nast, too. The magazine usually features really expensive lodging. Haven't found the magazine helpful at all.

I subscribe to Beautiful Itineraries an excellent sources of informations mostly about Italy and The National Geographic Traveler.

Probably Wanderlust; but the Sunday Times one is good too.

My favourite is Bella Italia for the interesting articles about italian areas. And I also like Meridiani, but I don't know if they are sold in other countries apart from Italy.

In the US, International Travel News. The only one I read from cover to cover.
Most articles are written by fellow travelers, plus there are hotel and restaurant reviews by travelers, many are budget-minded.

Thanks for the tip, Elaine. I hadn't heard of that particular publication. I just visited the website at intltravelnews.com and ordered a free copy. This month's table of contents looked good! I, like previous posters,
enjoy Frommer's Budget Travel and National Geographic Travel. I have also enjoyed Rick Steves' publication. Travel+Leisure and Conde Nast have never felt practical for me.

Second the International Travel News rec. If you're adventurous, National Geographic Adventure Travel is good. COnde Nast has good writing and nice pictures but their recs are ususally pretty expensive.
Like the NY times and Washington Post travel sections (can access them online for free).

janeyre
your husband's last name isn't Rochester, is it?
:)

International Travel News if great because it's travelers' opinions. Prior to going to England I received the magazine "In Britain" which gave me great ideas. Earlier when I went to Germany my friend subscribed to a German travel mag (in English) which gave us good ideas (I don't remember the name). Seach the Internet for the various mags available.

Thanks, Elaine. I had never heard of International Travel News. I went on line tonight and took advantage of the free offer.
I asked a similar question today about on line travel columns and got no response. Lots of good information on this thread. Thanks, wliwl.

International Travel News comes printed on plain newspaper newsprint. Nothing slick in its production or content. Most of the articles are written by experienced travelers. There is nothing about ITN that reeks of the beautiful people, the posh spas, or the four-star or yachting scene. It's good, plain, down-to-earth, factual information. Also, many of the advertisers go to out-of-the-ordinary places. ITN is a gold mine of information.

My LEAST favorite is CN Traveler! Maybe if I had 500 dollars to spend on a room I'd enjoy it more!


ITN is good but I most frequently use the London Times or The Independent for current articles.

I just re-read the OP post! I threw down our local FL paper today in disgust. The travel section isn't even fit for fire starting! It's all cruises and other FL destinations> Crap! I can find out all I want to know about FL in a million places..I want to get out of here ..at least twice a year!

Thanks Elaine, I just signed up for intltravel news. My favorite that I receive now is Nat'l Geographic Traveler. Until they stopped printing I liked Inside Ireland. Also Ireland of The Welcomes is good and I enjoy it very much. I do get Conde Nast and have gotten some tips from them.

I have subscribed to ITN for 3 years .no fancy ads a lot of help from folk like Fodors . get a free copy they don.t bug you if you don't subscribe .

UK's Conde Nast Traveler magazine is terrific!!
Totally different than the US version...It's geared toward europeans traveling in europe.....more of the lodging is in the reasonable range.
Of course it covers more than european travel.
Even the advertisements in the back of the magazine for apartment/house rentals have been helpful!

You can find UK Conde Nast at Borders & Barnes & Noble.

I get at least four travel magazines and find that I enjoy and most look forward to receiving National Geographic Traveler. It is the magazine I usually read from cover to cover, whereas I am much more particular about what I read in other magazines.

John H

Cote Est for articles and photos about "romantic" Europe--Alsace, Burgundy, Switzerland, Austria and parts of Germany.
I still have my old copies of European Travel and Life which went kaput years ago. I would like to see that re-started.
Otherwise, no one magazine stands out.

I subscribe to German Life, France (out of the UK), Conde Nast Traveler, Frommers Budget Traveler & National Geographic Traveler. Each have their own uses.

Top = <b>Wanderlust</b>, hands down. It's well researched, accurate, great on practical info as well as motivational trip report style articles and has some great photography too.

I do currently have a subscription to <b>Conde Naste Traveller</b> (UK edition). I used to get this one a few years ago but dropped it because it went a bit up it's own ****side and was simply too thin on practical information but it seems to be better on that front these days and has also started to include more mid-range options rather than focusing only on things that few can afford, like it used to do. Guess they realised there weren't enough people who travelled in that style to sustain their readership requirements!

I really love <b>Travel Africa</b>, which is a bi-monthly magazine, devoted, as you would expect, to the African continent.

I also subscripe to both <b>Africa Geographic</b> (posted out directly from South Africa) and <b>Geographical</b>, the magazine for the Royal Geographic Society, not strictly travel but often focused on travel and conservation, both of which interest me.

I will often buy the <b>Sunday Times Travel Magazine</b>, which came about following the popularity of the travel supplements produced by the Times newspaper - those are still produced but the magazine content is separate. This one offers a mix for both independent travellers and those happy to travel with tour operators and groups but interested in more unusual options, nonetheless.

Occasionally browse through other travel titles including various ones about France, a favourite destination of mine.

I am so happy to see other ITN readers. My neighbor gave me her copies, which I devoured, cover to cover, even the ads!!!! The subscription prices are dirty cheap and I've ordered the lifetime subscription, just hope I live long enough to warrant that!! I especially love reading other traveler's adventures to exotic places, which I will never be able to do. I cannot wait for ITN every month!

For a free sample issue of ITN, go to www.intltravelnews.com

Wow! Thanks everybody. I ordered a free copy of ITN and I look forward to seeing what that's all about. I'm going to see if I can browse through Frommers Budget Travel and National Geo Traveller someplace. Thanks again.

ITN is my favorite also. I was on a tour in 1997 and a fellow tour mate sent me a free copy. Been hooked ever since.
Also like Nat. Geo. Traveler

I forgot to mention, I also like Frommer's Budget Travel
There is seldom an issue that doesn't provide some good tips, and the 'budget' aspect is good value, not just cheap for cheap's sake

I'm usually a pretty, positive guy (except when talking about the San Diego Padres), however I really don't care for any of the travel magazines. Too many puff pieces, not enough information.

I also don't particularly like the Travel Section in my hometown paper (L.A. Times).

I picked up a Pasadena paper yesterday because a friend told me there was a story on Le Marche. It would have made a great Seinfeld episode (except it wasn't funny), because the article was 750 words about nothing. It did nothing to inspire making a journey there.

I find that the travel reports on this board are far better and have more information than 95% of the &quot;real&quot; travel articles I read. Unlike Conde Nast recommendations, I can actually afford some of the places mentioned here. Plus, a lot of the reports here have humor in them, while many of the &quot;professional&quot; writers are woefully lacking in that department.

I know it's going to be another puff piece with overblown verbiage when the newspaper article starts something like, &quot;A cool breeze wafted whimsically, while wisps of winsome clouds danced divinely overhead as my husband of eight years and I strolled in the serene solitude we know simply as 'our tranquil Tuscany.'&quot; Then the writer will take about 12 paragraphs telling you about their relationship before finally telling you where they're walking.

Some personal knowledge adds to a story, but if I want the love life of a travel writer, I'll steal one of my neighbors' Danielle Steele novels.

I think some of these paid writers should spend less time looking up words in their Thesaurus and more time reflecting about the area they visited.

Attitude is Everything. Enjoy the Journey.
((H))

I subscribe to German Life and Gemutlichkeit. Both cover Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Gemutlichkeit has a wonderful web site.