Travel Guides/Books
 

Hi all! Do you still like to use paper guidebooks? Only digital or Internet-based? Just curious! :)

I'm getting ready to go on a trip to France and find I'm beginning to miss flipping through the pages of an actual book. I was going to order one quick from Amazon (Michelin Green Guide?), but is it really worth the money? Hmmm...

Last time it came up here, even people who read most things on electronic devices preferred paper for guide books. I always buy at least one.

My library still has a good selection of updated travel books. Otherwise, I still buy them occasionally.

I like to read guidebooks before a trip. I just request them from the public library.

I will often read a number of guides, then I choose one to buy and take along. The internet is great for "right now" information, but a good guidebook has lots of background (history, culture) that will enrich your trip.

BTW, for a trip to Japan two years ago, I purchased a Kindle edition of one of the guidebooks and found it really annoying to try to find what I was looking for.

I used to always buy a copy of the Fodor's guides for wherever I travelled - and certainly before we had halndheld computers (aka smart phones!). Do you have a favorite one to take? I've been seeing recs for the Michelin Green Guides for the regions I'm going to, but have never seen one. I feel like they would be enjoyable to peruse during our flights and while relaxing at our apartments, over breakfast, etc.

Any suggestions for any particular guide for Burgundy and the French Riviera?

Oh, and I don't have access to check books out of the library (out of area) nor do I have a bookstore nearby. I'd be looking for something available on Amazon.

Rick Steves is always a practical bet; I also read Fodors books, but for our upcoming trip to France we are concentrating on Bordeaux & Dordogne & Toulouse so bought the Cadogan Guide for that area. It goes into much more depth than the others by far. We are using Via Michelin in the car and are also bringing the Michelin France atlas, notwithstanding the several GPS and travel apps we have on our phones! For Burgundy, I'd suggest Hotel du Nord in Dijon. For the Riviera, I'd suggest La Perouse in Nice.

Maps are difficult to use on the streets on electronic media. I am back using maps from paper goods books.

Always! I use about six per trip, on average, and IMO, they are well worth every penny! For inspiration and high quality photographs, I use the Eyewitness or Insight or National Geographic Traveller. For ideas about how to prioritize, I like Fodor's or Frommer's or the Michelin Green Guide. For the essential details, the Rough Guide and Lonely Planet and maybe Moon. And sometimes there's a book that is part of a less far-reaching series that proves invaluable....

I always supplement my research with internet searches -- but internet searches are IME a very poor way to learn about the things one does not know to ask -- and that's something one CAN often find in a guidebook.

These days, I take one with me in hard copy (the one I found most helpful and with best maps -- usually the Rough Guide, but that varies) and two others on my Kindle.

I don't have much in the way of electronics. I used paper guide books. Depending on where I'm going, I use Frommers, Fodors, Rick Steves, or Lonely Planet.

I was disappointed with both the hotels from Lonely Planet that I used. Lonely Planet and I do not have the same ideas about comfort.

I always use Lonely Planet and also like DK 10 best in a city I'm going to spend a long time in. For hotels I use information from many sources eg LP, Trip adviser and other online ones and then choose from there.

For any place I'm dreaming of or actively planning a trip to, I'll usually get one guide book from either Fodors/Frommers, and one from either Lonely Planet/Rough Guide. This splits between the more higher end and more backpacker approaches, and I like to consider both. I usually determine which to buy by looking at pub date: the more recently published guidebook gets purchased.

I'm also a bit obsessive with Internet search to supplement the guidebooks in the planning stage.

And I agree with Kathie: I find it very irritating to use electronic guidebooks on my iPad. That said, I rarely use a paper map since the advent of Google maps, though I will try to get a sense of a city's paper map layout and where I'm headed on a given date.

"I was disappointed with the hotels" ...

I should have noted that I don't use guidebooks for hotels (I use booking.com , tripadvisor.com , and internet searches) for lodging. Nor do I use guidebooks for restaurants. And I never assume that the opening / closing hours listed in guidebooks are accurate, but I find that they give me a good starting point for planning.

I use guidebooks primarily for information to help me decide what places I might want to see, what to experience (festivals and cultural events, performances, unique options), what to try to taste, a bit of historical context, what to look for in architecture and art and geography (etc), information I might not otherwise know to seek, what unique purchases I might consider (I hate shopping, but I buy gifts for family and friends when traveling); transportation information (both inter- and intra-city); when and where to look for colorful markets; local norms (including tipping norms!); and a handy resource. Plus a few translations (though I use Pimsleur's to try to learn at least a few basics before any trip), an indexed source of info. I'm sure I'm leaving some things out....

I don't like to be anywhere without a guide book.

I like different brands for different destinations so I can't really make an overall recommendation.

I use them all. I buy lots and also use the library.

I love all of the information on books you use! The why, how, and more you discuss is very interesting! I just remembered that I bought books on Sicily about 8 years ago that I still have yet to take. I was dreaming at the time and found the pictures and historical information fascinating! I've got maps and travel guides downloaded to my phone, as well as other travel and dining apps. Perhaps that's what I can't get from surfing the web - the details rather than the overview. There's no romance to it.

Frommer’s and Fodor’s-Good on restaurants and hotels, poor on history and culture, small town recommendations non-existent. Getting better on history and culture but appeal to a mainstream audience. They seem to be afraid of wit, as it might be insulting.

Rough Guide and Lonely Planet-Opinionated and edgy, good on history and culture, terrible on restaurants and hotels. Often have listings for smaller towns.

Cadogan-specialized for a specific areas. Quietly helpful. A bit dry

Eyewitness and National Geographic-Like stereotypical models nice to look at but good for little else.

Rick Steve’s-I would rather be lead by a blind man

Michelin Green-probably the best for sites.

Time Out-Very good for large cities

@ IMD -- I don't fully agree with all of your assessments, but you offered one comment that made me laugh full out -- thanks for that! I REALLY don't want to get into another battle on that front, so hope that you know what I mean and will keep it to yourself, with my grateful acknowledgement. :-)