Hallo,
I need help with buying maps and guidebooks for a trip from Seattle to San Diego. I´m from Germany so I don`t know which one is the best on that area and I always like to have information that comes out of the country itself. I, as well need a new road atlas..Is Rand McNally the Best? What are your recommendations?

Thanks
Miriam

The Automobile Association of America provides Tour Books for the entire US. There is one book that combines Washingson and Oregon. California has its own book -- its about the size of a small telephone book. Its like a combination of the Micheline red and green books. The Tour Books describe points of interest and provide recommendations for both hotels and restaurants. The books are concise and accurate. I've always been pleased by the recommendations in both the hotel and restaurant guide. Many attractions provide discounts to club members. Each year we've more than paid for the cost of membership simply with these discounts.
I'm sure that you have an auto club that is affiliated with the AAA. I don't know what it will cost you to obtain the Tour Books. Going the other way, the US books are free to US members but US members are charged for European auto club books.
Obviously, there are many other guides. One that is a little different is the Access Guides. These guides are arranged street by street. In other words, if you are standing somewhere it tells you what is of interest where you are. My wife likes it because it describes not only museums, hotels, restaurants, etc. but also prominent shops. They are only avialable for San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Zagat is a restaurant guide which is based on a polling of customers. The guide is quite comprehensive and also recommends restaurants of exceptional value. The guides are available for Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. They have a web site www.zagat.com which gives you assess to their recommendations. You can also buy their guides on line.
AAA provides maps.
I'm sure you are going to have a great time.

Miriam,

If you are a member of a German automobile club, ask if they are associated with the "American Automobile Association". If so, you may be able to get free or discounted maps and guidebooks from AAA.

I don't know if Rand-McNally Atlases are the Best, but they've always been good enough for me. And if you can find one that's a year old, they can be pretty cheap (after all, the roads don't change that much in a year). I'm still using a 1993 edition.

You may also want to check out an online atlas, like www.mapquest.com, which gives driving directions and times. This could be very useful in the planning stages of your trip.

I'm afraid I can't recommend a good guidebook for the West Coast. Here in the US I've never needed more than the AAA guides (which are more useful as accomodations listings than as guidebooks).

Gute Reise

After many trips between No. California and Washington State, we've always been most impressed by a guide called "Northwest Best Places" by Stephanie Irving and published by Sasquatch Books. It covers Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, but they also do an edition devoted to No. California. Covers lots of different places and restaurants as well as sightseeing suggestions. Contact Sasquatch Books, 615 Second Ave, Suite 260, Seattle WA 98104. Phone # is (206) 467-4300, and their website is www.sasquatchbooks.com or e-mail is [email protected]. For all I know they may even cover So. California as well.

Access Guides are great - very easy to use with great maps. I checked the back of my New York Access Guide and it says that they are available for Seattle, San Diego and Wine Country Northern California in addition to San Fran and LA.

Even though we live very close, we still consult our Access Guide when we go up to the city. A close second is Eyewitness Guide to San Francisco and Northern California. Additionally, some California counties have their own guides through the AAA which are great. Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo are two I know of.

Thanks to everybody for your help.
I´ve contacted my local AAA and ordered some of the recommended books.

Miriam

Miriam, I haven't traveled on the West Coast except Hawaii, but here on the East Coast, the first book that I buy when traveling to another state is "Frommer's." They are consistently current with their facts, and their hotel & restaurant recommendations are excellent! Their editors also work with "The Idiot's Guide to ......." books, and I love those also! Have a wonderful time traveling!