Tours and Travel Books

I truly believe this book made our vacation the BEST ever!!!! We never shood in line once!!!!!!!!!!! I highly recommend it!!!!

Traveling to Walt Disney World without reading this book is dangerous. Understanding the many facets and choices to be made is critical and this book provides all necessary info. I have been there many times and always obtain the latest edition of this book with fabulous results.

This is a comprehensive guide to the enormous vacation spot known as "Disney world." We were able to check out all the restaurants and make early reservations before our last trip. My principal concerns were the very small print and low color contrast in the print. Anyone with any reading problems (such as myself) would not find it convenient to use.

This book was such a great help! I purchased several other, but this was by far, the most comprehensive and best written!

I bought this book along with the PassPorter, and this book blows the other away by far! The thickness of the book may seem overwhelming, but you only have to read the sections that pertain to you and your trip. The information was extremely helpful, and delivered in an amusing voice. This book was certainly written for any reader - neither over nor under the majority of readers' heads. Also the reviews of rides and dining were just right - not too in-depth but certainly very helpful.

I highly recommend this book for anyone planning a trip to Disney!

This is current and up to date information on the rides at WDW. It is in depth descriptions for those who need to know every last little turn and drop on all the rides, not just the popular ones. Would definitely say everyone should have this whether it's your first or hundredth trip to Disney!!

My family is going to Disney next June. I wanted a book that would give me information on everything. Love this book.. it tells you what is a good time to go on a ride, tells you whether it is scary for pre-schoolers. It is an amazing book, plus has so many wonderful pictures.

This book would be a great read even if you don't have a trip to WDW coming up! I am a huge Disney fan and have been known to buy guidebooks just to read and keep myself updated on the changes and such. This book can truly stand alone and is so much more than a helpful planning guide! Little unknown facts and figures, interesting stories along with all of basic information that is essential in planning an enjoyable trip to WDW all in one neat little package! The pictures are incredible too! It does have a lot of information so order it well in advance of your trip! This is definitely one for the list of "must haves" if you are about to travel to WDW for your first time!

We have always used the Unofficial guide but discovered the Complete WDW just recently. This book has a myriad of awesome colorful pictures--here's what WDW looks like! The only drawback is that, unlike the Unofficial guide, this book doesn't ever criticize WDW or give actual reader input.

Bottom line: it's worth the money. WDW lovers will read and reread the book!

I purchased this book right before a fall trip to Disney World with my 3 teenagers, and it was the best thing I did. A lot of detailed information about restaurants and tips on where to get good snacks was right on target. We were able to find some wonderful out-of-the-way places to eat for a good value while in the parks that we may not have stumbled upon on our own. The book also recommends various attractions by placing a check mark next to them, which helps plan your day if you are trying to make the most of your time. Overall, this is an excellent book with exceptional insights.

This book was excellent in giving us advice for which rides to ride, which rides to skip, which places to eat at, and which places to skip (because of the cost, haha). It even has fold out maps so we didn't have to get them separately and tote them all around, and they were very helpful--we used them every day. It also tells you the costs of all the hotels, if you're looking for that, as well. We especially enjoyed Port Orleans French Quarter. This book even has a special place for character autographs for your children so you don't have to buy one for $10! Buy this book and enjoy your trip even more!

I received my copy today of the Passporter 2005. This will be our first trip to WDW and now we are even more excited after reading through this book!!! I love that it is so compact, yet FULL of helpful information. Also, I like that the book can be closed so nothing will fall out. It is perfect to take into the Parks. It is like the Walt Disney World "Bible". A must for first time travelers to WDW!!!!

This is a wonderful book. It is cleverly written and organized with lots of ample room for the reader to journal, take notes and store paper momentos. I can hardly wait to take this with me on our Walt Disney World Vacation in a few short weeks. The authors have provided AWESOME information to make sure that my family has a great vacation. If you are looking for the perfect tour guide to WDW this is it!

I LOVE this book!!! I live in FL but hadn't been to Disney in years, so I decided to buy a planning book before our big trip. Well, I sure got more than I bargained for with this book. It has useful information about every resort, restaurant and ride...and more! The passporter pockets make it convenient to store your hotel confirmations, priority seating confirmations and tickets prior to your trip. The fold-out maps are great too!

In addition to the wealth of information provided in the book, Jennifer and Dave have a wonderful website that I highly recommend for more information about Disney, including updates to the book. If you are planning a Disney trip OR if you just love WDW, GET THIS BOOK. I can't say enough about it.

If you have read any of the other reviews you already know this series inspires strong praise and I agree with all of it. I'd like to add one more reason to appreciate this book- there is NO approximation of the WDW LOGO! you may be wondering why that would be a good thing so I'll tell you. We have a 4year old who can not read yet but has the brand recognition skills of a savant- I have had this book for a few days and not a shread of curiosity about it yet. Which translates into PEACEFUL planning. We won't be tackling the mouse till Dec. and I don't think I can stand almost 3 months of "IS IT TIME YET?????"

I found this book (rather thick - 251 pages) on the shelves of my local Santa Cruz library shelves. At first I thought it was rather boring - the cover is dizzying to look at. Then as I opened and perused thru more pages, I realized that this was a work of love - Adah Bakalinsky's love (a San Francisco local, and an emigrant to the US).

Adah Bakalinsky has expended previous editions and the January 2007 is the 6th edition.

What I liked about this book:
* informs the reader on some cool areas to walk in San Francisco, with cool architecture, and routes that will have your blood pumping.
* the 27 walks are all detailed with a map layout, interesting points of interest, photographs, and many factoids.
* Appendix 1 contains "An Informal Bibliography" (one pager with more info on the San Francisco)
* Appendix 2 lists all the staircases (across 36 pages) for each neighborhood in San Francisco and rates each one according to a 1 to 5 scale of combined: steepness, length, location, elevation, and beauty.
* and ... it was FREE.

Whether you are from out of town visiting San Francisco, a local denizen, or a Bay Area suburbian, you are sure to enjoy this book, even if not completing a walk from start to finish. The details are worth reading before each walk, as one is sure to add more mental details and moments of enjoyment as one walks across the beautiful city of San Francisco.

I love this book!! We live an hour north of S.F. and when ever we go to the city we start with one of these great walks. We have gone and explored neighborhoods we never would have without this book. San Francisco is such a beautiful city and getting to the top of some obscure staircase always gives you a unique and beautiful view. It is a must for anyone who lives in or near S.F.

San Francisco has over 50 hills with scenic vistas and small neighborhoods - so these nearly 30 urban walks are top picks for any who want to walk the city's byways. The revised expanded edition has been updated with new maps and color photos and adds three new walks, while an appendix lists the City's 600-plus public stairways. It's a 'must' for any San Francisco travel collection going beyond the general-interest city guide.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Great book to have for anyone who enjoys an adventure. Lots of walking options within the city

Adah's book is a great collection of walks all over the city. As the name implies, all the walks focus on the stairways for which San Francisco is so well known. This has two implications: one is that these walks will wear you out; the second is that, on sunny days, you get incredible views from the tops of all the stairways Adah has you climb.

For locals, the 27 walks cover the entire town from Glen Canyon to Lands End to Potrero Hill. No matter how long you've lived in San Francisco, I guarantee you'll see great spots you've never been to before.

Most of the walks are well off the beaten path for visitors, but a couple cover the classic tourist areas of North Beach, China Town, and Telegraph Hill. The Russian Hill North walk, done on a sunny day, will have anyone believing San Francisco is the most beautiful city on earth.

Adah provides maps, directions, and a great deal of color commentary for each walk. She tends to focus on eccentric details of the local architecture and flora for each walk, lending a whimsical quality to the whole experience.

Two last things to keep in mind. First, because the views are such a big part of these walks, Adah's trips are much better in good weather than in bad. Second, Adah is sometimes a little loose with her directions; I recommend cross checking the directions and the map often.

My wife and I love to go on factory tours and visit company museums when we travel. It's corny, I know, but fun. This book gives wonderful examples of some of the best tours and museums around. Whenever we're going on a road trip, we always consult Watch It Made in the U.S.A.: A Visitor's Guide to the Best Factory Tours and Company Museums (Watch It Made in the USA) to help us decide where we might like to go. I would very much recommend it for families with young kids who might enjoy such tours, and probably retirees who have the time and interest for them, as well.

This is an excellent book for anyone who is interested in things made in the USA. It gives a nice description of the facilities, locations, tour times, cost and lengths, age appropriateness, and phone numbers.
We like to travel the country and will use the information to plan our trips. The book is well organized and very helpful.

This is my first review in Amazon.

I am always curious about how things are made,
and after watching many episodes of "How do they do it",
and "How it's made" on discovery Channel.
I started to look for extra resources for a better understanding on these "behind the scenes" mysteries.
Then, I found this book.
And this book is a real treasure!
The book is well organized,
It provides many detail information about the factory tours,
and the brief background of the companies.

Thanks to this book,
now I have some itineraries in mind.
I plan to visit KitchenAid's factory in the near future for my mom.
(My family is in Taiwan)
She is a big fan of KitchenAid mixer. ha.
I will also visit Airstream company as well,
Owning a travel trailer is my dream, and I want to know how it is made,
And I will be more determined to realize this dream!
Maybe one day I will write a similar book "Watch it made in Taiwan" in a mobile trailer office. Who knows?!

Great book, I did not know that a book like this existed. Will definitly come in handy when planning trips. Checked information on places we have already been and information was accurate.

I'm planning to take my two teenagers cross country this summer and this is a GREAT book for finding interesting places to show them. It has excellent maps, clear directions, and well-written descriptions of what you will (and won't) see so I can figure out what sites will best entertain the different family members. I only wish we had time to see more of the places they describe. It even tells you what other nearby attractions there are. Kudos to the authors!

Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb is an unusual combination of travel guide and presidential biography. The authors discuss the American Presidents by describing how they are memorialized. By exploring each Presidential gravesite, the Authors also describe the lives of the Presidents. The book is far from morbid and quite enlightening and entertaining.

Although this book is about the deaths & funerals of this nations chief executives, it brings history alive for folks like myself who enjoy all things presidential. Focusing on the events that led to the end for each of our late presidents, this book is a thoroughly enjoyable read. I have visited many of the gravesites mentioned here & intend to endeavor to visit the the ones I haven't yet. This book is an indespensible guidebook for my future travels. Lots of great photos, too.

This book does not immediately give one the impression that it would be as good as it is. My first impression from the cover was that it would be just a compilation of unknown facts and surprises about famous people ,things and places.Then, after noting the sub-title "A Tour of Presidential Gravesites";I thumbed through it and immediately saw it was a very good summary of all the Presidents,their time in office,their wives,what they did after leaving office,the cause of their death,funeral arrangements,interm and final resting places and detailed information for anyone who would like to visit any or all of them. From this book you will learn what to expect at the sites as well as what else exists as 'museums'
there,hours open and any admission costs.It also details other final resting places of other known personalities nearby.
Lamb does an excellent job of showing that in the American system of Government, the President is one of the people and remains so; even after his term of serving in the world's greatest office; he returns to being just another American Citizen;a point often made by President Harry S Truman.
One of the things I liked about this book was that the author didn't just put together a bunch of readily information to fill a few pages on each President.He provided all the same information for each President, and in doing that;he makes it very evident that these were highly different people and comparisons are clearly brought out.A guide of this type where things are given about one President ,but not another, would be a lazy approach and frustrating to the reader.
In a very thumbnail manner the author shows that all these Presidents put the privilige of holding the office above all the politics involved in their lives.
I have to admit,that the answer to the title,s question,left me wondering until I saw the answer in another Cusromer,s Review.
If I may,here is something to entice you;
What President was the sole mourner at the committal of a politician,who had gone to jail for tax evasion; and when asked by the pastor; "Mr. President,why are you here?, he asked. "It's cold and bitter. Did you know this gentleman?" The President replied; "Pastor,I never forget a friend."
Anyone interested in American History or Politics will find this a great source of information and a readily available reference source. While a super guide to the Presidents' graves ;it is also a good reference.

This unique book is full of surprises, plenty of clear pictures, and short evaluations of each president. From Washington to the present George Bush, the reader visits the final resting places of our American presidents and learns how and when they died and their final words, in many cases.

Altho this book was published before the death of Ronald Reagan, pictures of his library and of the other living presidents are discussed.

In back of the book are names and places of the presidential libraries, the presidential and vice presidential gravesites listed by state, the burial places of president's wives and a host of other relevant material. Websites are even included.

Reading this book is an armchair traveller's delight. The traveller will appreciate the excellent directions. The research is phenomenal. Students of American history may want to add this to their book list.

If you are a fan of the American presidency and appreciate the valuable information that Brian Lamb and C-Span staff give us every day on the cable channels, you will absolutely enjoy this lively and well written book. Chapters are short, to the point, and contribute a wealth of information .

Brian Lamb and his C-SPAN team have written a number of wonderful and extremely-informative essay-filled booknotes on American History and Characters. "Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb" is no exception.

With contributions from Douglas Brinkley, Richard Norton Smith, and other noted Historians, this compact, easy-to-read volume is filled with vignettes and facts about all of the deceased Presidents, their last days, presumably their last words, and where they are buried. Admission prices to their libraries and museums (and this includes living Presidents and Jefferson Davis too) is also included.

Brinkley's insightful essay at the end of the book, in which he writes with great eloquence of the attachment of Springfield Illinois to Abraham Lincoln, and of his visits to other Presidential gravesites and museums is almost worth half of the price of this bargain edition.

Note: This book was published prior to the passing of President Reagan, yet it does note where he wished to be buried, and has information about the Reagan Presidential Library and Museum.

The book shows the human and humorous side of the Presidents, including Calvin Coolidge's funny comment to a woman who said she'd bet him if he would say two words ("You Lose", was Silent Cal's response), or how William Howard Taft, a Unitarian, deftly fought back against religious prejudice.

A solid and fun read, especially around the July 4th holiday, and at 4.99 is a much better buy, and totally devoid of political commentary ala Sarah Vowell's weak-at-the-knees "Assassination Vacation".

Malachy Murray's Unique New York is fantastic! More facts and information than I've ever read before on any books of New York. He has so many great stories that I've never been told about. I've taken his Circle Line Tour and he's fantastic. He knows just about everything about the great city. I'll be moving to the Big Apple soon and his book is beyond insightful. Highly recommended for any history buff or New Yorker!
Thank you Malachy!

Entertaining and informative review of New York. Great to read before a trip or if you have lived in NY for some time. Malachy Murray is a talented tour guide on the Circle Line Tours.

The way Malachy Murry brings the reader closer to New York and the great history behind the big city is both exceptional and breathtaking. If you have the slightest interest to know anything about New York - this book comes highly recommanded.
In mid-August this year my wife and I had the pleasure of taking the full tour with Circle Line around Manhatten and our tour guide, Mr Murray, made that the most interesting, informative and enjoyable tours we've ever attended.
Thank you,
Janne & Trond, Norway

Visited NY the last of August for the first time. Malachy was the tour guide on the Circle Line boat tour my son and I took around Manhattan. For everyone who thinks history is boring, you will thoroughly enjoy how he gives you a recap of the how's,when's, where's, and why's of NY. This book models the tour talk he gives while you look around at all of the history and famous sights.
It's light reading that leaves you with an education! He published this by himself so enjoy a handmade product full of his humor and unique twist on the Big Apple. Want to know where that phrase came from? This is where to look!

We were lucky enough to get on a boat of the NY Circle Line where Malachy Murray held a microphone in his hand - and the attention of his audience as well. He made history come alive, and through his colourful comments on NYC the two hours on that boat went by without a boring minute.
This book is a fabulous way to remember this great tour of Manhattan, providing anecdotes and facts, and all of it in Malachy Murray's unique style.
Well done, Malachy :-)

I'm glad we brought this book with us. It's the second in the Trailblazer series that we own.

It's very comprehensive and covers all the highways and offshoots, places that our friends who live there didn't even know about. Everyone knows about Waikiki, but there are better beaches to be found right in this book. The tone is positive and a splash of humor comes along with their valuable advice.

We do a great deal of hiking and this one contains just about every recreational activity you can think of. It sure beats researching on the internet. Having all the info collectively right by our side made all the diff.

We took two guidebooks to Oahu, this one and No Worries Hawaii planning guide. They made a good pair. The one in color (NW) clued us in how to plan our itinerary and decide which island we really wanted to visit first. Hotel decisions were made so much easier. My husband was inspired by the surfing, so Oahu won out.

The Oahu Trailblazer was very detailed and motivated us to explore a chunk day by day. They cover all the beaches and trails in a well thought out format. There are driving maps in each section which make it easy to skip through the pages and still know exactly where you are on the island. There are hundreds of photos so you can picture where you're going.

Surfing was as good as it gets. Put their walking tour of Honolulu on your agenda. The architecture and history and restaurants and museums were very interesting and we're glad we spent one whole day cruising around downtown and following it up with the Pearl Harbor tour.

It was a tremendous advantage having this Trailblazer guide along. The large walking maps of Waikiki and Honolulu were extremely helpful. Not having to drive made this a relaxing vacation since bus and trolly transportation stops were everywhere. Long beach strolls, great little restaurants, surf lessons, free entertainment and shopping were right at our fingertips. They directed us to San Souci Beach and Kapiolani Park where we grabbed a little alone time. They include the island's history, something most guides don't bother to do. There were so many great excursion listings all around the island, we were sorry we didn't have more vacation days.

This is the one with the most adventure outings and the one that is the most accurate. We went to Oahu with another couple and this guide provided all the fun.

We found this to be an extremely well organized book for getting around and not feeling lost. It's a good one to read well before leaving to get an idea of what's there. Driving can be tricky and their maps inside were much needed.

Places we never thought to explore delivered big payouts. Lanikai Beach for instance, was the most beautiful walk we've ever taken and famous Waikiki was wall to wall sunbathers, what we expected.

This book has plenty of maps and photos, step by step driving directions and was a perfect size for carrying right along on our daily escapades. It was indispensible for our first vacation on Oahu.

Our familly is looking forward to returning to Hawaii for a reunion on the island of Kauai this spring break. The Trailblazer book will be first choice.

Compact, great pictures, well indexed. It won't scream "TOURIST" when you pull it out of your bag. I got this one and the Paris book. Used them exclusively. Barely opened the other ones I got.

This books gives you the 10 top sites to see and itineraries. I like the itineraries (10), because it's very simple. It reminds you that your on vacation and you don't need to be running around town to enjoy London.

This is one of the best guides out there, very detailed & full of photos of things worth seeing & comes in a neat, small size so you can easily throw it inside your back-pack.

This book is compact and easy to carry around and has all pertinent information for daily use. Maps are good and the top 10 seemed to agree with my assessment.

My wife and I love the Top 10 series. We always buy a Frommers or Rick Steves book for the trip's planning, but the Top 10 is a must for the trip itself. It'll fit in a pocket (a long one), and will provide quick and easy references to the most important sights, as well as maps and public transportation routes.

I had never heard of Cash Peters before. I was browsing Amazon looking for books that I can't get in the UK and one of them was Gullible's Travels. It sounded like my type of thing so I thought why not? I'm so glad I did. Its one of those books that is so enjoyable I don't want to get to the end.

Bill Bryson is my favourite author and the only one who can make me laugh out loud and I would rate Cash Peters to be as funny and readable as Bill. So, I have a few pages to go but I know this will be a book I will keep re-reading - it is highly entertaining.

This is a genius of book. Picture his TV Show on Travel Channel with some bite. He goes over many things as he travel the byways of not just travel, But lifes quirks. In all his travel semgments he goes over the eleations, and the pitfalls. Like the hearfelt moment about his guide in Memphis, or the rude treatment he got in a B&B in Boston. The book will help, or hinder your appreciation of tourist traps. For a nice laugh at, or with Cash Peters --- buy the book!

I discovered Cash Peters' Travel Channel show over the summer (where he's dropped off in some strange land--he has no idea where--with no money whatsoever and has to convince locals to feed and shelter him for a day) and was given this book over the weekend as an early birthday present. I am glad to report that Gullible's Travels is even wittier and more fun than his TV show! Peters visits and writes about a number of cities and tourist traps, as well as some of the oddest, most tasteless and inane destinations imaginable. Not only are the locations themselves simply brilliant, but Cash Peters' running commentary on these places would crack up a 1692 Salem Puritan. Sure you can learn a thing or two and maybe get an idea about where to go when you make your own vacation plans, but the real attraction here is Peters' himself and his goofy way of perceving everything. I suppose one could ask for a more serious guide thru these "bad taste" sites but it'd be hard to come up with one who was more bizarre. Peters is a likable bloke and while I'm not sure I'd let him crash in my house should his Travel Channel producers ever drop him off to film an episode in Mason, Ohio, I'd love to hear his comments about my home town. I can only imagine the things he'd say...

In a nutshell: I don't have to buy books because I live in Salt Lake City, which has, arguably, the greatest public library in the country if not the world. So I got "Gullible's Travels" (I think I saw an ad in The New Yorker) and, it's a good thing I have a great library because I can't afford to buy books anyway, but guess what, I'm going to buy this one. Several copies of this one, for gifts. Not even Xmas gifts, just gifts for people who need a good laugh and appreciate real wit. It's that good. I hope a lot of people buy "Gullible's" and I hope Cash Peters laughs all the way to the bank.

In usual Cash Peters style, this book is just what the title of this review says it is: Manic, Zany and TONS of Fun! Cash documents and comments on his journeys and experiences as a travel writer. Hilarious comments and insights by Cash. If you like him on the Travel Channel, you'll LOVE this book. A great laugh and a must read!