Tours and Travel Books

This is a supurb directory to the joys of New York's Central Park. What could be nicer than to know where things are to plan your park experience. I love this book and refer to it often.

My husband and I just returned from a wonderful trip to Venice italy. We bought Whitehot Productions Self Guided Walking Tours from Amazon a few weeks before we left and we were so thankful we did. The Frari Basilica is a wonderful Cathedral that we may have have not visited if we had not purchased this audio guide. The beauty of its interior is absolutely amazing. It contains some remarkable art and the tomb of Titian, as well as many other famous Venetians. The narrator, in easily understood English, clearly explained the history and importance of everything we were viewing. We only wish that Amazon had offered these audio guides for Rome as well.

This is a genuinely fun way to learn about the Civil War while touring a beautiful section of Atlanta. It's especially nice on a Sunday morning when there is little traffic and you have time to really stop and listen to certain stories or look at certain places. The contrast between the sometimes gory narrative and the peaceful beauty of contemporary Atlanta is fascinating and makes you think about how it must have been over a hundred years ago when war ravaged the city and the country. Very strange and very stimulating. Also, the last stop is a great place for a picnic and a chance to walk around and stretch and think about everything the author of the tape has told you. Really great and definitely recommend it for yourself and your family.

I lived in The City from '67 to '73 and was there during the heyday of Haight Ashbury and the mammoth explosion of all that was pre-Altimont but for some strange reason Beat San Francisco was far more important in my memory than The Haight. The reasons probably have much to do with why I finished Morgan's short book in only a day because I became so involved in his descriptions of the places that I considered my San Francisco-all of Upper Grant after it crosses Columbus with Caffe' Trieste and the New Pisa and of course City Lights, Discovery and Vesuvio with Tosca watching from the other side of the street.

Even though I now live on the other side of the planet, these places are burned into my memory. They're memories of cold winter evenings searching for the inevitable bargain in Discovery and then going next door to City Lights to troll through its basement looking at all the titles that I wanted but couldn't afford as a student. And on Saturday afternoons going into Trieste and buying a cafe' and knowing that not so many years ago this place was the epicenter for guys that wore old berets, had beards and thought.

I am indebted to Bill Morgan for writing such a heartwarming look back at a time and place that will go on in the hearts of Americans that realize there was a recent time when things could have gone another way. It didn't happen but with people like him keeping the memory alive and people who care enough to take pictures of City Lights for people like me who remember- perhaps all has not been lost.

Buy the book and revisit these modern American icons before they are redeveloped.

This is a great resource book written through actual experiences of the authors. Great pictures and references. The book shares information that is not readily available through tourist information. It makes you want to get out your bike and ride along with nature. One does not have to be biking to enjoy the Bed &Breakfast establishments visited in the book.

When one thinks about the early American history and the colonial period it's natural to associate this history with the New England region. But if there is one area outside of New England that can boast a history that is just as rich and as important, it is certainly the city of Philadelphia. "Ben Franklin's Philadelphia" by Tom Huntington is equal parts a tour guide, Franklin Biography, and a history, all blended in one enjoyable, and informative book.

Huntington takes readers on a tour of colonial Philadelphia, stopping at many well known, and many unknown historical buildings and landmarks, including many of those frequented by Franklin himself. Along the way Huntington provides biographical information about Franklin in relation to these various stops. 2006 marks Franklin's 300th birthday and there is no better time to visit historical Philadelphia than during this year long celebration of one of America's greatest Founding Fathers. In all there are just over two dozen different places to visit in the guide and Huntington greatly assists readers by providing the address and phone number of each site, hours of operation, admission prices (if applicable), and finally, a walking map with each site numbered so you can plan your route when you visit.

Certainly many people know about Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center, both of which can be visited free of charge, but there are many other interesting, out-of-the-way sites that are not quite as well known but are equally tantalizing for history buffs. For instance this is Elfreth's Alley, which has the distinction of being the oldest, continually occupied residential street in America, with homes that date back to the 1720's. Two of these buildings served as the Elfreth's Alley museum with a modest admission price.

Near Elfreth's Alley is the Fireman's Hall Museum. The Museum recognizes Ben Franklin's contributions as the founder of the city's first fire company in 1736. Another marvelous site is Christ Church where he and his wife Deborah attended services on occasion. It was Franklin who helped organize the funding for the church's massive 200-foot tall steeple that has become one of the city's most visible landmarks.

The Franklins are buried in Christ Church Burial Grounds, which, oddly enough, are actually a few streets over from the church. A large slab covers Franklin's final resting place and it has become a tradition for visitors to toss pennies on the slab for good luck.

The thing that strikes me about all of the sites in Huntington's guide is the modest admission fees for visiting most of them. Many of these sites can be toured for free, while others are less than $20 for a family of four, making them not only historically enriching, but a heck of a bargain as well.

If you plan on visiting Philadelphia, do yourself a favor and pick up this book and have a great time walking around old Philadelphia.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Berkeley, California residents, natives, or visitors will relish this pictorial display of Berkeley's finest houses and scenes in Berkeley: The Life And Spirit Of A Remarkable Town. Kiran Singh's full-page color photos trace the town's most notable neighborhoods and structures, from Telegraph Avenue, the 'Haight-Ashbury of Berkeley' and home to many counter-cultural influences, to the campus of UC Berkeley and West Berkeley's early settlements. A fine coffee table addition or celebration of one of the state's most notable cities.

This book is very informative (...but not that kind of "lonely planet") I came last year to study at UMass Amherst. I used this book to travel around the area... love it very much especially in dining and accomodation sections... .very good info for planning the trip :-)

My wife and I recently decided to drive through New England, mainly visiting Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. On a friend's advice, I bought the Scheller's Best Vermont Driving Guide and after reading that, went out and bought this guide to New Hampshire. Both of these books are absolutely terrific, giving you information about places that is just about impossible to find anyplace else. There are lots of interesting tidbits that made our trip a lot more fun, and the books have a nice sense of humor, unlike a lot of dry guidebooks. We did two of the recommended drives in each state and found them very rewarding. Using the guide books, we were able to discover little hidden places like small museums and other attractions that we never could have found on our own--and we met some really great people along the way, too. If you're planning to drive through VT or NH I highly recommend both of these books.

Of the 8 books that i have on touring within europe, its this book that i'm taking with me on my trip. A well written guide. It is out of print and until recently amazon didn't even have a listing for it. All routes are broken into day to day segments(about a week long each). I would still recommend "touring club italiano" maps on the specific regions you intend to travel. This book covers 4 areas of italy. lake distrist of lombarby,umbria, tuscany, and the piedmont wine country. This book doesn't have hotel info so it is more of a practical guide rather than a year to year tour based book.

Another book that has recently caught my eye is "Garfagnana by Bicycle : Cycle Touring and Mountain Bike(2001)," although it appears that this book concentrates on a very small area in umbria. It could worth checking out if traveling within the area.