Customer Reviews

Alaska for Dummies

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book has very useful and detailed information. Don't make the mistake I made and buy this and the Frommer's guide, too. They have the same author and much of the text is identical.

This is a great book for anyone who just doesn't know where to start on planning their first trip to Alaska. The book is filled with valuable information from the writer of Frommer's Alaska. Be sure not to get both Alaska for Dummies and the Frommer's Alaska guide because there is a lot of overlap.

Unfortunately, this book is completely void of photographs which is a shame in a state as picturesque as Alaska.

If you are looking at purchasing this book, the second edition is being released on March 14, 2005. I just finished the book so I thought I would put my two cents in about it.

I loved this book. I had ordered three different books on Alaska Vacations, this one was the best hands down. It gave me all my options, sample vacations, told me the best and worst of Alaska. I really feel I can now book my vacation and feel very comfortable. Going to Alaska is a very expensive vacation, I have waited a lifetime for a trip like this so I wanted to make sure of all my options. This book gave you the pros and cons of cruising, driving, renting an RV, railroads. Once I got through I knew exactly what was the best option for myself.

The information was accurate, up-to-date, and provided the best advice. The full-color maps and quick reference pointers made planning my trip simple. I would recommend this book to any first-time visitor who wants expert and opinionated advice on how to make the most of their time and money.

I run a tour business for Alaska travelers and purchased this book as a reference book. I was horrified at the inaccurate information and lack of details. For expample the author talks about Southeast Alaska and only mentions 3 towns! leaving out some of the most interesting and best places. No mention of Ketchikan, Haines, Wrangell, Petersburg, Gustavus. It is hard to believe the author has ever been to this part of Alaska. And as for his information for cruise ship passengers and day trips - his information and pricing is way out of date and for the most part very inaccurate. If you are planning to visit Alaska by cruise ship - this is NOT the information you will need for going through the Inside Passage.

Alaska For Dummies provides accurate and appropriate information for multiple different types of travelers. Whether you are vacationing with an entire family, physically disabilities, or completely alone, Alaska For Dummies tells you the basics of what you need to know. Alaska For Dummies delivers information not just for dummies booking their first-time trip, but also for people interested in getting culture and history out of their traveling experience to and from Alaska. Aside from Alaska For Dummies' simply informative text however, where the travel guides lacks is in its aesthetic appeal and depth in certain sections. This is where the guide seems to contradict itself from its image. It gives the textbook look of basic, plain text (appearing such as that of a textbook) with the information that seems more appropriate for either a younger audience or one that does not need to know much of any aspects of traveling to Alaska; just the essentials for various different types.
Because Alaska For Dummies is written in part by the "experts at Frommer's," (as boldly stated on the cover) there are a great deal of similarities between Frommer's Alaska travel guide. For example, when introducing a destination, author Charles Wohlforth delivers the "Best Of" information right up front, much like Frommer's guide does. Frommer's also gives a good nutshell of a plan in a concise but informative manner at the end of each section, and Alaska For Dummies is no exception. Overall, Alaska For Dummies verifies itself as a slightly dumbed-down version of Frommer's.
Visually speaking, Alaska For Dummies is not the most aesthetically pleasing travel guide. There are no photos (some maps) or color (except for the inside cover).
But where it lacks color and contrast, it makes up for it with entirely useful information. Alaska For Dummies is straight to the point; raw, uncut, and without any unnecessary fluff you see. Alaska For Dummies does not attempt to distract the reader with numerous images and over-the-top page layouts. Instead, Alaska For Dummies puts all of its emphasis and focus on the text, where it truly counts. If you have bought this book, it is because you already know you want to travel to Alaska. You don't need photographs of the mountains as much as you do the information in order to experience those mountains in person in the most convenient and comfortable way possible. Also, with that said, Alaska For Dummies is not predominantly targeted towards a younger audience. You will not be attracted to the book by its cover (aside from the infamous "...For Dummies" logo) opposed to other travel guides. Especially compared to Fodor's Travel Guide to Alaska.
Alaska For Dummies' straightforwardness and simplicity can become quite dull at times. This is no storybook; it is not meant to be read all the way through in one or even two sittings. Alaska For Dummies proves to be a travel guide that you pick up when you need a quick and/or specific reference or information on a particular aspect of Alaska. There are also a few instances of overlapping of destinations given in other chapters, which ultimately seems inevitable, but demonstrates how this travel guide is written.
Thus, rhetorically speaking, Alaska For Dummies is a travel guide intended for more of a traveler than a tourist, someone who wants to dig deeper than the monuments and national parks. Wohlforth gives all of the basics need for a beginner traveler: seasons, weather, what to wear, how to get around, but the essence of Alaska For Dummies is the combination of history, background information, and culture Wohlforth brings into every section. This, in turn, can help the reader decide on which activities and places are right for them in a more personal way.
Compared to other Alaska travel guides such as Frommer's Alaska 2011 and The Unofficial Guide to Adventure Travel In Alaska, both priced on Amazon.com at 14.95, Alaska For Dummies is priced fairly high at 19.95. This is a major drawback for Alaska for Dummies due it its lack of photographs and color compared to the other 2 travel guides. However, Alaska for Dummies proves to have more of a board range of information provided in it.
Wohlforth concludes the guide with the sections: "Ten Great Walks," "Ten Questions to Ask an Alaskan," and "Ten Ways to be an Alaskan Know-It-All." These sections stand out from the rest in that they especially inform and encourage the reader to really learn more about the people; how Alaskans think and to discover more about the Alaska you cannot simply see from a given tour. Specifically, the "Ten Questions to Ask an Alaskan" section is particularly interesting and informative. There are times that we strike out on our own when traveling but Wohlforth suggests asking a few specific questions of those who live in Alaska and in doing so will understand better their lives and Alaska mean to them. Most seem to be conversation-starters and in one case Wohlforth mentions a question that should not be asked because it would "halt a conversation immediately." The last section about being an "Alaskan Know-It-All" gives some general information that would not necessarily fit in the sections previously explored in the travel guide. It talks of the vastness of the state, earthquakes, and how the mountains are continuing to grow. These detailed examples and tidbits really add to the guide.
Overall, Wohlforth writes in an easy to read and straightforward manner, and that is exactly how Alaska For Dummies is presented, marketed, and produced. Alaska For Dummies appeals to a reader about the essentials of Alaska, and it does just that. Wohlforth makes a successful attempt at connecting with his readers by spending his free time to answer questions on his website. Alaska For Dummies is very well written and informative. It provides mostly all of the basic information that would helpful for a first-time traveler, but one who wants to really get something out of his or her experience in Alaska.

This book is full of wonderful information about going to Alaska. It tells the best places to go and see on several different budgets and lengths of vacation. The author even tells the reader which side of the bus to sit on for the best views going though the national parks.

If you are planning or going to Alaska, this book is a 100% must to have. It is having a constant source of pertinent information at your fingertips.We are doing a 3 week trip,on our own.If you are traveling with tours or just on a cruise of the inner passage,this book won't be as imperative to bring along.If you are going at it with just your family and/or friends you may not even be able to do it without the information this book provides.

We were about to leave for Alaska and this book give us some really helpful information.

I bought this book before I left for Northwestern Alaska. There are several National Parks there which this book totally ignored. The Western Arctic Parks & the Gates of the Arctic weren't even mentioned. In the Nome reference the only real remark was the end of the Iditarod. There is so much more happening especially in the summer when the sun doesn't set. Kotzebue wasn't covered except for a museum that is currently closed. If you are not going to northern AK the book may be helpful, if you're going north of Fairbanks, don't bother.