Frommer's California 2001 (Frommer's Complete Guides) [Paperback]

Erika Lenkert (Author), Matthew Poole (Author), Stephanie Avnet Yates (Author)

Book Description

Series: Frommer's Complete Guides | Publication Date: November 28, 2000

Experience a place the way the locals do. Enjoy the best it has to offer. And avoid tourist traps. At Frommer's, we use 150 outspoken travel experts around the world to help you make the right choices. Frommer's. Your guide to a world of travel experience. Choose the Only Guide That Gives You:

• Outspoken opinions on what's worth your time and what's not.
• Exact prices, so you can plan the perfect trip no matter what your budget.
• Off-the-beaten-path experiences and undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions.
• The best hotels and restaurants in every price range, with candid reviews.
• The expert guidance you need to take charge and travel with confidence.

Great trips begin at frommers.com

• Book flights, hotels, and rental cars.
• Get free updates on attractions and prices.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Experience a place the way the locals do. Enjoy the best it has to offer. And avoid tourist traps. At Frommer’s, we use 150 outspoken travel experts around the world to help you make the right choices. Frommer’s. Your guide to a world of travel experience.

Choose the Only Guide That Gives You:

• From the glitz of Hollywood to the pristine beauty of Yosemite, the essential information on the cities, towns, theme parks, resorts, and national parks of the Golden State.
• Outspoken opinions on what’s worth your time and what’s not.
• Exact prices, so you can plan the perfect trip no matter what your budget.
• Off-the-beaten-path experiences and undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions.
• The best hotels and restaurants in every price range, with candid reviews.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

About the Authors A native of Los Angeles and an avid traveler, antiques hound, and pop-history enthusiast, Stephanie Avnet Yates believes that California is best seen from behind the wheel of a little red convertible. Stephanie has authored Frommer's Los Angeles, Frommer's San Diego, and Frommer's Wonderful Weekends from Los Angeles, in addition to contributing to several other regional guidebooks and Web sites. Online, Stephanie can be reached directly at [e-mail]. Native San Franciscan Erika Lenkert spent the past 4 years seeking adventure, great food, and great accommodations throughout California while celebrating a delightfully wild 3-year stint in Hollywood. She is now in San Francisco full-time, where she's editor-in-chief of WineShopper.com. She also has a restaurant column in San Francisco magazine and hopes to find time to continue contributing to Los Angeles, InStyle, Travel & Leisure, and Bon Appétit. And yes, her Siamese cats are still along for the ride. Combining the only three things he's good at—eating, sleeping, and criticizing—Matthew R. Poole has written and co-authored more than 20 travel guides to California and Hawaii, including Frommer's San Francisco and Frommer's Portable California Wine Country. A native Northern Californian, he currently lives in San Francisco. Matthew would like to thank Mary Anne Moore, Maurice Read, Anne Jackson, and Norma Clevenger for their contributions to his chapters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 736 pages
• Publisher: Frommers; 1 edition (November 28, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764560956
• ISBN-13: 978-0764560958
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,708,454 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Guide - Weak on Photos, December 24, 2005

By 

J. E. Robinson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Frommer's California 2005 (Frommer's Complete Guides) (Paperback)

This is a massive 700 page guide suitable to the large State of California, a state that has many places to explore and visit.

It has a comprehensive description of almost every area of California and has excellent maps and guides including street maps of San Francisco. You will not be disappointed with this book as a guide. You will be disappointed with a lack of photographs. A picture is worth a 1000 words and this book has virtually none. So if you are buying just one book, then buy Eyewitness Travel Guides DK - California which is almost as big - 630 pages but has stunning photos. If you are buying more than one book, consider this Frommer guide.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars as a local, it's not very good, February 5, 2005

By 

Brian Bulkowski (Berkeley, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Frommer's California 2005 (Frommer's Complete Guides) (Paperback)

As a california resident for 15 years, I bought the guide because I had been amazed at the detail of Frommer's guides during my travels. Perhaps I expected too much, but I find the Frommer's California to be worthless.

For example, to say that this guide covers "san francisco's hippest resturants" is a bit of a stretch. They list about 10 old standards, in a town with about 4000 resturants - a good start, but nothing particularly hip. The guide focused on north beach and fisherman's wharf. San Francisco's bar and music scene is huge - about 6 places are listed, none particularly cutting edge.

The strength of the guidebook is probably out of town - Yosemite, Gold Country, Eureka. Even there, I found the information didn't really have the bite it should. Focus was on toursity stuff, not the really fun stuff.

This guidebook needs a top-to-bottom revamp, instead of a yearly update to make sure the phone numbers are correct.

For san francisco especially, get smaller more focused guidebooks.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reliable and Comprehensive!, August 14, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Frommer's California 2003 (Paperback)

This book covers the entire state in one easy-to-carry book. Whether you're looking for romantic bed and breakfasts in the Wine Country, the hippest restaurant in San Francisco, or the best beaches in LA and San Diego, this book is all you'll need. It covers hotels ranging from a beach front motel in Santa Monica to the best places to stay in Yosemite's camp grounds.