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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Do people plan vacations by "theme"?, May 12, 2009
This review is from: Lonely Planet Arizona New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Regional Travel Guide) (Paperback)
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Most travel guides organize their information geographically. This one takes a different tack and attempts to organize trips by theme. As much as I normally like Lonely Planet guides, this one does not work for me. I toured Arizona with this book in tow, and found the information frustratingly superficial, scattered, and unfocused. A paragraph on Sedona, AZ may be followed by one for Phoenix (100+ miles away) followed by one on Tucson (another 100+ miles). This book jumps around a LOT. Do people really plan vacations by "theme"?
If I'm in an area, say just south of Phoenix, I want to be able to look in a guidebook and find interesting places to visit in that vicinity. This is the way most travel guides are organized, and rightly so. This book will be of little help for that kind of reference.
Sure, this book can be an entertaining read--but it is more suitable for armchair travel and trip planning than take-along reference. Besides, one of the joys of travel is variety--how many people really want to base a tour of the Southwest solely on beers, green chilies, or the margarita? This book even tells you what music to play in your car as you travel Route 66--what happened to spontaneity and travel serendipity?
Still, there are some useful tours: the chapter on the Rim-to-Rim hike through the Grand Canyon makes sense. The "48 Hours in Greater Phoenix" tour is similarly focused. I should also point out some rather courageous coverage of polygamist Mormon sects in southern Utah. These particular chapters succeed because they are more geographically centered than the scattershot theme tours.
If you like the idea of taking a trip based on one theme, buy it, but there are much better guides out there for real reference.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
If you're looking for a different approach...., July 17, 2009
This review is from: Lonely Planet Arizona New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Regional Travel Guide) (Paperback)
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Lonely Planet's `Arizona, New Mexico &the Grand Canyon Trips' offers 56 themed itineraries and 1,005 local places to see. And, if New Mexico and Arizona aren't enough, side trips to Utah, Colorado, and Las Vegas are also offered.
The guide seems to attempt to offer a new, edgier approach to travel advice, and I would assume that the target audience is the 20-35 age range. It's most effective if viewed as a weekend/short trip guide; it's not detailed enough to serve as the sole guide for out of state visitors. But it can be a good starting place for planning a brief visit to the area. And it's refreshing to see a new approach to travel guides.
Thematic trips - iconic trips, route oriented trips, food and wine lovers trips, outdoor trips, history and culture based trips, offbeat activities, trips for urbanites, - are provided. This was, for me, an effective method of organization, and the strong point of the guide.
Small maps outlining individual trips are included in the chapters, but these are at best a general guide and wouldn't be adequate for a traveler new to the area. Driving times and directions are often included.
When I carefully read the suggestions for the areas I'm familiar with, they weren't bad. The ideas here are good, but definitely not all inclusive. They verge on superficial. But [and it's hard not to type this in all caps], this is not a travel guide meant to stand alone for the traveler unfamiliar with the area. By all means read this one and get some good starting points, then buy a good thorough travel guide, and a good map, and have a great trip.
If you like the other guides in the series, you'll probably like this one.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A trip for every taste, June 15, 2009
This review is from: Lonely Planet Arizona New Mexico & the Grand Canyon Trips (Regional Travel Guide) (Paperback)
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58 themed itineraries with easy-to-use maps, advice and tips from local experts plus the "must-do" trips and family-friendly/pet-friendly listings are some of the delights in this Lonely Planet guide.
Starting with the iconic trips which include cruising the Mother Road (Route 66), Gunfighters and Goldminers which covers the area from Prescott, AZ to Bisbee, Saguaro National Park in the Tucson and surrounding areas, Lake Powell on the Colorado River, Four Corners, where you can stand with a foot in Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico are but a few of the exciting trips to take using this expert guide. I like the sidebar that shows the starting and ending points, miles traveled, best time of year to make the trip and the time you should allot to see everything.
In addition, there are sections on food and drink, day trips in the Phoenix vicinity, 48 hours in Las Vegas, Grand Canyon Region trips, Art excursions; in short, everything to make your travels more enjoyable. Tips from local travel experts will highlight places to see and things not to miss.
Also included is a listing of places to eat and sleep in every major location plus websites for further details. Additionally, there are suggestions for linking trips for those having more time.
Having traveled this part of the country, I found the guide superb as well as accurate in meeting expectations for every major tour. The only item I felt could have been touched on was the world famous birders' paradise near Sierra Vista, AZ. This is a major attraction and only a few miles from Tucson, Tombstone and Bisbee. However, it was completely omitted in this otherwise outstanding guide. Perhaps this is because the guide is planned with themed trips rather than exploring all the attractions of a particular area. I felt this might not work as well for some people since they probably don't plan their travels based upon "themes." Still, the authors have done an outstanding job and this is reflected in the details given in the various sections.
Recommended.
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