Customer Reviews

Lonely Planet The Carolinas Georgia & the South Trips (Regional Travel Guide)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

With 65 themed itineraries and 1192 places covered through the states of North & South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee this book would appear at first glance to be exactly what you were looking for when doing a trip through the Southeastern United States. Call me picky, but the problem I found was that after reviewing the various preplanned trips there isn't one I would be interested in following from beginning to end. Not one.

The problem is that the various trips are arranged in such a way that I believe the average traveler would quickly become disinterested. For instance, there are many trips involving themes such as "food and drink" that last for days. Take for instance a four day trip involving 21 different restaurants in Atlanta. The first question to ask is would you be able to eat at 21 restaurants in four days? The second is, if you were to visit Atlanta would you want to spend all your time doing nothing else except eating at restaurants? Others like the "outdoors" trip involve 19 different destinations encompassing 300 miles. I doubt it will be completed in the 2-3 days they say it can be done; unless you don't stop to see anything.

The other problem I had was they didn't spend much time selling the different destinations. One of the more interesting trips involves retracing the steps of Martin Luther King. While there are a number of interesting places to see in this 600 mile, 4-day trip, one of the destinations involves a visit to the National Voting Rights Museum. According to the book, their claim to fame is a cattle prod used by a racist sheriff on African-Americans. Sold yet?

So that's why I struggle to give this book even three stars. You'll likely not follow their pre-planned trip ideas and quite a few of the destinations have only a one or two sentence description. Enough to pique your interest but that's it. I think the best use of this book is to generate ideas but you'll still need to plan your trip yourself.

I live in North Carolina, and was very excited about getting this guidebook on the region. However, it proved to be a big disappointment because it tries to cover too much territory. The guidebook really has no focus. Is it covering the Carolinas and Georgia, the Southeast or the entire South? Even though the title highlights the Carolinas and Georgia, it doesn't emphasize them as much as one would expect. What is Louisiana, Kentucky and Mississippi doing in this book? I found myself frustrated with the entire setup because there really doesn't seem to be one. I suppose the title should have simply been The South, but then it left out Arkansas, Virginia, and Florida. For my area (central NC--Raleigh/Durham) there were no great tips for the traveler that couldn't be found in a Triple A guidebook. Basically, it gives the most general of information. The writing was not really engaging, either. I do not recommend this guidebook for anyone interested in the Carolinas, which I know extremely well. I was trying to think for whom this guidebook was written, and I honestly cannot answer that.

Cajun Country conjures up a scene of fun and real joy. This is the 3rd Lonely Planet Travel Book I have reviewed. I absolutely love them- they are full of brightly colored pictures, the most unusually named tours, the best experts and tips I have found.

The South in this travel book means both Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky. Not many travel books could cover this large an area with such a complete look. As you open this book, on the inside cover is a preface on how to use the book. All trips are themed using icons, and an explanation of each is shown. Best trips and Expert-Recommended trips are the ones to follow.

The south has always beckoned me, Let's start with North Carolina. There is a map, and the Outer Banks are specified and then on to 48 Hours in Asheville. The book talks about the highlights from tours to take, the Malaprop Book Store and Cafe most of us have heard about, and on to the Tupelo Honey Cafe that looks like one of the better restaurants. This is all before lunch. Then on to some parks and walks and arcades. The two days are filled with marvelous things to see and do including the Biltmore Estate. You learn how to get there, what to do, what to eat and drink and where to sleep. Then there are links to other parts of the state. Am Eclectic Americana in the Triangle-Raleigh- Durham and Chapel Hill, moves on to a University Tour of UNC, and then, from Dirty Dancing to Dawson's Creek. A number of wonderful places to go, see and do. There are maps, iconic places to see, the best in food, the most fun and a guide to the cities in-between.

The lonely planet, asks the local experts what they advise, their favorite places. The must-do trips for the iconic places. How to tune-in to the local music play lists. Family friendly and pet friendly places. And, best of all a Green index for the most environmentally friendly options.

Highly Recommended, prisrob 05-17-09
Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2009 (General Reference)
The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World

Lonely Planet's `The Carolinas, Georgia & the South Trips,' which offers 65 themed itineraries, and 1192 local places to see, covers North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky. I am a Southerner; these are states I often visit, and my hometown is included in this volume, so my evaluation of it is based on personal experience.

The suggestions for my hometown are bland and glib. A local restaurant is suggested because `the servers are coeds.' The area lodging suggested is a converted grain silo - which may be fun for hunters and horseback riders, but hey guys, some folks may be better suited to one of local B&B's or even the Marriott. `The local places to see' in my area reads as though it were written by someone who has never seen the place!

As a matter of fact, reading through the guide, I wonder how many on-site visits were paid. There seems to be little in-depth information. There is no sense of immediacy or place.

I understand that these guides are intended to be edgy and appeal to an younger audience. That`s a valid goal. But surely even the young deserve more complete information and less of a local tourism board handout feeling about the project.

My advice: look it over before you buy.

If you're heading out on a road trip anywhere in the South this summer (Florida, see Florida (Regional Guide), bring along this book and you'll be clued in to some of the gems that await your enjoyment.

Unlike so many regional guides that focus on one particular area, this one guides the reader on sixty five detailed, themed road trips. Trip #6 is NASCAR's Best Pit Stops. It takes you from Mooresville, NC to Daytona Beach, FL , covering 1120 miles in eight days. Attractions, food, and lodging are covered with paragraph long descriptions and contact information, in six pages. At the end, it also shows which other trips intersect this road trip, so it's very customizable to your needs. Since we're going to Atlanta this summer for a week, I am considering picking up the second half of the NASCAR road trip on my way back.

Some of the trips even offer a music playlist to take-along. I thought that was a really nice touch. The guide also recommends the best time to visit.

Unfortunately, this book seemed to me to be rushed to print. Some considerations were not taken into account such as format, pictures, or even accuracy. This book would have made easier reading if it was spiralbound like a good cookbook. Additionally, the only pictures in this 424 page book are found between pages 4-24, which just isn't enough. It would have been nice if 1-2 additional pages of pictures were added per road trip.

I also found some inaccuracies. For example, on page 82, it says the NASCAR trip can be linked with Trip 43 on page 283. However, page 283 (trip 43) is 48 Hours In New Orleans, which does not intersect the NASCAR trip. In fact, the NASCAR trip does not even dip into New Orleans, much less Louisiana. They meant 48 Hours in Atlanta, which is Trip 26 on page 197. Also, at the end of Trip 26, it fails to mention that it can be linked with the NASCAR trip, so you'll have to dig around in the book a bit to confirm details.

Considering the lack of trip specific pictures, and inaccuracies, I got the impression this book was put together by someone at their desk with an Internet connection rather than someone on the road. Therefore I'm a little less trusting of the details that I would be otherwise. I plan on calling ahead to confirm everything.

Despite the books flaws, I learned a few things and plan on using this resource for our trip. Already parts of a few of the trips are helping me to plan.

Each trip is designated by one (or two) theme icons.

The themes you'll find in this book are:

Iconic Trips - Great, must-do trips that represent the region

Route - Trips that follow a well-known route, with extra insider detail

Food & Drink - Trips to BBQ joints, po'boy haunts, Cajun restaurants and more

Outdoors - Trips through the mountains, along backroads, to national parks, and the coast

History & Culture - Trips back in time, to historic towns, and trips with a musical twist

Offbeat - Trips to haunted pubs, Gothic sites, roadside curios, and other oddball attractions

City - Trips for urbanites

Day Trips - Trips no more than a few hours from a hub city

States covered are North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

As many people wrote, this book is good only to browse for trip ideas - which I suppose you can do with the same success by just Googling. It's useless as a guide, as you would never want to actually do any of the trips in it in their entirety, they just make little sense by themselves. It's also hard to use if you are just passing by the areas covered, because you have to go back and forth and gather all the suggestions for any particular place that may be scattered over several chapters/trips - very annoying.

Basic Review: I ordered this book with the hope that it would provide me with some ideas for our own road-trip through the South-East shortly after. If you have ever been on a road trip before, you know that you can plan the trip with a great level of detail, but once you are on your way, decisions will be made on the fly. The book is broken down into suggested trips of varying distances and destinations by grouping neighboring states into chapters. When going into detail about the listed trips, the authors provide a short story about each stop along the planned route. At the end of the chapters, there is contact information and suggested eateries and lodging. Not only are there example trips that are already planned out if you choose, but they also offer up other points of interest in the areas that you will be passing. Each trip you take should be of your own choosing, therefore I did enjoy the numerous suggested POI's, but do not believe that I would ever complete one of the trips they pre-planned in the book. A trip where you can combine the suggestions and ideas of all those involved will be much more enjoyable and easier than you think. We covered 3,000 miles, 8 states and D.C., all in 10 days and had a great time!

Firstly, I don't have a desire to go on any of the "Themed Trips," but I would like to visit many of the individual places listed in this book. With over 1192 places to see in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky it's enough to keep my family busy for awhile. The tours in this book take you through many different cities and states. I enjoy the history / educational information that begin most "trips," and the interesting facts along the way are really worth a read. I'm really glad the authors included a "Day Trips" section to select cities with places you must see / experience. The book is small is size, so easy to carry around and tuck into a purse, nice maps, and useful "Best Times To Go."

This tour book has 65 themed itineraries and 1192 places to see. It includes North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky. It is set up with easy to read icons and gives you a starting and ending point for each tour.

It has tidbits on each place and a little history and set up by your likes and dislikes. For instance there are tours for people that like to visit the Civil War sites, the Antebellum south, Appalachian Trail, or follow in the footsteps of Martin Luther King, Jr, Mark Twain, William Faulkner, and Dale Earnhardt. There's a Southern Gothic Literary Tour, Beach Getaways, Musical tours, etc. Offbeat places include Bill Clinton's birthplace in Hope, Arkansas or Elvis Presley's Graceland.

It gives you ideas on what to do for 48 hours in Nashville, Atlanta and New Orleans. Great places to eat and offbeat places to visit in those cities. Hotels are listed, bars, eateries, etc.

Here is an example of the Southern Gothic Literary Tour. The tour is for 7 days and covers 1274 miles and starts in Savannah, Ga and ends in New Orleans. It begins at the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in Savannah (written by John Berendt) and gives a short history of the murder that took place there. While there you can tour the Mercer-Williams House Museum. From there Carson McCullers fans can continue on to Columbia, Georgia and see her home where The Heart is a Lonely Hunter was inspired. Then on to Monroeville which gave us Truman Capote and Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird). Rowan Oak in Oxford, Mississippi is next where William Faulkner 33 acre estate is located. While there you can visit Square Books which has autographed copies of Faulkner's books and some other authors from area like Larry Brown and Tom Franklin. You can then detour through Tupelo and see Elvis's birthplace. Then on the French Quarter. It lists the history of the area, local places to visit, hotels, beds and breakfasts and out of the ordinary eating places.

The trips in this book are from 1 day to over a week trips. A really neat book!

The thrust of this guide is to lay out "trips" (typically 2-3 days each) for the user. It covers the old south minus Florida. Included states are Kentucky, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

I've traveled to many of the locations listed in this book and they are all worth visiting for the casual vacationer. While I would not follow this guide exclusively as it's laid out, I would still use it to make sure that I was aware of everything possible. My wife and I use our AAA travel guides which are kept well up-to-date and list the cheapest places to stay and to eat.

Of course this book will become outdated in a couple of years, especially regarding places to eat. But until that time I think that most travelers of the south would find it useful.

Recommended.