Lonely Planet Texas (1st ed) [Paperback]

Nick Selby (Author), Julie Fanselow (Author), Ryan Ver Berkmoes (Author)

Book Description

Series: 1st ed | Publication Date: October 1999

This guide leads travellers deep into the heart of the Lone Star State, and features an introduction to Texas slang, cuisine, and its colourful history. Also includes accommodation options, details on Texas' unique culture, and highlights of all the important attractions.

Product Details

• Paperback: 639 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0864425716
• ISBN-13: 978-0864425713
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,723,774 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars below average guide to a great state, February 11, 2001

By 

Eric (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Texas (1st ed) (Paperback)

I sat down at Book People this morning and read the section on Austin and the Hill Country, and I have to wonder how much time the author has really spent in my part of the state. The restaurant recommendations were just terrible - it's almost as though he just looked some places up in the yellow pages and stuck them in the guide. A relative Austin neophyte could've provided better recommendations. I felt such pity for potential visitors that I felt like giving out my home phone number to steer them away from LP's recommendations and toward the truly great restaurants in my part of the state. I also didn't care for restaurant recommendations in Houston and San Antonio.

Aside from restaurants, the Austin section was decent but still nothing special. I guess my primary recommendation to visitors is not to trust this Lonely Planet guide just they've enjoyed Lonely Planet guides for other locations. I've absolutely loved LP guides to San Francisco and New Orleans(both written by the same author, btw), but this one isn't up to snuff.

The picture of the Longhorns on the cover and the beautiful burnt orange trim (Hook'em Horns!) almost moved me to give the guide an extra star, but that wouldn't be fair to potential travelers. My advice to travelers is just to research Austin and the other major Texas cities on Citysearch and to pick up a decent regional guide in a bookstore after arriving for information on rural locales. Austin visitors should also pick up a copy of the Austin Chronicle upon arriving in town. Austin and San Antonio (and the rest of the Hill Country) are definitely the best places to visit in the state, but the two national parks and some of the coast and border towns are definitely worth seeing.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, January 1, 2001

By 

Dr. Anat Eshed "Avid Reader" (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely Planet Texas (1st ed) (Paperback)

Usually, I regard the lonely planet series as one of the best traveling guides. This book fails to stand the same standard that other books from this series established. Nature has a very brief description, and the cities part does not give a very clear picture of what is worthy and what doesn't. I found the Moon series book on texas much better.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best guidebook to Texas I've come across, February 15, 2001

By 

JimmyEv (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Texas (1st ed) (Paperback)

I've traveled around my back yard in Houston, Galveston, and Corpus with both this book and the Moon Texas Handbook. Lonely Planet is pretty much on the mark with what attractions they've included and which they haven't (as well as with the ones they've dissed). From reading Moon, you'd never know that Moody Gardens in Galveston is a total rip; You'd also think that it would be worth the time and the shelling out of $3 to visit the Institute of Oriental Cultures in Corpus, the home of a few exhibits randomly strewn together with very, very minimal interpretation.

As far as restaurants go, it appears to me that the listings in Lonely Planet concentrate on rather hip places with cheap prices, regardless of the quality of the food, while Moon tends to imitate the listings in the Houston Chronicle and Houston Press. I guess which you would prefer depends on whether you're a 'foodie' or if you just want a cheap place to nosh.

One deficiency of this book is the lack of coverage of outdoor activities. Moon definately surpasses Lonely Planet in this regard. If you enjoy both outdoor and urban activities, you might need both guides.

The only thing that irritated me about this guide (I almost couldn't get past it)was its constant bashing of Houston and the climate. Several 'insights' the writers had to the area were based on faulty assumptions, but, I guess, at least they had an opinion. Furthermore, Houston's climate is a tad bit milder than nearby New Orleans, and they didn't bash that city for its climate. But that's a minor complaint compared to how useful I found the guide. (And the maps are also excellent --- showing the location of most of the text.)