Customer Reviews

Lonely Planet USA

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

 

 

Whilst I didn't enjoy this guide as much as some of the other Lonely Planet books I have previously used, this was nonetheless a handy addition to a trip of nearly 3 months covering 9 States.

Whilst I wouldn't recommend it for short trips or 1 state visits for longer trips then I think it is worth the money - even if you just need tips and advice on budget accommodation, motels and restaurants.

Let's face it, trying to cram 50 States worth of information into one publication is not an easy task but in my opinion I feel that this book along with the rest of the Lonely Planet series continue to be the easiest to use and best guide books available.

If you are planning on only visiting a few States or visiting for a short break then my advice would be to either buy an indiviudal guide for the relevant State/City, check the internet for useful information or ask someone else who has been before.

For those of us who cannot lug or afford up to 50 separate books or are on a budget trip of some sort would find this guide useful if not at least for the information regarding local culture and customs.

The book definitely proved useful in my first experience with LP guides: if it didn't already have the information, it would at least point you in the right direction as to where to get it. Though the information for big cities like NY, San Fran and Chicago are limited, it's extremely easy to pick up free guides in those cities anyways, so it doesn't matter too much.

The recommendations for food were about 2/3 accurate in my opinion, regarding price, value and quality. It's great how downtown maps are included, and more comprehensive for the bigger cities. Contrary the opinion of another reviewer, I was grateful for the inclusion of suggested lodging- for all the times we didn't follow our itinerary and needed to check for vacancies whilst still driving. Because all the lodging suggestions are non-chains, I also stayed at one place the guidebook recommended that turned out to be excellent and because it was privately owned, I would have never found it otherwise. It was very homely and good value.

Though I wouldn't carry the book around while actually wandering around the city (too heavy and thick), it was good for leaving in the hotel and planning the next day's activities. On the whole, the concisely outlines what is worth seeing in each state, but expects you to actively seek out more information for details: don't expect that you can rely solely on this guide, especially not if you're into seeing some non-touristy sites.

If you are going to travel to/across USA Lonely Planet USA is a suitable and practical guide, in spite of its size. The suggestions about hotels, restaurants, sightseeing, sports and routes include both traditional touristic places and alternatives points too. The "author's choices" are great and help you a lot to choose the best options for small budgets. It works as a trustful friend telling you about the best things to do in your next travel. More maps showing cities and roads would be very useful in the next editions.

This book is huge!! Its worth a read, even if you won't be travelling throughout the country. I read everything relevant to my holiday, then went and read about the places i want to visit!
A lot of information, although because it covers the whole country, it is not overly specific. Getting the relevant guide book for the place you are visiting is recommended.
Still, as I'd like to return to the USA, I know that I can pick this book up at any time, and begin my holiday research!

The book is too general and it's not likely that a traveler will visit the who US. For the 4 states that I visited, the information was scarce. I regret of carrying all that weight. Should not include hotel info since it changes a lot and good deals are found better at other sources. Should include maps of most important cities like NYC, NYC metro, etc.