Customer Reviews

Pacific Coast Highway: Traveler's Guide

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Tom Snyder's Pacific Coast Highway Traveler's Guide is a must read for any one who loves the Historic Hwy 101.

Charles Kuralt said "Thanks to the new Interstate Transportation system it is now possible to drive from one end of the country to the other without seeing a thing"

Snyder's book takes you on a journey from the Mexican border to the Canadian border on the road that opened the west, before driving became the endless endouring of multiple ribbons of concrete. Snyder's trip and his insights on US 101 is a must have for anyone traveling US 101. His book touches on 100's of small quaint cities and sights along the 101 with recommendations for lodging and restaurants. Many of the places he called out are not necessarily the most prominent or "tourist trap" type places but rather unique places that capture the essence of the road.

There is a great little section in the beginning of the book which talks about how Hwy 101 came into being as well as the confusion and differences in the multiple names the road has. It sure cleared up things for me! Snyder also details and recommends many little trips from 2 to 3 days as well as the whole route. There are great tips on the weather and where to begin your trip depending on the weather and your interest.

Also present in the book is a little testament to the surf and woddie culture as well as an acknowledgment of their lifestyle and stewardrdship of our oceans.

Over all, this book is a tremendous asset for those who love to really drive. Well done and highly recommended

Once again, Master Storyteller Tom Snyder, author of Route 66 Traveler's Guide and Roadside Companion, has written a book that reads like a family history, yet contains enough specifics on California Coastal lodging, food, people and landscapes to get you there and back with terrific memories and coins to spare! In his usual folksy style, Snyder takes us up Pacific Coast Highway, where the golden coast of California is kissed by the sea. This book reads like a warm cup of chocolate yet features insightful vignettes about where to go, what to see, and how to see it all in style. PCH Traveler's Guide is much more than just a travel book. Snyder, who is sensitive to California's natural beauty and fragile ecology, tells readers where to shoot the best photographs, find the best tasting food, meet the most interesting people, and bed down in the sweetest places. Having lived in California for over 30 years, I was astonished to read of places I'd never seen, and the stories behind them. Inspired by PCH Traveler's Guide, my family is planning a road trip this summer to re-experience the coast's beauty and history . READ THIS BOOK if you are coming to California, or simply want to re-discover magic in your own backyard.

Wow. I've read the reviews below and wondered if we were talking about the same book. Contrary to other opinions, this book does have an index, does make recommendations for unique and interesting lodging options, and is just packed with little bits of history about each area along the way. And the title of the book does say "Travelers Guide (Photographic Tour)" so do expect some stunning photographs along with the suggestions for enjoying the trip. If you're looking for phone numbers, prices and hours of operation, I would suggest a local phone book or a AAA road atlas rather than this engagingly written little guidebook. I would recommend it to anyone, actually everyone, who is interested in exploring the coast at their leisure and in their own style. Being a single woman and not having a huge amount of money to spend on vacations, I found that taking the Amtrak train, as suggested in this book, from rainy Seattle to sunny California was simply enchanting. For one thing, the Amtrak method of travel is relatively inexpensive, very safe and leaves a lot of time for thoughts and musings along the way (much preferable to being focused on traffic and searching out gas stations when driving). And the scenery can't be beat! It brings to mind bygone times when the trip was the destination - the little historical notes and anecdotes peppered throughout the book are a wonderful backdrop for experiencing the full flavor and character of each area. If you go exploring the beautiful and ever changing west coast with only one guide book, this should be it!

This must read guide is bound to enlighten even the most savvy West coast cruiser. Historic Roads and Highways are becoming lures to the young and old alike. The heritage experiences give the traveler a sense of place and the comfort of the known. The author has made you want to see and feel the locations along the route. The guide is very useful for discovering the Coastal Mother Road of California, Oregon and Washington. Thanks for a well-done timely guide to the West Coast.

Author Tom Snyder is well known for his best-selling Route 66 Traveler's Guide and Roadside Companion. Now, he takes travelers on a new journey along the Pacific Coast Highway from Southern California to the Pacific Northwest. Wisely, the author has not burdened the reader with details, such as tour hours and prices, telephone numbers and local tourism references that often change. (Almost every motel, restaurant and tourist attraction the length of the Pacific Coast has racks of brochures and pamphlets with up-to-date information. Also, this type of information is included in the various auto club tour guides, which are free to members and updated annually.) Instead, the author focuses on roadside icons, historic restaurants and inns, and the kinds of stories that would otherwise missed by travelers, all while allowing the traveler to see the Pacific Coast from the slower pace of a two-lane highway. Snyder spins history and pop culture into a delightful read and a worthwhile guide to one of the most scenic and fun stretches of highway to be found anywhere. James R. Powell, Founder and Life Member - Route 66 Association of Missouri, Founding and Life Member - Lincoln Highway Association.

The author is obviously a surfer dude and doesn't want you to miss any great waves. The book is a nice, laid back sampling of the historical and cultural highlights of the drive. There are very few pictures, especially for a book called a "Photographic Tour", and no maps whatsoever. It's good background info for the trip, but don't count on it as your guide to the best sights, which is what I was looking for.

Drove the PCH Sept 2008 and this book was the major one we used to prep with. The author recommended taking the Coast Starlight train, which we did from Seattle to LA, after driving from San Diego to Seattle. Great train trip. Highly recommend it. The convertible we rented in LA was well worth the extra cost for the drive along the coast.

The one quibble I have with this book is that Amazon shows it as "(Photographic Tour)" but the book doesn't reflect that in any way other than having a few so-so black and white photos. It's true; the book doesn't have much in the way of phone numbers or hours of operation information but it is a great descriptive guide of places you don't want to miss, giving you background information and other details you probably won't find anywhere else. It also guides you to more detailed sources of information about many of the areas. I found it to be very useful in planning a honeymoon trip, and having lived in Southern California, I also found it to be an accurate depiction of the area.

I was very happy with my purchase. The book was like brand new, just as it was described and the price was more than reasonable.

I purchased this book and immediately returned it because I felt it was so inadequate. It leaves out all the basic information you actually need from a guidebook, like phone numbers, hours, and prices of just about everything - astonishing but true. E.g., you can't find out from the book where to call to reserve a tour for the Hearst castle, or how much it would cost. The writing's nice, but so what? It's completely useless as a travel guide.