9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
from Feminist Review.org, April 11, 2008
This review is from: The Rough Guide to California 9 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)
In the mid-nineties I spent about a month living out of my car in California. I drove, camped, and couch surfed from Eureka to San Diego, and many points in between. Before returning home, I went to Lake Tahoe and then continued north to Washington State via Mt. Shasta. I didn't take a guidebook with me; it didn't occur to me since I knew I wouldn't be needing hotel and restaurant reviews. At the time I lived on an island, in a cabin, without a computer or internet. When I rolled into a town, I just picked up the local "city paper" or equivalent and found the friendliest looking coffee shop to go to and learn what I could about where I was. I read bulletin boards and just walked or drove around to see what was there.
The Rough Guide to California would have been a fabulous addition to this trip. The writers let you in on everything they know, and they are consummate travelers. You can get major hotel information, of course, but you also get hostel and camping information, the secret sweet spots in a city, and some history and bits of information that make travel that much more enjoyable. For instance, I was not aware that more lesbians are moving over to Oakland from San Francisco these days, but I feel like I am 'in the know' now that I do.
A lot of guides also forget about the details of visiting the deserts, mountains and park trails, and the best ways to go about seeing them, but here you can get that. Since my rubber tramp days, I have traveled to a lot of places around the world. And as my means increased, I utilized travel websites to get insider information on where to go and what to look for. I also incorporated the more standard guides into my research; Frommer's and Fodor's became companions of mine, along with Lonely Planet. From now on, Rough Guides will be included in my library.
I love to travel. I love the smells, the sights, the people, the food, the feel of a different place, and I want to understand why and how it all came to be that way. I am obsessed with finding the inside spots, staying in odd and eclectic places and avoiding tourist traps whenever possible. If you are like me in this predilection, the Rough Guides are a great find. Travel guides tend to tell you about what they find most interesting or worthwhile in a place, and in the 9th edition of The Rough Guide to California, you get to explore California with authors who are not only interesting and funny, but also witty and talented writers. I enjoyed reading it, even in the sameness of my own living room.
www.jennifermwilson.com
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perhaps the best travel guide for California I've seen, May 19, 2006
It may seem a bit strange, but I am a californian and I have flipped through a great number of travel guides on california. It's a long story, but basically, I was trying to see what series were the best and most trustworthy, and what better way to test this than to see how accurate it is about places I know very well? Without a doubt, this one was the best of all of them. Occasionally it's recommendations for restaurants, etc, were not the ones I would have recommended, but when it came to places to see, things to do, and etc, it never went wrong.
It was especially good when it came to the things that are often overlooked or not mentioned but are a thousand times better than the usual tourist traps.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great for the Cool Cali Traveler, April 4, 1999
By A Customer
If you're looking for a guide to give you an accurate picture of the place you're heading, then Rough Guide is undeniably the best series of travel guides that blends informative reviews with wry observation of the local fauna. It's also the most logical for the 20's-30's set that enjoys traveling but lacks the financial success needed to use a Michelin guide. When you're traveling on your own dime and want to hit the tourist attractions and some cool places not immediately visible to the visitor's eye, spend the 15 bucks for the book.
Anji Milanovic
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
