Tiki Road Trip: A Guide to Tiki Culture in North America [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by James Teitelbaum (Author), Sven A. Kirsten (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Whether a Tikiphile . . . explor[ing] new locations or . . . planning a unique road trip, . . . this help[s] map out a bangin' itinerary." -- Boston's Weekly Dig

"[A] cover-to-cover delight . . . this is a book that changes lives." -- RoadTrip America

"[A]n entertaining and definitive guide. It's a good read even if you're not going anywhere." -- Kim Roth, By the Way Magazine

"[N]othing short of fantastic: it's virtually a treasure map for Tiki lovers." -- Tikiroom.com

Review

"Tiki Road Trip is a cover-to-cover delight."  —RoadTrip America

"The end result is nothing short of fantastic: it's virtually a treasure map for Tiki lovers."  —Tikiroom.com

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Santa Monica Press; illustrated edition edition (May 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891661302
• ISBN-13: 978-1891661303
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #296,113 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Scattershot but worthwhile, September 12, 2003

By	Trader Mort (San Diego) - See all my reviews

Tiki Road Trip is an excellent, if somewhat scattershot guide of Tiki bars, restaurants, and other Polynesian-themed facilities. Teitelbaum provides names, addresses, reviews and in some cases, photos to help you plan your next driving trip.

The author's reviews vary from cursory to pretty detailed. His emphasis is on the "Tikiness" of each place, based on decor, atmosphere, and food/drink. I didn't always agree with his "TiPSY" rating of some places, primarily because his emphasis seems to be primarily on Tiki decorations. I felt that Teitelbaum did not give enough weight to rarer architectural features (e.g. lava rock construction, A-framed roofs, etc.) in calculating his TiPSY scores. However, he states in the beginning that TiPSYness ratings are subjective, so any criticism described here is very minor.

This book isn't so much a road trip guide, as it is a compendium of Tiki joints past and present. While some places are alive and well, Teitelbaum includes places that are closed - in some cases for many years. Some of the Tiki spots documented are long forgotten, and the only testament that they even existed is a mug or matchbook. Also the addresses or, in some cases, cities of some of the spots listed are not provided.

A few improvements would help with subsequent editions of this guide. An index would be useful. Tables listing Tiki joints by TiPSYness, category, etc. would also be beneficial. Another recommendation is the inclusion of maps, at least at the state level. Finally, color photos are a must. Teitelbaum includes some outstanding pictures, unfortunately all in black and white.

While this book could be a bit better, it is still a must have for Tiki buffs.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Midwest is not the place for Mai Tais, June 17, 2003

By	lynz-h "lynz-h" (Eastern MI United States) - See all my reviews

This book is an excellent tribute to tiki history and lore--written by an man who is obviously passionate about his subject--all the while being amusing and charming. You may not be able to visit the bars, but his vivid and detailed descriptions make it almost as good.

My only real gripe is the small, black and white photos inside--no colour used to depict the vibrant and lush world that is tiki--faux or otherwise. also, I hoped that I would be able to use this book as a guide for some inspired tropical travels--but, alas! there aren't very many good bars in the heartlands.

one amusing plus--
James Teitelbaum leaves few stones unturned.
in a bleak winter, while driving through Iowa, I observed a fabulous sign for the "Tiki-Truck Stop". we were too tired to be tempted to stop, but my heart is now at peace knowing there is a full report in this book.

if you're already into tiki-lore, this book's glossaries and recipes will probably not be anything new. I advise looking at a copy first and seeing if there are any tiki locals near your area before making a purchase. unless you are happy to know there are fabulous tiki bars in california and scant ones in michigan.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book to include in all your retro vacation planning, October 16, 2005

By	C.G. Gambit (Woodland Hills, CA) - See all my reviews

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have used the reviews while on several different trips, to Las Vegas, San Diego, and in Southern California. A lot of this info could not be found elsewhere!

A word of advice to lucky purchasers of this book however--do double check, call ahead, and make sure your destination still exists! I have made several blunders as well assuming that a place was open for lunch when many are nightspots only.

That said, a great guide (and check out the inside of the Hanalei/Red Lion Hotel in San Diego--the bartenders make a mean scorpion in a nifty souvenier bowl!!)