best travel guides pages

11 BEST Travel Guides for 2024 [Websites & Guidebooks]

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TL;DR: The two best travel guides are Rick Steves for first time travelers—especially anyone going to Europe—and Bradt Guides for off-the-beaten-path destinations and “Slow Travel.” Both are reliable, will give you ideas for what to do, and help you plan the best trip.

The way we travel has changed drastically in my lifetime. Information is more readily available in the digital age, a massive plus for traveling. 

Everyone, including myself, wants to make the most of every trip abroad. That’s why I love reading travel guide books or online guides. 

Some of these guide books help you get off the beaten path. Others give information on tours you can take on your own to learn the history of a certain destination you’re visiting. 

But which are the best?

After years of reading and doing research, I have found the best travel guides for you to use when planning your next trip abroad!

Note: this article contains affiliate links, which help run this site at no extra cost to you so I can keep providing free travel advice and tips.

Here’s a quick look at our recommendations

• DK Eyewitness
• Bradt Guides
• Rick Steves
• Lonely Planet
• Blue Guides
• Footprint Guides
• Frommer Guides
• Tripadvisor
• Rough Guides
• Moon Travel Guides
• Insight Guides

Table of Contents

#1 DK Eyewitness

DK Eyewitness is one of the best travel guide books on the market today. But they offer more than just travel information. 

After publishing books for over 45 years, DK Eyewitness Books cover everything from travel, science, history, pop culture, and children’s topics.

Their travel guides give the information you desperately need for travel– such as maps, itineraries, accommodations, where to eat, and more! 

I also love how easy their visuals are to look at. I sometimes get lost in their maps and start imagining myself there (I’m a big daydreamer if you can’t tell!).

DK Eyewitness Travel guide books might not be the most in-depth on a particular location, but they help with travel inspiration. 

If you want more information, DK Eyewitness has a podcast called ‘Where to Go,’ which is another excellent way to get your travel information on the go!

• 100+ destinations
• Heavy on history
• It has both outdoor and city guides
• Amazing visuals
• Not as in-depth as other guides

#2 Bradt Guides

A Bradt travel guide is perfect if you’re interested in visiting countries that are less traveled to— written by experienced travelers with fantastic insider tips. 

Bradt travel guide books has a reputation as the “World’s leading independent travel publisher.” They are also the best India travel guide company.

Some unique destinations include Iraq, Sri Lanka, Galapagos Islands, and Grenada. But don’t worry. Bradt Guides also has a British series for those interested! 

Lately, I’ve been striving to travel like a local. Bradt has a ‘Slow Travel’ guidebook series, which I love using these days because it helps me travel like a local. 

The trip ideas are great in detail but might not be for your preferred country to visit. 

Bradt Guides prides itself on being the most comprehensive on the market. Their authors give cultural insights and expressions of interest and knowledge.

You can support Bradt’s Guides even further by subscribing to their Patreon! Here you can pay monthly for a specific tier and earn different things like one free e-book a month.

• More off-the-beaten-path destinations
• Slow travel series
• Has a Patreon page
• Unique style of travel not for everyone

#3 Rick Steves

Rick Steves books are the guide books your mom hands you when traveling to your dream destination in Europe. And that’s a good thing! They’re trusted by many for a reason.

These travel guide books are always up-to-date, thanks to Rick Steves’ research partners. 

Rick’s books will have you feeling like you’re on guided tours! He ensures you’ll have some fantastic cultural experiences. 

I love Europe, but there are many other cultures throughout the world that I’m even more interested in. So, since Rick Steves’ guidebooks are primarily Europe-focused, I’m not as drawn to them.

Also, traveling in Europe long-term can get expensive. His books cater to a more wealthy crowd. 

Pick any European country, and you will have high-quality content on that destination. Rick has visited Europe countless times, and other travel websites can’t compete. 

Rick’s bestseller is his Italy guide, which isn’t surprising. In that guide, he goes over the best places to eat and sleep and how to beat the crowds. 

It’s a good idea to grab a Rick Steves’ book simply for the detailed maps.

• Best guides for Europe
• It gives in-depth information for solo tours
• Perfect for a beginner traveler.
• Catered to upper and middle-class travelers

#4 Lonely Planet

I’m sure you’ve heard of Lonely Planet , as they’ve been a dominant force in the travel scene for quite some time now. Their goal is to make travel planning easy, and they’ve succeeded!  

I loved using Lonely Planet books when I first started traveling. These books helped me up my game as a budget traveler. 

Lonely Planet dominates the internet with a wealth of online resources. While the information they offer online is easy to access, it can be vague. 

You can subscribe to Lonely Planet on their website for free. I’ve done this, but I’ve found that there tends to be some destinations/articles that are low in detail. 

Considering Lonely Planet’s sheer amount of content, it’s not too surprising that they sometimes gloss over details. 

Their claim to fame is their numerous experts located worldwide. These experts cover adventure travel, family holidays, food and drink, and much more. 

Plus, a Lonely Planet magazine is an amazing coffee table piece, am I right?

• Backpacker friendly
• An extensive collection of guides for the entire world
• Free information is available
• Some of their content is outdated or not detailed

#5 Blue Guides

If you love the art and history of Italy, then Blue Guides is for you! People often plagiarize Blue Guide books due to the amount of accurate information each book has. 

With over 14 books on Italy alone, you won’t find more detailed information on a particular destination than with Blue Guides– they deliver it all! 

Italy was the first country that I visited outside of the United States, and I’m so glad that I had a Blue Guide book with me. 

Their award-winning maps and exceptional attention to detail made it feel like I was on a private tour! 

Be aware: there aren’t a lot of online articles from Blue Guides or many countries to choose from, which could be an issue if you like to visit more unusual locations.

Blue Guides’ first publication date was in the early 1900s, so it’s undoubtedly a top guidebook for a travel junkie!

• Helps travelers understand art and history
• Multiple guides on Italy
• Extremely thorough in their research
• Not a lot of destinations

#6 Footprint Guides

Footprint Guides is the go-to source for Latin American travel tips for all budgets! My love for this region of the world has only grown since I started using their books.

Even if Latin America isn’t one of your top destinations, they do offer other print books. All Footprint Guides are written by experts who have lived in that destination. 

Unfortunately, for North American travelers looking to plan a dream road trip, you won’t find much helpful information here, as their focus is decidedly on the south. 

Alongside their practical information, Footprint adds a layer of imagination to their guidebooks, giving them an edge that makes them one of the best travel guide series available today!

• Wide range of budgets
• Specializes in Latin America
• Practical information
• Not much content on the United States

#7 Frommer Guides

Does traveling on $5 per day sound appealing to you? Arthur Frommer thought so when he set out to create his Frommer travel guides . 

Alongside some of the best guidebooks, Frommer also offers other forms of information, including podcasts, online articles, and hotel deals!

I love using Frommer guides on road trips because they help me in many different situations. 

I usually like to have a podcast for when I’m driving , a guidebook on specific destinations while I’m in a hotel room, and online sources when on the go. 

Having Frommer guides in all their varied forms is essential since each one typically doesn’t go into heavy detail. 

If purchasing travel guide books doesn’t interest you, then keeping up to date with Frommer’s online travel guides is the way to go.

• Many styles of information are available
• Updates information frequently
• Offer hotel deals
• It covers only the main details

#8 Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor is an online source that most travelers have heard about. It’s unique on this list of travel guides because you interact with other travelers!

If you’re looking for help with trip planning, look no further than the Tripadvisor forum . Here you can talk with fellow travelers about your upcoming trip! 

When I have a specific question that needs answering, I always check Tripadvisor first. They have information on most countries, but some info on the forums can be outdated. 

Tripadvisor is great because it’s free! But they’re more than just a review and forum-based platform; you can also book different travel deals and tours through their website.

Sometimes the sheer amount of information can be overwhelming to click through.  If that sounds relatable, you might want to purchase some guidebooks instead. 

Tripadvisor started the wave of online travel planning. They’re worth browsing, even if you just want to write down a few travel tips!

• Multiple reviews from other travelers
• Travel deals available
• Forum can be out of date
• The massive amount of information can be overwhelming

#9 Rough Guides

Rough Guides has grown into a leader in the travel industry with its amazing travel guidebooks and online travel guides. 

What I love about these books is their authenticity. Their recommendations from locals helped to grow them into who they are today.

It all started with their Greece travel guide, and it quickly blew up. Demand increased for more and more Rough Guide content; they released a guidebook series for people who were eager for more. In 2017, Rough Guides expanded even further.

Today Rough Guides are more than just a travel guide company that sells books. They offer tours, custom-made itineraries, and more! I love using their website when planning my next trip. 

These custom-made itineraries and tours are expensive but for a reason. Rough Guides’ experts are located worldwide to give you the best travel experience ever. 

Rough Guides best selling guides offer a ton of background information and local tips, making them worth the high price!

• Detailed itineraries
• Personal recommendations from locals
• An extensive list of countries
• High prices for tours and custom itineraries

#10 Moon Travel Guides

Moon Guides are my favorite guidebooks for traveling around the United States. Planning that perfect road trip is challenging but Moon Guides makes it easier.

Moon’s travel guidebooks are all about traveling sustainably. I’ve used them countless times in the Americas and have found them super helpful.

But Moon Guides don’t focus on the Americas only– they also offer some of the best travel guides for Japan in particular.

I’ve learned to use these books more for research instead of bringing them on my travels– they don’t always hold up with how rugged traveling can get for me.

Moon’s detailed maps are so good in their guidebooks that I fill my phone library with them. They are easy to read and use, which is what I think makes a good map. 

The best travel tips are from locals, and that’s what Moon’s travel guidebooks bring. They don’t have a fancy touring app or anything, but they don’t need it. 

If you want one of the best travel guides for families, then there’s no better choice than making Moon Guides your tour guide when traveling. 

Find your dream destination, get travel inspiration from their maps, and book that plane ticket.

• Emphasis on the Americas and the Pacific
• Easy-to-understand maps
• Many pages of information solely for hotels/accommodations
• Guidebooks aren’t durable

#11 Insight Guides

Insight is one of the best travel guidebooks on the market for a reason. The beautiful photographs in these travel guidebooks will have you daydreaming for days.

Insight guides are perfect for those history buffs out there like me. They combine great information with also some off-the-beaten-track activities. 

Insight has produced over 200 guidebooks and language books. Their books provide information on nearly any country you can think of (besides Mexico).

I love their books because they also have a mini-series.

During the Covid years, I was in the mood to read a lot. I picked a different destination each week and bought a new e-book. 

I could do this because they only cost five to ten dollars! Most of the best travel guidebooks are double this.   

Besides its guidebook series, Insight offers a handmade trip planned by experts to the destination of your choice. What more could you ask for?!

• Multiple countries in each continent
• Has language guides
• Sells hand-picked vacation packages put together by locals
• Offers mini versions of guides to sell for cheap
• No Mexico guide

Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Travel Guide

What to Look for in Travel Guides

Is the information up to date.

Picking the best travel guidebooks can be an overwhelming process. But the most important thing to watch out for is making sure the information is up-to-date.

Compared to online sources, guidebook information tends not to get updated as quickly for obvious reasons. 

You don’t want a travel guide taking you to a restaurant that doesn’t exist anymore, do you? No. You want to get off the beaten track but not THAT off that it gets you lost.

Pick Locally-Based Travel Guides

My ideal travel style is meeting locals, living, and eating like a local. I have the best travel experiences when I dive deep into the culture.

The best information about a destination comes from locals. When you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica, wouldn’t you want to consult someone who has lived there for many years?

When you rely on locals’ recommendations, you’ll truly have an experience of a lifetime. 

Know What Type of Traveler You Are

This next tip can be difficult for some, and it can change from year to year. I have gone from being a true budget traveler to somewhere in the middle. 

I used to love history (I still do) and would base my travels around that. Now I seek adventure activities. 

Different types of guides will focus on different things, such as budget travel, adventure, expensive tours, food, or history. 

Finding the travel guide that fits your style will be more beneficial in the long run.

Know Which Destination You Want to Visit the Most

The best world travel guidebooks are often better for certain locations than others. For example, Rick Steves has a reputation for being the best travel guide for Europe and, specifically, the best travel guide for Italy. 

So, choose your travel guide based on which one specializes in the area you’re curious about.

Other Helpful Travel Guides

Travel is a huge industry which means there are more guides than you could ever possibly use. 

If you prefer your travel content in video form, one of the best travel guide Youtube channels is Ryan Shirley . 

His videos showcase the top places to visit in different countries with some of the best drone shots you’ll ever see. 

FAQs About Travel Guides

Should You Even Buy a Travel Guide?

A travel guide has its place. It may seem outdated to use one, but you can find some of the best information in them. 

Some guides take years to make and are very specific in the details they write for certain locations. The maps tend to be better and easier to read in these types of guides as well.  

Which is better: Lonely Planet or Rough Guide?

It depends on the style of travel you prefer. I prefer budget travel and tend to take fewer tours, so I like Lonely Planet. Rough Guide also has amazing tours if you’re interested in those.

What is the difference between Fodor’s and Frommer’s travel guides?

Frommer travel guides are excellent for those who want an easy read. Fodor is typically the better choice if you want more details about your activities. 

Fodor also has one of the best travel guides for Ireland, so check out Fodor if that’s your destination.

Is it better to travel with a tour guide or alone with a travel guide?

The answer differs from person to person! If you want your trip planned, then a tour guide is perfect. Going alone with a travel guide is nice because you can go at your own pace. 

Do people still buy travel guides?

Absolutely! There’s something different about having a travel guidebook to look at rather than scrolling through a website. 

Rick Steves and Bradt are my favorite travel guides.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Phillip Anderson

Phillip Anderson is a freelance travel writer, personal trainer, and adventure enthusiast. With years of travel experience under his belt, Phillip is an expert in finding the best deals through travel apps and websites. He knows how to find cheap domestic and international flights, like a flight to Peru for as low as $350.

When looking for cheap accommodations, Phillip combines his knowledge of websites like Airbnb, Booking.com & Hostelworld with more unique sites like TrustedHousesitters, for even more savings. Whether it’s flights, accommodations, or local experiences, he teaches travelers to make informed decisions, ensuring their adventures are both memorable and economical. For more from Phillip, check out his website, JaywalkTheWorld.com.

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Hi, I'm Mimi! I'm an outdoorsy Californian who has spent over 28 years immersed in the incredible natural beauty that California has to offer. My goal is to inspire others to get out and find their next adventure in California. Whether it’s escaping to an alpine lake in the Sierras, finding peace among the giant redwoods, or road tripping down the PCH, there’s always more to explore in this beautiful state.

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10 of the best guidebook series to help plan your dream trip.

Start dreaming of your next adventure, with the help of the experts, insiders and locals who create the the world's best guidebooks. There's one for every destination, interest and type of traveller...

1. DK Eyewitness

(DK Eyewitness)

Who:  Succinct but expert advice, beautifully detailed illustrations that transport you right into city streets and historic buildings,  detailed maps and interesting facts – is there really any wonder why DK's Eyewitness guides impress us so much? 

It's safe to say that you hold them in high regard yourselves, as DK topped the list of best guidebooks at the 2020 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards .

DK has been going strong since 1993, taking us to more than 200 destinations in this time. Their real standout feature is the brand's compelling use of inspirational visuals and illustrations.

Incredibly user-friendly, the photo-packed books paint a clear picture of exactly what you can expect on your travels.

What to read: Check out the latest updates to DK's collection here   – the new 2020 editions offer fresh insights into popular cities across the world, including  Paris  and New York City .

See the city of love in a new light with hand-drawn illustrations showing the interiors of its most iconic sights, from the  Notre-Dame to the Panthéon, and a calendar of exciting events happening throughout the year.

2. Lonely Planet

(©Lonely Planet 2020)

Who: Lonely Planet's travel guides narrowly missed out on the top spot in the 2020 Reader Travel Awards, but they're popular for a reason.

The brand's origins are certainly romantic, too, having been founded by married couple Maureen and Tony Wheeler after their epic overland expedition from London to Australia in the early 70s.

While Lonely Planet's first offering was, of course, the stapled 94-page booklet  Across Asia on the Cheap in 1973,   the brand has come a long way since then. 

With more than 100 million guidebooks printed, the books are t horough, informative and packed with ideas for responsible travel escapes.

What to read:  Pick up a copy of the best-selling   The Travel Book  (2006) – a visual bible on every UN-approved country in the world – or look out for their most up-to-date guides here .

We also suggest updating your bookshelf with Lonely Planet's new edition of the Poland guide, which includes insider tips on everywhere from  Warsaw to the Carpathian Mountains. 

Who: Another perennial favourite, Bradt guides are pretty much the gold standard when it comes to independent travel guides.

Founded by Hilary Bradt in 1974, the pioneering brand is one of your favourites, having taken the top spot  at the Reader Travel Awards many times in recent years.

Delving deep beneath the surface, Bradt's guides are always packed with high quality content , while advocating for sustainable and slow travel. Best known for covering off the beaten track destinations, they are also loved for their guides to the UK. 

What to read: If you're looking for a new insight into Africa, take a look at the recently published guides on Gabon   and Zimbabwe .

After the significant political upheaval of recent years, Zimbabwe is an excellent guide for travellers wanting to dip their toes into the country's attractions, covering everywhere from Victoria Falls to the Zambezi River. 

For more off-the-beaten-track destinations, dive into Bradt's online shop  here  – there's currently 50% off for shoppers who use the code DREAM50. What are you waiting for? 

4. Rough Guides

Rough Guides (APA Publications)

Who? If you're looking for an easy way into a destination, Rough Guides ticks all the boxes.

Famous for its 'tell it like it is' approach to places, the guidebook series initially provided founder Mark Ellingham a way out of getting a 'real job' – but now offer thousands of readers practical and hands-on advice on more than 120 countries across the world, as well as being strong on cultural insights..

What to read? Fans of Japan should look out for the  Rough Guide to Tokyo  (out on 1 April 2020) which promises comprehensive coverage on everything from the dizzying neon lights of Shinjuku to sushi and sake.

Or you can look out for new releases on Rough Guides' online shop here . 

5. Insight Guides

Insight Guides (APA Publications)

Who:  Insight have been in the business for more than 45 years, so it's safe to say that these guides know what they're talking about.

Detailed maps, accurate information and beautiful photography combine within to connect readers to places through their history and culture. 

What to read: Look out for one of Insight's latest offerings – Insight Guides Pakistan – to uncover the country's turbulent past and present, and  encounter its people and politics from an interesting new perspective. 

You'll find more books online here . 

6. Time Out

Who:  Time Out's city guides have long been a trusty travel companion for those of us seeking the freshest take on a city – especially in Europe – but we nearly lost them for good back in 2016.

Now those dark days are over, they're back and better than ever, proving that we still want to discover the latest trends on art, culture, design, food and hotels. 

What to read: Delve into the latest guides online here – there's some excellent European coverage, including Time Out: Amsterdam , the brand's most recent offering, highlighting all that's afloat in the city of canals. 

Detailed street maps will help you find your way when your phone battery dies, leading you to best  museums, restaurants, bars and coffee shops to recharge in the city.

7. Footprint

(Footprint)

Who:  Travelling to Latin America? Footprint Guides are your best bet, having specialised in all things under the South American sun for nearly 100 years.

That's not to say they don't specialise in other parts of the world, though – their shelves include books on the Caribbean and South Asia, only written by expert authors who have lived in that region and can truly capture its essence.

Perfect for travellers who want an intimate insight into a country. 

What to read: Footprint's iconic  South American Handbook is your new best friend for any adventure to the continent, with advice on everything from swinging from the treetops in epic rainforests to dancing in Andean villages and exploring the plains of Patagonia.  

First published in 1924, it's now in its 94th edition, so you're sure to find the answer to any of your burning questions. If you've already crossed that continent, you can explore Footprint's latest releases online here . 

8. Blue Guides

Blue Guides on a bookshelf (Blue Guides)

Who:  With more than a century of history to back them up, Blue Guides are the go-to guides for cultural capers.

From art to architecture and archaeology, these guides aim to inform travellers unsure about where to go next or who want to know more about the museum they're visiting with a series of award-winning maps, diagrams and photographs at your disposal – a great source of knowledge for any trip you're planning. 

What to read:  Don't worry if you can't get to Rome at the moment – you can still plan your next trip to the Eternal City with the help of  Blue Guide: Rome ,  the brand's latest updated guide.

New mentions are  the ruins of Ostia, the port of ancient Rome, as well as information on Tivoli and its famous gardens, but you can also look out for other guides online here .

We also recommend  Travels in Transylvania: The Greater Târnava Valley  – a fascinating insight into Romania's great green heart beyond the blood-sucking stereotypes. 

9. Cicerone

(Cicerone Guides)

Who: Wild walking adventures across the globe have been Cicerone's USP for more than half a century.

If you want to know where to walk, trek, climb, mountaineer or cycle, these guides s panning the UK and Europe are are really the ones to watch out for with clear maps and directions paving the way for an epic hike.

Is it time to dust off those hiking boots yet? 

What to read:  Cicerone celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, marking the occasion with Cicerone: Celebrating Fifty Years of Adventure .

Featuring  50 inspirational tales and trails, the book collates the memories of Cicerone's seasoned writers who have weathered all storms on their adventures, with laugh-out-loud moments and jaw-dropping accomplishments in the mix.

To see Cicerone's latest guides, check their online shop here .

10. Marco Polo

(Marco Polo)

Who: Want to be more like Marco Polo? The pioneering 13th-century Venetian explorer has inspired many adventurers – Columbus, for one – as well as these handy little guides.  

As well as revealing the best things you can do for free, Marco Polo guides are fully equipped for the digital age – download the Touring App and you can freely access detailed  routes and maps on your smartphone.

No internet? No problem – you can access them offline, too, so you won't get an expensive phone bill, either. They really are your best friend when travelling on a shoestring budget. 

What to read: From Marrakech to Mallorca, there's lots of sunny destinations to look out for this year, but if you're dreaming of beaches, forests and mountains in the USA, check out the recently released  California Marco Polo Travel Guide .

Want an Australian adventure, instead? We all do – especially when there's tropical climes, island paradises and epic road trips to be had. Check out the latest info for a trip down under in the   Australia Marco Polo Travel Guide or see what else the brand has to offer here .

More essential travel reading:

Wanderlust 's 77 ultimate travel experiences bookazine is here, the best travel books of 2020 (so far), our favourite travellers share the books that inspired them, related articles, looking for inspiration.

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Top 10 Travel Guide Websites [2024]: Time to Get Inspired!

With the overwhelming number of travel guides that exist out there, it's hard to find one that'll satisfy your wanderlust or inspire your next travel. Luckily for you, we've found all of the best places to look for travel inspiration. Keep reading to see all of the best travel guide websites that'll help guide your next travels!

Travel guides help us plan our trips better. But, with thousands of sites claiming to be travel wizards, it can be hard to pick and choose the best travel guide sites that fit your requirements. 

While some like to travel with a paperback guide in hand, others prefer to outsource well-detailed itineraries tailored to our preferences. The pundits, perfectionists, and ardent travelers want to take matters into their own hands and plan trips by themselves. They also need guides and recommendations to help with their research and planning.

Well, folks, worry not because our list of best travel guide websites covers it all. Regardless of where you fall on the travel planning spectrum, you'll find a travel guide that'll inspire and prepare you for your next trip. Use these fantastic travel guides and start planning your trips with Pilot!

10 Top Travel Guide Websites for travel inspiration!

10. lonely planet .

Lonely Planet  is a dominant brand in the travel industry, offering both travel guides and other resources on destinations worldwide. It is mainly geared towards backpackers on a budget. 

Its travel guidebooks, available in both digital and print form, come under a variety of categories such as regions, countries, cities, hikes, treks, etc. They include itineraries, maps for navigation, insider tips from experts, off-the-beaten-path attractions, and other helpful information. 

You can subscribe to their services for a monthly fee of $4.99 or a yearly fee of $39.99. It will give you access to resources on their website and app. You can purchase Lonely Planet books individually too.

Although Lonely Planet is not as resourceful and updated as it used to be, it's still one of the best travel sites to get an overview of destinations. You can also book accommodation and dining options via the website. Check out our full review of Lonely Planet  here . 

• A collection of over 825 guides
• Phrasebooks to learn the local language 
• Covers a lot of destinations worldwide 
• General travel information about countries is free
• Complaints on outdated information
• Unreliable customer service 
• Travel forum "Thorn Tree" is no longer available 

9. Fodor's Travel

Fodor's Travel  is another popular website offering travel guides for destinations around the world. Their specialty is the guidebooks available in both print and eBook versions. They have over 300 travel guides covering more than 7000 destinations. The website also has plenty of information, insider tips, and appealing visual content on different destinations. It's great for inspiration and general information. 

Fodor's forum is a great place to get recommendations, tips, and insider advice that will be useful for your trip plans. It has an active community, so it's more likely that you will receive prompt answers. You have to be a member to access all of its features. 

You can access Fodor's Travel website and forum free of charge. But, the guides have to be bought either from the website or sites like Amazon. On average, prices range from $10-$20. You can read our in-depth review of Fodor's Travel  here . 

• Helpful forum to seek advice
• Good recommendations
• Covers a lot of destinations 
• Incomplete guidebooks (complaints of missing pages)
• Lack of localized recommendations   

8. Rough Guides 

Initially,  Rough Guides  was solely focused on selling travel guidebooks in paperback and eBook formats. These books are still a popular choice among travelers today. They provide:

• Itineraries.
• Background information.
• Maps to help you find the way around.
• Independent recommendations of the writer.
• Detailed regional coverage.

Books are available at varying prices.

At present, Rough Guides also specializes in providing tailor-made travel guides to suit your personal preferences. You can connect with a local expert to create a special itinerary for you by entering your budget, destination, accommodation and dining choices, preferred activities, and other details. Depending on what you need, you can get everything planned and booked by a local expert or only resort to insider tips. The prices vary based on the kind of service you need.

Besides this, you can also find articles on travel advice, top destinations, and other travel-related subjects on the website. So, even if you are planning the trip by yourself, Rough Rides is a good place for inspiration. 

• A wide range of travel guidebooks 
• Personalized itineraries 
• Local knowledge and recommendations 
• Not very user-friendly 

7. ViaHero 

If you are more inclined towards personalized travel guidebooks by locals,  ViaHero  is one of the best to consider. The platform also promises to take the hassle of planning by outsourcing a day-by-day traveling guide from an expert, aka a 'Hero.' The good thing, however, is that you will be updated about every step of the planning.

You can select the destination and review the Heroes available there. Each Hero has a detailed bio outlining their personality, travel specialty, and expertise. You can also check the reviews left by past travelers about them. All you have to do is pick a Hero and specify your requirements. The cost of a customized itinerary is $40 per day. 

The Hero won't be accompanying you, although you will be in touch via email or messaging. ViaHero also posts travel articles for users to read and be informed about the destination(s) they plan to visit. If you want to learn more, check our ViaHero  review . 

• Convenient 
• Travel guides focus on local and uncrowded attractions 
• Quality, well-detailed itineraries 
• Service is available only to limited destinations

6. Frommer's 

Frommer's  remains one of the best travel sites because it is very resourceful for travelers. Frommer's offers guidebooks, podcasts, and the latest travel-related information for wanderlusts. They're also one of the oldest travel guide publishers. 

Its titles cater to a range of travel styles, covering every major destination around the world. Its travel guidebooks are available in both eBook and paperback formats. The books are pretty similar to others in the market.

Frommer's website has a treasure trove of travel content, and you can browse them by 'Destination' or 'Trip Ideas.' There's also a separate section dedicated to travel 'Tips and News.' It is especially helpful as travel rules and restrictions are constantly revised and updated on the pandemic. 

There's also a 'Deals & Bookings' section to help you grab great discounts on accommodation, airfares, cruises, and car rentals. Even if you don't want to purchase travel guides, Frommer's is a good website for updated travel information. 

• Updated travel information 
• Over 350 travel guidebooks 
• Good choice of accommodation
• Guidebooks cover only major highlights 
• Website looks outdated 

5. Tripadvisor 

Obviously, you know  Tripadvisor , famed for both its usefulness and weird reviews. It is a one-stop place to read travel guides, get advice and tips, make reservations, and plan trips.

Tripadvisor is one of the most  popular travel apps  travelers use to seek advice and recommendations from locals or other travelers. It's a great place to find and read reviews – just about any restaurant, hostel, attraction, or different travel experience anywhere in the world. If you can't find a review or discussion about the topic, you can start a discussion in their forum! 

You will also find a lot of content for travel inspiration, including travel guides from ardent travelers and 'Things to Do' lists on different destinations. Besides guides from experts, you can use Tripadvisor to book hotels, tours, activities, accommodation, etc. It's one of the best travel deals websites .

You can also save your favorite places and experiences in a destination and view them on a map. However, if you are looking for a planning tool, we recommend trying a  better travel planner .

• Active travel forum for trip guidance and tips 
• Plenty of user reviews to help your decisions 
• Loads of travel content
• Attractive travel deals 
• A mobile app for convenience 
• Infamous for  fake or biased reviews  
• A glorified checkout cart, not great for inspiration
• Reserving and managing bookings is not always streamlined

4. Localeur 

Localeur  is one of the best travel websites for travelers who want to avoid tourist traps and enjoy local and authentic experiences. It offers useful insights and recommendations from local insiders as opposed to tourists. At present, it covers over 200 destinations and has a user base of 5 million worldwide.

You can find recommendations on everything from road trips to places to eat to shopping tips on the platform. Their local expert base consists of writers, artists, foodies, and other specialists from different fields. It's great to plan your trip and want to cover the best attractions in your itinerary. 

Localeur's main features are only offered to its subscribers. You can go for a lifetime subscription of $150 or a monthly subscription of $10. You get recommendations, personalized travel guides, and two weekly emails for travel inspiration.

But, you can still check out its travel content, featured guides and recommendations, and 'localeurs' for free. Subscription to their newsletter is also free of charge. Read our full review of Localeur  here ! 

• Reliable and quality recommendations 
• Information of local experiences
• Wide range of choices
• Costly subscription 
• Limited destinations
• Recommendations could be biased

3. Atlas Obscura 

Atlas Obscura  is about intriguing people to travel with its attractive and quirky guides and travel content. It publishes stories focusing on nature, science, culture, history, food, and hidden wonders. If you love sights that are hidden, weird, or rare, this travel guide is the perfect choice for you. 

It has an extensive collection of content on unusual attractions and cool dining places in destinations worldwide. They seem to be very informative and attractive to add to the itinerary. The community forums under each destination help you discuss travel-related topics with fellow users. 

Another specialty of Atlas Obscura is their guided tours to amazing places described by them. Most of them are adventure trips to less-traveled places, so there's no doubt that travelers are in a for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The traveling guide website also offers virtual travel experiences. 

Although you can browse travel content for free, membership is mandatory to access experiences and events hosted by Atlas Obscura. There are both monthly and yearly plans to choose from. 

• Amazing and high-quality travel guides 
• Focuses on unique attractions 
• Availability of virtual experiences and guided tours
• Not so much of a place to get travel guides and tips 
• Not ideal if you are looking for guidance on usual tourist spots 
• Paid membership 

2. Travel + Leisure 

Of course, no list of best travel sites is perfect without mentioning this leading travel and leisure magazine. While  Travel + Leisure's  focus is primarily on an exotic holiday destination, high-end vacations, its high-quality content is worthy for every traveler. From best places to travel to best gadgets to carry, it is a very informative source that educates travelers on how to best prepare for an upcoming trip. 

Travel +Leisure provides unique accommodation, dining, attractions in different destinations. You will also find content on the latest travel news, deals, tips, accessories, and inspiration on the site. In the 'Travel Guides' section, you can filter guides based on location, language, the best time to visit, and activities.

Last year, the magazine launched its trip booking and subscription features. The Travel + Leisure Go platform lets you book trips to destinations published on the website and other exclusive itineraries. The travel and leisure magazine's subscribers ($9.95 per month) can enjoy discounts on accommodation and other services. 

• Very informative and updated content 
• Covers a wide range of travel-related topics 
• Convenient trip booking feature
• Travel deals 
• Limited destinations under 'Travel Guides' 
• Doesn't offer detailed travel itineraries 
• Expensive subscription fee

1. Condé Nast Traveller

Condé Nast Traveller is another magazine & travel guide website that caters to luxury travel experiences. The website is a ripe source for travel inspiration, albeit for quite pricey staycations. On the plus side, there's some focus on budget travelers as well. Nevertheless, we think it's one of the best travel guide sites out there with up-to-date information. 

The articles on this travel leisure magazine cover a wide range of topics from best pizza places to shooting locations of famous films to activities for kids while traveling. On the Condé Nast Traveller, you can browse for the best accommodation and dining choices and travel content on style and art. It's a good website for you to get travel ideas from experts in the industry.

You will also find travel news and tips to help you plan and navigate. For those interested, Condé Nast Traveller also offers subscription plans to get its digital and/or print magazine copy delivered to you. The cost varies based on your country.

• Great, informative content 
• Promptly updated travel news
• Focus on unique destinations and attractions 
• Not for budget backpackers 
• No trip booking feature

Pair the best travel guide websites with Pilot.

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Disclosure : Pilot is supported by our community. We may earn a small commission fee with affiliate links on our website. All reviews and recommendations are independent and do not reflect the official view of Pilot.

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How to Pick the Best Travel Guide Books

Ann-Marie Cahill

Ann-Marie Cahill will read anything and everything. From novels to trading cards to the inside of CD covers (they’re still a thing, right?). A good day is when her kids bring notes home from school. A bad day is when she has to pry a book from her kids’ hands. And then realizes where they get it from. The only thing Ann-Marie loves more than reading is travelling. She has expensive hobbies.

View All posts by Ann-Marie Cahill

Travel. I love it. I live it. I breathe it . In my view, it all starts with the rush of exhilaration when I choose the magical destination for my next trip…only to come crashing down when I have to choose a damn travel guide to start my research. Because you don’t want to be lugging around every travel guide. You need to narrow it down to the best travel guide books. And I mean, really narrow it down. 

I hate that part.

We’re not talking the travel-inspiring books . We’re talking the more practical side of travel planning. And seriously, there are so many travel guides on the market, it is a nightmare of global proportions to choose only one. Add to that how q uickly the information can date, and you are left wondering if this really is such a good idea.

The thing is, each travel guide has its pros and cons. Some are perfect for the USA, some have a better understanding of the winding roads of New Zealand. There are guides perfect for your architectural adventures through Rome while others take you on a culinary tour of Paris. But unless you have nine months to read up on every travel guide, it’s really hard to know which is the best travel guide books. 

So I did the hard work for you. I narrowed it down to 11 of the best travel guide books and the reasons why (just so you know I didn’t simply accept whichever book was left on the library shelf). And how did I choose the best? Well, I read each of their editions for a city or country I am already VERY familiar with. Now, usually, we would only be reading travel guides of places we want to learn more about, right? What better way to ‘test’ a travel guide than to see if they know it as well as a local!

Before you start buying up on guidebooks, here are a few tips to help you choose your own:

The Best Travel Guide Books

Lonely planet guide.

Great for: Big picture travel across a whole country for most regions but especially Oceania, Asia, and the “Shoestring” range. New Zealand is the best ever.

Not so great : They need to update their South America collection. The most recent edition for Ecuador was lacking in detail and encouragement to try new things, especially for the Galapagos Islands. Really felt like at least two of the white male writers phoned it in from their NY base.

Great for: The best highlights of any city, especially in Europe (e.g.  Paris ). 

Not so great: Personal local touch, or if you plan to stay in one place for longer than a week at a time.

Recently, they have been changed their focus to a more budget-friendly approach, but I don’t think it is coming through with their local writers.

Great for: Mainstream Travel with an upmarket touch, especially Western Europe (see Frommer’s Europe ).

Not so great: “One block over” travel, stepping away from the regular, e.g. the Melbourne guide did little to entice me into exploring the city’s famous laneways of culture, coffee, and bookshops.

DK Eyewitness

Great for : visually inspiring your holidays. Beautiful for places like Rome or London. Great guide for Italy . 

Not so great: Day-to-day travel details. Once I stepped out of the Vatican Museum, it was pretty much useless.

Rick Steves

Great for: First-timers travellers visiting one of the major cities of the world, like London or  Paris

Not so great: Anyone looking for a little more depth, e.g. do not use for Venice—that’s a city you need to be lost in at least once.

Rough Guides

Great for : Historic or off-the-beaten-track adventures, like SE Asia, NZ, South America

Not so great: Big cities or glossy photos for visual cues. It was of no help in Kuala Lumpur.

Bradt Guides

Good for: Cultural highlights of countries and regions, especially Macedonia .

Not so great : Asia. The Borneo guide was lacking in details about the various cultures and land issues for the locals.

Blue Guides

Great for : Book Riot, history and literary buffs, that big cultural holiday you were taking through the Romantic History of Europe. The Blue Guide: Greece (The Mainland) is especially lovely to read!

Not so great: The rave scene in Berlin. Not really the Blue Guide style.

Footprint Travel Guides

Great for : transport. Really useful in busy, stretched out places like Bangkok and Thailand

Not so great : Budget details.

Insight Guides

Great for: Giving you an idea in your mind of where you want to go. The Insight Guides Turkey  is especially memorable

Not so great: Actual travel. Don’t rely on these books to get you around a city like Naples and the Amalfi Coast.

This is… by Miroslava Saska

As always, I’m open to suggestion and we LOVE suggestions here at Book Riot. So, if I have missed your favourite, please tell us all about it in the comments. Or if you are looking for a suggestion for your dream destination, ask us!

Bon Voyage!

[Ed.’s Note: This article originally incorrectly stated that The Insight Guides is produced by the Discovery Channel; they’re produced by APA Publications, which is not affiliated with the Discovery Channel.]

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The Best Travel Guides (Online and Books)

Even in the digital age, travel guide books are an important part of my travel planning journey. I have read and tried many different travel books and online travel guides. And I pulled together a list of what I think are the best travel guides (books and online resources). 

I return to my favorite travel guides again and again with each trip that we plan. Once you find a travel guide series that you know and trust, it can really speed up the travel planning process.  

But which travel guides are the best? Keep reading for the full list!  

Need help with planning your trip? Check out our guide to the best travel planning resources .  

This post includes affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  See disclaimer.

Are travel guidebooks still used now? 

Absolutely! Although you can find a wealth of travel planning help online, the good old-fashioned travel guidebooks are still very much available and in use. 

Some people prefer to use paper travel guidebooks. You can flag important sections and highlight things you want to remember. We’ve even ripped our books up (they’re meant to be used!) and traveled only with the sections covering the cities and sites we visited. 

E-books are also a great option for travel guides. If you use e-books, you can easily travel with several guides without adding a single ounce to your luggage. It’s a perfect option for those who travel carry-on only .

Rick Steves: best travel guides for Europe 

Rick steves guidebooks .

Some seasoned travelers look down their noses a bit at Rick Steves guide books . There’s no reason for that. Rick Steves knows Europe inside and out from decades of traveling, leading tours, writing books, and producing episodes of his wonderful series  Rick Steves’ Europe.  

Rick Steves books are excellent guides and well worth the money. I highly recommend them, especially for travel planning beginners or for anxious travelers who are looking for an expert to tell them where to visit and how. 

His books are kept up to date and quite detailed, even to the point of including full guided walking tours (often several) and detailed guided tours through major sites. 

• Steves, Rick (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 604 Pages – 09/06/2022 (Publication Date) – Rick Steves (Publisher)

Rick Steves online 

You can also get a lot of good free travel tips and help on the Rick Steves website, including the forums . There are forums specifically for countries, reviews, and several forums about general travel tips topics. 

They’re a great way to get insight and tips from other experienced travelers…even those who disagree with Rick Steves itinerary suggestions. (Shocked face.)

Rick Steves Audio Europe Travel App 

I also highly recommend the Rick Steves Audio Europe Travel App . It’s loaded with audio guides for walking tours and top travel destination sites like the Colosseum in Rome and The Louvre Museum in Paris.  

Download the audio tours for your destination so you can listen to them on your mobile device as you explore your destination. 

Rough Guides: my favorite travel guidebooks overall 

Super practical and easy to read, Rough Guides are my top choice for any destination that isn’t in Europe (for which I prefer Rick Steves guide books ). 

The UK-based company was founded in 1982 with the  Rough Guide to Greece . Since then, they have published travel guidebooks for well over 100 destinations all over the world. 

In addition to their main guidebook series, they also offer Pocket Rough Guides, On a Budget, Snapshots, phrasebooks, and inspirational guides like “Make the Most of Your Time on Earth.” 

• Guides, Rough (Author)
• 840 Pages – 10/18/2022 (Publication Date) – Rough Guides (Publisher)

Rough Guides website 

Rough Guides isn’t just a guidebook publisher though. Since 2017 they have offered tailor-made trips to over 70 destinations. created by local travel experts. 

Their website provides some basic itineraries, travel recommendations, and basic destination information for free that can help get you started on planning your travel itinerary . 

Fodor’s 

The great travel writer Eugene Fodor once said “You don’t need to be rich to travel well.” And that’s been kind of my mantra for the last several years. 

In 1936 Fodor wrote the first modern travel guide book . It was for British audiences and he wrote all 1200 pages himself. The book was O n the Continent: An Entertaining Travel Annual .

According to Fodors.com , “The guide went beyond reporting on the sights and for the first time included information about Europe’s culture and people, practical information like how to tip, and was the first to be annually updated.” 

Since  On the Continent  was first published, Fodor’s has been a trusted name in travel guides. They now claim that their travel writers have covered more than 8,000 destinations around the world . 

In addition to the Signature Guides, their other series include Fodor’s Inside, In Focus, and 25 Best. Fodor’s says that  Fodor’s   Italy  is the company’s top-selling guide book. 

• Fodor’s Travel Guides (Author)
• 896 Pages – 12/20/2022 (Publication Date) – Fodor’s Travel (Publisher)

Fodor’s website 

Fodors.com was one of the first travel websites when it launched in 1996 . Today the site offers destination guides, general travel content, and forums about specific destinations or general travel topics such as air travel. 

Frommer’s 

The venerated Frommer’s travel guides were launched by Arthur Frommer in 1957 with a guide to visiting Europe on $5 a day (yup. $5.). That guide followed his book about how to travel Europe as a GI (Frommer was in the Army at the time). 

Frommer’s quickly grew to become one of the most trusted names in travel guidebooks. 

Several years ago, Frommer’s was acquired by Google, which pulled the plug on their print books in the spring of 2013.

Arthur Frommer reacquired the company shortly thereafter and then quickly made a deal to get the books back in distribution. Frommer’s then started emphasizing their Easy Guides and Day by Day series, which were smaller and easier to read and carry than the typical large guidebooks they saw on the market. 

• Gordon, Yvonne (Author)
• 602 Pages – 08/23/2022 (Publication Date) – FrommerMedia (Publisher)

Frommer’s website 

Frommers.com is a fine place to start planning for a trip for free. Destination information includes city layouts, how to get around, and their top picks for hotels and dining. 

They also provide other general travel content and feature articles plus trip ideas for honeymoons, arts and cultural travel, national parks, family travel, road trips, and more. 

The Frommer’s Travel Show (podcast) 

Pauline Frommer, daughter of Frommer’s founder Arthur Frommer, hosts The Frommer’s Travel Show podcast . New episodes come out approximately once per week or several times a month. 

Bradt Guides 

Known for publishing guides for lesser-traveled destinations (though certainly not less deserving), Bradt bills itself as “the world’s leading independent travel publisher.”  

Bradt guides are the go-to for destinations not covered by other publishers. They say that “over two-thirds of Bradt guides still have no direct competition from other publishers.” 

The Bradts’ first book,  Backpacking Along Ancient Ways Peru & Bolivia , was the first to detail the Inca Trail.

Later they became known for writing guides to destinations “post-conflict.” These included Rwanda, Kosovo, and the Baltic States after the fall of the Iron Curtain. 

In addition to their destination guidebooks, Bradt also publishes a Slow Travel series of UK destinations, a Wildlife series, and general travel literature. 

• McIntyre, Chris (Author)
• 456 Pages – 06/01/2022 (Publication Date) – Bradt Travel Guides (Publisher)

Bradt Guides Travel Club 

Avid travelers can support Bradt by joining their Travel Club through Patreon. There are three tiers: Bradtpacker, Globetrotter, and First-Class Traveller. Each tier offers differing levels of subscriber benefits including things like e-books and access to their bespoke travel planning service. 

Lonely Planet  

Lonely Planet books for a long time were quite popular especially with younger backpackers looking to travel on a budget. The books can be light on the details that certain travelers (beginners, anxious travelers) might wish for when making good decisions about where to spend their travel dollars. 

Lonely Planet books are good for independent and adventurous travelers . Or for those who just want some recommendations but not a prescribed itinerary with a ton of detail.  

In addition to their popular guidebooks, Lonely Planet also publishes phrasebooks, general travel books, food books, and children’s books. 

• Mayhew, Bradley (Author)
• 288 Pages – 03/16/2021 (Publication Date) – Lonely Planet (Publisher)

Lonely Planet website  

You can get some basic, inspirational travel information to start your travel planning from the Lonely Planet website . Sadly, they set their forums to “read-only” some time ago. In my opinion, the forums were the best (and most valuable) part of the website. 

Marco Polo 

Marco Polo is best known for its compact and colorful pocket travel guides. They also offer spiral-bound itinerary-based guides, phrasebooks, folding maps, travel handbooks, travel journals, city maps, and road atlases. 

• Marco Polo Travel Publishing Marco Polo Travel Publishing (Author)
• 136 Pages – 10/15/2022 (Publication Date) – Marco Polo Travel Publishing, Ltd. (Publisher)

Marco Polo Discovery Tours App 

The free Marco Polo Discovery Tours app offers travelers a variety of guided itineraries through many destinations. For example, you can download a 23-day driving tour of New Zealand with a step-by-step driving tour over both islands. 

DK Eyewitness: among best travel books for visuals 

I enjoy reading DK Eyewitness guides, especially when I’m looking for information about the history and culture of my destination.  The glossy full-color books feature beautiful photographs and illustrations perfect for inspiring your travel itinerary. They cover more than 100 destinations. 

DK was founded in 1974 by Christopher Dorling and Peter Kindersley. They published their first travel book in the early 1990’s promising to show you “what others only tell you.”

They also cover all the usual grounds for travel guidebooks: itineraries, maps, dining and accommodations recommendations, top sites, etc. 

• DK Eyewitness (Author)
• 592 Pages – 04/26/2022 (Publication Date) – DK Eyewitness Travel (Publisher)

Where to Go podcast 

Produced by the team behind the DK Eyewitness books, each episode of the Where to Go podcast dives deep into a particular destination. New episodes come out every two weeks or so. 

Insight Guides 

For more than 40 years, Insight Guides have published guidebooks covering more than 200 destinations. 

In my experience, they’re quite a bit heavier on destination history and culture than any other travel guide I’ve encountered. So, if that’s not something you enjoy, then these guidebooks might not be your top choice. 

Insight Guides series include: Explore Guides, City Breaks, Pocket Guides, City Guides, and Experience Guides. 

• Guides, Insight (Author)
• 144 Pages – 04/01/2018 (Publication Date) – Insight Guides (Publisher)

Insight Guides website

You will find some travel information on the Insight Guides website , making it a decent place to start if you’re unsure of your destination.

The emphasis of their website seems to be on advertising their Insight Guides trip offerings…not that there’s anything wrong with that. 

Atlas Obscura 

Atlas obscura book .

Unlike all of the other travel guidebooks listed above, Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders is not a series of guidebooks but rather one book that details an incredible array of oddities and wonders around the world. 

Here’s how the authors describe their book and website (more on that below): 

“The site, and this book, are a kind of wunderkammer of places, a cabinet of curiosities that is meant to inspire wonderlust as much as wanderlust. In fact, many of the places in this book are in no way ‘tourist sites’ and should not be treated as such. Others are so out of the way, so treacherously situated, or (in at least one case) so deep beneath the surface, that few readers will ever be able to visit them. But here they are, sharing this marvelously strange planet with us.  Joshua Foer, Dylan Thuras & Ella Morton,  Atlas Obscura , revised second edition, (New York: Workman Publishing, 2019) vii

The revised second edition (published in 2019) added more than 100 new sites to the 2016 first edition. The book is delightful reading if you’re into oddities around the world. I definitely recommend picking up a copy. 

• Hardcover Book
• Foer, Joshua (Author)

Atlas Obscura website 

Make sure you stop by the Atlas Obscura website  during your travel planning if you like finding out-of-the-way sites, or unusual places to visit, or want to make it a priority to get off the beaten path. 

You can even take Atlas Obscura trips to some pretty unusual places and even with some unusual activities…such as assisting biologists with bee research at Redwood National Park. 

Atlas Obscura podcast 

Atlas Obscura launched a podcast in March 2021, which I’ve really enjoyed listening to. Early episodes covered sites such as the Gates of Hell in Turkmenistan, the Museum of Bad Art in Massachusetts, and the old Widow Jane cement mine in Rosendale, New York. 

Final thoughts on the best travel guidebooks 

The best travel guides will be the ones that you use and that help you plan a trip that you truly love. I personally like to use a combination of travel guidebooks and online travel planning resources. 

But don’t just follow my advice. Try these guidebook series and online travel guides for yourself and find the ones that you will like and use for your trip planning. 

What are your favorite travel guidebooks?

More articles related to travel guides 

• Travel planning resources  
• The top books about travel and self-discovery 
• Best books to read before you travel to Paris  
• The best books about the South 

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Darcy Vierow is a busy professional and travel planning expert with years of experience maximizing travel with limited time and on a less-than-average salary. Her tips have been published by Forbes, MSN.com, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, Aol, Newsbreak and GOBankingRates. Read more about Darcy Vierow .

Michelin guides (the green books) are great!

I used to use the “Let’s Go: Europe” guides, which were great. They were targeting college age students mostly, but they had lots of good information re: trip planning for everyone.

Which guidebooks (and/or websites) are best for planning train/plane travel while in Europe? Any standouts?

Thanks for your very helpful information!

You’re welcome, Wayne. The Man in Seat 61 is THE expert in European train travel. His website is: https://www.seat61.com/ . He’s also pretty active on Twitter. I’d also recommend checking out https://www.rome2rio.com/ for helping with planning transportation for any trip. Thanks for reading!

My family had a great time in Paris. We had a wonderful time there and enjoyed the culture of the region. The nightlife was fantastic, and the city’s elegance is indescribable. We are in love with the place and explore so many places like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Louvre Museum, Cruise on the Seine, etc. After reading your blog I would like to revisit there.

Oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed your trip. Thanks for reading!

Amazing! I know nothing about traveling all over the country, what a wonderful looking place to explore.

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The 50 Best Travel Websites and Travel Resources 2024

March 28, 2024

Here’s my collection of the top 50 travel websites and travel resources for all stages of dreaming, planning, booking and remembering your trip based on decades of professional travel. 

The Best Travel Resources for Booking and Planning Your Trip 2024

As a regular contributor to  The Independent’s 50 Best Travel Websites feature , I know my way around travel websites. As a frequent traveller myself, I practically live on the things.

From dreaming about a trip, planning a trip, writing up a trip and reviewing trips for work, these are the travel resources, online booking sites, search engines and route planners I use to help me get the job done. Booking travel without travel agents has never been easier – even if it doesn’t feel like it at times.

So here’s my list of the best travel websites for 2024. It’s the best time to uncover the best places.

If you book or buy through the links on this page, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. However, we only ever recommend things we believe in and use ourselves. We also don’t earn a commission from all of these travel websites. Alas ;-)

The Best Hotel Booking Sites for Special Occasions

To find the best hotels needs a little bit of legwork. If you’re looking for somewhere beautiful to stay with a real travel experience, then try these sites first. If you’re looking for something more practical, jump on down to the next section.

Here are the top travel websites when it comes to boutique hotels:

Design Hotels

Beautiful, stylish and with up to 40% off for members, the chic and sleek Design Hotels website is a firm favourite of mine. Membership is free, quick and easy on the eye.

Best Loved Hotels

Best Loved Hotels gathers together properties from the UK and Ireland that show a real passion for what they do. From countryside manors to city break boltholes, I’ve stayed in several of their properties and have loved each one.

Mr & Mrs Smith

You may be forgiven for thinking this gorgeous collection was all about romance, but beyond finding great places for anniversaries and honeymoons, Mr & Mrs Smith cover great child friendly places too. Not just a website for inspiration, you can book directly on the site.

Small Luxury Hotels

The name says it all. Small Luxury Hotels   collect together independently minded hotels on their website and promise – and deliver – an authentic travel experience.

Leading Hotels of the World

Another website that wears its heart on its sleeve, Leading Hotels of the World gather together more than 375 luxury properties (including resorts) around the world.

MyBoutiqueHotel.com

With a great eye for design, MyBoutiqueHotel.com , as the name suggests, sources boutique hotels from around the world available for direct booking. Properties are combined into an easy on the eye collection, with curated lists for main cities plus the ability to create your own shortlists as you narrow down your choice. Membership is free and the themed lists save hours of research. You’ll find budget and luxury boutique hotel choices and can drill down to those suitable for work, for the kids, for romantic getaways and more.

The Best Hotel Booking Sites for the Best Deals and Specifics

These are the best travel websites for 2024 for booking flight and hotel packages together or for searching for accommodation when you have very specific needs. These online travel agencies let you trawl through thousands of places to stay in the blink of an eye. Plus, several offer exceptional hotel deals for your next adventure.

cozycozy.com

Describing itself as a search engine for accommodation, CozyCozy.com is an exciting newcomer on the hotel booking block. It rounds up offers from hotels, rentals, hostels, treehouses and boats into one easy to use platform. You’ll find the giants, like Booking.com and AirBnB and VRBO, as well as smaller accommodation solutions too. By searching with Cozycozy.com, you can save yourself a lot of time. They won’t cover everything. But they come pretty close.

A few more things to note. They guarantee that the price you see is the price you pay. They have a range of filters that go further than the rest (think searching for a hairdryer or washing machine.) And, my favourite. They have an “unusual” tab that opens up possibilities you may never have known existed. Yurt for one anyone?

Lastminute.com

I’ve grown old with Lastminute.com , originally because I fell in love with the name. But over the years, I still find them useful for last minute city break or resort based holidays (vacation packages if you’re from the US.) They’re an online travel agency with easy to navigate interface and lots of last-minute deals!

Expedia is SO big and all-encompassing that it’s sometimes easy to get lost within the website. But that’s also its strength for when your travel plans don’t fit into the travel sites I’ve mentioned above.

TripAdvisor

The great green travel website can really give you an inside look at a hotel. Yes, some of the reviews are fake but even the bad reviews can be helpful. One person’s “bad review” because there was no nightlife is another’s blissful discovery if they want a quiet, relaxing stay.

Plus, you get the benefit of booking through a trusted source with backup. AND the TripAdvisor community is really helpful if you have specific niggly questions about tourist destinations or are looking for great ideas.

Booking.com

Booking.com offers more search filters for hotels than anything else I’ve come across in the travel industry. When the specifics really matter (rather than the sense of atmosphere or design) then I turn to Booking.com It’s a powerful hotel search engine, with guest houses and self-catering options as well.

Top tips for finding the best travel deals

• Look for off peak options whenever you can.
• Don’t just stick to the big booking websites. Check out the smaller, unique travel websites as well.
• Consider flying from regional airports.
• Have a system! Our handy Travel Toolbox © will help with this.

Finding Great Flight Deals

There is, quite simply, an art to finding a good flight. Not just in terms of cost but also in terms of comfort and connection. It really is a useful life skill to be able to skip the travel agent and find what you want yourself.

With that in mind, check out our guide to the  best flight booking hacks for savvy travellers here.  

Then, get acquainted with the following flight search engines, for both domestic and international flights.

Skyscanner is the travel agent boyfriend or girlfriend with special deals you never had. Skyscanner listens, remembers your birthday, cleans your windscreen and empties the bin even when it isn’t its turn.

Well, OK, it doesn’t do any of that but  it DOES make it very, very easy to look for flights. Instead of forcing you to enter the same details in, or tie you to a date, Skyscanner uses filters and choices that simplify the flight-finding process. You can also search by price and switch currencies between dollars, euros, sterling and more. For both domestic and international travel.

If you have any flexibility in your planning, Skyscanner can let you search through the whole month for the best fare, slide filters for time of day, number of connections, just about anything. The only weak spot is searching for flights with infants, where the system is a little glitchy. Other than that, it’s one of the best airfare sites.

Don’t be put off by the watery name. Kayak is a meta search engine that crawls the web for flights and lets you sift through the results with ease. If you’re committed to finding the cheapest flights, then make sure you check everywhere you can.

Google Flights

Fellow travel professionals swear by Google Flights, although it’s never quite become one of my favourites. The strength of using Google’s software is that it responds quickly to real time changes. Perfect if your flight has just been cancelled because of weather or some other external event and you need to find your way home quickly.

You can even use Siri. “Hey google, give me search results for flights to New York!”

Travel experiences await.

The Best Travel Websites for Driving Holidays

You’re in road trip heaven here. We love road trips and have everything for them. Check out these great resources for planning a road trip.

Your Road Trip Toolkit

• The road trip essentials you need to know about
• The Ultimate Road Trip Planner  with printables and handbook
• 101 fun road trip questions for your next drive
• I nspiring road trip quotes for your instagram caption ideas.

AA Route Planner

This is another travel website that I love for its simplicity. Want to know how to get from A to B? Enter it in the AA Route Planner. It shows you a map and clear journey times in a split second. You can just leave it at that or add in stop off points and adjust for traffic and so on. The only problem is that it only covers driving in Europe.

MapQuest offers fantastic coverage of the United States and is free and easy to use to help plot our road trips.

Google Maps

Google Maps , on the other hand, cover the world. But it’s slightly more fiddly to use. It’s a lifesaver while actually on the road but it’s also useful in planning.

You can save destinations, plot itineraries and tweak public maps for your own trips. And – did you know that you can download maps and directions offline? Indeed, you can. It’s not only an online travel site.

Car Rental Travel Resources

I’ve driven cars all around the world and used all kinds of car rental companies and rental cars. Sometimes needs must but these days, wherever possible, I book through a reputable, international company. Then I look for car rental deals.

Hertz is one of my favourites. It’s so widespread and well-organised. Plus, as an inside tip, if you sign up to their Gold members programme (for free) you can quickly get lots of benefits.

However, for more of a search comparison site, I use Holiday Autos and then open RentalCars.Com in a new tab.

• Don’t forget to download your free copy of our car rental checklist here.

Healthy Tray of Treats Room Service at One Aldwych, Covent Garden

The Best Travel Resources for Health

Centers for disease control and prevention.

Clearly, you should consult your own doctor before you travel. But, the CDC Travel Website is the one my medical friends recommend. So, don’t rely on it entirely. You do need an appointment with a real person. But it’s helpful to get an idea of what vaccinations and medication you are likely to need for certain countries before you decide to book. This applies all the more if your situation has changed due to a recent illness or pregnancy.

The Best Travel Websites for Saving Money

Money saving expert.

Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert website firmly focuses its attention on a UK audience. It provides regularly updated and researched guides on essentials from currency exchange to travel insurance and finding cheap flights.

They also crunch the numbers with credit cards, publishing spreadsheets and tables to help you navigate the world of credit card rewards and the best way to save money.

Travel Insurance

I’d always recommend checking out the guide above before you book. But one of my favourite places to go for travel insurance is Heymondo.

Roaming Costs: Airalo

Unless you have roaming fees included in your usual phone package, remember to switch off mobile data when you travel.

Instead, embrace the brilliance of an eSIM. That means, you switch SIM cards without having to physically pop the plastic cover out of your phone using the back of an earring, hoping you don’t lose it before you head home again.

I’ve tested Airalo all across the world, including North America, Europe and the Middle East. It’s fantastic. So quick. So much money saved.

Train Travel Resources

Db rail planner for train travel in europe.

I love the DB site. It covers almost all of Europe and has an English version online travel website that is so easy to use.

National Rail Journey Planner

National Rail itself may be long gone but as a travel website, the National Rail Journey Planner is the best I’ve found to negotiate the different rail networks of the UK.

Eurail (Formerly InterRail)

Forget the sweaty backpacker image. The Eurail network includes First Class rail travel through glossy transport hubs. You can buy a range of rail passes or simply use their maps, itineraries and suggestions to help you plan your rail trip through Europe.

Heathrow Express

This remains the fastest way to reach the city centre of London from London’s Heathrow Airport, as well as Paddington Station, the gateway to the west, southwest and Wales. Using the Heathrow Express website in advance, you can book tickets for as little as  £5.50. Plus, children 15 and under travel for free.

The Elizabeth Line in London

A sneaky little bit of inside info. To save money on the Heathrow Express, take the slightly slower “normal” train from Paddington to Heathrow instead. Costs a fraction of the price and is generally more comfortable.

If you’re looking to travel through Japan, then you can’t miss their high speed shinkansen trains. They’re part of what Japan is famous for. Buy your Japan Rail pass before you go to get the best deals as a tourist.

The Best Travel Websites for Honeymoons and Anniversaries

While you can build your own honeymoon through the travel resources above, niche travel website 101 Honeymoons takes the hard work out of the equation for you. It filters honeymoons by month, interest and family situation, with trusted input from some of the top travel writers in the trade.

My Favourite Cruise Travel Resources

Everyone has different tastes. I prefer smaller cruises with plenty of cultural and adventurous options and excursions. Look for cruise lines which aim to introduce people to the destination and respect local customs rather than just keep people on the ship.

I would highly recommend Avalon Waterways for cruises in Europe and beyond and Uncruise Adventures for small ship cruising in Alaska.

In 2022, I took my first giant cruise with Princess Cruises – and you can read what that was like here.

The Best Tour Companies

It took me years to believe it but sometimes joining a tour, just for half a day, is a great way of connecting with locals and learning new skills.

These days, it’s easier than ever to find just the tour you need as one of the latest trends has become a permanent fixture. In popular destinations, it’s also useful to use these sites to skip the queues and buy your tickets in advance.

You can search for recommendations on travel blogs (ahem) or head straight to the big search sites.

I’ve tested both of these across the world and would highly recommend them:

• Get Your Guide has great cancellation policies and an easy booking process.
• Viator has a huge collection of local guides, transfers from the airport, cooking classes and more.

The Best UK Travel Websites

Self catered cottages.

For ease of use, the app that comes with Sykes Cottages makes it easy to plan a trip away in snippets of down time in a busy life. Quality Cottages sweeps some gorgeous luxury cottages into view in Wales.

Glampingly remains my favourite site for finding quirky yet comfortable glamping spots in Europe. Want to know why? Check out this collection of the best treehouse holidays in the UK.

With a mix of glamping and alternative places to sleep, C anopy and Stars fills in the gaps.

A special, self-catered foodie twist

To add a sense of luxe to your self-catered holiday, order in a gourmet meal from One Fine Dine. This private jet catering company now packages up incredible meals with full instructions on how to finish them off and plate them up. Adds a lovely sense of occasion to a self-catered trip away.

In Conclusion

And one last note. Are you American and wondering why I’m not talking about dream vacation packages? I am, we just call them holidays in the UK. And car rentals are hire cars. And travel guides are, well, travel guides. I guess some things stay the same after all ;-)

Did you enjoy this collection of the best travel websites and travel resources for 2024? Bookmark this list of travel websites on Pinterest for later.

For more travel tips, check out our travel resources on how to plan your next trip here.

Our Favourite Travel Resources for 2024

• Download your FREE pre-trip checklist
• Download your copy of the Ultimate Travel Packing Checklist

Some of the best travel resources can be those you create yourself. Here are some creative travel journal ideas to get you started. Future you will be grateful!

15 Best Travel Guidebook Series & Why You Will Love Them

• Updated: 04/08/2024

Are you an avid traveler or someone who loves exploring new places? If so, you know the value of good travel planning  information and particularly the value of editorial independent guidebooks . Though—with so many options, how do you choose the best book? 

In this article, I share the top 15 must-have travel guidebook series , from Lonely Planet to Rick Steves and everything in between. These books offer essential resources for travelers seeking reliable details about destinations, local cultures, and tips for a seamless journey.

The guides deliver a one-stop-shop that combines the best of the internet without the pop-up ads and paid-for-placement “recommendations.”

So, join in—as I delve into the pros and cons of each travel guidebook series, considering factors like accuracy, depth of coverage, user-friendly layout, and unique features. I will cover what sets these guidebooks apart, helping you to make the best decision on which one to choose before your next trip.

Table Of Contents

Why travel guidebooks are still relevant in the digital age.

From our early days of travel, I remember one of the heaviest parts of backpacking around the world used to be shouldering the weight of hefty printed guidebooks as we made our way from one country to another. We would often carry four or five thick books at a time. This heavy stack included guides for our current country, our recently visited country, and, if we happened to be organized—for the country we were going to next.

We did this because, at the time, we had no other choice. Before the prevalence of e-books and travel blogs, YouTube channels, and social media, old-school travel guidebooks provided the only source of travel information available.

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However, today, when information is just a few clicks away, you might wonder if travel guidebooks still hold any value. The truth is, despite the abundance of online resources, guidebooks continue to be an essential tool for travelers worldwide.

Here are three reasons why: 

• Travel guidebooks offer a curated, reliable, and comprehensive source of information . While the internet can provide a wealth of data, it can also be overwhelming and often unreliable. Guidebooks, on the other hand, are meticulously researched, are editorially independent (aka do not receive payment from businesses for placements), written by experts who often share a distinct opinion on a place and its attractions, and are constantly updated to ensure accuracy.
• Guidebooks provide a complete overview of a destination. They go beyond just listing tourist attractions, offering insights into possible itineraries, local customs, traditions, and lesser-known gems that are easy to miss. Whether your interests lie in history, art, food, or adventure, guidebooks typically cover it all comprehensively.

For example, after reading Frommer’s EasyGuide to Washington, DC  before a family spring break visit, I learned I needed to act fast to request tickets for Capitol and White House tours. Because the guidebook let me know to reserve so early, we successfully booked a tour and visited the Capitol building. Standing in the historic and beautiful US Capitol Rotunda and viewing the House and Senate Chambers was an unforgettable experience I would not have wanted to miss. 

With these benefits in mind, we will explore things you should consider when choosing the best guidebook in the section below.

5 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Travel Guidebook

To help you choose the ideal travel guidebook for your next trip, here are five key factors to consider:

1. Destination: Consider the specific destination you plan to visit. Some guidebook series specialize in regions or countries, offering more in-depth coverage and insider tips. For example, Rick Steves’  travel guidebooks focus on Europe only.

2. Travel Style: Think about your travel style and preferences. If you are a backpacker looking for budget-friendly recommendations—you will likely want to read Lonely Planet . Or are you more interested in luxury and upscale experiences? Then, a DK Eyewitness Guide or a Fodor’s might be more to your taste. Different guidebook series cater to specific travel styles, so choose one that best aligns with the way you travel.

3. Content: Evaluate the type of content you are looking for. Do you prefer detailed historical information, practical tips, or recommendations for off-the-beaten-path experiences? Some guidebooks, like Culture Smart! , focus on cultural insights, while others provide a broader overview.

4. Layout and Format: Consider the layout and format of the guidebook. Is it easy to navigate? Are there maps, photos, or illustrations? Does it offer an easy-to-follow rating system for top recommendations like the Frommer’s guides include? A well-organized guidebook with clear visuals can significantly enhance your travel experience.

5. Publish Date: Reference the date the travel guidebook was most recently published. If it is several years old, see if a newer version with updated content is available for your destination from a different guidebook series. 

Now that we have covered the factors to consider, check out the top 15 picks for the travel guidebook series in the sections below.

Lonely Planet: The Iconic Travel Guidebook Series

Best for: Budget and mid-range independent travelers.

Coverage: 50+ countries throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, Americas, Australasia & the Middle East.

Lonely Planet  is—undoubtedly—one of the most well-known and respected travel guidebook series. For over five decades, Lonely Planet  has been helping travelers discover the world with its comprehensive guides.

Here are three things that set Lonely Planet apart:

• Accuracy: Lonely Planet guidebooks are known for their accuracy. Writers and editors meticulously research the information, ensuring that you have the most up-to-date and reliable details at your fingertips.
• Depth of Coverage: Lonely Planet offers extensive coverage of destinations worldwide. From popular tourist spots to hidden gems, you will find detailed information on attractions, accommodations, transportation, and more.
• User-Friendly Layout: Lonely Planet guidebooks have a user-friendly layout that makes it easy to navigate and find the information you need quickly. Clear maps, color-coded sections, and helpful icons enhance the reading experience.

However, it is worth noting that Lonely Planet guidebooks can sometimes be overwhelming due to the vast information provided. Additionally, since it focuses primarily on budget and mid-range travel, you may want to consult other sources for more luxury recommendations.

Though given that their library is so extensive and refreshed so frequently, they may offer the only up-to-date travel guidebook for your destination. We recently used their Lonely Planet Malta & Gozo guide for a spring family trip to Gozo  and Valletta and found it an excellent resource. 

The only other downside when it comes to Lonely Planet for travelers who prefer e-books is that it can be slow to e-publish new editions, offering only print guides for sale.

Rick Steves: A Comprehensive Guide for the European Traveler

Best for: Independent European travelers.

Coverage: 30+ European countries.

For travelers planning a trip to Europe, Rick Steves’ guidebooks are a must-have. With a focus on European destinations, Rick Steves has been helping travelers explore the continent for over four decades. 

Three reasons why travelers regard Rick Steves’ guidebooks so highly:

• In-depth European Coverage: Rick Steves’ guidebooks offer unparalleled coverage of European destinations. Whether visiting popular cities like Paris and Rome or exploring lesser-known towns, like Dingle Town in Ireland, you will find detailed information and valuable insider tips provided by experts. For example, in his Ireland guidebook, the excellent detail for the Dingle Peninsula self-guided route is supplied by a local archeological tour guide and retired police chief, Tim Collins.
• Cultural Insights: Rick Steves is known for emphasizing cultural immersion. His guidebooks provide insights into local customs, traditions, and history, helping to give you a deeper understanding of the places you visit.
• Practical Advice: Rick Steves packs his guidebooks with practical advice for European travel. From transportation options to money-saving tips, you will find everything you need to make the most of your trip.

One downside of Rick Steves’ guidebooks that might be an upside is that Rick always has an opinion, and he shares it. You may love his strong point of view. Or you might not agree with what he thinks. 

For example, I love Rick Steves and always reference his guides for any new European destination. However, in his Switzerland guidebook , Rick shares his low opinion of a Berner Oberland mountain hub town called Grindelwald for being too busy and overly commercial. Upon visiting Grindelwald, I could see his point. However, a short five to 10-minute walk from the train station showed me a very different view of a beautiful and much quieter destination that I would, without hesitation, highly recommend for any traveler to visit. 

Read Rick for his deep knowledge of Europe, though take some of his strongest opinions with a grain of salt. Then, visit and form your own views. 

Fodor's: The Go-to Guide for Luxury and Upscale Travel

Best for: The upscale traveler.

Coverage: 150+ guides for countries throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, Australasia & the Middle East.

For travelers seeking a more luxurious and upscale trip experience, Fodor’s guidebooks are an excellent choice. With a focus on high-end destinations and experiences, Fodor’s offers a curated selection of recommendations for the discerning traveler. 

Here are three things that make Fodor’s stand out:

• Luxury Recommendations: Fodor’s guidebooks offer comprehensive coverage of luxury accommodations, fine dining options, and upscale experiences. If you want to indulge in the finer things during your travels, Fodor’s has you covered.
• Insider Tips: Fodor’s guidebooks offe r insider tips and recommendations from local experts. Whether a hidden gem or an exclusive experience, you will find unique suggestions that cater to luxury travelers.
• Beautiful Photography: Fodor’s guidebooks are known for stunning photography. The visuals not only inspire wanderlust but also provide a glimpse into the luxurious experiences that await you.

However, due to its upscale focus, you may find Fodor’s guidebooks to be not as budget-friendly as other series. If you are on a tight budget, you may need to supplement this book with additional resources.

Frommer's: A Trusted Guide for Budget-Conscious Travelers

Best for: The all-around traveler looking for value for money. Also, for family travelers.

Coverage: 350+ guides split across 10+ different series from Frommer’s Complete Guides to EasyGuides that cover Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, Australasia & the Middle East.

If you are a budget-conscious traveler looking for value-for-money recommendations, which includes most family travelers, Frommer’s guidebooks offer an excellent choice. With a focus on affordable travel, Frommer’s offers practical advice, insider tips, and a reliable rating system, bestowing one to three stars on places and experiences it recommends as worth your time and money.  

Over the years, and as a value-conscious traveler always looking to get the most out of my travel budget, I have come to rely on Frommer’s guidebooks as my first resource for how I want to shape a trip. I use these guides to set high-level itineraries and develop a broad-strokes list of things I want to see and do most. For example, its Hawaii guide provided just the right amount of information for me to figure out which islands were best for our family to visit on a two-week trip. 

These three factors set Frommer’s apart:

• Budget-Friendly Recommendations: Frommer’s guidebooks provide a wide range of budget-friendly recommendations, including affordable accommodations, dining options, and attractions. They also offer money-saving tips to help you stretch your travel budget.
• Practical Information: Frommer’s guidebooks are known for their practical and detailed information. From transportation to multiple sample itinerary options, you will find everything you need to plan your trip efficiently.
• Local Insights: Frommer’s guidebooks include insights and recommendations from local experts, allowing you to experience a destination like a local. This adds a unique perspective to your travel experience.

One limitation of Frommer’s guidebooks is their coverage, which may not be as extensive as other series. Especially if you are visiting lesser-known destinations, you will want to consult additional resources.

Rough Guides: The Adventurous Travel Companion

Best for: The adventure traveler.

Coverage: 100+ countries throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, Australasia & the Middle East.

For adventurous travelers seeking off-the-beaten-path experiences, Rough Guides is the perfect companion for your journeys. With a focus on adventure travel, R ough Guides offers a wealth of information for those looking to explore beyond the usual tourist spots.

Here are three things that make Rough Guides unique:

• Off-the-beaten-path Recommendations: Rough Guides detail recommendations for lesser-known destinations and experiences. Whether trekking through remote mountains or exploring hidden cultural gems, Rough Guides will inspire your adventurous spirit.
• Adventure Travel Tips: Rough Guides offer practical advice for adventure travel, including information on outdoor activities, gear recommendations, and safety tips. If you are planning a hiking, diving, or wildlife-focused trip, Rough Guides supply a valuable resource.
• Cultural Immersion: Rough Guides emphasize cultural immersion, providing insights into local customs, traditions, and indigenous communities, helping you achieve a more authentic travel experience.

One potential drawback of Rough Guides is their limited coverage of popular tourist destinations. If you plan to visit major cities or well-known attractions, you may need to consult additional guidebooks.

DK Eyewitness Travel: Visual Guides for Immersive Travel Experiences

Best for: Travelers who love to learn while they travel.

Coverage: 200+ guides to destinations throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, Australasia & the Middle East.

If you are a visual learner or prefer a more immersive travel experience, DK Eyewitness Travel guidebooks or their Pocket Top 10 guides are a perfect choice. Or the ideal complement to read along with a more detail-intense series. With its stunning visuals and in-depth coverage, DK Eyewitness Travel offers a unique way to explore the world. 

Here are three things that make DK Eyewitness Travel stand out:

• Visuals: DK Eyewitness Travel guidebooks are known for their beautiful photography, detailed illustrations, and 3D maps. These graphics bring destinations to life and help you visualize your travel experience.
• Immersive Content: DK Eyewitness Travel guidebooks provide immersive content beyond just listing attractions. They offer insights into local culture, history, and traditions, helping give you a deeper understanding of the places you visit.
• User-Friendly Layout: DK Eyewitness Travel guidebooks have a user-friendly layout with color-coded sections, detailed maps, and easy-to-read text. Readers find these convenient to navigate, helping them to find the information needed.

However, it is worth noting that DK Eyewitness Travel guidebooks may not offer as much depth of coverage or budget-friendly recommendations as other series. If you seek more specific or detailed information, you will want to pick this up elsewhere.

National Geographic Traveler: Discover the World Through Stunning Photography

Best for : Travelers who want their guidebooks to double as keepsakes and prefer a culturally immersive experience. 

Coverage: 40+ guides to destinations throughout the world, with the heaviest coverage in Europe and a few titles for top destinations in the US, Central America, Asia & Africa.

National Geographic Traveler guidebooks offer a unique perspective on travel, combining stunning photography with informative content. 

Three factors that make National Geographic Traveler guidebooks a must-have:

• Photography : National Geographic Traveler guidebooks are known for breathtaking photography. The visuals capture the essence of a destination and will inspire your wanderlust.
• Insider Tips: National Geographic Traveler guidebooks provide insider tips and recommendations from National Geographic experts. These insights offer a deeper understanding of a destination, allowing for more unique travel experiences.
• Cultural Exploration: National Geographic Traveler guidebooks emphasize cultural exploration, focusing on local customs, traditions, and indigenous communities. These elements add a deeper layer of authenticity to your travel experience.

One potential limitation of National Geographic Traveler guidebooks, like the DK Eyewitness Guides , is their limited coverage of the logistics of travel as compared to other series. If you are planning a trip to lesser-known or off-the-beaten-path locations, you may need to consult additional resources. 

8 Other Notable Travel Guidebook Series

1. Bradt Travel Guides : Known for their offbeat and unconventional destinations, and Slow Travel titles to British regions, Bradt Travel Guides are perfect for travelers seeking unique experiences.

2. Moon Travel Guides: Moon Travel Guides offer comprehensive coverage of worldwide destinations. Though—it publishes many titles for less mainstream places. For example, Moon offers the best, and in some cases, the only guidebooks for less common places like Vermont  and Door County, Wisconsin .

3. Berlitz Pocket Guides : Berlitz Pocket Guides provide concise and practical information for travelers who prefer a more compact and portable guidebook.

4. Michelin Green Guides : Michelin Green Guides are known for their meticulous attention to detail and focus on cultural, historical, and architectural landmarks. Although, check the date of publication. Many of its Green Guides are due for an update.

5. Blue Guides : These in-depth guides are indispensable for culture and history lovers. Expect a deep and thorough dive into art, architecture, and history for major and minor destinations and sites throughout Europe. Also, look for their Art/Shop/Eat guides  for major international cities.

6. Culture Smart! : Culture Smart! guides offer excellent pre-trip reading. Learn about the people, the culture, and the dos and don’ts travelers should adhere to while visiting. These illuminating guides—we read Culture Smart! Switzerland  before a trip to the Bernese Oberland —written by long-term expats, journalists, professors, and diplomats, help provide visitors with a deeper understanding of a place and direction on how to be a good guest. 

7: Not for Tourists : Although these guides, mainly offered for major US cities and a few large international ones, are designed for residents, they provide an excellent alternative read for visitors seeking a more off-the-beaten-path experience.

8: Independent Local guidebooks: When planning a visit to any new destination, search online for the term “best guidebooks for [your destination]” and see what you find. Many travel locales offer hyperlocal guidebooks written by experts in the know and are sometimes not easily found without an engaged search.

A good example of this is the Himalayan Travel Guides  series, offering 20+ titles dedicated to in-depth information about trekking in the Himalayas. Or the Hawaii Revealed  series, which provides the most extensive and detailed travel resource for the four most visited Hawaiian Islands. I read both the Oahu Revealed  and Kauai Revealed  guidebooks before a two-week Hawaii stay, and each was excellent. 

Or even for a recent trip to Acadia National Park   in Maine, I found and read two non-mainstream travel guidebooks, Acadia: The Complete Guide  and Ten Days in Acadia—A Kids Hiking Guide to Mount Desert Island , both off-the-radar reads written by locals. The history section in the Complete Guide was so good that I read it twice. And our heavily used dog-eared copy of the Hiking Guide is a testament to how valuable I found it to be during our trip. See a few pics from our Maine visit below.

About Finding the Perfect Travel Guidebook for Your Next Adventure

Choosing the best travel guidebook can easily enhance your travel experience, providing you with the most useful information, insights into local culture, and practical tips. From Lonely Planet  to Rick Steves , Fodor’s to DK Eyewitness Travel , each guidebook series has its own unique strengths and specialties.

Consider factors like accuracy, depth of coverage, user-friendly layout, and unique features to help pick the right book. Determine the destination, travel style, and content you are looking for to choose a guidebook series that fits your needs best. 

If you are still unsure which travel guidebook is the right one, try one out. Borrow a book from your local library, visit a nearby bookshop to skim their travel section , or take a leap and buy and download an e-book to determine if you want to keep or return it.

Guidebooks continue to offer a valuable travel planning resource in the digital age, delivering curated and reliable information not often replicated by online sources. So, before your next adventure, find your perfect travel companion from the travel guidebook series that fits you best. Happy travels!

Related Reading

If you are searching for more travel planning assistance to help you save time and money and to stay organized, check out the related articles below.

• 49 Things You Need to Do to Plan Your Best Trip (Free Travel Research & Planning Checklist)
• Itinerary Template for a Trip: Free Downloadable Examples & More Resources
• Why You Will Love Google Maps for Trip Planning
• Pack Faster & Better with This Universal Printable Packing List
• Pre-Trip: A Practical Checklist to Close the House & Pack

Additional Trip Planning Resources

To further help you with travel planning, I share my go-to resources for every trip below. 

Google Flights. My first research stop for affordable flights for every trip. Learn why here . 

Google Hotels . Use its “ Where to stay ” button to discover the best neighborhoods to base your visit.

Booking.com. For hotel and rental bookings, I appreciate its flexible cancellation, candid user reviews, discounts, loyalty program, and easy-to-use interface.

Viator , Get Your Guide , & Airbnb Experiences . Quickly find and book highly-rated tours and activities on these sites.

Google Travel Things to Do & Google Maps . Find more things to do in your destination on Google Travel, then record where you want to visit on a custom Google Maps list. 

AllTrails . Love to hike? Me too. I religiously use AllTrails to discover hiking and biking trails and download its offline maps to manage my hikes.

Guide Along . 5-star self-guided audio tours that are GPS-compatible for US road trips and national parks. We loved the Glacier National Park tour .

Insure My Trip. I never travel internationally without trip insurance. Learn why here . My preferred place to shop and compare policies is InsureMyTrip.com . 

Plus, check out the 15 travel apps I use on trips, my preferred guidebooks , and my free customizable travel itinerary template , downloadable in four file formats.

About the author:  Janice Moskoff is a travel writer and blogger who loves hiking, exploring the world, and reading. She writes to inspire travel-loving families, adult friends, and couples on her blog,  Gather and Go Travel . Check out  her bio , learn how she became  a blogger , and discover how to  work with her . Sign up for her monthly  Discovery Newsletter  to get her latest travel recommendations and  how-to’s .

Love to travel? Sign up for m y monthly Gather & Go Travel Discovery Newsletter and get a free trip budget calculator .

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products and companies I use. And the income goes to keeping the site community-supported and ads minimal.

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60 Best travel websites for researching & planning a trip

Researching and planning a holiday is like decorating a room. It’s all about the preparation. (Yes, you can have a great spontaneous holiday, but there’s a lot of luck involved in that…).

In the good old days, before the internet, we relied on travel agents, but in today’s digital world, a wealth of online websites and apps are on-hand to help.

But too many. The choice is overwhelming and the quality and trustworthiness variable.

So which ones are the best? Which ones should you use and for what purpose?

Planning a holiday – even before you book it – involves several steps. We’ve broken down this process and recommended the best tools to use at each stage, to make your research and planning process as simple, painless, fast –and enjoyable – as possible.

Where to go & what to do

1.1 ideas & inspiration.

Discover new places you never thought of going to, wonderful things to see & do on your travels. Add them to your travel bucket list.

Bucket List Travels

Concept: This specialist travel inspiration site works with an impressive list of leading travel writers around the world to recommend the world’s greatest travel experiences. It also offers destination guides, simple itineraries that link the top attractions together, and recommends the best places to stay while you’re there. You can search and filter through the recommendations e.g. to find recommendations by price, or that are suitable for kids. You can also save your ‘finds’ to your travel bucket list.

Pros: the search and filtering is unique amongst travel inspiration sites, and it allows you to sort through the thousands of expert recommendations to find what you want quickly – a huge time saver. The destination guides have curated, not comprehensive recommendations, so they’re effectively handing you a list of great recommendations for when you visit a new destination, i.e. the ‘bucket list’ experiences not-to-be-missed. The adding to favourites is also unique – great for ‘saving for later’ those brilliant experiences or places to stay you come across.

Cons: coverage is limited to only 100 or so destinations, which mainly centres on the UK and western Europe. Non-Europe content is limited (but being added in the near future).

When to use: Use it before any other site to decide on where to go or what to do next, and to get an outline list/itinerary of what you want to do there. Then supplement that with tours & activities from other inspiration sites listed here, especially the ones with the local authentic experiences.

Website : https://www.bucketlisttravels.com/

Concept: Instagram is a social media platform that allows users to share photos and videos with their followers. It’s popular among individuals, influencers, and businesses for promoting their personal brands or products.

Pros: Insta is a great source of travel inspiration, as it allows you to discover new destinations, attractions, and experiences through visually appealing and engaging content. You can follow travel influencers and bloggers for tips and recommendations, discover lesser-known destinations and experiences, find out about local events and festivals, and see how others experience a particular destination, which can provide ideas for your own itinerary.

When to use it: Day-to-day inspiration and idea generation for your next trip. Bookmark your favourites, or save your ideas to your travel bucket list for the next time you do want to go somewhere special.

Website : https://www.instagram.com/

Concept: Pinterest is a social media platform that allows users to discover, collect and share images and videos on virtual pinboards. Users can create boards on any topic and save Pins from other users or external websites, as well as search for inspiration and ideas. The platform has over 400 million active users worldwide.

Pros: Like Instagram, it’s a great visual travel inspiration tool, for discovering what to do in the world and specific destinations.

When to use it: For visual searches of potential destinations, and saving ideas (pins) for future trips.

Website : https://www.pinterest.com

Travel & Leisure

This high-end, luxury travel magazine covers a range of topics including hotels and resorts, airlines, cruises, food and drink, and various travel destinations around the world. Being a magazine, it focuses on the new and topical, so it’s a showcase of the latest and greatest in travel if novelty is your thing.

Pros: It’s top-quality content and genuine expertise from leading journalists and travel writers, with selective, curated recommendations. They have tonnes of round-ups of the ‘world’s best’ too.

Cons: Recommendations can be a bit too curated, missing lots of smaller experiences, and are often outside of the budget of most travellers. It’s primarily a magazine with an online afterthought, so recommendations tend to get buried in long pages of text. The site search turns up articles/posts that you then have to read further, rather than specific recommendations, and you can’t filter anything which is the big time saver.

When to use it: Sign up for their social feeds and newsletters, which often feature great round-ups like: “Best place to…”. Great for day-to-day inspiration and idea generation for your next trip. Bookmark your favourites, or save your ideas to your travel bucket list for the next time you do want to go somewhere special.

Honourable mentions: other great magazines for this include Conde Nast Traveller (featured later) and Wanderlust .

Website : https://www.travelandleisure.com/

Travel blogs

Concept: Travel blogs (too many to mention, but pretty much all the same in format) feature personal experiences, advice, and recommendations, usually written by an individual traveller or group of travellers who share their travel stories, photos, and tips with their audience.

Pros: You can’t beat personal experience when it comes to travel recommendations, and often these experienced author-travellers offer good insights and tips. They’re also usually an interesting, engaging read.

Cons: for planning a trip, blogs are hit and miss. They are written from the perspective of the blogger i.e. where they have just been or what they have just done, so it’s pot luck if that coincides with where you want to go or do next. They are also flat, text articles – you can’t search or filter their recommendations.

When to use it: Follow the ones you like if you enjoy reading such things. Once you have your list itinerary roughly planned out, they’re worth a quick scan for additional tips and insights (if you can find something relevant).

1.2 Top attractions, activities, tours & events

If you’re ready to start planning your trip, and nothing on your travel bucket list fits the bill, take a look at one of these sites to decide:

Concept: See listing above.

When to use: Head to their search results that shows all 100+ destination they cover, then use the filters to select a destination based on cost (cheap v expensive), or theme  (e.g. Science & Nature, Art, History & Culture) etc. You can also handily filter the list according to the best month of the year to visit.

FlightsFrom

Concept: this handy website lists all of the destinations you can fly to from every airport, on what days and with what airline.

When to use it: great for identifying where you can fly to from your local airport, and planning multi-destination trips.

Website : https://www.flightsfrom.com/

Google Flights

Google’s flight aggregator and comparison service consolidates flight schedules from all of the world’s commercial airlines in one place. By entering your dates and departure/arrival airports, you can quickly see who flies there, on what dates and at what times, and the price of the fare. Prices and availability are updated in real-time, and you can sign up for price alerts.

How to use it: The ‘Explore’ function allows you to specify a departure airport and see the cheapest flights to any destination you can fly to from that airport, for certain dates and trip durations – so great if you don’t have a fixed destination in mind. You can also handily add more than one departure airport if you have more than one departure option. (NB FlightsFrom shows you all available flights; Google Flights shows you available flights and their prices). NB Skyscanner has a similar ‘Explore everywhere’ feature, however, it is only available on the app and you can only enter one departure destination).

Website : https://www.google.com/travel/flights

This travel inspiration website provides a wealth of travel content, including destination guides, hotel and restaurant recommendations.

Pros: there’s loads of decent quality content, and their network of experts worldwide have good credentials and specialise in the destinations they write about.

Cons: The recommendations feature in text-heavy pages, making it hard to use for planning. You can’t filter, or save your favourites, and if you site search, you then have to wade through lots and lots of article posts. The content can also be quite random – as if it’s what someone felt like writing at the time, rather than being structured.

When to use it: Once you have your main list drawn up from the other sites listed here, it’s worth a quick scan for additional tips and insights.

Website : https://www.tripsavvy.com/

This global deals site specialises in providing exclusive offers and one-of-a-kind experiences to its 30 million members worldwide (membership is free). They partner with over 5,000 travel suppliers to source cut-price inventory.

When to use it: Sign up for their newsletter, then sit back and let the deals roll in. If you’re price-conscious, or just love a deal, then use their offers to decide on where to go and what to do next. Works best if you’re flexible on dates – most deals will be for when demand is lower i.e. in winter and/or outside of school holidays.

Website : https://www.travelzoo.com

1.3 What to do when you get there: attractions

Now you’ve decided on a destination, what should you do there? What are the top attractions, the must-see-and-dos, and the ‘bucket list experiences not to be missed?

How to use it: Navigate to the destination guide webpage. Our expert writes not only curates the top travel experiences – attractions, activities, tours & events – for you, but also further splits them as either ‘bucket list’ i.e. the not-to-be-missed, or ‘other’ experiences – nice to know about, but only for if you have time/interest.

Also, be sure to scroll through the destination page photo gallery for a pictorial summary.

Google Travel

Concept: Google’s travel planning platform offers a range of tools to help users plan their trips. It includes Google Flights (see later), a hotel aggregator and holiday rentals

For deciding what to do when you go somewhere, type your destination into the search, then click on the ‘Things to do’ side icon for full listings. It tries to list in order of priority/popularity, which mostly works, though it is an auto-generated list. The written descriptions come from Wikipedia, so it lacks that human expertise and it all feels a bit soulless (to me anyway). The interface however is easy to use, and you can add favourites to a trip list.

How to use it: After you’ve been to Bucket List Travels for the curated, expert list, if you feel you need more in your itinerary, and/or you’re worried we may have missed something, then use Google Travel to check the full comprehensive listings and see if there is anything else you want to do.

Website : https://www.google.com/travel/

Lonely Planet

Concept: The original ‘guidebook’ company, they have destination guides for pretty much every place on the planet. Their expert writers, who must specialise in the destination, provide comprehensive listings and recommendations for sightseeing, accommodation and food & drink, plus very detailed logistical and practical information.

How to use it: They’re comprehensive, not curated. They include a lot of minor attractions that the majority of travellers would not want to bother with, and there’s not a lot of imagery, just text. I use them as a cross-check once I have outlined what you want to do. It’s too detailed/comprehensive for researching and planning – unless you’ve got days to spare. Handy to take the book with you, though, for the in-depth local tips when you’re there.

Honourable mentions: all of the guidebooks are broadly similar. Also try Rough Guides , Fodor’s , Frommers’ , Rick Steves (Europe only) and DK Eyewitness .

Website : https://www.lonelyplanet.com/

Tourism Associations

Concept: A local government body, tasked with promoting tourism to the destination, that will provide comprehensive information, advice and recommendations for visitors to both attract and facilitate their visit. Being the local specialist, they should know better than anyone what to see & do, and they often include many smaller, high quality attractions and tours that others will miss. However, the quality of websites is highly variable (best in the most developed, richer nations as you’d expect), and they have to be impartial so there is no curation and little opinion.

How to use it: A great resource when it’s done well. If you’re going to a developed nation, I would say they are a must-visit. Use them to start drafting up your list.

Concept: A video-sharing website where users can upload, share, and view videos on a variety of topics. It attracts billions of monthly active users. There’s a digital tonne of travel content on there, covering every aspect – from destination recommendations to videos on how to book flights.

When to use it: if you’re a visual person, YouTube is a great resource for travel inspiration. It’s jammed packed these days with ‘What to see in X’, with video and image slideshows showing you the top sights. It tends to be top sights only, but a good place to start drawing up your shortlist. It’s also great for travel advice and tips.

Website : https://youtube.com

1.4 What to do when you get there: local experiences

‘Authentic’ experiences enable you to experience the real destination, to experience its culture, to meet its people, and to live like a local. Indeed, many travellers prefer them to crowd-thronged, tourist-spoiled ‘big ticket’ attractions. Here are some resources I use to discover them in my chosen destination:

Air BnB experiences

Concept: This service allows individuals and small businesses to offer unique activities and tours to travellers in over 1,000 cities around the world. Experiences can range from food tours to pottery classes to wildlife safaris, and are designed and led by locals who have expertise in their field.

Pros: Coverage is extensive, and the experiences can be a more immersive and authentic way for travellers to connect with the local culture and community.

Cons: Some of the experiences listed I feel are more for locals than tourists, and it’s tours/classes, so not really attractions you visit like museums.

When to use it: If you’re a first-time visitor wanting to tick off the main attractions, use a site like Bucket List Travels first to find those out and make a preliminary list, then complement what they give you with these experiences to add some local flavour and insight to your itinerary.

Website : https://www.airbnb.com/experiences

Atlas Obscura

An online travel guide that features unique, offbeat and even bizarre travel experiences – be it unknown/obscure destinations or little-known experiences within well-known destinations. It also offers tours and experiences to some of the destinations featured on the website.

Pros: Once again, this is a site for those seeking off-the-beaten-track, authentic and unusual experiences.

Cons: It’s very niche, aimed at the truly intrepid traveller. If you’re a mainstream tourist, wanting to tick off the main sites, this is not the site for you.

When to use it: If you want to avoid the big tourist sites and experience something unique and different in a destination. If you’re a first-time visitor wanting to tick off the main attractions, use a site like Bucket List Travels first to find those out and make a preliminary list, then complement what they give you with the Atlas Obscura experiences to add some local flavour and insight to your itinerary.

Website : https://www.atlasobscura.com/

Spotted by Locals

Concept: A travel website/blog that provides insider city tips from locals. Each city ‘guide’ is curated by a team of handpicked city residents, featuring their favourite local spots for food, drinks, culture, and entertainment.

Pros: it’s a great source for finding those authentic local experiences, away from the tourist hoards.

Cons: Recommendations/articles are quite random in subject – and you have to scroll through pages and pages of blog posts. You can’t search or filter by interest for example. Coverage is also limited to only 80 cities.

When to use it: They also don’t cover the big-ticket attractions first-time visitors will want to see, so use this for filling gaps in your itinerary or for second visits once the big ones have been ticked off.

Website : https://www.spottedbylocals.com/

1.5 What to do when you get there: tickets & tours

Get Your Guide

Offers a very similar proposition to Viator (see below). GyG though is Europe-based, so it has much stronger tour options in Europe than the US-based Viator, which conversely has a better US inventory.

Website : https://www.getyourguide.com/

Concept: An online tour ‘aggregator’ combines and lists multi-day organised tours, both small and large group, from all the leading tour operator brands like Intrepid , G Adventures and Exodus. They are to guided tours what Booking.com is to hotels. Search is by destination, so you need to know where you want to go first.

Pros: Listings are comprehensive and up to date, giving you a window on all of the options available that you can search and filter to your specific need.

Cons: Always beware the pricing on aggregators. Operators have learned to use low pricing to get you to click through to them, then load that up with expensive extras and upgrades once you are on their site (or they lie about the price in the first place).

When to use: If you want to go on a guided tour, this is a great place to start. It will tell you who the best tour operators are, what are your tour options, and the prices.

Website : https://www.tourradar.com/

Concept: A ‘tour aggregator’ offers a wide range of tours and experiences in destinations worldwide, through local third-party tour operators. (Think of them as the Booking.com or Expedia of tours). Tours can be anything from 1-hour walking tours to 10-day organised tours. A US-based company (owned by TripAdvisor), it’s much more comprehensive in the US than in Europe.

Pros: They partner with the best local tour operators, so the tour quality is good, and you have someone to complain to if things go awry. The site search allows you to sort through the extensive catalogue quickly.

When to use it: Work out where you want to go, and get a feel for the top attractions, somewhere else, then come to Viator to book tickets and tours.

Website : https://www.viator.com/

1.6 Draft an outline itinerary

Now you know what you want to see & do in your destination, work out a rough day-by-day itinerary to ensure you get to do everything you want to do, with minimal travelling around.

Concept: see listing above.

How to use it: For most destination guides (where it makes sense to do so), our writers have set out simple itineraries of what to do and where to go on each day of a trip. For cities, they are usually 3- and 5-day itineraries (the 5-day version has the same first 3 days, then two additional days on top). They link all of the top attractions together in the most logistically convenient way, minimising travel, and including recommendations for lunch and dinner while you’re there.

Rick Steves Europe

Rick Steves is a travel guidebook author and television personality who specialises in European travel. His guidebooks offer practical advice and recommendations for budget travel, including tips on accommodations, dining, and sightseeing. His approach emphasises cultural immersion and connecting with locals, and his guides often include suggested walking tours and off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Pros: Rick’s guidebooks offer much more in-depth expertise than the others for Europe, with high-quality, well-researched recommendations based on experts with years of experience. The website has great travel forums for asking fellow travellers questions.

How to use it: It’s not a site for researching where to go and what to do. It’s better once you know where you want to go, and really want to drill into the fine detail. However, like Bucket List Travels , the site does have helpful itineraries that set out where to go and what to do day-to-day.

Website : https://www.ricksteves.com/

1.7 Specialist travel

Cruise Critic

The world’s leading online cruise review website and community provides comprehensive reviews, ratings and forums to help you assess cruise vacations. It’s the TripAdvisor of cruises (and not surprisingly, it’s owned by them), so just like with TripAdvisor, don’t believe everything you read.

When to use: We would personally recommend finding recommendations elsewhere e.g. from cruise travel journalists writing for newspapers, magazines or even Bucket List Travels. Then come to this site to check out the reviews of your shortlist.

Website : https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/

Euan’s Guide

Set up by wheelchair user Euan MacDonald MBE, this disabled access review website is the go-to tool for many disabled people wanting to travel in the UK and beyond. It shares accessibility information for venues and the experiences/reviews of other disabled users.

Pros: Helps to solve some of the challenges disabled people face, and gives them the confidence to travel.

Cons: the coverage is mainly UK and Europe, but thankfully is widening to the rest of the world at a pace.

Website : https://www.euansguide.com

We Love 2 Ski

This excellent online resource provides skiers and snowboarders with up-to-date and comprehensive information on ski resorts, conditions, accommodation, equipment, and more. The website features detailed reviews, insider tips, and expert advice on everything related to skiing, as well as an active forum for the ski community to share their experiences and knowledge.

It’s managed by 3 ski experts, with a wealth of expertise between them and who really know their stuff and take pride in keeping the information up-to-date. It’s one of those more genuine sites that care about their advice and is not trying to constantly do the hard sell.

When to use: if you want to go skiing, start here. If you’ve already found somewhere to go or stay, be sure to check what they say about it here before you go.

Website : https://welove2ski.com/

Getting there & around

2.1 flights.

Concept: a flight deal finder service that sends you price and deal alerts on flights. You enter your preferred departure airport and they send you notifications of great deals, and price movements. Tickets are discounted 40-90%, for flights 2-6 months out in Economy, Business and First classes.

How to use it: If you’ve got flexible travel dates, or have a bucket list destination in mind. Sign up and wait for a deal.

Website : https://www.going.com/

Google’s Flights is a flight aggregator that allows you to find and compare flights. It enables you to find the airlines that fly between your destinations, and available flight times.

Prices and availability are updated in real-time, and you can sign up for price alerts. The pricing can sometimes be inaccurate, however, and when you click through, it’s usually for a basic fare without any luggage.

When to use it: Start your flight search here. You may have to add in the extras, then compare prices, or you may not get the cheapest option.

Honourable mentions: Skyscanner and Kayak offer similar services. In my experience, they pretty much have the same inventory. It really comes down to which interface you prefer.

Hopper is one of the US’s most successful travel apps, selling over $4.5B of travel each year. It helps you find the best deals on flights, hotels, home rentals, and car hire by analysing trillions of data points to predict when prices will rise or fall. When you set your dates, you see a helpful calendar showing when prices are highest and lowest, and you can sign up for price alerts.

Their second big USP is their ‘price freeze’ option, where you pay a small fee (5%-15% of the price) to freeze the price for a limited duration (options range up to 3 weeks). If the price goes up, you pay no more; if it goes down, you pay the lower price (like insurance). They also offer Flight Disruption and Cancel for Any Reason Guarantees.

Pros: Simple to use, the most accurate predictor of prices, really helps you get the best deal (if your dates are flexible). The insurance options have been a godsend to many in the recent years of travel disruption and inflating prices. Unlike other flight aggregators like Kayak or Skyscanner they show the different airline fare options within the app, so you don’t get caught by the artificially low basic fare enticing you to click through (see Skyscanner summary).

Cons: None that we can see! It really is an excellent service.

When to use it: Once you know where you want to go, come to the site to get the best deal on flights, car hire and accommodation. Simple as that.

It works best if you’re dates are flexible, so you can pick the cheapest travel dates, and/or if you have time before you book – take out the freeze option and you can be assured that the price will only come down, or sign up for the price alert.

Website : https://hopper.com/

Concept: This flight aggregator, owned by Chinese-backed Trip.com and based in Edinburgh, does the same thing as Google Flights. . It enables you to find the airlines that fly between your destinations, and available flight times.

Prices and availability are updated in real-time, and you can sign up for price alerts.

When to use it: I’ve not found much difference in pricing to Google Flights, though I much prefer Skyscanner’s user interface. It really comes down to personal choice.

Honourable mentions: US-based Kayak , originating in the US, offers a similar service to Skyscanner.

Website : https://www.skyscanner.net/

The Points Guy

If you’re someone that loves to save on travel using reward points, check out this advisory site by Brian Kelly. As he puts it, it’s ‘your go-to source for all things travel, points, miles, credit cards and more’. His advice covers both where best to earn points, and how best to spend them. There’s both a US and a UK website , with custom advice based on where you reside.

He gives up-to-date advice and tips in this ever-changing, evolving space that cuts through all of the confusion, and helps you find the best deals in the market, and explains how to take advantage of them.

How to use it: Visit here first if you’ve got points to burn, or will have and want to know the best scheme to sign up for.

Website : https://thepointsguy.com/

2.2 Car hire & taxis

Rentalcars.com

A global car rental booking platform that provides customers with access to over 60,000 rental locations in more than 160 countries worldwide. The site enables you to compare prices and features from a wide range of rental companies. Customers can also benefit from 24/7 support and free cancellation on most bookings.

I’ve regularly rented cars via them, and never found a cheaper deal. The customer service and support are also very good. There’s not really a reason to start looking anywhere else.

Website : https://www.rentalcars.com/

It doesn’t really need any introduction… but just for completeness. Founded in 2009, Uber is a ride-hailing service that connects riders with drivers in most major cities around the world. Through the app, you can request and pay for rides, track your driver’s location, and rate the experience.

Uber’s meteoric rise to a global brand can be attributed to solving several customer issues with then-taxi firms: they would find you a ride tell you how long it would take to arrive, how much the fare would be upfront, and sort payment automatically through your account, thus avoiding the need to have enough cash on you.

Other leading ride-sharing apps include Lyft (US and Canada) and Cabify (Spain & Latin America).

2.3 Rail, Bus & Ferry

Concept: Omio is a comprehensive travel search and booking platform that helps users find and book the best deals on trains, buses, and flights across Europe. The website offers a user-friendly interface, with real-time price comparisons and flexible search options to suit individual needs and preferences.

When to use: It’s a great tool for planning and booking multi-modal trips.

Website : https://www.omio.co.uk/

Rail Europe

Concept: Rail Europe is a one-stop-shop for planning and booking train travel in 33 European countries. The website offers a wide range of tickets, passes, and packages for different destinations and budgets, as well as information on train schedules, routes, and stations. Note, they don’t cover local trams and metros, it’s intercity trains only (that includes Eurostar). Enter the destinations you want to go to and they’ll recommend the best value ticket/pass.

For multiple trips, you’ll likely be recommended a Eurail pass. This brilliant invention allows you to travel on over 30 European railway operators and some ferries too. Kids under 11 travel free with an adult.

Website : https://www.raileurope.com/

2.4 Route planning

Google Maps

Who hasn’t used google Maps? And for good reason. Its coverage is comprehensive, it’s simple to use, and it’s is invaluable when you’re trying to figure out how to get from A to B in an unfamiliar place. It shows travel times and distances in multiple transport modes: on foot, bike, by available public transport and by car.

How to use it: use it to help plan upfront your transportation from point to point in your itinerary.

Website : https://www.google.com/maps

Hands down the best service for planning and booking journeys within and between countries. It combines and compares transport options from over 5,000 transportation providers across 160 countries, then recommends the cheapest, fastest, and most convenient routes for different modes of transportation including flights, trains, buses, and car rentals. The website also provides comprehensive travel information. It will quote prices, distances, times, mileage, route numbers, and which companies to book.

Their slogan is “Discover how to get anywhere by plane, train, bus, ferry & car – and it does exactly what is says on the tin.

Website : https://www.rome2rio.com/

Where to stay

3.1 'best' hotels - curated selections.

Whatever you go, there are always thousands of hotel options. These sites do the research work for you and use experts to curate a list of the best, based on location, quality and quality.

How to use it: For all the destinations we cover, we provide you with a curated list of the best hotels – for all budgets, from the mainstream to the unusual.

The selections are made by our writers, who must not only be leading travel journalists, but also specialise in that destination (either living there or visiting frequently). The writers have at least inspected and usually stayed in the properties they recommend.

Conde Nast Traveller

Similar to Travel & Leisure above, this high-end, luxury global travel magazine covers a range of topics including hotels and resorts, airlines, cruises, food and drink, and various travel destinations around the world.

When to use it: They do great round-ups of the ‘best’ hotels to stay in a destination – but obviously at the top end. If you’re not that price sensitive, start with their shortlist.

Honourable mention: Travel & Leisure, their great rival, also does destination hotel round-ups.

Website : https://www.cntraveller.com/

In my view, it’s the best ‘guidebook’ website for researching and planning a trip online – once you know where you want to go. They simply and helpfully list out a reasonably long short list of things to see & do and places to stay, and rate them each from 1-3, depending on how good they are.

However, like all the guidebooks online, coverage is comprehensive at times, requiring a lot of time and effort to research through it. The website is also swamped with banner ads that are off-putting and annoying.

How to use it: A good place to start your hotel search. They generally do select good options, though it’s more aimed at budget travellers.

Website : https://www.frommers.com/

The Telegraph (Travel)

This long-standing British newspaper does a fine job of curating and rating (out of 10) the best hotels in destinations around the world, for all budgets. The reviews tell you what you want to know – style, location, key amenities – without being overwhelming.

As for Bucket List Travels , selections and reviews are written by top travel writers who have inspected and usually stayed in the property. The number of hotels they recommend is a lot more than Bucket List Travels – and includes ones we certainly wouldn’t include – but it does give you a longer list to start with.

When to use it: if you care about where you stay, and really want one of the best places, this is a great place to start your start for somewhere to stay.

Website : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/

TripAdvisor

The original hotel review site, it has since expanded to become the global platform for reviews (and information) on hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other travel-related businesses. It also offers a variety of travel-related content and resources, including travel guides and forums.

Over the years it has, sadly become increasingly corrupted with fake reviews, but they can’t fake all of them and as long as there are at least several hundred reviews, the score should be reasonably reflective.

When to use it: I personally like to start drawing up a shortlist of places to stay on other sites listed here, then do a quick check of the reviews of each on TripAdvisor. I also filter to see only the negative comments, then look at 1) how recent they are 2) if it is a one-off complaint i.e. someone had a refund request refused and 3) if it is something that can and probably has been fixed e.g. a rude receptionist. Small room sizes, traffic noise from road proximity, and so on – these issues are not easily fixed.

Website : https://www.tripadvisor.com

3.2 Boutique hotel collections

If it’s a boutique hotel you’re after, try one of these specialist sites. They only list high-quality properties that meet their individual criteria.

Design Hotels

As the name suggests, this website offers a curated selection of over 300 independently owned and operated hotels and resorts around the world, each chosen for its unique design and aesthetic. The site emphasizes design and architecture and offers a range of luxury and boutique properties.

Pros: It’s a brilliant resource for finding unique and interesting stays, especially with modern and/or minimalist interiors.

Cons: if you’re not that worried about hotel design, then it doesn’t offer a lot of value other than a list of interesting hotels.

When to use: if you’re interested in design, and prioritise that in your accommodation, then this is a great resource. If it’s not that important, you’re better off elsewhere with a greater selection and better prices.

Website : https://www.designhotels.com/

This boutique hotel booking website offers a carefully curated selection of stylish, unique and independently-run hotels and vacation rentals around the world. They offer in-depth reviews of each property, personalised recommendations, and a friendly, 24/7 booking service.

Pros: The curated selection of unique and stylish properties is exceptional and of a consistently high quality that you can rely on. Each property has been personally inspected by staff. The reviews, from both customers and staff, are honest and in-depth and tell you who it is and isn’t for, rather than pretend everyone’s going to love it.

Cons: There’s a limited number of properties in many destinations, and it is property, not destination, led – meaning is easier to find the place, then decide on the destination rather than the reverse (which may suit).

When to use: if their style of property i.e. unique, high quality, small and independent, is what you like/are looking for, there’s no better resource to use. If they don’t have something in your preferred destination, then look elsewhere, but check first.

Honourable mention: Sawdays offers a similar service, but they’re UK & Europe only.

Website : https://www.i-escape.com/

Mr & Mrs Smith

This first-rate, UK-based hotel booking website curates handpicked, boutique hotels around the world, each personally inspected to meet their high standards of facilities, service and location. The website has in-depth reviews of each property, with insider tips like what are the best rooms to book, without being overwhelming.

There are also exclusive benefits for members like gifts on arrival, or late checkouts, and a 24/7 booking service.

Pros: The standard of hotels is consistently high, so much so that the brand has become a trusted stamp of quality. The booking service and post-sales support is efficient yet very personable, and hotel staff genuinely care about ‘Smith’ customers so you feel very welcome when you arrive.

Cons: They have limited or no options in many destinations. They also can’t match the benefits of the OTA reward schemes like Booking.com .

When to use: The site is great if this is your style of hotel, and you want to be looked after at every step. Limited coverage is only an issue if you are dead set on a destination. If you’re not really that bothered where you go, or at least are open to suggestions, check this excellent site first.

Website : https://www.mrandmrssmith.com/

Secret Escapes

A members-only hotel booking website that offers exclusive deals and discounts on luxury hotels and vacations around the world. The site negotiates special rates with hotels and resorts, available to their members only.

Pros: There some great deals and genuine exclusive discounts to be had, though max discount tends to be 30% (and average of 15%-20%), but still not to be sniffed at. They also do a good job of curation, so you know you’re getting a decent hotel.

Cons: You still need to compare prices to other sites like Booking.com and the hotel’s own website, as there are lots of sneaky tricks and breaking of agreements that going on behind the scenes and you never really know where the best deal is until you check.

When to use: if you know where you want to go, it’s well worth checking in for a deal.

Website : https://www.secretescapes.com/

Small Luxury Hotels of the World

This website has personally visited, verified and vetted every single one of its 520 hotels in more than 90 countries. The criteria for inclusions I small (<50 rooms, non-chain and offering the highest standards of luxury and service.

Pros: it’s an exceptional collection of outstanding hotels, and the brand guarantees a high-quality, luxury stay. Members get 10% off and extra (tiered) benefits like upgrades and late checkouts. Hotels welcome their members with open arms, as they usually spend well, and SMH look after their customers.

Cons: things this good come with a price tag. Many hotels are out of reach of most travellers’ budgets.

When to use: if you’re a discerning, occasionally demanding, traveller, that specifically wants a smaller hotel, this is a great place to start your search. Check other websites though for better prices – even with the 10% off – but if you’re not that price sensitive, it’s nice to book with someone who cares, as opposed to a hotel production line like Booking.com.

Website : https://slh.com/

Tablet Hotels

This New York-based brand, founded in 2000 and well-known across the US, has curated over 3,500 boutique & luxury properties around the world. In 2018, it was purchased by and merged with Michelin.

Similar to Mr & Mrs Smith, they curate a selection based on criteria, offer a full booking service, and exclusive benefits for ‘Tablet Plus’ members like VIP upgrades and free valet parking.

Pros: the curated selection guarantees a measure of quality, and some of the VIP benefits are really nice ones to have and make you feel a bit special.

Cons: You inevitably will pay more than on other sites, and sometimes they overpromise and underdeliver on the VIP experience – much depends on the attitude of the hotel. The criteria for selection is much broader than a Mr & Mrs Smith, so you’re not getting that real consistency of accommodation, and the personal relationship that Smith has with its properties.

When to use: If you want to feel like a VIP and value those benefits over saving a few pennies or cents, then they are worth a look.

Website : https://www.tablethotels.com/

3.3 Home rentals & stays

Launched in 2008 and needing no introduction, this global accommodation powerhouse forever altered the holiday market. Now with more than 300,000 listings in over 190 countries, it has expanded from its original core offering of ‘spare rooms to rent’ to include apartments, treehouses, villas – whatever you can stay in, it’s likely to be on AirBnB.

Pros: the sheer number of options and global coverage means you’re highly likely to find something you want. The site is simple and easy to use, with lots of photographs, user reviews and star ratings.

Cons: The product and website is great, but they don’t really care about customers, and customer service if something goes wrong can be challenging to find.

When to use: whenever you’re looking for something other than a hotel, and/or something more authentic or with a local feel. It’s especially good for families and groups wanting to stay together in one place.

Website : https://www.airbnb.com

Couchsurfing

This global hospitality exchange enables you to stay with a host for free for a few nights – be it sofa or, if you’re lucky, a bed. You simply create a profile, search for hosts, and request to stay with them. Surprisingly, perhaps, it works, and over the years the site has built a loyal following and a strong community of ‘couchsurfers’ who help and support each other, and even organise events around the world.

When to use it: When budget is tight and you just really want somewhere to crash, and/or you’re looking to connect with other travellers and the local community.

Website : https://www.couchsurfing.com/

This upscale holiday home and apartment rental specialist has a large catalogue of privately-owned places to stay, which you can filter by key criteria like price, location, number of bedrooms etc. Each listing is vetted by their team to ensure it meet minimum standards. It’s owned by the Expedia Group.

The quality of homes for rent is exceptional and varied, from lake houses to treehouses, and the search and filtering makes it quick and simple to find something that suits. Customer service is good, much better than AirBnB for example.

Website : https://www.vrbo.com/

Villas of Distinction

Villas of Distinction is a luxury villa rental company that offers an extensive portfolio of properties in over 50 destinations worldwide. They provide personalized service to help clients select the perfect villa for their vacation, and offer a range of amenities such as private pools, chefs, and concierge services to enhance the guest experience.

When to use it: When you’re looking for an independent, self-catering stay in an uber-luxurious villa. It’s top-end, with a price tag to match.

Honourable mention: One Fine Stay offers a similar service.

Website : https://www.villasofdistinction.com/

3.4 Campsites & Hostels

HostelWorld

The hostel specialist is the go-to place for booking budget accommodation in over 170 countries – both dormitory beds and private rooms. The website and mobile app allow you to browse and book from a wide range of hostels, hotels, and guesthouses, with a focus on affordable and social options. There are also offers travel guides, reviews, and a loyalty program for frequent users.

Pros: The UX is really smooth, the inventory (number of options) is much is larger than on the major hotel search engines (OTAs), and it does a much better job of setting out dormitory bed pricing and deal options. There are a number of ‘community’ features that encourage you to connect with fellow travellers.

When to use it: If you’re on a budget or want to meet people when you’re travelling, start here with your accommodation search.

Website : https://www.hostelworld.com/

If you’re looking for something off-grid, preferably unique and unusual – but don’t want to compromise too much on luxury, this website is for you. It’s a directory of for luxury campsites and stays, with various accommodation options ranging from tents to tipis, log cabins to vintage caravans. Coverage is mainly Europe & UK, though they have plans to expand beyond.

Website : https://campaglam.com/

3.5 Price comparison

Concept: This Expedia-owned hotel search engine allows you to compare prices from various booking sites for over 1.8 million hotels in more than 190 countries. You can search & filter to discover hotels matching your criteria, then each hotel listing shows the price of a room on the various OTA sites. The site also offers user reviews, ratings, and filters to help you decide.

For all aggregators, the prices are often inaccurate, and not the cheapest option when you click through. The OTAs (like Expedia, Booking.com) have learned over the years how to manipulate them to ensure their listing comes up first with the cheapest price.

When to use it: It’s a good place to start your hotel search, especially when you have specific requirements such that you can use the on-site filters to narrow down the options quickly. If you discover a hotel you want somewhere else, always come and check the prices here before booking.

Note – it doesn’t always include the hotel direct price (so make sure you check separately), and sometimes the prices are inaccurate when you click through.

Honourable mentions: HotelsCombined , owned by Booking.com and the main rival to Trivago, is known for having better deals as they search lesser-known booking sites (though that can come with risks). Both I suspect of bias, however, in pushing Booking.com and Expedia products. Skyscanner also now offers accommodation price comparison, and they have the advantage of being independent and unbiased of the leading OTAs. Kayak also offers price comparison – but they are owned by Booking.com too. I prefer Trvago above the rest purely because they also helpfully show you show the lowest price depending on the ‘deal’ type i.e. cancellable or non, including breakfast etc. which obviously makes a big difference to the ‘cheapest’ price.

Website : https://www.trivago.com

3.6 Accommodation booking

Booking.com

The world’s largest accommodation online booking service that lists over 28 million hotels (and now rentals, B&Bs and hostels) from around the world. They offer a tiered loyalty program called ‘Genius’ The three levels offer 10%, 15%, and 20% discounts (respectively) on bookings at hundreds of thousands of participating locations. They also include priority customer service help, and free breakfast packages or room upgrades when possible.

Pros: The website is easy to use, with excellent filter options, and once you have created an account, you can book within a few clicks. Their inventory is phenomenal, with most hotels in the world signed up. The loyalty program is accessible and with great benefits.

Cons: The loyalty program only applies for a limited number of participating hotels, so you won’t always get the benefits. Hotel websites often still have a better deal, and some don’t release all of their room types to Booking.com so you can’t see these rooms.

Booking.com may also confusingly say ‘sold out’ when there are rooms available still on the hotel website. So always check the hotel website before booking.

When to use it: Start your accommodation search here, and then once you’ve narrowed down the options with the filters, check other sites and the hotel website for a better deal.

Honourable mention: Agoda is essentially a carbon copy of Booking.com – they are owned by the Bookings Holdings Group. Agoda has it’s roots in Asia, and is based in Singapore, so it has more comprehensive Asian content. If that’s where you’re going, it’s worth using.

Website : https://www.booking.com

Concept: same as for Booking.com, with a similar tiered loyalty program, though at time of writing, the tiered benefits are not lifetime like they are with Booking.com. You need to be a regular customer to benefit from the higher tiers – not the case with Booking.com.

Their famous loyalty program of stay 10 times, earn one free reward night – now the basic tier – requires you to book at least once every 12 months or your reward night expires.

Honourable mention: Expedia is essentially a carbon copy of Hotels.com. They’re owned by the same group, and effectively have the same hotel inventory and pricing. There are slight differences in the reward program – I think Hotels.com’s one is better, hence why they got the nudge.

Website : https://hotels.com

HotelTonight

Owned by AirBnB , this mobile app and website offers last-minute hotel rooms at discounted rates. Inventory ranges from budget to luxury, and you can use the filters to specify your location and preferences. There’s also a ‘Rate Drop’ feature that discounts same-day prices after 3pm.

When to use: if you need a last-minute room, it’s definitely worth checking for a deal. However, in my experience, their deals weren’t especially good compared to other standard booking sites – though the ‘Rate Drop’ does deliver discounts.

Website : https://www.hoteltonight.com/

Food, drink & entertainment

4.1 food & drink.

A food and dining news website that provides reviews, guides, and information on restaurants and food trends in various cities across the world. The site offers articles on topics such as dining culture, chefs, industry news, and more. They also feature videos and podcasts related to food and restaurants. The quality of content and recommendations is excellent, and they’ve regularly won awards to their food & wine journalism.

When to use it: Officially it only spans 23 US cities, and if that’s where you’re headed, it’s a good place to check. However, that’s for detailed coverage. For most cities, however, they have a round-up of ‘the best restaurants in X’, covering all price ranges. Just search for it on their site.

Website : https://eater.com

Foodie blogs

Local foodies blog about anything from food trucks to Michelin-starred restaurants. In any destination, especially cities, the food scene changes so fast that almost any corporate website will not keep up. Local foodies are out testing daily, and take pride in keeping their blogs up to date with the latest and greatest. They also cover the smaller, more niche places that only a local would know about.

There are too many to mention, but search for ‘food blogs in X’ by Googling (or Binging) and see who you can find.

When to use: When you want to discover some insider foodie experiences in a destination, and get some good restaurant tips that are not Michelin-starred.

Concept: Increasingly the go-to resource for vegan and vegetarian dining around the world, run by vegans, as the popularity of the movement continues to gather a welcome pace and momentum. The site is also becoming a thriving community hub, with active forums and listings of fellow vegans in local cities that you can message for tips.

When to use it: to discover the best vegan and vegetarian dining options in your destination, or to get tips/advice from the local community.

Website : https://www.happycow.net/

This stalwart former magazine is still the place to go in the digital era for local listings of ‘what’s on’. It provides comprehensive listings, information and reviews on cultural events, concerts, theatre performances, film screenings, and other entertainment in cities around the world.

When to use it: If you’re wanting to book in some entertainment on your trip, this is the best place to start looking.

Website : https://www.timeout.com/

Yelp is a platform that allows you to search for and review local businesses, including restaurants, bars, shops, and other services in 220 cities in 32 countries . It’s best known for restaurant reviews, however – some of the other business listings can be fairly light. As with all review sites, it suffers from fake reviews,  but the volume is sufficient to give you an overall sense of what’s worth a try.

How to use it: I use it to draft a short list of places to try, then cross-check that with other sources and/or my hotel if I’m staying in one. Concierges will give good restaurant tips, but in my experience, the options they give are limited.

Website : https://www.yelp.com

Before you go

Centre for Disease Control

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a national public health institute in the United States. The website provides comprehensive information and resources on health and safety topics, including infectious diseases, vaccines, travel health, environmental health, emergency preparedness, and more.

When to use it: before you go to a new destination, stop here to check any disease risks and vaccination requirements (you can search by country from the home page). It also has helpful advice for people with special health conditions , and/or doing specialist activities.

Website : https://www.cdc.gov/

5.2 What to take

This global online store is a specialist in all things travel accessories, with over 200 products covering everything from adapters, to travel pillows and luggage security.

How to use it: have a skim before you go. I always end up seeing/buying things I never even knew I needed!

Website : https://go.travel

Packing List Checklist App

A handy app to create packing checklists – a godsend for people like me who always forget their sunglasses. A plethora of packing list apps, I like and use this one before it’s simple, quick – and free. No upgrades needed.

You manually create your own list(s) – you can create multiple different ones, for different holiday types for example – then select from a list of a fairly comprehensive list of suggested items to start you off. Most of the time that will do it, though you can add your own if needed. When it comes to packing, you can tick things off as and when they’re in the case.

How to use it: Next time you get a few free moments, create a packing list. Add to it as and when things pop into your head. Tick them off when you pack.

Website : https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/packing-list-checklist/id1235121075

5.3 Travel planning

TripIt is another travel organising app that allows you to store all of your travel plans in one place. Users can forward their confirmation emails for flights, hotels, and rental cars to the app, which will then create a master itinerary for their trip. The app also provides real-time flight alerts, directions, and travel recommendations.

Website : https://www.tripit.com/web

The Best Travel Guides and Why You May or May NOT Want to Pack Them

Packing , Packing Tips

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It’s no secret that I absolutely love travel guides. I buy them for every destination and never travel without them. Find out what are the best travel guides and why you may or may not want to pack them!

The Best Travel Guides

I love using Lonely Planet as a travel reference and think that they have the best travel guides on the market. You can shop their entire collection here!

Before smart phones, travel blogs, or Wikitravel, travelers used guide books. In fact, in 2008 when I first started traveling, LP’s thorntree forum and its guide books are what helped me get familiar with the world of backpacking and I have found them to be a valuable resource ever since.

While I love to read travel blogs for wanderlust and inspiration, when it comes to advice on the go, I turn to the guide books for certain information.

You may be thinking: wait, can’t you just find this information for free online on Wikitravel or other websites?

Yes, I’m sure you can but in my case, I can’t worry about having internet or taking time to search through Google’s results for the right answer. With my travel guides I know I can find what I need in one convenient location.

However, the biggest downside to using guide books is that they’re usually extremely heavy and can take up more space than a pair of shoes!

Fortunately, this is no longer an issue because you don’t need to pack them – you can now download them online!  I don’t travel with an e-reader and instead save all my guides to my smart phone and access them via Amazon’s Kindle Reading App or read them as PDF files on my laptop.

I have all the convenience that I love about the travel guides without the inconvenience of the bulk!

Keep reading to find out more about why I consider these to be the best travel guides and why you should consider using them, too!

Don’t know where to start? Get your destination guide and start reading. They offer you an easy summary about what you need to know including itinerary ideas, which are one of the handiest tools for planning and maximizing your time. In addition to specific destination information, they also offer history, cultural dos and don’ts, common language translations, currency information, weather, and other practicalities.

I swear by Lonely Planet’s Shoestring Guides . They’re geared towards backpackers and people on a budget so they show you the most cost effective places to stay and how to get there on the cheap.

One of the biggest ways to save money when you travel is by taking local transportation. These guides usually do a great job at showing you how to get from point A to point B on your own. This is particularly useful if you’re in a country where you don’t know the language and asking locals for directions isn’t an easy task.

I have to admit, the transportation feature is reason enough to invest in travel guides when it comes to budget or long-term travel.

Even if you want to avoid other travelers like the plague and prefer to stay in lesser-known accommodation, the guides help give you a place to start your search. Take a taxi, motorbike, train, or walk to one of the places featured in the guide and you’re almost certain to find many more places to sleep nearby with as many or as little other travelers as you would like to see.

Not all solo travelers want to explore the world alone and many people find it useful to stay in accommodation where they know they might meet fellow travelers. I love to make new friends around the world whether local or global and staying in hotels recommended by the guides is an easy way to do that.

Seeing another traveler reading a guidebook is also a good conversation starter. Don’t be shy and say hi! Exchange your travel tips and you might even learn about things not featured inside the book. This is how I found Guatemala’s best kept secret.

Off the Beaten Path

The guides may not help you get off the beaten path but they do serve as a general map of the area that you plan to explore. You may choose to use the guide’s tips in busy tourist destinations and then once you’re there you can get off the grid and discover new places not mentioned in the books. It doesn’t hurt to have a reference available to you if you like to balance out your travel experiences with local and touristy destinations like me.

While travel guides also give you information about where to drink and eat I rarely reference these sections but I do find the rest of the content very useful! For food and drinks I just seek out local hot spots.

Travel guides may or may not be for you but if you’re new to travel, they’re definitely worth considering! Check out Lonely Planet Guides on Amazon.

What do you think are the best travel guides? Please comment below!

For more travel tips, please read:

• 5 Things You Should Always Pack in your Personal Item Before Flying
• 7kg Baggage Allowance? How to Pack for the Carry-on Crackdown
• Save Suitcase Space with these 15 Packable Travel AccessoriesTraveling with Children: 11 Must-Haves For Flights With Preschoolers

Hope you liked this post on the best travel guides. Please share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Picking a travel guide can be just as complicated as planning a trip, but knowing your tastes and what you want to experience while traveling will tell you which one to pick. I love Lonely Planet, but I know they’re not for everyone. And, now that they can be downloaded, they are fun to use and easier than carrying around extra weight.

Very true, they’re not for everyone I’m a bit of an “old-school” traveler I suppose 😉

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19 travel books to read now to inspire your next trip

Update : Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

With travel still largely at a standstill around the world, you may still be stuck at home for the foreseeable future. But just because you're trapped at home doesn't mean all your wanderlust has suddenly disappeared. Whether you're on government-mandated quarantine or simply practicing social distancing, here are some of the best travel books out there -- from classics to new debuts, memoirs to fiction, and even a few of our favorite books that will keep your kids excited about all the future travels to come.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

Ready to be transported to exotic destinations, or take an emotional or spiritual journeys? Add these books to your shopping list.

Best credit cards for buying books

If you're buying books on Amazon — whether through Kindle, Audible or ordering physical books — consider using the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card, which offers 5% cash back on Amazon purchases (though you must be a Prime member to qualify) and an Amazon gift card automatically loaded into your account.

It's also worth checking your Amex or Chase offers , which often have deals for Kindle Unlimited subscriptions or bonus points (think: 5x points on your Amazon purchases, up to 2,000 points, through the summer, when you pay with an eligible Amex card).

Related: Best credit cards for Amazon purchases

If you're not a Prime member, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is a solid choice, offering you 1.5% cash back on purchases. Neither has an annual fee.

Other top cards for online shopping include the Chase Freedom (No longer open to new applicants) and The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express , among others.

The information for the Chase Freedom, Amazon Prime Rewards Signature card, Amex EveryDay Preferred card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If you'd prefer to rent instead of purchase books, consider borrowing an e-book from the New York Public Library's collection -- there are more than 300,000 e-books to choose from.

Related: Best travel movies to satisfy your wanderlust

Best travel books for foodies

"my life in france" by julia child.

If you love Fresh cuisine and the romance of Paris, Julie Child's account of her adventures learning to cook (and live) like a Parisian is sure to delight. Read as she navigates the stark contrast between French and American cultures with her famous positivity and charm.

"World Travel: An Irreverent Guide" by Anthony Bourdain

OK, this book isn't available until Oct. 13, 2020, but you can preorder it now to receive a delightful travel surprise in the fall. And who couldn't use one of those right now? The book will feature some of Bourdain's favorite destinations and, of course, advice on where to eat once you've arrived.

"Under the Tuscan Sun" by Frances Mayes

You've probably seen the movie, and who hasn't dreamed of moving to Italy and renovating a dilapidated mansion? But the book is even better and includes recipes that will help you channel the Italian countryside from your kitchen.

Best travel books for wildlife enthusiasts

"love, life and elephants: an african love story" by daphne jenkins sheldrick.

This book inspired me to plan my first African safari last year as I read about how the author worked tirelessly to save animals such as elephants, zebras and rhinoceroses, and fought to end poaching in Kenya. Jenkins Sheldrick's friendship with Eleanor (an African elephant, of course) is particularly heartwarming.

"Tracks" by Robyn Davidson

Accompany the author — and her dog and four camels — on her 1,700-mile journey from the desert of Alice Springs, across the Australian Outback to the Indian Ocean. And there are no FaceTimes with family members or uploading filtered Instagram photos here, because Davidson's journey took place in 1977. She had no cellphone, just a suitcase full of "inappropriate clothes."

Related: 11 life-changing destination novels

Best travel books for adventurers

"down the nile" by rosemary mahoney.

Solo women travelers will love the firsthand account of Mahoney's trip alone on the Nile in a small fishing boat. Though she'll face challenging obstacles, such as stifling heat, civil unrest, conservative social norms and even crocodiles, she still manages to enchant you with Egypt's mystical beauty.

"The Motorcycle Diaries" by Ernesto Che Guevara

Hop on the back of La Poderosa, a single-cylinder motorcycle, to explore Latin America with two 20-somethings (one of them is Che Guevara) in the 1950s. From the Andes to the Amazon, the two men discover a whole new world filled with social injustice but also kindness and hope. Warning: You may be inspired to sell your car.

"Turn Right At Machu Picchu" by Mark Adams

Although Machu Picchu is something of a tourist circus today, you'll be dying to visit after reading about the author's attempt to mimic Hiram Bingham's original expedition through the Sacred Valley and the lost Inca lands.

"Don't Go There" by Adam Fletcher

The perfect book to enjoy from the comfort of your sofa, Fletcher details the wild and nerve-racking adventures he's had in places you're probably very curious about — but may not actually want to visit. From North Korea to Chernobyl and little-known Transnistria, you can't help but laugh as the author injects his distinct sense of humor into his insane experiences in strange places.

Best travel books for self-discovery

"catfish and mandala" by andrew pham.

Grieving from the death of his sister, a young Vietnamese American struggles to understand where he belongs and embarks on a bicycle journey through Vietnam, Mexico and Japan. Undeterred by obstacles such as dysentery, scammers and his own conflicted emotions, Pham bikes thousands of miles over five months. This book is as much about the emotional journey as the physical one.

"Spirit Run" by Noé Álvarez

First-generation immigrant Noé Álvarez struggles to fit in at university, so he decides to change course after hearing about Peace and Dignity Journeys running events, dedicated to reinforcing cultural unity and diversity. The book follows his four-month-long run from Canada to Guatemala.

"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert

Although it's hard not to imagine Julie Roberts gallivanting across the globe, the book is just as good, if not better, than the film. Daydream of Italy's lively cobblestone streets, discover India's soulful spirit and imagine yourself surrounded by Bali's verdant rice fields as you follow Gilbert's quest to discover the meaning of life. (And yes, you can also file this under best travel books for foodies.)

"Wild" by Cheryl Strayed

Reeling from the death of her mother, drug use and divorce, Strayed impulsively decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Alone. From losing her hiking boots to seriously overstuffing her pack , the author details the good, the bad and the life-changing during her 1,100-mile journey on foot.

Other travel books we love

"cathedral of the sea" by ildefonso falcones.

Few books have fueled my wanderlust the way this one did. Set in 14th-century Barcelona, this work of historical fiction blends adventure with romance and, somehow, the Spanish Inquisition. Follow Arnau Estanyol and his fellow stoneworkers as they construct the city's famous Santa Maria del Mar cathedral, which still stands today.

"Cruising Attitude" by Heather Poole

The title pretty much sums it up, but the author -- flight attendant Heather Poole -- explains how the friendly skies are not always so friendly. Expect plenty of drama and tales of passengers behaving badly. For more up-in-the-air action, you can always dig into some flight attendant gossip from TPG's very own Carrie A. Tray .

Related: 6 trips you should book at least a year in advance

Best travel books for kids

"madlenka" by peter sís.

Show your children the world within a single city block. Madlenka, an endearing child with a loose tooth, experiences the world while stopping into spots like the French bakery, the Latin-American grocery store and the Asian shop on her city block.

"The Traveling Child Goes To Rio" by Monet Hambrick

Follow along as two young sisters explore Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The book not only appeals to a child's sense of adventure, but also explains the practicalities of travel, such as flights and passport stamps. Hambrick delves into Brazil's culture and landmarks in a relatable, kid-friendly manner.

"The Secret Island" by Enid Blyton

Older kids reading chapter books will be enthralled as siblings Peggy, Mike and Nora run away from an evil aunt and uncle to discover a secret island. Along with their orphaned friend, Jack, they build a home from a willow tree and live life in their very own paradise.

"Scarlett's Passport: Australia" by Alli Botto

For those dreaming of a family trip far, far away, "Scarlett's Passport: Australia" is first in a series of children's books about Scarlett, who heads to the land Down Under to have adventures with animals, food, language and more. Next in the series will be "Scarlett's Passport: Hawaii."

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6 best travel guidebooks for europe [plan your perfect trip].

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Find the best travel guidebooks for Europe. Discover the top picks, including Rick Steves’ guides and Lonely Planet, and plan your perfect trip!

There’s no better companion on a European trip than a travel book for Europe.

They give you information, tips, tricks, and advice on navigating the area. And, as I’ve learned, it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a seasoned traveler. A guidebook helps.

And Europe has plenty of travel books to help you sightsee — from Lonely Planet to Fodor’s.

So, let’s dive into the best books so you don’t miss a thing on your next trip to Europe.

How to choose the best travel guidebooks for Europe

Guidebooks are a great way to get to know a city in a deeper way.

When choosing the best travel guidebooks for Europe, it’s important to consider your personal preferences and the activities you enjoy.

1. Think about the guidebook style you prefer.

Some people prefer straightforward and to-the-point guides, while others enjoy more detailed and immersive ones. Also, think about the type that works best for you. Do you prefer a physical book or an eBook?

Also, how specific do you want to be?

For example, if you’re only visiting Italy, getting a more specific guidebook may be worthwhile.

The most popular guidebooks are for:

2. Jot down what you want to do on your trip.

Are you a hiker or more of a city-goer? If I had to look for you in a foreign city, would I find you wandering the local forests, or would I have to pull you from a nearby museum?

Find the guidebooks that share your interests, and keep on using them as long as you find value in them! That’s why I like to try a variety of different ones until I find what I like (right now that’s Lonely Planet).

3. Look for reputable authors (I’ve got you covered with the books below 😉).

Especially as people use AI more to generate content, it’s important to find experts and experienced travelers who have been to the destination.

So, with that out of the way, let’s dive into the best books for European travel.

1. Lonely Planet Europe

Lonely Planet is one of the most trusted names in travel.

And that’s reflected in the Lonely Planet books with top tips, to-dos, and travel experiences.

What makes Lonely Planet great is they provide different itineraries based on budget. So, if you’re looking for luxury, Lonely Planet will have you in the finest hotels and restaurants.

If you want to travel Europe on a budget, you’ll find hostels and hotels to keep money in your pocket for other activities.

From off-the-beaten-path to the must-see sights, Lonely Planet will show you how to do it and do it right.

Note: If you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, you get access to a few of the European travel guidebooks included in your subscription!

• Pages: 1248 pages
• Countries included: Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium & Luxembourg, Bosnia & Hercegovina, Britain, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, The Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine
• Formats: Paperback and eBook
• Amazon Rating: 4.3 stars
• Extras: 190+ maps, tons of experiences, and more

2. Rick Steves Best of Europe

Rick Steves’ travel books are gospels in the travel game.

Honestly, I don’t know if there is someone who has covered Europe more and in a better way than Rick.

So that’s why Rick’s Best of Europe is a must-have when traveling to Europe. From itineraries to maps, Rick and his team wrote down their travel tips for all the major cities across Europe.

So, if you’re looking for the best travel guide for Europe, it’s hard to go wrong with anything Rick Steves creates.

• Pages: 1024 pages
• Countries included: England, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland
• Amazon Rating: 4.6 stars
• Extras: 100+ full-color maps and photos, self-guided tours and walks, and more

3. DK Eyewitness Europe

The DK Eyewitness travel guide for Europe is slightly lesser-known than Lonely Planet and Rick Steves’, but it’s still a great option if you’re looking for Europe travel books.

The book is packed with guides and information on all the big attractions. And stunning photography dots the pages to give you a visual (and help with your daydreaming adventures). And the recommendations for cities, major attractions, and restaurants are spot-on for all ranges of interests. However, some buyers have noted that the Rick Steves travel book is a better choice if you’re looking for more in-depth info.

But, overall, you can’t go wrong with the DK Eyewitness Europe guide to start planning.

• Pages: 760 pages
• Countries included: Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands
• Formats : Paperback and eBook
• Extras: 3D cutaways of important sights, floor plans for major museums, hand-drawn illustrations, and more

4. The Rough Guide to Europe on a Budget

Budget travelers, rejoice!

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler looking for some tips, a tourist visiting Europe for the first time, or a gap year student looking to make the most of your time — Rough Guides Europe is for you.

This book has everything from practical tips to time (and money) saving itineraries to maps. Plus, it offers budget itineraries no matter your travel style. If you’re looking for restaurants and music, it’s got it. Hiking and outdoors? It’s got that, too.

So, if you want to save a buck and see Europe, here’s the book for your trip planning.

• Pages: 1272 pages
• Countries included: Albania, Austria, Belgium & Luxembourg, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Morocco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey
• Amazon Rating: 4.2 stars

5. Fodor’s Essential Europe

Fodor’s Travel has been helping people find the best ways to travel Europe longer than most of us have been alive.

Beginning in 1936, Eugene Fodor began publishing the top books to read when planning a trip to Europe. And it’s continued on to today.

And with Fodor’s Essential Europe, you have everything you need to start your planning:

• Where to travel — Western Europe and Eastern Europe
• What time to travel to avoid crowds
• Where to go and what to see
• The ins and outs of the major sights, along with some hidden gems

Plus, with its itineraries, you have everything you need to make the most of your European adventure. After all, it covers 25 countries in Europe!

• Countries included: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Scandinavia and the Baltic States, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom
• Amazon Rating: 4.4 stars
• Extras: Multiple itineraries for different travel types, 16-page color insert of top attractions, and more

6. Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door

I told you he was reliable.

If you need to know something about forming the perfect European trip, Rick Steves is the man to ask. And if you only have one trip, this is the one book to have.

This book includes tons of tips and a unique look into how to travel Europe in this edition:

• Cultural insights
• Useful phrases
• A bit of history and culture
• What to do when you’re looking to plan your trip

Less about things to see and top destinations and more about how to experience Europe’s best. An excellent companion.

• Pages: 824 pages
• Amazon Rating: 4.7 stars
• Extras: More tips and tricks to get you around Europe than Rick can give in a lifetime

What do you think are the best travel books for Europe?

No matter which you choose, you can’t go wrong with this list of the best European travel guides.

But I’m curious to hear from those of you who are headed to Europe for the first time  and seasoned vets. What do YOU think is the best travel guidebook out there?

Let me know in the comments below!

And, if you’re looking for more adventure before your trip, check out the best books to read before traveling to Europe.

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I'm David Leiter , the guy behind this website. I'm an American who's been traveling the world full time for 8 years now.

I started this travel blog in 2019 to document my own international trips, share my photos, and help others learn how to travel the world and find some really good spots off the beaten path.

I'm currently based in Bali , Indonesia , where I met my wife Intan, who’s a Bali local. Now she joins me on these wild and crazy adventures too.

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I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list. I hope this world travel blog can help and inspire you in your own journeys as well!

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The 13 Best Travel Journals

From leather-bound to Moleskine, here are the best travel journals to keep track of your adventures.

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Travel + Leisure / Alli Waataja

Whether you’re staying close to home or embarking on a bucket-list trip, it’s no secret that travel helps enrich our minds and provides us with a better understanding of the world around us — all while creating lifelong memories. To document your adventures and preserve these precious memories, consider snagging a travel journal. As you shop, keep in mind that the best travel journals come in a slew of different forms — including some with all-blank pages for long-form freewriting and others with a mix of dotted pages and prompts to spark some inspiration. All in all, it’s safe to say that there’s a travel journal out there for everyone. Ahead, we’ve rounded up our favorites, including a handful with bonus features like illustrations, maps, stickers, detachable packing lists, and storage pockets.

Best Overall

Papier joy travel journal.

The journal is divided into six sections to help travelers stay organized while planning their vacations and documenting their memories.

There’s no place to store a pen.

Divided into six distinct sections, the Papier Joy Travel Journal makes documenting your travels easy and fun. Use the wishlist and trip ideas sections to write down your top bucket list travel locales, while the journey planning and reflection sections provide plenty of space to document your escapades. Pass the time en route to your destination — be it by train, plane, or automobile — by filling out the travel games section of the notebook which includes fun activities like “I Spy,” airport bingo, word searches, and word scrambles. At the very back of the journal, you’ll find an illustrative world map to color in. You can, of course, use the journal to jot down packing must-haves, restaurant recommendations, and anything else to help you stay organized while on the go.  

The Details: 192 pages | 5.5 × 8.5 inches

Best Hardcover

Moleskine voyageur notebook.

This journal features fun and functional bonus features like stickers, detachable packing lists, and to-do lists.

There are limited color options.

Moleskine is renowned for its durable notebooks, and this travel-themed one is no exception. Featuring a clothbound hardcover, elastic closure, and an expandable inner back pocket, this 208-page travel notebook is unique in that it also comes complete with detachable packing lists, to-do lists, and, best of all, a sheet of themed stickers for decorating. The travel-planning section is excellent for — you guessed it — planning out your itinerary, while the budget pages come in especially helpful for jotting down and keeping track of expenses. And, since this is a travel journal, it should come as no surprise that there is also a dedicated section for writing down key memories to look back on. 

The Details: Lined, blank | 208 pages | 4.5 x 7 inches

Best Accessories

Clever fox travel journal.

It comes with fun themed stickers and offers specific sections for budgeting and trip reviews.

It’s made with faux leather, which is considered less durable than genuine leather.

Creative types will especially appreciate this Clever Fox Travel Journal, which comes with over 150 stickers to decorate away. Need some inspo? Check out the included user guide with examples to help you create your own one-of-a-kind travel journal. The calendar page can be used to mark down important trip dates, while the illustrative map page can be used to plan out your route. There are also research and budgeting pages, along with a trip review section where travelers can look back on their favorite activities. Additional highlights include a ribbon bookmark, a back pocket, and a pen loop.

The Details: Blank, lined, dotted | 120 pages | 5.8 x ‎8.4 inches

Best Sustainable

Rocketbook smart reusable notebook.

This innovative journal utilizes QR code technology to scan and safely store your entries in a digital app on your smartphone.

Those who prefer a more traditional journaling experience may not feel so connected to this smart journal.

Travelers looking for a more sustainable approach to journaling (read: one that doesn’t require excessive amounts of paper) should consider snagging the Rocketbook Core Reusable Smart Notebook. Simply scan the QR code printed on each page, and your smartphone will automatically snap a photo of your work before subsequently updating it to the corresponding app where your entry will live on forever. You don’t need to worry about accidentally losing the journal, and your memories, along with it!). To “write,” use the included reusable pen, add a drop of water, and wipe with the included microfiber cloth to reveal a blank page ready to fill once more.  

The Details: Dotted | 36 pages | 6 x 8.8 inches

Best Pocket Sized

Letterfolk trip passport journal.

This compact travel journal can be easily stashed away in your backpack or pocket while on the move.

With just 48 pages, this journal is not ideal for longform entries.

As the name suggests, the Letterfolk Trip Passport Journal is about the size of a passport, which means it can easily fit in your carry-on, tote bag, backpack, or everyday purse. Despite its small size, it contains a total of 20 entry logs for travelers to jot down key details of each trip. Each entry page is also accompanied by a blank page that can be used to record thoughts, photos, illustrations, and even keepsakes like ticket stubs and museum tickets. The back pages of the journal offer checklists, flight logs, bucket lists, and other fun activities. 

The Details: Lined, blank | 48 pages | 3.5 x 5.5 inches

Best Prompts

The traveler's playbook.

Uncommon Goods

The specific prompts will help inspire travelers to record small but memorable details of their vacations.

Conversely, the creative, hyper-focused pages and prompts may feel overwhelming to some.

Document each and every one of your adventures with this beautiful journal, which was created by an avid traveler. Inside, you’ll find a slew of illustrations and prompts to help get those creative juices flowing and inspire travelers to record seemingly small but unique details of their journeys that will live on for decades. There’s even a dedicated page for each country, a master tracker to help plan the ultimate itinerary, a travel bucket list, checklists, and pages where travelers can record the names and details of new friends made while globetrotting. Finally, for each country visited, color it in on the world map page. 

The Details: 256 pages | 5.8 x 8.3 inches

Best Leather

Smythson "travel and experiences" cross-grain leather notebook.

Bergdorf Goodman

This timeless travel notebook features a chic albeit durable cross-grain calf leather construction.

There are no specific prompts or unlined pages.

This portable, pocket-sized travel journal is both functional and fashionable thanks to its cross-grain leather construction, which is known for its excellent ability to withstand wear and tear. As such, you can expect it to stay intact for years on end while serving as your trusty travel companion. Plus, it can even be personalized with your initials for an extra-special touch. Choose from four fun color options: Nile Blue, Orange, Scarlet Red, and Bright Emerald. 

The Details: Lined | 64 pages | 3.5 x 5.5 inches

Mark and Graham Leather Bound World Travel Journal

Mark and Graham

This leather-bound travel journal includes colored maps of cities around the world.

It’s not refillable, meaning that you’ll need to purchase an entirely new journal when you run out.

World travelers may opt for a travel journal with multiple maps to 1) plan their upcoming trips, 2) map out future itineraries, and 3) know where they’re going when wandering through new-to-them locales. This one from Mark and Graham includes full-color maps of major cities, as well as world weather information and international dialing codes. The leather-bound book is a sleek and functional choice. For extra-luxe flair, consider adding foil-debossed monogramming for just $12.50. 

The Details: 320 pages | 6 x 4.5 inches

Best Customizable

No ordinary emporium personalised travel journal with map pages.

This fully customizable journal makes an excellent gift for friends or family, or a keepsake for yourself!

Since it ships from the United Kingdom, it can take several weeks to arrive.

Whether shopping for yourself or a lucky giftee, this travel journal can be fully personalized based on specific preferences and travels. Shoppers can customize the cover with a title, subtitle, name, date, and message. There’s also the option to select the number of pages, along with the page design. Choose between blank or lined pages, and between colored or gray maps. Lastly, the journal boasts a sleek matte finish and sturdy hardcover construction to ensure it’ll stand the test of time. 

The Details: Blank, lined | 50-150 pages | 5.9 x 8.2 inches

Best Refillable

Robrasim refillable travelers notebook.

Three different paper refills are available.

It’s a small notebook.

This versatile leather travel journal has not one, not two, but three different 64-page refill inserts — lined, blank, and kraft paper — based on personal preference. When one notepad is full, simply remove it and replace it with a new one. The included pouch is also great for storing receipts, ticket stubs, and other small travel mementos. And while this is technically classified as a travel journal, it can also be used for general note-taking, sketching, or daily planning. Take your pick of two colors: coffee and wine.

The Details: Lined, blank | 64 pages | 4 x 5.2 inches

Best with Stickers

Legend travel planner.

It has three sheets of stickers, plus dedicated pages for safety tips and checklists.

It only holds info for a maximum of five trips.

This fun travel journal-slash-itinerary planner has three sheets of themed stickers to decorate. With dedicated pages for emergency contacts, safety tips, pre-trip checklists, and even translation to commonly spoken languages, think of this journal as the ultimate travel companion. Globetrotters also have the opportunity to add photos and mementos while simultaneously jotting down notes, ideas, and expenses. The attached pen loop, three ribbon bookmarks, elastic closure, and pocket for loose notes and documents are all added bonuses. Travelers can take their pick of six fun color and pattern options, as well. 

The Details: Ruled, dotted | 5.8 x 8.3 inches

Best for Kids

Peter pauper kids’ travel journal.

A combination of maps, prompts, illustrations, and games make this the ultimate kid-friendly travel journal.

It's most suited for international travel.

Surprise and delight your child(ren) with this kids’ travel journal ahead of your next family trip. Suitable for those ages seven through 12, this journal is filled with prompts, photos, illustrations, maps, puzzles, and games to keep little ones entertained for hours on end. Kids can use the blank pages to paste photos and mementos, while the lined pages are great for jotting down memorable experiences, reflections, and drawings. The travel journal is also chock full of travel-centric quotes and fascinating world facts. The back pocket is great for stashing keepsakes.

The Details: Blank, lined | 96 pages | 6.2 x 8.2 inches

Journo Travel Journal & Trip Tracker

Apple App Store

This is a great option if you plan to transfer your digital travel memories to a glossy photo book.

Digital journaling may not be for everyone.

Travelers looking for a non-traditional journaling option should download Journo, a travel journal app and trip tracker that’s Android and Apple smartphones — along with tablets and Macs. Think of this app as a digital travel scrapbook complete with notes, photos, and — get this — audio clips. Travelers can choose to type or handwrite their entries, and the digital journal can be completely customized with specific text styles and colors. It can also be printed out into a gorgeous coffee table book. 

The Details: Customizable | Unlimited pages

Tips for Buying a Travel Journal

Consider your needs.

Are you going on a road trip? Backcountry hiking? On a month-long ship journey across the ocean? Consider where you’re going and for how long when picking a journal. If you’re going to be in some extreme weather, you might want to pick a journal that has some weather protection. Short on suitcase space? Or maybe you’re only bringing minimal gear? Consider a pocket-sized journal to maximize precious packing room.

Pick the right page format and style

Be sure to look at what types of pages come with your journal, and if it is refillable, what types of page refills are available. If you’re used to writing on lined paper, you’ll want to make sure your journal has that. But if you’re looking for some blank pages so you can sketch or add photos, make sure the journal includes them, too.

There is no right or wrong way to journal. Simply start and just let the words flow onto the pages. Talk about what you’re doing, how you’re feeling, who you're traveling with, the itinerary, what you ate, etc. If you’re not quite sure how to journal, choose a journal with prompts that will help you get started.

A bullet journal is more for to-do lists, scheduling, organizing, and jotting down ideas. Usually, bullet journals include dotted pages instead of lined pages, but you could simply add in your own bullet points to a lined journal if you wish. Bullet journals are great for quick notes while on the go, or for organization in between long journaling sessions.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

For this article, T+L contributor Lauren Dana Ellman utilized a combination of research and personal expertise as a travel commerce writer to compile a list of the best travel journals on the market. She also combed through dozens — if not hundreds — of product reviews and ratings to narrow down the specific product picks mentioned above.

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16 Best TRAVEL Websites To Check Out In 2023 (for Flights, Hotels, Deals)

Beware! Traveling is highly addictive! Once you try out that gathering the most unforgettable memories of your life can cost very little, you will never want to stay comfy at home. We put together a list of the best travel websites that will help to take the first step and GO!

I promise, it’s feasible and verified by many adventurous travelers around the world. Just think how much of your comfort you are willing to sacrifice; where are your personal borders; and what is your inner, deep reason for this particular travel.

Check out also: Best Travel Apps 2022

Here are the top travel websites that should land in the favorites bar of your web browser to help you with traveling:

SAFETY WING – Best Travel Insurance, monthly plans

• Monthly subscription $42/month
• Live chat support
• Covers Covid-related cancellations and expenses

“Better safe than sorry” – you can’t beat that statement!

Safety Wing recently came up with undoubtedly the best travel insurance plan, called Remote Health . It’s a long-term plan that covers you for pre-existing conditions, cancer, or even in your home country. Ideal for long-term travelers or digital nomads.

They also offer amazing monthly plans for short-term travel that come with very competitive prices, starting at $40.

Check the full comparison of digital nomad insurance plans!

Get Your Guide – One of The Best Travel Websites for Booking Trips and Tours

• Trusted tours in 1000+ cities
• Payment online
• Refund options

Skyscanner for flights

• best flights deals and options
• useful monthly calendar
• deals for accommodation with tickets

Let us be honest: amazingly cheap flight tickets are often the first and yet the most important reason we keep on moving our asses from country to country. Even though we promised our inner selves to settle down for a while.  

Don’t blame yourself. Put the blame on Skyscanner, their mobile app and their delightfully intruding newsletter.

Withlocals – Enjoy Your Trip with Locals

• easy booking platform
• discover cities with locals
• hikes, food tours, walks, historical tours, etc.

One of the fastest-growing travel projects of last year that connects travelers with a local community. You can book amazing trips with locals and visit the most authentic places and experience local life. Your guide will help you to get out of tourists traps and find the real spirit of the places you want to visit.

They have easy to use APP interface, a great review system, and their trips are way more affordable than traditional agency tours. No brainer!

FACEBOOK TRAVEL GROUPS

• Travel Community – general travel FB group
• GirlsLOVETravel   – female-only travel FB group
• Young Travelers Network   – for youngsters/post-millennials
• Families Who Love to Travel – family travel group
• Secret Flying – cheap flight deals
• check the full list of travel FB groups on packslight.com

Almost everybody is on Facebook and in a few FB groups but yet, they still forget to check them when they are looking for tips or answers.

Here is the list of the most active and helpful travel FB groups:

Hotel Tonight  – LAST MINUTE HOTEL DEALS

USE CODE “ VVINCEJ ” to get your 25USD discount (minimum spent 150USD)

REVOLUT – Best Conversion Rates (0% fees)

*TOP* APP for TRAVELERS 2020 & Fastest growing FinTech in Europe

If you are a regular traveler and you haven’t tried REVOLUT yet, then you are missing out a lot. REVOLUT is a fairly new Electronic Money Institution which provides you with some “revolutionary” services.

Having an account with Revolut is for FREE , you just need to pay for the shipping of your debit card. All you need to do is register in the app and order the card. Next step is to link your card with some of your other accounts and TOP up. Topping up is FREE and once your money is on Revolut, then you can take advantages of various features like:

• FREE atm withdrawals up to 400 euros
• Real-time spending tracking in the app
• Best conversion rates / no additional fees / middle conversion rate %

Another great advantage is security because you can top up anytime when you are connected to the internet. That means when you are traveling, you can keep you balance somewhere between 0-100euro and if somebody or some ATM scams you, you won’t lose much. You can also block the card anytime when you are connected to the internet.

RentalCars.com & Booking.com

RentalCars has been offering best car rental discounts for ages!  A few months ago they teamed up with Booking.com and became n.1. rental car search engine. Renting a car can get very expensive addition to your budget while traveling.

Especially when you travel solo or just as a couple. Therefore, RentalCars is your best bet in order to find the best discounts.

Hostelworld

If there is some budget for the accommodation and you wish to enjoy a certain level of being incognito and inner peace, definitely look for the best offers among hostels . Sometimes, they can be pretty expensive, too, but HostelWorld knows what people like us need. Definitely, best website for backpackers!

It can also be a way of securing the first night to skip a lovely sleep on the airport benches. Or, and that is even worse, to spend a night in front of the bus station that usually closes at midnight to 4 am.

In this case, book just the first night and then find some shelter at the locals or meet your potential couchsurfer host on-site.

Homeexchange

Swapping houses is a fabulous two-in-one option. You won’t spend a euro on accommodation, and in the meanwhile will get someone to feed your cat and water your roses while you’re off for traveling. Just make sure to get complete references of the swapper and talk together as much as possible in advance.

I confess it might be risky. But on the other hand, the whole active community of HomeExchange is built on trust . See your swappers` former reviews, where and when he or she stayed and what was written about that. Home insurance can also help to enjoy your days off in peace.

If not quite convinced, check the movie The Holiday for a better imagination to see how much fresh air this can bring into your life. Maybe there are huge positive moves ahead!

AirBnb – Apartments Rental

GET 20USD discount on your first trip

Haven’t you heard of AirBnb? Then you are missing out my friend. AirBnb is the perfect tool to find cheap accommodation that allows you to live in the place you are visiting like a local.

With AirBnb you can rent a room that is being offered by a local, and that sometimes means having a room in a family house where you interact with them on a daily basis. If that is just not your style then you can rent out a private house, flat or whatever you want. the possibilities are endless.

And if you travel as a couple, renting an Airbnb can be sometimes cheaper than staying in a shared dorm in a hostel. Apartments are becoming a popular alternative to hotels for budget travelers.

WORLD NOMADS – Best / Budget Travel Insurance

Nowadays, there is no need to highlight how important is to have insurance when traveling around the world! Not having one can lead to serious budget issues and you can end up “broke” and finish your trip very fast.

World Nomads has been offering their services for a long time and became N.1. global/international insurance for travelers.

Trusted by big brands like Lonely Planet, Inrepid, International Volunteers HQ etc. You should definitely have a look on their website before you go on your next adventure.

SE7EN – Volunteering

If you are willing to spend a portion of a day by teaching or decorating the walls of an art gallery for accommodation in return, this is something for you. SE7EN offers lists of the volunteer projects and allows you to contact hosts directly.

You will be requested to pay 15-euro membership at the beginning, but if there will be no project chosen from your side, they offer a  money return guarantee.

Couchsurfing

Be social, spend some time with your host and he will be glad to point out the best places to go in the area. You might experience the best party with his friends diving completely into the local culture.

Feel free to share something with your host. It doesn’t have to be anything valuable. I often show pictures of my current trip or bring something small and typical from my current hometown.

Being a good host is as demanding as to be a good guest. Tolerance is a must on both sides. But above all, it should be fun.

Couchsurfing has turned into the APP as well and you can also find plenty of events/meetups in almost every country. NEW “hang out” option allows you to create an event in your area very fast and catch up with a bunch of travelers for beers/dinner/walk and share some experience from inspiring travels .

Sleeping in Airports

Raise your hand if you have ever slept at the airport. Sometimes it’s about money but sometimes it’s just that your flight departs just so early in the morning that it doesn’t make sense to travel back and forth for more comfortable sleep.

Long sleepovers on the way, objective circumstances you just can’t affect may also leave you stuck at the airport for many hours. This website gathers reviews and experiences of travelers from airports around the world along with useful airport guides to help you survive a sleepover.

Find out where are the electricity plugs, comfortable chairs, quiet areas, free sofas in cafes, wifi passwords, etc.

Handy extra feature we liked is the list of cities where you can enjoy a tour and get to know a city you’re flying through.

Warning: it’s highly possible you will find yourself searching for long stopovers on purpose.

Similarly to Skyscanner, Kayak tool searches for the cheapest flying options from your current location. It beats Skyscanner in the field of multi-city trips and includes searches for nearby airports with cheaper fares.

So now do not hesitate a moment. You have all that you need for your budget travel!

Expedia.com

Expedia is similar to Booking.com, however, it is occasionally less expensive. Expedia Group, Inc. is an American online travel agency for personal and business travel.

Its websites, “which primarily travel fare aggregators and travel metasearch engines, include Expedia.com, Vrbo (formerly HomeAway), Hotels.com, Hotwire.com, Orbitz, Travelocity, trivago, and CarRentals.com.”

When you book through the app, you can save up to 25% on select hotels while earning double points. Their offers will save you even more money on your vacation, which means you can travel more.

The app has a database of over 500,000 hotels around the world.

— PIN IT 🙂 —

If you made it all the way down here, we would like to thank you for visiting and reading! We hope you’ve found some useful information and you enjoyed this list of best travel websites that we put together with a survey and fellow travel bloggers.

If you have any suggestions for a travel website that we should include in this list please, feel free to suggest in the comment section below.

Disclaimer: you might bump into some affiliate links in this article. Those links help us to earn some commission and support our efforts to run this online magazine. We appreciate your support.

I highly recommend these two couchsurfing communities for female travellers:

Host a Sister – Facebook group where women around the world can find accommodations. Travel Ladies – mobile app connecting women who want to travel with other women who want to host them

Very helpful. One point that I would like to add for future reviews is on the issue of customer service, primarily for travel aggregator sites like Expedia, Travelocity, etc. By and large, many of these sites get good reviews for functionality. But customer service for many of these sites, if something goes wrong or your booking is erroneously cancelled, is NONE EXISTENT. Meaning that if you have to travel on short notice for work or family issues, BEWARE.

Please consider checking & adding this one if you wish! Thanks http://www.YouBookTravelHire.com

Thanks. Will do.

Wow this is all great and so useful! Thank you for this amazing guide. I’m traveling soon and had no idea about 80% of these sites! Thank you!

Travel Huge ( https://www.travelhuge.com ) |

Best Travel Website for Flights & Hotel Bookings.

Its New, But Prices are far better than bookit, Kayak, Skyscanner, Hotwire, Priceline .

I had never used Travel Huge before, but an acquaintance told me about how easy and inexpensive last-minute flights and hotels could be using Travel Huge. I booked two round trips tickets for travel within 21 days of bookings.

Thanks for the tip, we will consider adding it 🙂

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15 Best Travel Books for the USA

Looking for the best travel books for exploring the USA ? Here are my top picks for 2024 printed travel guides…

Traveling in the USA is a dream for many people because the country offers a diverse array of landscapes, cultures, and experiences. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or you’re embarking on your first adventure, having the right travel guide can make all the difference in ensuring that you make the most of your trip.

A travel guidebook not only offers suggestions for places to see, eat, and stay but also provides travel tips to help you navigate the vast, and sometimes overwhelming, options in the USA. From learning about national parks and regional highlights to understanding the local customs and dining scenes, a good travel guide can be an invaluable companion on your journey.

When choosing a travel guide , it’s essential to consider your specific interests, travel style, and the kind of information you need. Some guides focus on budget travel , while others cater to luxury experiences or adventure seekers. Additionally, the format — print or digital — plays a crucial role in determining how accessible and up-to-date the information is.

After extensive research and testing, I’ve compiled a list of the best travel guides for the USA that cater to various needs, making your trip planning smooth and enjoyable. So, let’s dive in and find the perfect guide for your adventure.

Best Travel Books for USA Road Trips

I have gathered a list of the best travel guides for exploring the magnificent USA. These handy books will help make your journey smooth and unforgettable.

Fodor’s Best Road Trips in the USA

Fodor’s “Best Road Trips in the USA” is a must-have guide for anyone planning epic road trips across the United States.

• Comprehensive coverage of all 50 states
• Full-color, visually appealing guide
• Well-organized, easy-to-follow format
• Some trips may lack details about nearby attractions
• Book size and text size may be small for some readers
• Not spiral-bound, which some users might prefer

I recently used Fodor’s “Best Road Trips in the USA” to plan a memorable journey across the country. This guide did not disappoint because it provided an extensive list of epic trips across all 50 states. The full-color photography and design made it a visually engaging companion throughout my travels.

The organization and format of the book made it easy to explore different routes and plan my stops accordingly. Each trip featured in the guide was well thought out, and I discovered amazing gems that I might have otherwise missed.

However, I did find that some trips in the book could have provided more detailed information on the attractions and landmarks nearby, including national parks . This would have been helpful in making the most of my time on the road.

Moon USA State by State: The Best Things to Do in Every State for Your Travel Bucket List

I highly recommend this travel guide for uncovering the hidden gems of the USA and planning the ultimate bucket list trip.

• Comprehensive and well-organized
• Includes unique and offbeat attractions
• Suitable for travelers with varying interests
• Lacks information on small towns
• Could use more details about accommodations and dining
• Content may not suffice for those seeking exhaustive information about each state

“Moon USA State by State: The Best Things to Do in Every State for Your Travel Bucket List” is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to explore each state in America. I found the guide to be an excellent tool for planning my travels and discovering lesser-known attractions that I wouldn’t have found on my own. It offers a diverse range of suggestions, catering to various interests suitable for all types of travelers.

The guide is well-organized with each state receiving its dedicated section. I found this quite helpful when mapping out my journey and making a list of must-see spots. Additionally, the focus on unique and offbeat attractions really made my exploration feel more personalized and exciting.

However, the book doesn’t delve deeply into smaller towns and may not cater to those looking for comprehensive information about lodging and dining options. While it doesn’t hinder the main goal of offering interesting and lesser-known sites to visit, it could be an area of improvement for future editions.

Lonely Planet Southwest USA’s Best Trips 4 (Road Trips Guide)

I highly recommend this travel guide for an unforgettable road trip experience in the Southwest USA.

• Comprehensive coverage of must-visit attractions
• User-friendly layout and organization
• Engaging writing style
• Maps could be improved
• Limited off-the-beaten-path suggestions
• Slightly heavy for on-the-go carrying

As a seasoned traveler, I find Lonely Planet’s “Southwest USA’s Best Trips” to be an excellent resource for planning the perfect road trip across the scenic landscapes of Southwest USA. The guide offers a wide range of richly detailed itineraries that cater to various interests, ensuring a memorable travel experience that’s tailored to your preferences.

I appreciate the book’s user-friendly organization, with well-labeled sections and logical groupings of attractions. It makes it easy to find the information I need quickly, allowing for smooth navigation and efficient trip planning. The engaging writing style used throughout the book paints a vivid picture of the places to visit, making the whole planning process an enjoyable experience.

However, I found that some of the maps included in the guide could have offered more detail and accuracy. Additionally, if you are someone who enjoys exploring lesser-known places, you may find that the guide’s focus on popular attractions leaves you craving more off-the-beaten-path recommendations.

Despite being packed with valuable information, the guide is slightly on the heavier side, which can be a minor inconvenience when carrying it with you throughout your trip. Nevertheless, I believe Lonely Planet’s “Southwest USA’s Best Trips” is a must-have for anyone planning to embark on an unforgettable journey through the beautiful Southwest USA.

Fodor’s Best Weekend Road Trips (Full-Color Travel Guide)

I recommend Fodor’s “Best Weekend Road Trips” for those looking to explore the USA with concise yet inspiring itineraries.

• Great trip ideas
• Highly readable
• Beautiful full-color presentation
• Lack of detailed information
• Limited local destinations
• Trips may require additional travel days

I found this book to be a fantastic source of inspiration for my USA road trips. The assortment of weekend getaways ranges from scenic drives to city escapes, with each suggestion sparking my wanderlust. Additionally, the full-color images and easy-to-read format make planning these trips a visually appealing experience.

When delving into specific itineraries, I realized that Fodor’s provides a good starting point, but lacks a certain level of detail I’d need for an extensive trip. Some travelers may find this to be a limiting factor while planning their getaways, especially if they want comprehensive information about local destinations.

Additionally, keep in mind that some trips may require you to reach a certain area first, meaning extra travel days might be necessary depending on your starting point. As a well-traveled person, I found that many local areas featured were already familiar to me, but the book was still useful in helping me discover new destinations.

The Rough Guide to the 100 Best Places in the USA

An essential and inspiring guide for travelers exploring the United States, featuring a diverse range of must-see destinations.

• In-depth information regarding diverse locations
• Beautiful and top-quality photographs
• Easy-to-navigate and well-organized layout
• Hardcover and slightly heavy
• Geared toward more popular destinations
• Limited information on local suggestions

Upon receiving “The Rough Guide to the 100 Best Places in the USA,” I was immediately captivated by the stunning images and the vast variety of information covered in this guide. Not only did it have details on the iconic tourist spots, but it also opened my eyes to a plethora of lesser-known gems in the country.

The organization of the book made it quite simple for me to plan my trips as the information was broken down into regions. Each destination had a dedicated section, making it easy to flip through and digest the content quickly. Moreover, the pictures alone were enough to spark my wanderlust, making it exciting for me to plan my upcoming visits.

However, I noticed that the book is a bit on the heavier side, which could be cumbersome to carry around during trips. As much as I loved the comprehensive information on popular tourist attractions, there were instances where I wished it had more recommendations on local insights, like hidden restaurants or lesser-known trails.

The Open Road: 50 Best Road Trips in the USA (Travel Guide)

I believe that traveling enthusiasts should definitely consider purchasing this guidebook as it’s filled with great tips for unforgettable USA road trip adventures .

• Comprehensive coverage of diverse trips
• Provides “best of” lists for various categories
• Easy geographic organization for trip planning
• Small font size might be challenging for some readers
• Some sections may be too brief for in-depth information
• Focus on restaurants and wineries might be unnecessary for some

After exploring this travel guide , I found its comprehensive listing of 50 road trips to be quite inspiring. It covers various destinations, landscapes, and travel times, catering to different preferences and personalities. I truly enjoyed the “best of” lists for categories like scenic routes, quirky attractions, and budget-friendly trips.

The geographic organization of road trips is convenient, especially for those planning journeys around specific regions. While I appreciated the attempt to include a variety of helpful information, the print size was a bit too small for my liking, which made reading less enjoyable.

Interestingly, this travel guide also includes restaurant and winery recommendations. Though it may be helpful for some readers, others might find this information unnecessary for their road trip needs. Personally, I prefer focusing on attractions and natural sites.

Fodor’s Bucket List USA: From the Epic to the Eccentric, 500+ Ultimate Experiences

This travel guide is perfect for those who want a comprehensive and inspiring guide to lesser-known experiences in the USA.

• Wide array of destinations and experiences
• Clear and concise descriptions
• Full-color, visually appealing layout
• Some faulty pages reported regarding print quality
• Smaller format than expected
• May not cover all popular tourist spots

This travel guide has piqued my curiosity and introduced me to an array of places across the country — from epic landscapes to eccentric attractions. The book is organized by region, making it easy to plan my trips and find new destinations I hadn’t considered before.

One of the things I appreciate the most is that this travel guide doesn’t only provide information about famous attractions. It also focuses on lesser-known gems that contribute to a well-rounded and diverse experience. The entries are detailed, and the high-quality images set my expectations before visiting, making them even more exciting when finally at the destination.

However, I must mention that some might find the smaller format somewhat limiting. People with visual challenges or those who prefer larger prints may struggle a bit with this. Additionally, a few fellow reviewers reported issues with the print quality, but my copy was in perfect condition. If you’re looking for a guide with a more extensive list of popular tourist spots, this may not be your top choice.

Lonely Planet USA’s Best Trips

This guide is a must-have for anyone planning a USA road trip, with comprehensive trip ideas and useful information.

• Packed with diverse road trip options
• Covers various regions across the USA
• Includes useful information on places to visit
• Limited details on accommodation and dining options
• Some readers may find the historical perspective unbalanced
• May require additional research or resources for complete planning

I just started using Lonely Planet’s “USA’s Best Trips,” and I’m already in love with the diverse road trip routes it offers. The guide breaks down trips by region, so I can easily find options for the areas I’m most interested in exploring. It’s been an invaluable resource for me to start planning my next adventure.

The information about places to visit along each route is helpful, providing a sense of what each destination has to offer. However, I noticed that the guide is a bit lacking in terms of dining and lodging options. I have to turn to other resources to find places to stay and eat during my journey, which can be a bit inconvenient.

Aside from that, some readers may take issue with the treatment of historical context within the guide. While I appreciate the inclusion of history and cultural information, it’s essential to approach these topics objectively and consider the complexities of the past.

National Geographic Guide to Scenic Highways and Byways, 5th Edition

This guide is a fantastic companion for anyone looking to explore the scenic routes of the United States .

• Comprehensive coverage of 300 scenic drives
• Detailed and easy-to-follow directions
• Durable and high-quality printing
• Smaller size than expected
• Some popular routes may be crowded
• GPS coordinates not included

The National Geographic “Guide to Scenic Highways and Byways, 5th Edition” provides numerous picturesque routes to follow and allows you to discover hidden gems and spectacular places along the way, such as old Route 66 . The guide’s durability will easily withstand constant use even if your kids are fighting over who gets to look at it next.

I appreciated the guide’s easy-to-read format and informative descriptions. However, after receiving the book, I noticed its size was significantly smaller than expected. Despite the small size, the high-quality print and beautiful images did not disappoint.

On the other hand, one helpful addition would have been GPS coordinates for the starting and ending points of the scenic routes. And, some of the more popular routes will likely be quite busy with other tourists, which can be both a pro and a con depending on personal preference. If you prefer less crowded routes, check out alternative scenic drives.

Best Travel Guides for Visiting US National Parks

If you’re looking to explore US national parks, these travel guides will help you plan a more in-depth trip and expose you to options you might miss in some of the less detailed travel books.

Moon Best of Yellowstone & Grand Teton: Make the Most of One to Three Days in the Parks

Another winner from Moon Publishing, this is a must-have guide for an unforgettable experience in the Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks.

• Comprehensive and practical information
• Customized plans for various time frames
• Excellent advice on hikes and wildlife viewing
• Can be overwhelming with too many options
• Not enough visuals and maps
• May need supplement material for in-depth research

I particularly appreciated the variety of suggested itineraries presented in Moon’s “Best of Yellowstone & Grand Teton: Make the Most of One to Three Days in the Parks,” catering to different durations and interests.

Whether you have half a day or several days to spend in each park, the guide provides useful recommendations on what to see, when to visit, and which trails to hike. The author’s favorite hikes were spot on as they offered stunning views and memorable experiences.

Despite its many advantages, I did notice a few areas where the guide could improve. While the content was abundant and well-written, the lack of visuals and maps occasionally made it challenging to navigate and locate specific points of interest. In this regard, you might want to consult additional resources for more detailed geographical information.

Also, it’s worth mentioning that the guide is so packed with options that it can be overwhelming. You might find yourself struggling to prioritize which activities to pursue. Nevertheless, this is arguably a small issue compared to the overall value the book provides.

Fodor’s The Complete Guide to the National Parks of the West

This travel guide is an essential companion for exploring the National Parks of the West thoroughly yet concisely.

• Comprehensive coverage of 38 western national parks
• Includes helpful itinerary suggestions
• Useful information on nearby towns for amenities and lodging
• Alphabetical organization instead of regional
• Lacks in-depth details for some parks

This book serves as a reliable source of information because it covers a whopping 38 parks, providing insightful suggestions on what to see and do within each one. It not only comes with recommendations for main attractions but also includes guidance for accommodations, dining, and supplies in nearby towns.

What I found less helpful, however, was the way the book was organized. The parks were listed alphabetically rather than regionally, making it slightly inconvenient to plan an efficient road trip. Additionally, I found that information on some of the parks was relatively basic and lacking in comprehensive details.

Best USA Destination Travel Guide Books

Sometimes, you’re not looking to explore the entire US but just a specific destination. These are a few of my favorite USA destination-specific travel guidebooks, all of which are available to purchase on Amazon.

Fodor’s California: With the Best Road Trips (Full-Color Travel Guide)

Fodor’s “California” is a comprehensive and colorful guide that’s perfect for those planning a road trip across the Golden State.

• Great variety of destinations and road trips
• Useful tips on dining and accommodation options
• Well-organized and user-friendly layout
• Lacks images of some attractions
• Missing information on some iconic places
• Physical book could be difficult to navigate

I found Fodor’s “California” to be a valuable resource for exploring different regions and planning memorable road trips. It features a wide range of attractions, accommodations, and dining options, allowing me to discover hidden gems and make the most of my trip.

However, I noticed that the guide lacks images of some attractions, which would have been helpful for visualizing destinations before visiting. In addition, the book omits information on some notable locations, such as the Reagan Library, Nixon Library, and La Brea Tar Pits, making it slightly incomplete for those interested in these specific landmarks.

While planning a future adventure, I appreciated the well-organized layout and user-friendly format. The inclusion of interesting facts and local insights added a personal touch to the experience, making me feel like I was part of the Californian culture.

On the downside, the physical book can be a bit challenging to navigate, especially because of its small print and inability to lay flat. An e-book option or a larger print edition would be welcome for travelers who may have difficulty reading small text.

Fodor’s Boston 25 Best (Full-Color Travel Guide)

This travel guide is a must-have for anyone planning to explore Boston for the first time or anyone who is rediscovering the city’s hidden gems.

• Comprehensive and well-written
• Compact and lightweight
• 128 pages of valuable information
• Limited to 25 best places
• Lacks detailed information about lesser-known spots
• May not cover recent changes in the city

Fodor’s “25 Best Boston” focuses on the 25 best places to visit in the city, making it a great resource for first-time visitors. The descriptions of each location are comprehensive and well-written, providing engaging insights into the history, significance, and atmosphere of each attraction.

The compact size and lightweight design of the guide made it easy to carry around as I traversed Boston’s historic streets. The 128 pages of valuable information ensured that I maximized my limited time in the city, visiting the top attractions and having unforgettable experiences.

However, I must admit that the guide has a few limitations. Since it is primarily centered around the 25 best places in Boston, it lacks detailed information on lesser-known spots that might be of interest to seasoned travelers or those interested in niche attractions.

Additionally, given that the book’s publication date is back in 2018, there might be updates or changes in the city that the guide doesn’t cover.

Fodor’s Pacific Northwest

Fodor’s “Pacific Northwest” is a comprehensive guide for travelers looking to explore the beautiful landscapes and cities of the Pacific Northwest.

• Up-to-date information and reviews
• Covers major attractions in the region
• Full-color, high-quality photos
• Poor bookbinding and print quality
• Lacks coverage of some key destinations
• Maps could use more detail

As I recently planned a trip to the Pacific Northwest , I found Fodor’s “Pacific Northwest” guide to be a helpful companion. From exploring Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver to discovering the charm of small towns and the beauty of Oregon and Washington, this well-rounded guide came in handy.

The book is filled with up-to-date information and insightful reviews of attractions, accommodations, and dining options throughout the region. The full-color and high-quality photos were visually appealing, providing a glimpse into what to expect in each destination. I genuinely appreciated the coverage of major attractions, such as Crater Lake National Park and Pike Place Market.

However, as much as I enjoyed using the guide, I was disappointed by its binding and print quality. It was difficult to read content near the bind, and the photos weren’t as sharp as the older Fodor’s guides that I’ve used in the past.

Plus, I felt that the guide could have covered a few more key destinations in the region, making it more comprehensive. Lastly, while the maps were helpful, they lacked the detail I needed to navigate some areas precisely.

Fodor’s Essential Southwest

This is a comprehensive guide for exploring the best of the Southwest in the US, but keep in mind its older publication date requires double-checking all the details before making plans.

• Extensive coverage of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah
• Full-color illustrations and maps
• Thorough descriptions of natural sites and scenic drives
• Publication date means it may not have up-to-date details
• Some users reported missing pages in their copies
• Paper quality may not be as high as in previous Fodor’s guides

After recently using Fodor’s “Essential Southwest” for my journey through the American Southwest, I found it to be quite informative and valuable. The guide covers a vast region, including Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah, which allowed me to plan my trip efficiently.

I particularly enjoyed the full-color illustrations and maps included in the guide. They not only provided an excellent visual aid but also helped me get a better sense of the areas I was visiting. Additionally, the book offers thorough descriptions of natural sites, scenic drives, and various activities, which helped me maximize my time at each destination.

One downside, however, is that the 2021 publication date means that certain information may not accurately reflect the current state of things, such as open restaurants and hotels. I would recommend double-checking all details before making plans to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Another issue some users encountered was missing pages in their copies. Though I did not personally experience this, it is something to be aware of when purchasing. Lastly, the paper quality seems to be lower compared to previous editions of Fodor’s guides. While this did not impact my overall experience, it might be a point of consideration for some travelers.

Best Travel Books Buying Guide

Remember that investing time in researching and comparing different travel guides will pay off in making your USA journey a memorable one. When I’m choosing the best travel guidebook for the USA, there are several features I look for to ensure that I’m getting the most accurate and helpful information.

1. Updated Information

Since landscapes, businesses, and attractions can change over time, I make sure the guide is updated regularly. This helps me avoid outdated information that might lead to schedule disruptions or disappointments. Always look for the most recent edition available.

2. Comprehensive Coverage

The USA is a vast country with diverse attractions. Hence, the travel guide should cover all aspects of tourism — various destinations, accommodation options, transportation, experiences, and local culture. It should have ample information to cater to different budgets and preferences too.

3. User Friendliness

A well-organized travel guide makes my planning process much smoother. Guides with clear headings, indexes, maps, and concise information are my preference. Moreover, the inclusion of an eBook version or a mobile app can help me carry the information on the go.

4. Travel Tips & Advice

A good travel guide offers practical tips and advice that’ll reward me with a better travel experience. This may include packing suggestions, local customs and etiquette, safety precautions, and essential phrases or words to know.

5. Reviews & Recommendations

Ultimately, a helpful travel guide will have reviews and recommendations from other travelers. Their insights can shed light on the pros and cons of specific attractions or accommodations. Consider guides that list reader feedback alongside expert opinions.

FAQs About the Best Travel Books for the USA

What are some famous travel guidebooks for the usa.

I always recommend a few well-known US travel book publishers. Some of my personal favorites are Lonely Planet, Fodor’s, Rick Steves, and Frommer’s. Each of these publishers covers a wide range of destinations, itineraries, and tips for every type of traveler looking to explore the US.

Which US travel guides are best for first-time visitors?

If you’re a first-time visitor to the US, I suggest starting with Lonely Planet or Fodor’s travel guides. Both of these are very comprehensive and beginner-friendly, offering clear and concise information on planning your trip, popular attractions, and local customs.

For a budget-conscious traveler, Rick Steves tends to focus on affordable options, while Frommer’s is great for people interested in a luxurious experience.

Are there any free travel guide resources for the US?

Absolutely! There are many free resources for you to explore before your trip to the US. Websites like RootedWanderings.com can provide helpful information about different destinations, attractions, and itineraries.

Additionally, many US states and cities have tourism websites that offer free guides and maps. VisitMaine.net is the unofficial visitor’s guide to Maine, and AwesomeMitten.com helps travelers plan their adventures in Michigan. Other examples include RootedinOhio.com and WanderingSmokyMountains.com .

To find these, simply search for the city name along with “visitor’s guide” or “tourism office” for access to those resources. Happy travels!

Ashley Pichea is the Content Manager for RootedWanderings.com and curates in-depth travel guides and deep-dives on hidden gem destinations across the US for sites like AwesomeMitten.com , VisitMaine.net , and more. When she's not geeking out over SEO, you'll find her exploring the Midwest with her husband and five kids.

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A local’s travel guide to Austin: what to eat, see and do in three days

Standout spots include food truck parks, honky-tonk hangouts and Lady Bird’s wildflower sanctuary

A ustin has become one of the most popular places in the US to move to, and also to visit. Droves of people descend on the city in March for the South by Southwest tech, film and music festival and in the fall for the Austin City Limits music festival. And Austin is one of the top five destinations in the US for bachelorette parties. Don’t let the bachelorettes scare you away, though. Austin is a great place to spend a few days, so long as you do it like a local.

My family and I moved to Austin 12 years ago, after living in New York for many years. I’ve also lived in Washington DC , the San Francisco Bay Area and Philadelphia. Austin has a feel all of its own: it has a world-class music scene, great food that now goes well beyond Tex-Mex and barbecue, Texas history and fun shopping and museums – all with less hassle than bigger cities in the US.

Here’s my guide to a long weekend there. In addition to picks for adults, I’ve included some recommendations for families that our kids (now teenagers) have loved through the years. And I’m vegetarian, so I’ve chosen some of the city’s best veggie eats options. Don’t worry, my meat-eating wife made sure that I included great barbecue choices, too.

Day 1: Pool party & pickles

Start your day with a walk or run on the trail at Town Lake (it’s officially labeled on maps as Lady Bird Lake, but locals refer to it as Town Lake). This 10-mile (16km) trail on both sides of a dammed portion of Texas’s Colorado River (a different Colorado River than the bigger and more famous one) is tree-shaded, beautiful and one of Austinites’ favorite places to exercise. If you have time, walk through Zilker Park, which is right next to the trail. If you have kids, go to the new and very fun playground at Butler Park, complete with a splash pad just up the path from the playground.

Austin was one of the cities that started the food truck scene in the US several decades ago, and now there are more than 2,000 food trucks in the city. Some are located in trailer parks that have multiple truck options and picnic table seating. After your morning at Town Lake and Zilker Park, have lunch at the Picnic food truck park, or the nearby original location of local favorite Chuy’s (the Tex-Mex chain is now expanding throughout the US). Other great lunch options include Green Mesquite and Carpenters Hall .

In the afternoon, go for a swim at Barton Springs Pool . Open year-round, this massive basin measures three acres and is fed by underground natural springs. It’s open throughout the day, and it’s free before 8am and after 9pm.

Head back to your hotel or Airbnb for a rest, and then get ready for dinner. Tonight is casual: barbecue at Terry Black’s , or if you’re vegan, the food truck Rollin Smoke for a fantastic vegan barbecue sandwich made with baby portobello mushrooms, spicy slaw, barbecue sauce and pickles. It’s my favorite vegan barbecue sandwich in Austin (who says you can’t have barbecue if you’re veggie?), and it’s located in a food truck park with beautiful old trees shading the tables. Rollin Smoke has very good meat options, too (I’m told).

If you have young children, head to Phil’s Icehouse . They have burgers and a full playground where the kids can play before or after dinner. Just don’t put them on the spinning flower after the meal. And be sure to get some ice-cream after dinner at Amy’s Ice Creams , a longtime favorite of Austinites. Amy’s is located next to Phil’s, and it’s so good we had an Amy’s truck serve dessert at our wedding.

After dinner, head out to see some music at one of Austin’s many local music venues. One of our favorites is the Continental Club . There’s a main club downstairs and the intimate Continental Gallery upstairs, where you can see local musicians in a cozy space. Other great venues include C-Boy’s and the new Moody Amphitheater . For full local music listings on any night, check the Austin Chronicle . And if it’s summer, look to see if Blues on the Green has a free concert that night. If you have kids, take them to the free Rock the Park concert series, produced by local radio station KUTX.

Day 2: Breakfast tacos, books & bats

Start your day back at the lake with a rowing workout that’s almost, but not quite, on the lake. Rō Fitness is a local studio that has outdoor rowing classes by the water. It’s way more fun than working out at an indoor studio.

You’ll need fuel after your workout. Grab a breakfast taco at Veracruz or Tacodeli or Tamale House East . Breakfast tacos are an Austin staple (they are to Austin as bagels are to New York), and all three of these places have delicious options.

Today is a shopping day. Start out at BookPeople , one of the greatest bookstores in the US. It’s locally owned and independent, but the size of a superstore. BookPeople also dares to take a stand on issues, including being one of two bookstores that recently sued Texas state officials over a newly passed book ban law. It has an excellent kids section, and organizes live readings by kids’ authors.

After you’ve gotten your book fix, head across the street to Waterloo Records , one of the best record stores in the US. Waterloo carries new and used vinyl, CDs and merchandise from rock to jazz to local Texas music. For more shopping options, head over to the stores along South Congress Avenue and South First Street (including Roadhouse Relics , a neon art store and gallery that is one of our favorites), and if you want to go thrifting, our teens say Austin Pets Alive Thrift and Texas Thrift are the best.

After all of the shopping, it’s time for lunch. If you’re near BookPeople and Waterloo, head over to Soup Peddler, a local place for homemade soups, smoothies and fantastic grilled cheese sandwiches (trivia: Soup Peddler got its name because the founder started out delivering homemade soup by bike before opening full store locations). Or if you’re near South Congress and South First, go to the food trucks on South First or Underdog or Fresa’s .

As you’re heading back to rest up, grab an ice-cream at Amy’s, a gelato at Dolce Neve or cupcakes at Sugar Mama’s .

Some good dinner options for tonight include Loro , Suerte or Este . And if you’re looking for a vegetarian option, one of my favorite veggie restaurants is Bouldin Creek Cafe . It’s casual, with a great menu that includes vegan chips and queso. If it’s nice out, take a seat on the patio.

Tonight’s activity could be going to see the bats at the Congress Street Bridge. Austin has the largest urban bat colony in North America, and in season they live in one of the bridges that crosses the Colorado River (they migrate to Mexico in the cooler weather). Bat-watching is a lot more fun than you might imagine from horror movies (and these bats look more like birds than vampire bats). If you’re not in the mood for bats, head to the legendary Broken Spoke . Get there early for dance lessons, then hoof it at this classic Texas honky-tonk.

Day 3: Live oaks & Lady Bird wildflowers

It’s your last day in Austin, and it’s a good one for visiting a museum. Some of our favorites include the Bullock Museum to learn all about the history of our state (bonus fact: Texas was once its own country , and some people want it to be its own country again ). If you’re a fan of 1960s history, visit the excellent LBJ Presidential Library , which is the home of the 36th president’s papers. It has good exhibits on the US civil rights movement and 1960s US history in general. Another excellent museum option is the Blanton Museum of Art , or you could tour the Texas capitol (Austin is, after all, the capital of Texas). If you’re a nature fan, head to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center . And if you have kids, the Thinkery is an excellent children’s museum.

For lunch, it’s time for more barbecue (you’re in Austin, don’t fight it). Two terrific barbecue trucks are Mickelthwait and LeRoy and Lewis . And LeRoy and Lewis has another of my favorite vegetarian barbecue options: cauliflower burnt ends.

In the afternoon, head back to Town Lake. This time, get out on the water by renting a kayak, stand up paddleboard or paddle boat (a kid-friendly option). If you have time and energy for a drink, head over to the ABGB for happy hour. They have a great beer selection, lots of outdoor seating and local bands playing music.

For your farewell dinner, a few of our favorite restaurants that are a bit on the fancier end are Hestia , Uchi or the Lenoir wine garden, where dinner is served under live oak trees more than a hundred years old. And for a fantastic vegan option, go to Fabrik for a seven-course vegan tasting menu. You’ll need a reservation well in advance (they’re currently booking four to six weeks out). And for your final night in Austin, head out to another music venue. Or if you have kids, take them to the Austin favorite Peter Pan Mini Golf , which has been around for 75 years, or check Do512 Family for family events that are happening the dates you’re in town.

Question Time

When is the best time of year to visit austin.

There’s no dispute: it’s hot in the summer in Austin . A great time to visit is between October and May. From June through September, many days will be over 100F. If you’re here in the summer, spend lots of time at the Barton Springs pool.

Is Austin expensive?

Austin hotels can be expensive during big events like South by Southwest or the Formula One weekend. But for most dates, it’s less expensive than larger cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Will I need a car to get around Austin?

Most of the places that I’ve recommended are within walking distance from downtown. You can also rent bikes and scooters to get around. Austin’s public transportation is primarily through local buses, which can take you further out if needed. And car-share options are easy as well.

Steve Sachs is managing director of the Guardian US. He has worked at large and startup media companies for more than 20 years. He loves all kinds of music, and his most recent favorite concert, the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame Show, featured a host of singer-songwriters including Lyle Lovett and Emmylou Harris

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FIJI TRAVEL GUIDE 2024: Everything You Need to Know to Explore this South Pacific Paradise Like a Resident. Where to Go, Best Meals, Budgeting Tips & Itinerary for Every Traveler. Hardcover – April 4, 2024

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Ever dread of exploring the pristine beaches and lush rainforests of Fiji? Or perhaps, diving into the depths of its crystal clear waters to discover a world of vibrant corals and exotic marine life? ◆ This guidebook invites you on an unforgettable adventure through this South Pacific gem, where every moment is infused with the warmth of the tropical sun and the rich tapestry of Fijian life. Whether you're a seasoned traveler seeking new horizons or a dreamer yearning for an exotic getaway, this guide promises to unveil the secrets of Fiji like never before. ◆ Picture yourself sipping coconut water beneath swaying palm trees, your worries washed away by the gentle lapping of the waves. Feel the thrill of adventure as you zip line through the treetops or kayak across crystal-clear lagoons. Indulge in sumptuous Fijian cuisine, bursting with flavors as diverse as the islands themselves, and lose yourself in the rhythm of traditional music and dance. Whether you seek relaxation or exhilaration, serenity or excitement, Fiji offers a paradise tailored to your every desire. ◆ This travel guide brings these experiences to life, offering detailed information on the best attractions, activities, and experiences in Fiji. But this guide offers more than just a list of places to visit. It equips you with practical and money-saving tips to make your trip as enjoyable and cost-effective as possible. From transportation advice to visa requirements, the guide provides all the information you need to plan your trip with ease. Traveling with kids? This guide has you covered. It includes a family-friendly itinerary. This isn't just a travel guide, it's your passport to a world of adventure, relaxation, and discovery.

• Print length 120 pages
• Language English
• Publication date April 4, 2024
• Dimensions 6 x 0.46 x 9 inches
• ISBN-13 979-8321946022
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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CZVPHL52
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (April 4, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 120 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8321946022
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.3 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.46 x 9 inches

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I've been to 54 countries and have lived in 10. These 5 underrated places are worth the trip.

• Kate Boardman has visited 54 countries around the world and lived in 10, including the US.
• She's enjoyed spots like France and Bali but says people should visit underrated places like Oman.
• In Guatemala, she climbed an active volcano, and in Ecuador, she swam with hammerhead sharks.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kate Boardman , a 36-year-old former teacher and current content creator from Massachusetts who has lived and traveled all over the world. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I first lived abroad when I was 15, when I participated in an exchange program in Germany. I lived there for a year, attending school and staying with a host family.

That was my first exposure to living overseas and truly immersing myself in other cultures. From there, the travel bug hit me hard. It inspired me to study international business in France while I was at university, and future trips after that.

I've been to 54 countries and lived in 10, including the US. The sense of freedom and self-growth that comes from traveling is unbeatable. I also love being able to see the world in a different way.

The most popular destinations are popular for a reason.

Everyone talks about Paris, London , Bali — all travel destinations that are super popular, in part thanks to social media.

I visited Bali in early 2012 and saw it expand firsthand. There was a lot of construction — with many beach clubs being built — and it became overcrowded by foreigners. It's led to locals being priced out of their homes.

I also think spots like Cancun are super overrated; there are way cooler places to visit in Mexico. Many tourists spend a week in an all-inclusive resort and think that's fun — but that couldn't be more unattractive to me.

Obviously, there's still beauty in places that are oversaturated and famous. But I think that there's an excitement that comes from experiencing places that are off the beaten track.

It's often in those places that you can have the most surprising experiences.

I was treated like family in Iran

I would say my favorite country that I have visited is Iran. I went in 2018 and was there for 10 days.

Normally, when I'm traveling, I backpack alone and stay in hostels as a solo traveler. However, in Iran, if you're American, Canadian, or from the UK, in order to get permission to enter the country, you need a set itinerary and a licensed travel guide.

It was a very coordinated trip and a bit more challenging to visit, but it was so rewarding because I was welcomed with the warmest hospitality.

One of the unique aspects of this trip was how close my guide and I became. He went above and beyond, inviting me over to his family's house for dinner, where I got to meet and hang out with his friends and family. It was truly special.

Because I had a guide, everything was kind of set for me in Iran. He arranged different accommodations, including a road trip through the country, where we stayed in various cities at different guesthouses.

It only cost me around $1,000.

The nature and landscape of Iran are absolutely beautiful and amazing. The sights, attractions, and history are mind-blowing. You've got these gorgeous mosaics everywhere. All of the architecture had my jaw dropping in awe while walking around.

The food is also delicious, and the markets are incredible, each filled with gorgeous textiles, jewelry, turquoise, and rugs.

I would totally visit there again. I hope the political situation changes because that would definitely be one of my group trip destinations. I think it's just incredible.

Georgia took me by surprise

Georgia is just one of those countries that's not on a lot of people's radar. And then they go there and they're like, 'Whoa, that's awesome. Why didn't I know about this before?'

I knew very little about Georgia before I visited in 2018. I spent only five days in the country, but I was completely blown away.

I stayed in Tbilisi, which is the capital city. It's a really beautiful, trendy, and artsy kind of city. It has amazing wine and incredible food.

Probably one of my favorite things about the trip is that I stayed in this hostel called Fabrika . It was an old Soviet Union sewing factory that they turned into a super cool, industrial, hipster hostel.

In Tbilisi, I also went on a pub crawl throughout the Old Town, which featured a bunch of underground cellars and bunkers that have been turned into trendy nightclubs and bars.

During my time in the country, I took a trip out to the countryside to an area called Kazbegi, which is absolutely stunning. There were gorgeous and breathtaking mountains, hills, and massive churches.

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In the city, I also had a Turkish bath, which is a big thing in Georgia. I got a full scrub down.

Guatemala has something for everyone

When most people from the US think about going to Central America, they're focused on Mexico or Costa Rica. Guatemala seems to be a place that kind of gets overlooked.

But life is great in Guatemala.

You've got beautiful weather all year round, the jungle, rainforests, and the Caribbean's white sand beaches, while the Pacific side has its black sand beaches. It's got a little bit of everything.

I first lived in Guatemala in 2021, where I worked as a teacher at an international school. They provided housing in Guatemala City. However, after I finished working for them, I moved to a beach town on the Pacific coast and lived there for about six months.

I've traveled there on other occasions too, staying for periods of four or five months.

The typical salary for a Guatemalan is about $500 a month, with a good salary being $1,000. I would say that $2,000 a month is more than enough to live there extremely comfortably.

There are a lot of digital nomads moving there, especially to Antigua — an old colonial town with a lot of charm, cobblestone streets, and painted buildings.

There's just so much to do in Guatemala; it's so magical.

The biggest must do is hiking the active volcano called Acatenango . Sometimes, you can see it erupting right from its base camp. There's not many places in the world where you can experience that.

Another good place to visit is El Paredon, a super up-and-coming hippie surf town. The surfing is great, and you've got these black volcanic sand beaches. It's just a really laid-back place.

Lake Atitlan is also an incredible spot. It's surrounded by volcanoes and several Mayan villages, each with its own personality and vibe.

Oman's deserts are magical

Oman is in the Middle East, bordering the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. I've been there three times between 2016 and 2018.

The country is culturally rich, and the capital city, Muscat, is really beautiful. It has old traditional marketplaces and gorgeous architecture — the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is definitely worth checking out.

The deserts there are incredible, so doing a desert trip is a must. I camped out in the desert with the locals, rode camels, and drove Jeeps over the sand dunes.

Having tea and watching the sunset in the desert was magical too.

Oman also has wadis, which are basically big canyons in the middle of the desert with swimming holes. There, you'll find bright turquoise water contrasting with the orange rock.

The country's islands are also beautiful and incredible for snorkeling. They look like you'd be in the Caribbean, but you're in the Middle East.

The Galapagos Islands are truly like nowhere else in the world

I visited Ecuador last year for about six weeks. I was leading a gap year program with a group of high school students. We split our time between the Galapagos Islands and the mainland, which consisted of cities and the Amazon.

Because Ecuador has incredibly unique biodiversity that doesn't exist anywhere else in the world, The Galapagos Islands are an absolute must. I've never seen such incredible wildlife in my life; so many species exist only on those islands.

While visiting The Galapagos, my group went snorkeling with 50 to 100 hammerhead and Blacktip sharks. We also swam with sea lions and saw giant tortoises.

Another amazing aspect of Ecuador is learning about the Inca culture. My group did a homestay and lived with a family for about 10 days and learned about their way of life.

We experienced how connected they are with Mother Earth, whom they refer to as Pachamama, and learned about their traditional medicine: They grow their own food and seek out plant medicine when they're sick, rather than relying on processed foods.

Learning about and sharing their way of life was truly special.

I want to show people how to travel the world

There are many beliefs people have about different countries and cultures, sometimes considering them too dangerous, expensive, or unattainable.

I want to inspire more people to explore, step out of their comfort zones, and experience more of the world. I am hosting group trips with the goal of bringing people to these countries and showing them why they are so life-changing.

Watch: From Nepal to Kosovo, here's how countries are celebrating Pride

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• Key Street: Michigan Ave. Leads to 7 Key Hotels in Chicago

A brief guide to all the MICHELIN Key hotels in Chicago.

Travel Hotels Chicago MICHELIN Keys

On April 24, 2024, the MICHELIN Guide announced its very first Key hotels in the United States — a brand new distinction recognizing the most outstanding hotels in the country. We're thrilled to report that in Chicago, eight hotels earned at least One Key. Of those, half make their home in the kinds of historic buildings that give this city its well-earned reputation as one of the most architecturally distinguished cities in the country. Follow Michigan Avenue north from the heart of the Loop to the Gold Coast and you’ll pass within two blocks of all but one of them. The Chicago Athletic Association sits within a Venetian Gothic landmark. The Gwen makes its home in a storied 1929 Art Deco skyscraper. The Pendry sets up shop in the masterpiece that is the 1929 Art Deco Carbide & Carbon Building. And the lower floors of the Viceroy make use of the meticulously-preserved, 1920s-vintage Cedar Hotel. There are Key hotels too in newer builds, among them the Peninsula (with uniformed bellboys and staffers who seem to know the name of each individual guest) and the Waldorf Astoria , its lobby a marble marvel. Below, explore the map and scroll down for more about each of the MICHELIN Guide’s eight hotels in Chicago.

The Eight KEY Hotels in Chicago:

Chicago Athletic Association — One Key

Pendry Chicago — Two Keys

The Langham Chicago — Two Keys

The Gwen — One Key

The Peninsula Chicago — Two Keys

Waldorf Astoria Chicago — One Key

Viceroy Chicago — One Key

Nobu Hotel Chicago — One Key

Top image: Pendry Chicago

In Photos: Every Three Key Hotel in New York City

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The Best TV Shows of 2024 (So Far)

From Shōgun to Feud: Capote vs. the Swans, here's all the television we've loved this year.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

The 2024 television landscape is shaping up to be a strong one.

Here, Town & Country editors share their picks for best television of 2024 (so far):

Feud: Capote vs. the Swans

La Côte Basque might no longer exist, but early this year the defunct New York destination for the one percent to pick at their very expensive lunches just might have been the most talked-about restaurant in town. That’s because it was ground zero for Feud: Capote vs. the Swans , the Ryan Murphy-produced series about Truman Capote’s legendary fallout with his squad— Babe Paley , C.Z. Guest , and Slim Keith —over his decision to thinly veil their secrets and publish them in a story in Esquire . The swans did not, to put it mildly, take this betrayal well. Murphy’s series employs a murderer’s row of marvelous actors, including Tom Hollander, Naomi Watts , Chloë Sevigny, Demi Moore , Molly Ringwald , among others, to portray Capote and his cohort at their best (and, more deliciously, their worst) and went all out on the design (by Mark Ricker), costumes (Lou Eyrich, with a Black-and-White-Ball assist from Zac Posen ), and over-the-top drama. Is it historically accurate? Maybe not entirely, but it’s a compelling, unforgettable document of a bygone era that in many ways predicted problems of our own. Above all, it captures an iconic moment in American history with care, humor, and plenty of sour grapes, leaving a glamorous trail of breadcrumbs for the next generations. — Adam Rathe , Deputy Features Editor

Shōgun , FX's period drama set in feudal Japan, is perhaps the only show in the post- Game of Thrones era that has actually lived up to the historical epic hype. Adapted from James Clavell's bestselling novel , the ten-part miniseries is a riveting, multilayered tale that deftly balances political intrigue, romance, and historical drama, and unlike the aforementioned Thrones , the violence never feels gratuitous, but rather, always key to the plot. Anchored by its three leads, Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, and Anna Sawai , Shōgun doesn't feels unwieldy, despite the many storylines, and though it is nearly entirely told in Japanese , English-language audiences will hardly notice. To put it simply: Shōgun is by far and away one of the best book-to-TV adaptations I've ever seen. — Emily Burack , Senior News Editor

Watch on Hulu

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Mr. & Mrs. Smith , the TV show, doesn't share much with the 2005 film of the same name—and honestly, that's a good thing. Donald Glover and Maya Erskine play married spies, yes, but for the majority of the series (no spoilers!, they're working on the same team. Glover and Erskine shine as the titular Smiths, navigating a modern-day relationship while the espionage and world travel provide a nice backdrop. Now we're anxiously waiting to find out if Mr. & Mrs. Smith was renewed for a second season because OMG, that cliffhanger. — Emily Burack, Senior News Editor

Watch on Prime Video

Mary & George

Starz's latest period drama, Mary & George , tells the little-known story of Mary Villiers (Julianne Moore) and her scheme to gain power in court through her son ( Nicholas Galitzine )'s seduction of King James I ( Tony Curran ). It's sexy and it's fun, with gorgeous costumes and sets. Perhaps Galitzine summarized it best: "To see a really fun side of history—debaucherous, in some capacity—it's so watchable. What's not to like about it?" — Emily Burack, Senior News Editor

Watch on Starz

Based on Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley novels (this season pulls from The Talented Mr. Ripley , though there are seeds of other stories woven in) Netflix’s adaptation unfolds the story of the iconic con artist’s criminal path with quintessential Italian glamour. Shot entirely in black and white , it brings not only the look but the atmosphere of mid-century Italian cinema, buoyed by a standout performance from Andrew Scott, who manages to find the broken core of the show’s titular grifter and turns what could feel like pastiche into an entirely fresh take on a well-known tale. – Lauren Hubbard , Contributor

Whatever you thought you know about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln , think again. Apple TV+'s Manhunt , with its stacked cast (standout performances include Tobias Menzies as Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and Anthony Boyle as John Wilkes Booth) is more than a history lesson; it's a fast-paced crime thriller, and one that feels especially timely in 2024. "Overall it's very soothing to watch history and realize, 'oh, we were always on the brink,'" Patton Oswalt , who plays Lafayette Baker, told T&C . "We're living in a scary moment, but we're not living in a unique moment. We have teetered over the abyss, sometimes way farther than we're teetering right now." — Emily Burack, Senior News Editor

Watch on Apple TV+

Sometimes when a new show is so good, it’s hard not to worry that a sophomore season just won’t live up to the first. Tokyo Vice doesn’t have that problem. If its excellent first season introduced us to Tokyo’s glamorously seedy criminal underground, season 2 dives even deeper into this fascinating world. And though this is still very much a show about the Succession -esque machinations taking place among warring yakuza, season 2 has widened the orbit to reveal more of this complex metropolis—and its various inhabitants—in its characteristically nuanced way. — Leena Kim , Editor

Watch on Max

3 Body Problem

This eight episode Netflix series (a second season has yet to be confirmed) is an adaptation of the Hugo Award–winning novel by Chinese author Liu Cixin that skillfully touches on beloved sci-fi tropes. There are unseen, menacing aliens, brilliant-but-flawed scientists/heroes, less-brilliant-and-extremely-flawed apparatchiks, and, of course, time travel. Created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, of Game of Thrones fame, and Alexander Woo, the show offers a generous mix of action and somewhat plausible plot twists. The most engaging parts, as is often the case with sci-if, come when the show’s unlikely, everyday heroes face all of the above. — Norman Vanamee , Articles Director

Watch on Netflix

The Gentleman

Though it shares both a name and an underlying concept with Guy Ritchie’s 2019 film, the creator’s Netflix series offers an entirely new perspective on the story, focusing on Eddie (Sanditon’s Theo James), the second son of a Duke who unexpectedly finds himself inheriting the family title and lands… and the illegal cannabis operation secretly running on them. Eddie tries to disentangle his family from their criminal ties with the “help” of his ne’re-do-well brother Freddy (Daniel Ings), his no-nonsense gangster counterpart Susie ( Kaya Scodelario ), and an ever-growing cast of wild and quirky characters worthy of any Ritchie joint—but of course, nothing’s that easy. There’s almost never a moment in the show’s fast-talking, bullet-flying, double-dealing eight episodes where the ante isn’t being upped, giving the series an addictively “let’s just watch one more” quality; perfect for your next big binge. No wonder so many fans are already clamoring for a season 2 . — Lauren Hubbard, Contributor

True Detective: Night Country

Anthology series True Detective returned again this year to make us question our Alaskan travel plans. Set in small town during the region’s annual stretch of endless night, this season melds corporate corruption and supernatural dread for a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat—and sometimes jumping out of it. At the core of it all are the spectacular performances by Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, who play True Detective’s signature quarrelsome cops with a stunning mix of charm and gravitas. — Lauren Hubbard, Contributor

Colin Farrell plays John Sugar, a bespoke suit–wearing, good guy private detective in Apple TV+’s smart new crime series set in Los Angeles. It is equal parts tribute to great film noir of the past and lovely reimagining of the hard-boiled-sleuth archetype. There is a terrific supporting cast, including James Cromwell as a Hollywood producer searching for his missing granddaughter, Amy Ryan as a recovering addict former rock star, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Sugar’s mysterious partner/handler. And, just when the plot threatens to become too familiar, there’s a twist. — Norman Vanamee, Articles Director

The Reluctant Traveler

Season 2 of Eugene Levy's Apple TV+ travel show sees him travel around Europe to off-the-beaten path destinations. ( Here's where he stayed .) "I really do love the show for a number of reasons," Levy told T&C . "At this point in my life it's actually doing good things for me to just have the experience, just do it, and then decide, do you like it? Do I not like it? But you can't just make up your mind without having done it, you know? So that's a good thing for me." It's a joy to watch Levy push himself outside of his comfort zone; here's hoping there are many more seasons to come in the future. — Emily Burack, Senior News Editor

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