One of the best sources of information when planning a trip, besides your travel agent, is a trusty travel guide book. When planning a vacation, if I decide to research via a printed book, I usually turn to the Michelin Guides or Frommer's for some very smart, easy-to-use information and advice.
But this is a personal preference, which is probably based on a few factors that have little to do with content and more to do with how comfortable the books are to hold and carry and my familiarity with the layout of the books. The truth is that any of the popular travel books, including my personal favorites as well as the Lonely Planet series, Fodor's and others are all full of very helpful information. Any of them could easily help to prepare a you for a new destination.
The best way to decide among the many travel books available is to spend a half hour in a bookstore or the library just browsing the various options. You'll quickly determine which book is right for you. All the guidebooks commonly available contain most of the same information but they differ in size, shape and format.
Among the most comfortable to carry while actually touring are the Michelin guides. These are the long, thin green books that can be tucked easily into a purse or pocket. A few others follow this format as well, but tend to be thicker and harder to hold. If you're touring, you're already carrying a camera and, in many cases, another bag or purse. So, the size and weight of your guide book becomes important.
The way that the information is presented also can help determine which book is best for you. In some books, interesting sites are listed at the beginning, followed by restaurants, shopping places, nightlife, hotels, etc. In other books, maps and must-see sites are first, so that you can determine what you want to see and the terraine covered. The Michelin guides actually code the places to see by "must see" and lesser importance, so you can make choices if your time is limited.
How do you like to have your information presented? Do you want the basics first, like general information, followed by specifics, or do you want to browse the information by specific category, avoiding having to read lots of text before getting to the heart of the matter?
If you check out the various books, you'll soon see the patterns and possibilities. The book that feels the most comfortable to hold and the book that is organized in the way you want to find the facts is the one you should buy.
For more info: Have a look at the Friendly Planet Travel blog, where I give tips and tricks for making the most of your travel experience at the right price.
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