Dk Eyewitness Travel Guide: California

We used this book for touring round the west coast of the USA last year. Its got alot of good information inside and although it will make the book much fatter, it does need more of a choice of hotels in the more rural areas. The book seems to focus on the hotels/B and Bs that are on the main drag of a town, usually alot more expensive than others, which means you spend alot of your time going from hotel to hotel to search for a good price for the night. Vegas and LA were the exceptions as there is so much choice in those cities but Death Valley, Carmel and Big Sur need more hotel info to cover all budgets as opposed to just keeping to the higher end. The other info on shops, cafes, restaurants is very good though and gives a realistic price line and genre of food expected.

I always enjoy reading Eye Witness travel guides and this chunky tome on California is well up to the usual standard.

I especially appreciated the recommendations on tourist sights in the two big cities of LA and San Francisco. It makes it really easy to plan your itinerary ahead of your visit. Hotel recommendations aren't so useful these days when the internet provides more comprehensive and up-to-date information.

On the downside, I'm planning to visit Monterey and the map here wasn't much use. It just shows Fisherman's Wharf and a few blocks inland from there. Since it's in watercolour it all looks very pretty but a street plan covering a wider area would have been much more practical use.

I am what is described as a lazy ready, I don't mind reading but pages upon pages of writing bores me hence this purchase, it is packed with information but also has pictures of the places you are likely to visit. It's easy to locate the topic you are looking for and is divided into sections. I have purchased many guides from this publisher and will continue to do so.