"California Trips: 68 Themed Itineraries, 1147 Local Places to See"

California Trips: 68 Themed Itineraries, 1147 Local Places to See
(Regional Guide)
Lonely Planet
ISBN: 978-1-74179-727-5

This is not your Momma’s Fodor’s or your Daddy’s Frommer’s. For those who are not familiar with the publisher, Lonely Planet has a different take on the travel business. For those in the market for traditional guidebooks, this quirky take on a guide for a “stranger in a strange land” will likely prove disappointing. For those looking for a new twist on a state full of surprises, there’s a lot to like.

The book, as Lonely Planet itself describes it, is “68 of the best trips for spa seekers, beach bums, wilderness hikers, celebrity spotters, family road trippers, city hipsters, and heritage lovers. Our trips range from San Francisco alleys to lost deserts, from Hollywood glitz to Highway 1 bliss. You can find a burrito, hang ten, run a river, ride Amtrak, and maybe even discover gold.”

Mixed in the book are eco-friendly and sustainable options for restaurants and hotels, and Lonely Planet makes it all easier to seek out by providing a “Greendex,” in addition to the regular index. Trips are divided by themes (iconic trips, routes, food and drink, outdoors, history and culture, offbeat, cities, and day trips), as well as by region and season. The book is best used as a source of inspiration for laid back travelers, who are looking for new sights to explore. It also works well as a supplement to a more traditional guidebook for those planning longer stays.

California Trips instead offers burrito quests and swimming holes, literary trails like Steinbeck country or routes for earthquake faults, suggestions for great theme park rides or an afternoon on the Central Coast looking for a great pinot noir. It’s the special stuff that California is famous for, but gets sidelined for more traditional “must see” lists by other guidebooks.

The book would best serve someone who lives in the state or makes frequent visits. Perfect for weekend trips, perfect for travelers familiar with the state who would like to seek out something new on the next visit. For those (like me) who don’t want or need a guidebook running down the top 100 hotels and motels in San Diego, but would be interested in locating a great new restaurant in the LA area serving organic produce or interesting Beat hangouts in the Bay Area, this is the book. It’s fun, informative, and the kind of book to enjoy browsing through as you plan your next exciting adventure to the Golden State.