Reviews (2)

A MUST FOR DISNEY VACATIONERS
Birmbaums is the most comprehensive disney guide there is. Its a fun way to plan your trip. Though not as detailed as some its a very lively look at all that is disney. A great book to get you excited about your trip to the happiest place on earth.

The Official Book of Disney World
My husband, son, and I just got back from Disney World a few weeks ago. We planned the trip in just a month's time, and WDW guides were very helpful!
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Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Travel - General    2. Parks & Campgrounds    3. Special Interest - Family    4. Travel    5. Travel - United States    6. Travel Guides - U.S.    7. United States - General    8. United States - South Atlantic - Florida    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Travel    10. Travel & holiday guides    11. USA   

Reviews (5)

Absolutely Awesome!
This is the best book I have ever seen on the National Parks. The photography alone is worth the price. It gives very comprehensive advice on each park, and you can tell by the way it is written that these people have actually been to, and spent time, in each park. I love the way it breaks down each park into suggested amounts of time so that you can better plan your trip. There are maps for each park, and in the maps is my only complaint. Most of the maps cover more than one page and because there is very little page border down the center, it can make it difficult to see the center of the maps. Other than that, it truly is an awesome book, whether you actually get to travel to the parks or not.

National Parks Guide does its job.
If you are visiting National Parks and want a useful guide to help plan your day(s) this book should be on your list.It goes beyond the quick synopsis you get in AAA guides and describes worthwhile stops and hikes at all the National Parks in the U.S.

A handy reference to supplement (or start) Web research
I just bought the 2006 version of this useful resource to replace my trusty 1989 (!!) original. The new one includes up-to-date content (e.g., Joshua Tree is now a National Park, no longer a National Monument tucked away in the "Excursions" section) but I have two major gripes:
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Subjects:  1. Guidebooks    2. National parks and reserves    3. North America    4. Parks    5. Parks & Campgrounds    6. Travel    7. Travel - United States    8. Travel Guides - U.S.    9. United States    10. United States - General    11. Travel & holiday guides    12. Travel / North America    13. USA   

Reviews (60)

Fascinating and life saving
Couldn't put this book down!Instructive and illuminating!Tales and advice can apply to any hiking and biking trips that our family takes in the future.

Mostly good
I was afraid that this book would be a boring, thorough, and complete list of Grand Canyon deaths.It isn't -- except for Chapter 4.With that exception, this book is a complete page-turner, well-written and informative.
Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon
It is a most interesting and informative book.It should be read by anyone who has or wants to hike the Grand Canyon.It relates individual stories of people that have died in the Canyon and what they did wrong that caused or contributed to their death.It weaves many of these stories together to create an excellent book that was hard to put down.
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Subjects:  1. Accidents    2. Anecdotes    3. Arizona    4. Grand Canyon    5. Grand Canyon (Ariz.)    6. History    7. Social Science / Death & Dying    8. Travel    9. Travel / Parks & Campgrounds    10. Violent deaths    11. Death    12. Death & Dying    13. Parks & Campgrounds    14. Social Science    15. United States - State & Local   

Reviews (3)

Master of landscape photography
Another stunning book of American Landscape!!
wonderful photos
After seeing these photos, I'm further inspired to visit all the national parks!
First class tribute to our parks
What a beautiful book! Covering all of our nation's National Parks, David Muench's photography is incredible. From the Great Sand Dunes to Canyonlands, from Carlsbad to Glacier, he's captured our nation's most beautiful land. Great quality book--I immediately wanted to hike up a mountain. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. National parks and reserves    2. Nature Photography    3. Parks & Campgrounds    4. Photo Essays    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Pictorial works    8. Pictorials    9. Subjects & Themes - Landscapes    10. Travel - United States    11. United States    12. United States - General    13. Photographs: collections    14. USA    15. Zoos & wildlife parks   

Reviews (7)

Simply The Best
If you are going to Disney with your kids, this is, hands down, the best guide out there.

my kids (and grandkids) like action
My kids & I used to make a yearly pilgrimmage to WDW in Orlando and now my gradnkids want to do the same. So off I go again. But I wouldn't leave the house (or the car) unles I had Wiley's great guide book in my bag. Everything we need to know is there and the yearly updates make this an imperative take-along travel choice.
Excellent Guide
This is one of the best travel guides that I have used! I took my kids to Disney and this book helped me avoid the long lines (that we all know about!), know where to eat and helped me find a good hotel where my kids could be kids. This is a must if you plan on going to Disney! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Family recreation    2. Florida    3. Guidebooks    4. Museums, Tours, Points of Interest    5. Orlando Region    6. Orlando Region (Fla.)    7. Parks & Campgrounds    8. Special Interest - Family    9. Travel    10. Travel - United States    11. Travel Guides - U.S.    12. United States - South - South Atlantic (General)    13. United States - South Atlantic - Florida    14. Walt Disney World (Fla.)    15. Travel & holiday guides    16. Travel / United States / South / South Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)   

Reviews (25)

Great for Disney fans who want to know more
This book was great!It explains the reasoning behind why and how all the current attractions were constructed.I would have liked to see a little more on the past and the potential for future attractions, but it was good.It is really interesting to see why this ride was built just like it was and how the idea formed into what it is.

The Mouse is Best.
A great behind the scenes look at the Best Place on Earth.For those who want to pick the brains of the Imagineers to hear their versions of what we see at the Magic Kingdom. I really appreciated this book.

The Magic of the Magic Kingdom
It's kind of funny to have a field guide to Disneyland, but it really does answer a lot of the questions that you have walking around.It's a good size for carrying with you which is why it's a filed guide, I guess.I just read it home.That works well too.It's an interesting book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Amusement parks    2. Buildings    3. Design    4. History    5. Parks & Campgrounds    6. Special Interest - Family    7. Travel    8. Travel - United States    9. United States    10. Walt Disney Company    11. Walt Disney World (Fla.)    12. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Reviews (5)

A fantastic book for a very much loved park
Did you know that the elm lined mall leading to the Bethesda fountain and the view of the ramble are actually based on the layout of a church? Or that all of the lakes in Central Park are manmade. This and many other very interesting facts are interspersed with lovingly taken photographs of the park which were taken by the author of the book as well. Miller starts decribing how the park came to be and the leading ideas and ideals that lead to its creation by Olmsted and Vaux. She proceeds to describe systematically the various sections of the park providing historical information as well. She delves into the some of the controversies and compromises that Olmsted and Vaux encountered in the creation of one of the finest examples of 19th Century art but it is not a comprehensive history of the park. There is a 2 page map of the park at the of the book with a legend identifying each of the features discussed in the book. If you are first time visitor to the city wishing to explore the park in detail or a life long New Yorker this book will delight and surprise you.

Definitive Review of the Finest Work of Art in NYC
As an avid fan of Central Park who has been exploring it and studying the books on it for decades, I was amazed at what there was still to learn about it from Miller's book. For example,other historians allude to a connection between Central Park's design and the Hudson River School of landscape art: Miller provides actual sources of the designer's inspiration and shows the results explicitly in the photos. And all in a way that is not at all "bookish" but instead makes you want to go right in and see for yourself the scenes she shows so well in the book's illustrations. The beautiful photos and fascinating stories and the well chosen historical prints all work together in such a compelling and entertaining way that one might never realize one is being educated by a superb textbook in the field of art.
New York's Oasis
Central Park is breath taking and this book does a fine job of giving the reader a feel for what makes this 850 acre masterpiece so special.The book is quite thorough and does an commendable job of disecting various sections of the park.The color photos are vivid and well thought out and the text is highly informative.The author has a real love for the park and it comes out in her writing.If you have never visited Central Park or have visited and fell in love with it like so many others, you will love this book.This oasis really is the heart of New York City and to understand New York you have to understand the parks historyand its vast importantance to the city.Central Parks importance to New York and New Yorkers cannot be overstated, I can't imagine the city without it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Central Park (New York, N.Y.)    2. Description and travel    3. Gardening    4. Gardening/Plants    5. History    6. Landscape    7. New York (N.Y.)    8. Parks & Campgrounds    9. Pictorial works    10. Travel - United States    11. United States - Mid Atlantic - New York City    12. Architecture / Landscape    13. City & town planning - architectural aspects    14. Local history    15. New York   

Reviews (5)

Camping with the Army Corps of Engineers
A unique feature of this small book is its tight list of Army Corps of Engineer Campsites that are not found in many other directories or guidebooks.This guide will tell you if the campsite is located near a big city like Atlanta or in a rural area. Organized by state, maps of your destination area are a helpful adjunct. As the name implies, most facilities are located near a body of water. Some tend to be more family oriented, others are described as hideaways--peaceful locations where you can commune with nature. The book provides good directions from major highways and clear information about the campsites. (Most list amenities, such as electric, water and dump stations.) This is a useful tool to have with you on any trip. Coming upon one of these sites can be a wonderful diversion. D. Brandley

Camping resourse
As a retired Corps of Engineer officer and a new RVer, I found this book interesting and helpful in planning for trips.
Great for RVers
This book is a "must have" for RVers and campers. I can't think of any other source that has all this information in one place, and easy to find. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Camping    2. Parks & Campgrounds    3. Reference    4. Sports    5. Sports & Recreation    6. Travel - General    7. United States - General   

Reviews (5)

Army Corps Of Engineers camp ground Modoc, SC
Just returned to Florida from three days at Modoc,SC Strom Thurman Lake and Dam. The Campground was everything the guide said it was. We were more than pleased and no complaints. We look forward to utilizing the guide again and hopefully soon...

Happy Rving
its a nice book it will help find our camp sites
Gold mine
This book really is awesome. Sure it doesn't list every campground out there, but the book is already the size of a major city's phone book, so it lists the best ones. I love the rating system because it gives each campground separate 1-5 star ratings whether camping with a tent or in an RV. Extraordinary detail and excellent tips, but so far I haven't seen any altitudes given, which would have been useful.
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Subjects:  1. Automobile travel    2. Camp sites, facilities, etc.    3. Camping    4. Guidebooks    5. Parks & Campgrounds    6. Recreational vehicle living    7. Travel    8. Travel - General    9. Travel Guides - U.S.    10. United States    11. United States - General    12. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY    13. Travel / Parks & Campgrounds    14. USA   

Reviews (10)

Hey Ranger is a Good Book to Read
I have always wondered about the job of a National Parks Ranger.It was very enjoyable to read about experiences.It was also nice to read a little about the National Parks where the author worked.

Ah....The Memories!
Like a great song from years ago, Jim Burnett's stories hit you (and your funny bone) with nostalgia that takes you back to another time and place. My father was a Park Ranger for many years and the stories he told around the supper table keep in time with these (though I never remember laughing as hard as I did when I read about beavers gnawing on boat props!). Thanks for spinning some funny yarns about the outdoor-impaired! Now, if we could only get a reality show called..."So, you want to be a Park Ranger..."

Laugh and Learn
We saw this book while on vacation in Shenandoah National Park and decided to take a copy home. It was so much fun that we took turns reading it out loud in the car during the drive back. Our family has been campers and hikers for years, so we didn't have trouble believing some of the dumb things people do in parks, especially when it comes to wild animals. The author includes some really good tips for anybody planning a trip to the outdoors, but most of the learning is well disguised in the humor. This is a fun book for just about anybody. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Accidents    2. Anecdotes    3. Form - Essays    4. General    5. Humor    6. National parks and reserves    7. Outdoor Life    8. Outdoor Skills    9. Parks & Campgrounds    10. Satire And Humor    11. United States    12. Travel / General    13. Travel writing    14. USA   

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Travel - General    2. General    3. Parks & Campgrounds    4. Restaurants    5. Special Interest - Family    6. Travel    7. Travel - General    8. Travel Guides    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Travel   

Reviews (12)

Solid Information for Living Full-Time in an RV
My husband wanted to try full-time RVing, but I was too attached to having a house.Anyone trying to make that decision, needs to read this book.
A "must have" for the RV enthusiast!
This was our "introduction" to the RV world and became our "what-to-do-now" bible on the road.The Moeller's cover everything you need to know about your RV and lots of common sense advice about living on the road."Live Your Road Trip Dream: Travel for a year for the cost of staying home" was written to help would-be travelers get from dreaming about a long road trip, to actually doing the trip of a lifetime.The Moeller's give you the nuts and bolts of doing it--The Complete Guide is a must-have traveling companion.

The Basics, soup-to-nuts
Author of DISCOVER AMERICA DIARIES: 50 STATES, 50 STATES OF MINDRead more

Subjects:  1. Parks & Campgrounds    2. Transportation    3. Travel - United States    4. United States - General   

Reviews (8)

woodalls north american campground directory 2005
This is the first book we bought about anything related to camping and we brought it with us on our second trip. It was a life saver. We wanted to stop somewhere else on our way home and were able to find all the information we needed. The size of our space is important to us along with privacy and distance to local attractions. We found a lot of that information at each areas listing, along with a map of each state. Every camper needs a directory.

Woodalls
Excellent book, sometimes the woodalls ratings are quite my opinion but otherwise a great source.

Woodall's NA Campground Directory has got it all
The directory is great.You can find all the campgrounds in the area by looking up the city name.It tells you all the facilities available at the campground. You can find the phone number, web site information...anything that you need in order to make reservations. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Canada    2. Mexico    3. North America    4. Parks & Campgrounds    5. Travel    6. Travel - Foreign    7. Travel - General    8. United States - General    9. Caravan & camp-site guides    10. Travel / United States / General   

Reviews (6)

Great overall climbing guide
If you don't know where in JTree you would like to climb or if you plan on doing a little bit of all kinds of climbing, this is the book to have.It provides an overview for the whole area with great maps and photographs to easily locate all rocks (and there is a lot of them so the book is thick).Some of the maps and info are out of date and need to be replaced (the Hidden Valley campground/Intersection Rock map and information about showers).I also found myself constantly writing on the map page references for the different rocks.It may also be nice to include a guide on all major toprope, bouldering, and sport climbing sections, although these exist on the web.Overall, I had an amazing trip and knew where to go every day, I just wish I had more than 5 days to climb there.Ooooh, also the book doesn't tell you that you will have no finger tips left or that the ratings are really hard and you shouldn't use them :-)A 5.10c in JTree is apparently not a 5.10c anywhere else, but this is a one of a kind place!

This is the book.
There are others out there, but Vogel's Rock Climbing Joshua Tree is the definitive overall guide that both new and experienced climbers rely upon. However, for more detailed information on routes in specific areas of Joshua Tree (Lost Horse, Indian Cove, Hidden Valley, etc.), don't leave home without Alan Bartlett's excellent guides.
Missing details, but great guide
This is a very comprehensive guide to Joshua Tree for climbers. It is the book that we always take with us as the defintive reference. Generally, the information is accurate and the maps detailing which rock is which in various formations is quite good.Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Guidebooks    3. Joshua Tree National Park    4. Joshua Tree National Park (Cal    5. Joshua Tree National Park (Calif.)    6. Mountaineering    7. Parks & Campgrounds    8. Rock climbing    9. Sports    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Travel - United States    12. United States - Pacific - California    13. Sports & Recreation / Mountaineering   

Reviews (7)

Not much concept art of early golden Disney animation period
It is a great book when you want to learn about collors and style in Disney park design, but not much on the period of Dumbo animation and other early disney design and concept art for animation in the golden period of disney animation. Still great paintings and Aquarels (study the techniques) from traveling and the design paintings, for the disney world themeparks. It gave me the Idear of buying a sketchbook for my world traveling.
Not enough Disney
I hate to sound like an ingrate writing this review:Herb Ryman has done some great illustrations.Unfortunately, this book spends too much time showcasing Herb Ryman's non-Disney art--which is pretty mediocre--and not enough space showcasing his Disney work.The highlight of the book--Ryman's first illustration of the soon-to-be-built Disneyland--is spread across two pages, but the page break makes it nearly impossible to decipher what's in the middle of the drawing.(It should have perhaps been on a fold-out, or at least on a single, uninterrupted page.)Other great illustrations, especially early renderings of Tomorrowland, are printed in extremely small 3" images, making them very hard to read.All in all, I'd say don't bother with this book.Ryman's best drawings are already showcased in many other books.

Not so much for Disney historians...
As a general book about the person Herb Ryman, it is very pretty and well made, and deserves 5 stars.Read more

Subjects:  1. Art / Commercial / General    2. Artists, Architects, Photographers    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Business Aspects    6. Disneyland (Calif.)    7. History    8. Painters    9. Ryman, Herbert Dickens    10. Travel / Parks & Campgrounds    11. United States    12. Artists    13. Commercial - General    14. Parks & Campgrounds    15. Travel   

Reviews (2)

spectacular visuals, excellent text
This book is a spectacular visual text to some of the American National Parks.The size of the photos, and their photographic quality, are just excellent. The photos are right up there with National Geographic-type quality. In addition, the accompaning text gives ecological insights to where and why this part of the United States was designated and saved as a National Park.The book gives short but insightful accompanying text for each of the Parks that are presented to the reader. The only problem is, unfortunately, the organization of the chapters, and a very skimpy table of contents, and the reader can get easily annoyed with these two problems. It is hard to understand why the publisher made such errors, as the problems are very obvious, and the whole book suffers as a result.It is a beautiful book covering many of the National Parks, with super photos and very good college level text, and if you can put up with the problems of a missing table of contents, this book is a great collection of art, ecology, and the National Parks of the USA.A 5-star for the photos and accompanying text, and a 3 for a useless table of contents.Sorry, but the publisher made major mistakes in putting this otherwise spectacular book together. But I will still give the book a 5-star anyway. The photos and text are just too good to give this book anything less than a 5-star.

Spectacular Presentation of Natural Wonder
Paul Schullery presents a book filled with powerful and beautiful images of fifty-six national parks that have been dedicated to the preservation and protection of irreplaceable treasures. This book shows why these parks are so worthy of protection. Read more

Subjects:  1. Earth Sciences - Geology    2. National parks and reserves    3. Natural Resources    4. Natural history    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Parks & Campgrounds    8. Pictorial works    9. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S./General    10. Travel - United States    11. United States    12. United States - General    13. Nature / Natural Resources    14. Travel   

Editorial Review

If David Muench's photographs of U.S. parks and monuments fail to take your breath away, you may want to check your pulse. If they fail to inspire you to visit Canyonlands, Acadia, Big Bend, or the Great Smoky Mountains, you have something to answer for. Muench has inspired a whole generation of landscape photographers with his images, which border on the mystical; he in turn takes his inspiration from the "primal beauty" of these treasures, which are places of worship to him. Muench makes it evident in an afterword that he is not a verbal communicator; perhaps that is to our advantage, for it forces him to express himself with the camera. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"Nature's Glory" would be a better title
Despite the seemingly mediocre title of this book, the pictures are anything but average. Here, you will find landscapes of various different types and beauty, from rugged cliffs to lush forests and waterfalls. The natural beauty of this book will challenge anyone who believes that photography is not an art, as Meunch has an unbelievable talent for it. In fact, while Udall is a good essay writer, I would even go so far as to say that Meunch should be credited as the author here. Not only does he capture breathtaking images, but his perspective is amazing as well, particularly in his forest photos. The forest section of the book perfectly represents the vastnessof the trees, making me feel as though I'm a nymph or some other woodland creature marveling at the majesty around me. Whether you are a nature lover or have never appreciated it before, I recommend you get this book now!

National Parks of America
"National Parks of America" is a wonderful collection of photographs from the National Parks in the United States. David Muench does a marvelous job capturing some of the the most beautiful places in the United States. His photographs include the Alaskan National Parks, the Grand Canyon, the giant redwoods in Redwood National Park, the giant sequoias in Sequoia National Park, the natural bridges in the national parks in Utah, Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park, Isle Royale in Michigan, and the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee. There is a map of all of the places in the National Park System, and an essay by Stewart L. Udall, former Secretary of the Interior under Kennedy and Johnson, and James R. Udall. I cannot recommend this book enough. You must see it to fully understand what an outstanding book it truly is. It made me want to visit these places as soon as possible!

Wonderful!
This is the book with the most beautiful pictures of America's National Parks I have seen so far. The print quality of the photographs is excellent. I have given this book as a gift to many of my friends and relatives! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Individual Photographer    2. National parks and reserves    3. Parks & Campgrounds    4. Photography    5. Pictorial works    6. Scenic Photo Collections    7. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    8. Subjects & Themes - Travel - U.S./General    9. Travel    10. United States   

Reviews (3)

Riverside RV Park, Arcadia,Florida
WE used the guide to locate an Rv park for our first rv adventure in the new MH. We enjoyed a great Memorial Day weekend at this first class park Thanks to Trailer Life...

2006 Trailer Life Directory
We have just purchased our first 5th wheel and are leaving this week for a lengthy trip. This book looks like it will be very helpful. We have compared it to AAA Campbooks as well as the tour books. We are taking all three.

Wouldn'tbuy it again.
I bought this directory to get more information on the campgrounds,However it turns out its just alot of wasted pages that have marketing and advertising. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Parks & Campgrounds    2. Travel    3. Travel - General    4. Travel / Parks & Campgrounds   

Reviews (5)

Paradise Found on a Grand canyon Tour
The Grand Canyon Handbook: an Insider's Guide to the Park, was quite helpful.I searched all over the internet for grand canyon tour information, and i must say paradisefoundtours.com was by far the best.I signed up for a grand canyon tour and a hoover dam tour with them.The book and the website went hand in hand.We had a great time!

It's not just a big hole in the ground
The way the books of this series work is that they took a guide for new rangers in Yosemite with the 100 or so most frequently asked questions, and wrote their own answers for each park.So in each book the questions are very similar but the answers might be very different. It's not just a big hole in the ground
The way the books of this series work is that they took a guide for new rangers in Yosemite with the 100 or so most frequently asked questions, and wrote their own answers for each park.So in each book the questions are very similar but the answers might be very different.Read more

Subjects:  1. Grand Canyon National Park (Ar    2. Grand Canyon National Park (Ariz.)    3. Guidebooks    4. Parks & Campgrounds    5. Travel    6. Travel - United States    7. United States - Mountain - Arizona    8. Arizona    9. The Arts: General Issues    10. Travel & holiday guides    11. USA    12. National Parks   

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Travel - General    2. General    3. Parks & Campgrounds    4. Special Interest - Family    5. Travel    6. Travel - General    7. Travel Guides - U.S.    8. United States - General    9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Travel    10. Travel & holiday guides    11. USA