Frommer's Alaska [With Foldout Map]

Before I read this book, i had no clue on what Alaska had to offer. I thought an Alaskan Cruise would be "seeing" Alaska. This has been a great asset in planning a land based vacation and we know we will only be scratching the surface. well worth it if you are planning a visit to Alaska.

As someone who lives in Alaska, operates a popular Alaska travel website (Alaska.org), and helps people plan custom Alaska vacations, I can confidently say this is the most useful general guidebook to our state. It's more comprehensive, more readable, and more detailed than other Alaska guidebooks. I think this is mostly because Charles lives in Alaska and updates the book each year. Most travel publishers update their books every couple years and use writers who live in New York or somewhere else. As a result, this book offers details and specifics you learn only by actually doing what you write about--and these are the very details you need to plan your Alaska trip. For example, when writing about halibut fishing in Homer, he mentions the possibility of seasickness. When writing about other activities, he tells you what to bring and wear. Prices and schedules are exact. Alaska is a complex and unfamiliar destination. Most people don't know where to start when planning a trip. Unfortunately, that's why so many people take a cruise when they might have enjoyed a land tour more--if they only knew how to plan it. That's where the "Planning A Trip" section comes in. It discusses the various travel styles and trip types possible in Alaska and why you would choose one over another. It contains the kind of insight and authority that come from really knowing a destination. Charles writes, for example, "Studies by Alaska tourism experts have found that many people choose escorted packages to avoid risks that don't really exist." Or, "It's also possible for an independent traveler to obtain some of the predictability a package tour provides. You can reserve accommodations and activities and control your expenses by using a good travel agent experienced in Alaska travel." This is the type of authoritative, insider advice you need to plan a successful Alaska vacation. This book seems to improve each year--I think because the author maintains a website for reader questions and incorporates the answers into subsequent editions. For example, the book has a section on Suggested Itineraries for trips of different lengths, for family trips, for winter trips, etc.. Itineraries are hugely helpful, because even if you know where you want to go and what you want to see in Alaska, it's sometimes really hard to figure out how long to spend in each place and how best to get from one to the next in a state with limited transportation infrastructure. In response to reader questions about inaccurate Mapquest information, Charles added a driving times table which sets the record straight on how long it takes to travel the various rural Alaska highways, how fast you can drive, where the best views are, and where you can get gas. Another really useful section is Charles' "Best of Alaska" list. Alaska is so vast, with so many travel options, that this section helps you cut to the chase if know your primary interests. Two other things separate this book from others