Southwest

I used this book to help me plan a 10-day road trip around the Southwest - my first time in that region. This book was extremely helpful in helping me decide ahead of time which routes to take and what I wanted to see. But it came in the most handy when we were actually on the road. We played it by ear along the trip to decide what to see besides the big attractions we'd already planned for, as well as figuring out where to stay and where to eat. The book was great at giving us quick, concise information about the town we were approaching and giving us inspiration of what we wanted to see there. We found some real gems of places. The maps were great and the information on scenic drives and national parks/monuments were indispensable. It was equally helpful in the big cities. We used the book so much it basically stayed out of the backpack and on the car seat the whole time, and came into the Motel 6 with us every night for further research. Lonely Planet is awesome and if I ever go on vacation again (this was my first real vacation in over 6 years) I will definitely put their guidebooks at the top of my list. Other books that made this trip extra special were the Roadside Geology series and the Road Guide to Joshua Tree National Park.

I relied exclusively upon the 3rd edition of Southwest to guide me through a recent, quite extensive road trip of the high desert regions discussed in this exceptionally well-produced Lonely Planet publication. I had a wonderful, adventure-filled time of it in no small part due to the creative suggestions for travel routes offered in this volume. If a road was not on the maps printed in this edition, then it was impassable for all intents and purposes to non- 4-wheel drive traffic. And I found hotel, B & B, country inn, and youth hostel selections to be uniformly accurate and helpful throughout the book. Suggestions for restaurants were diverse, cost sensitive, and often inspired as well. I enjoyed many superb meals at very reasonable prices as a direct result of explicitly following the directions in the pages of Southwest.One problem I had with this travel guide was what I came to consider insufficient differentiation of descriptions of historical sites. For example, Chaco Canyon, Canyon De Chelly, and Mesa Verde are all described at about the same superlative level by the authors. But I found Chaco disappointing, if for no other reason than there is little left of the architecture that once graced the arid, remote site. And the ENDLESS dirt road going in should have been re-graded years ago. The site is a pain to reach! For me, the best thing about Chaco was the movie narrated by Robert Redford (which was available for viewing at the Guest Center). But you would never get this from the book. Aside from this minor criticism, I cannot recommend Southwest too highly for those seeking the warm, friendly welcome and indescribable landscapes that come in abundance when touring this remarkable, magical region of the USA.

I've traveled through the Southwest a number of times and found this to be and excellent overall guide. Sections are fun to read and have actual wit. Good maps of regions and cities. There's a lot of info packed into a relatively small book. History, geology, flora and fauna as well as where to find the ATM's, hotels and good eats. If I could only buy a single book for exploring the Southwest this would be it.

I just returned from a two-week trip to New Mexico and Arizona. The Lonely Planet guide wasn't that useful in planning the trip because it is so comprehensive -- here is EVERYTHING in four states. But once on the road, the Lonely Planet guide was invaluable for finding rooms, choosing restaurants, negotiating downtowns, and having a fun trip. I'm sure it directly saved me more than twice its cost, not to mention the saved time and hassle. Don't leave home without it!

Giving credence to "the journey is the destination" this guide helped turn an "are we there yet" experience with two young boys into a continuing adventure. We nicked it the "Slickrock to Sliderock" vacation. With the guidance of The Lonely Planet we discovered ghost towns, geological sites, dinosaur tracks and meals and lodging and meals that more than suited the audience and the budget. If you are looking to make a trek across the Canyonlands, don't leave without a copy of this in your glovebox. It will pay for itself in savings and adventure tenfold. The memories: Priceless.