The Rough Guide to Seattle Mini

THE ROUGH GUIDE TO SEATTLE 4 is a great guide to Seattle and its environs. It features a lot of information on sightseeing, dining, recreation, shopping, nightlife, and local media, including radio stations. It's a lot better than the LONELY PLANET series as far as coverage of radio stations in the area is concerned. If you're interested in the Pacific region in general and Seattle in particular, don't pass this book up.

I normally buy the lonely planet series of travel guides but the new version isn't coming out until Feb. I am traveling to Seattle next week so time was a factor in making my decision. I've compared the rough guide to Fodor's and Frommer's guides and the rough guide seems to be the best one in terms of practicality. It has more information on the neighborhoods and public transport. The maps are better organized and easy to understand, similar to the maps on the lonely planet. It is also very well organized and easy to read. I still prefer the lonely planet because the maps are more informative, has all of the practical information, and comprehensive. But the rough guide is definitely a close 2nd.

Finally, I got to throw away my outdated copy of Seattle's Rough Guide. And that's only because the company issued an update last summer. It keeps current with newly opened cafes and restaurants. It is accurate on prices and descriptions. If you are traveling carry-on style to Seattle, take this one and leave the rest at home.

On it's own, this book is too tiny to help anyone who's visiting seattle for more than a day. It has a paragraph or two about the most common attractions, restaurants, parks, etc. However, since it has great, detailed maps, and it's so small, it's great to tuck in a backpack. When I have friends come to visit, I give it to them to carry around during the day- it's wonderful to consult to find a good spot to grab a lunch, or to be reminded what sights there are to see in whatever neighborhood they're in. If you have a bigger guidebook that you normally use, this is a great, portable supplement.

One of the reasons why I use this book is beacause it has wonderful tidbits and stories about the people and places that influence the Seattle scene. The book is easy to read and can give travelers a quick review on Seattle customs. Descriptions of the restaurants are thorough and offer suggestions of affordable places to grab a quick bite or sit down for a luxorious meal. The authors are honest about the social mix of people found here in the city...providing a section that talks about the areas populated and visited by the gay community. The small book can easily fit into the palm of your hand and is petite enough to fit into any small side pocket of travel gear - a handy feature for the frequent traveler! I reccommend this book in combination with the Lonely Planet: Seattle book and the Fodors Compass guide for Washington (state, that is).