The book is a celebration of the 50 states and the US Territories, and features a combination of photos and content, organized by state.  You’ll also find regional information, road trips, history, culture and traditions, architecture, and the must-see and quirky spots across the country.  If you love road trips, you’ll enjoy the chapter highlighting the top road trips in the country, including the famous Route 66.

I’m hoping to eventually visit all 50 of the states, and this is a great reminder of what I’m missing in North Dakota, Missouri, and Tennessee.

With over 400 photos, this is a book you’ll want to pick up and leaf through time and again, and as you do you’ll see both how diverse we are. . . yet how much we have in common.

The USA Book is published by Lonely Planet, and is available through them, Amazon ($28.79), as well as at your favorite online or neighborhood book store.

Photo credit: Lonely Planet

Post from: Blisstree

The USA Book: A Journey Through America

And if you’ll be driving down I-95 heading to Florida, Drive I-95 is a book that you’ll want to take along with you as a reference.

Written by Stan Posner and Sandra Phillips-Posner Drive I-95 contains diligently charted every exit between Boston and Miami.  All 552 of them.  In 12 states. 

There’s information regarding everything you’ll need for a lengthy car trip, including food options, motels, radar traps, radio stations, 24-hour mechanics, ATM machines, golf courses, places to shop, and maps. 

The Peterbrooke Chocolatier (Jacksonville, Florida) with its sweet, salty and crunchy chocolate popcorn caught my eye, but here are a few others that might catch yours:

Golfers will love the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, the only PGA facility that is open to the public.  $20 gets you a day of practice putting, chipping, and pitching greens.

Sample the rock shrimp in Dixie Crossroads in Titusville.  At one time these shrimp were passed over because they were too hard to peel.  This is the home of the shell-splitting machine that made peeling easy and introduced this delicacy to the rest of the world.  And boy am I glad they did!

There are just too many great stopping places to list here, so you’ll need to pick it up and discover them for yourself.

In between all these great suggestions are quizzes, trivia, and bits of history that will keep you entertained for the entire drive. . . there and back.

This is a must-have for anyone driving any portion of the I-95 corridor.  It would also make a great gift!

Drive I-95 can be purchased online for $23.95.  An electronic version is also available.

Image credit:  Drive I-95

Post from: Blisstree

Drive I-95: Exit by Exit from Boston to Miami

Pick a card. . . any card. . . and whether you’re a first time visitor, a regular, or a long time resident, each of the 50 cards in the deck will send you off on a self-guided walking adventure.  On one side you’ll find a detailed map, on the back a list of tips and general information.

The cards point out tourist locations, but also cultural, entertainment, and dining spots.  They are written by locals, so you know you’re getting the real scoop!

The general City Walk decks are perfect for adults and families.  If you’re afternoon business meeting cancels, grab a card and head out for a little head-clearing walk.  Skip the treadmill, and find a challenge uphill neighborhood to explore.  Current City Walk cities include Sydney, Toronto, Barcelona, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Boston, Chicago, London, New York, Paris, Rome, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Washington DC.

The City Walks with Kids are adventures of shorter duration,specifically designed with the little ones in mind.  Cities include:  Paris, Washington DC, San Francisco, and New York.

And Village Walks highlight great European Village areas, like Ireland, Provence, and Tuscany.  (I may just have to order the Tuscany for a return Italy visit next year!)

One thing that I like about these cards is that you can take one or two that you want, and leave the rest at home or in your hotel room.  It saves you from having to lug around a big guide book or map, and allows you to blend in rather that stick out as a tourist.  Reasonably priced at $14.95 per deck, you have no reason not to pick up one for every city in your travels!

The City Walk folks have agreed to give away a deck to two of our readers – and the reader will get to select the city of their preference.

To be eligible to win one of the City Walk decks, just leave a comment answering this question (chosen to have City Walk with a little “market research”):

What city would you like to have represented in an upcoming City Walk deck?

The contest runs through tonight, Wednesday, December 10thth, 2008 at 11:59pm (PT). On Thursday, two random winners will be selected from all the comments to receive the City Walk deck of their choice.  Please enter only once, and leave your email address in the appropriate spot so that we can contact you.

Check back tomorrow for the winner of this giveaway, and to see what great gift Kori has for Thursday.  Remember, we’ll be giving away a travel gift each day right up till Christmas.

Image credit:  City Walk/Chronicle Book

Post from: Blisstree

Giveaway: City Walks Travel Deck