This is a great book! Using it enables one to discover places that they never knew existed. The descriptions are great and the directions are very explicit and correct. We have taken 3 of the tours so far and had wonderful times! I am wondering if there is something similar for Northern California.

Mr. Moreno has a great appreciation and love for the beauty and history of northern and western Nevada, and it shows in this handy book. This is a book about exploring today's Nevada with a little history and a lot of information about over 50 day trips from the capital city.

If you are looking for a hotel and restaurant guide, look elsewhere. And Las Vegas is only a piece of Richard Moreno's story, not the focus. Clearly the author is in love with the Nevada character and he does a great job of describing a pretty interesting place.

We bought 3-4 different books about Hawaii before moving there, this one was our favorite. After living in Honolulu for 3 years, we still used this book often and found it to be quite accurate and helpful. We used it when visiting Kauai, and Hawaii ("The Big Island"), and were happy with the advice and recommendations.

The suggested tours were good, directions and maps were accurate and easy to use. The restaurant recommendations left a bit to be desired, they leave out many cheaper alternatives (though the suggested restaurants are fine, and other choices are easy to find once you're there). The beach section is great, and gives directions of some great "out of the way" beaches much quieter than Waikiki and offer (plus shows some beautiful color photos!).

We've loaned this book to many friends preparing to visit HI, and they have liked it as well.

Lots of color photos distinguish this travel guide. Especially useful is an A-Z tour of all the significant islands, including at least one color photo for most of them.

Baja Outpost by Marvin and Aletha Patchen and Their Guests

Out in the high desert of Baja nestled between boulders and boojums, Marvin and Aletha Patchen have a cabin. And they have been gracious enough to open this cabin to friends and travelers they have met in their journeys. Due to its unique location this cabin has truly become a Baja Outpost.

A guestbook lies in wait for those coming through the door. Some write of what brought them thus far on their journey. Others write of where they hope the road will take them. Some write in the purely in the moment, describing the cabin, the sunsets and the flora. One particular visitor seems to revel in his encounters of the very close kind with the local fauna. But various desert critters don't deter the guests from enjoying the comforts of a place to call home during various adventures in Baja.

The Patchen's interesting and insightful comments are interspersed with the guest entries of over fifteen years, providing us with a very personal history of place. At the beginning of the book, the cabin seems like a simple refuge, nothing more than four walls, a ceiling and a door with a working lock. But it becomes a richly decorated home with the thoughts and impressions left by its visitors.

Some of the names are instantly familiar. Some become familiar as people are drawn back again to the little cabin in the middle of nowhere, providing the reader a very personal glimpse into the heart of Baja as seen through many eyes.

This is a perfect present for readers who long for those dirt roads and smell of sage, for those who travel off the beaten path and know the value of a good road story.

After Columbus made his discoveries, other explorers wanted to follow in his tracks. Balboa was one of these, and for whom some places are named in southern California. Balboa seemed to be one of the few trustworthy and moral characters of his genre. As a leader, he was fair to his men and tried to protect them and reward them for their service.

This is a simple book, written at about a 2nd to 3rd grade level. As with all the other historical/biographical books by Syme written for children, he does an excellent job of describing the lives of historical figures. Though written simply, many interesting details are included, and he is able to bring the people to life by including emotions and interpersonal relationships. I like to read his books to get a quick overview on the subject and/or the historical character. Many of his books were written in the 50s and 60s, but they are still interesting today. They should be reprinted with a more modern look on the cover, though maintaining the original illustrations, which I also enjoy.

The author has researched his subject well, capturing the era of the 1920s as few other writers have. Accurate and brutally honest. My only criticism is that I wish the author would have cut loose with his considerable writing talent. The style is fairly close to the vest but highly readable. Having read hundreds of baseball books, this stands as a classic.

Wonderful map/guidebook in one thats small enough not to be a burden on the hike. The hike takes you from the old mint on powell street through chinatown, financial district, north beach, pier 39 and fishermans wharf with a cable car return (Don't forget to stop by the cable car museum). There are optional side trips to coit tower/telegraph hill (views of golden gate bridge, alcatraz) and nob hill. The city street-trail takes you through every must-see attraction in san francisco, and the guidebook provides you with the history.An excellent way to see San Francisco, with plenty of different culinary treats along the way !

We use this book often - just moved to new area. Some things seem out of date, like entrances and where the dog can be off leash. Need more books like this one! Contra Costa County especiallly!