The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - Your Guide to Breathtaking Routes, Hidden Gems, and Iconic Landscapes (Reader's Digest)
V**R
A "must have" for U.S. road trips
I'm not exaggerating when I say this book may be the best thing I have ever bought. It's not a book. It's a treasure map - not to monetary wealth, but to a treasure chest of breathtaking experiences and memories that will last a lifetime. I have driven through all of the lower 48 states on different road trips, and I have probably followed all or parts of 80%-90% of the routes in this book (including one for Maui, Hawaii). Even in the less scenic (some would say "boring") states, this book helps travelers find a few gems that are unique to the areas and/or geographical regions. For instance, who knew there was a giant, beautiful lake in the middle of flat, wind-swept Kansas that happens to be one of the biggest waterfowl refuges for migratory birds in the world? This book did, and now I have some amazing pics and videos of various birds hovering in the wind over the lake as the sun set over the water. It was a totally random side trip during a drive out west that turned into a great memory! That's what this book offers.And in the states with tons of national parks and things to see, this book helps pinpoint the "must-see" spots. The book is very easy to navigate. It has a map of all of the states, and all of the recommended routes are highlighted on the map with an index to read more about each route. So, it's super easy to plan a trip (or side trip). I have owned this book for over 10 years, but I'm reviewing it today because I just bought it for a friend driving from Mississippi to northern California. She has already picked out four routes from the book to explore, and she is now even more excited for her drive!
J**O
Perfect Book to plan a a roadtrip!
I am so glad I got this book! I am heading out on a pilgrimage of sorts and this book was suggested to me and it will be my companion on my journey. It’s very easy to read with wonderful photos and clear guidance on taking the best scenic routes. Happy (and safe ) driving!
A**N
There are two versions of the Kindle book. Here's what's different
This review will focus on the differences between two different ebook versions of this book. Both versions of the book are available for the Kindle at Amazon, but there are some significant differences between the versions. The first version is listed as "The Most Scenic Drives in America, Newly Revised and Updated. I will call this the Kindle version. The second version of the book is listed as "The Most Scenic Drives in America, Newly Revised and Updated (Enhnaced Edition). I will refer to this as the enhanced version.My comparison is based on a purchased copy of the enhanced version, and a sample copy of the Kindle version. The comparison is based on using the Kindle app on an iPad Pro.Before the purchase, I saw the specs for the two books differed, but without being a Kindle connoisseur, I did not know how these differences would impact the use of the books. The notable features included in the Kindle but not the enhanced versions are: Word Wise, Screen Reader, Page Flip, and Enhanced Typesetting. The only unique feature mentioned on the enhanced version was Audio and Video.A free sample was not available for the enhanced version, but it appears that it can be returned within 7 days, so I proceeded with the purchase. What follows is the differences I noticed between the versions.Table of ContentsThe enhanced version has a table of contents, the Kindle version does not. There are pages within the Kindle version that have the contents for the four sections of the country, but those pages are located in each section of the book rather than in the front/menu bar.PaginationWith the iPad in landscape mode, the enhanced version displays 2 pages side by side, the Kindle version fills the page width with a single page. In portrait mode, both versions display a single page across. The photos show the difference in landscape mode.ScrollingThe kindle version allows continuous scrolling of pages. The enhanced version forces you to scroll one page at a time.Video and AudioI found a few videos in a quick skim of the book. One video showed Old Faithful in action, with a narration that was about as useful as the caption on a still picture. The videos are a nice touch, and are a slight improvement over just stills. I did not find any stand alone audio content as the title alludes to. All audio was with the videos.SummaryThe book overall is great. I purchased the ebook, after I have made many trips with photocopied pages from the original printed version. I think I am going to stick with enhanced version. The added table of contents makes all the difference, and the videos are a nice touch. I will miss a few of the kindle features like continuous scrolling and page flip, but I think it is worth giving them up for the TOC.
G**R
Excellent book for finding great trips to go on.
Book is easy to use, divided by areas, great descriptions of trips and hundreds of sidelight trips. Gives lengths and approx time for the drives and beautiful pictures of those areas. It points out lots trips to places that are beautiful and you would have never had thought to go there. Hidden gems.A little disappointed in the revised book as I had seen the older edition and thought this revised edition, ten or so years later, would have even more places and trips, but most of it is the same trips with some added side trips, and new web sites. Wished they had done more trips in the southwestern region, especially southern Arizona and southern New Mexico.But it is still a great book for planning driving trips and more places in it than you could see in a lifetime. Well worth the cost for the vast amount of information it contains and guidence it gives you.
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