Off the Tourist Trail: 1,000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives

The premise of Off the Tourist Trail is ambitious: narrow the planet’s must-see attractions to the hundred crème-de-la-crème; delineate what makes them so fabulous and acknowledge their drawbacks (usually crowds and commercialization); and then offer worthy alternatives. Oh -- and accompany it with mind-blowingly stunning photography.

The result? A coffee-table book presented with Dorling Kindersley’s trademark lush sensuality -- smooth, heavy pages; vibrant colors; pleasing layout -- that is beyond successful. To be clear, the book is less an actual travel guide and more a guide for expanding one’s worldview. Yes, uber-travelers might happily substitute one continent’s beach or festival for another’s, half a world away. But show more historical sites and natural wonders seem much less interchangeable, and the takeaway from this book is an awareness that even unique prototypes actually do have similars (Lascaux isn’t the only example of prehistoric rock art; Pompeii isn’t the only preserved ruins; Route 66 isn’t even the best driving trip).

My only caution is to Bill Bryson fans, drawn by the prominent attachment of his name to the book. Be forewarned -- his unbelievably short, repetitive, and vacuous Foreword frankly disrespects both the book and the reader.

Otherwise, highly recommended! show less

Excellent travel guide for all travelers - armchair and otherwise. Lists alternative to many well-traveled, tourist-crowded sites. Could be titled "1001 alternative sites to visit before you die" but I didn't count them. I've already got my list. Short descriptions - you will need a mainstream travel guide for details. But the point is the suggestions for alternative places.
The only grip is the author's warning to avoid Kyoto. They comment "visitors (to Zen gardens) are often required to carry their footwear around in a plastic bag, which somewhat spoils the atmosphere". Having been a frequent visitor to Japan in the past 10 years - the term "Zen garden" is a misnomer, there is no such thing. And what the authors mean, I think, is that show more visitors to temple and shrine buildings need to remove their shoes so as to protect the ancient wood floors and tatami mats. The Japanese do this in their homes, have always done it. But this is just a quibble. If it keeps some additional tourists away from a wonderful city, so be it.
All in all, it is a recommended travel guide. show less

What a gorgeous, gorgeous book! The photography alone makes this book amazing. From the moment it arrived on my doorstep I couldn't wait to start turning pages and ogle all the great pictures. The concept of Off the Tourist Trail is brilliant. A team of experts searched cheaper alternatives to the well-known, sometimes more expensive travel destinations around the world. The chapters are broken up by interest: historical, beaches, sports, and cultural to name a few. Every destination has a paragraph dedicated to practical information such as how to get there, places to stay and budget. The "Need to Know" paragraphs are filled with location, maximum height and average daytime temperatures. Probably the most interesting spin to all the show more information is the "Forget" section. Each comparison adds a build-up and letdown component for the better known destination. For example, in the "Architectural Marvels" chapter the ever-popular New York City is compared with with the lesser-traveled Chicago. New York's letdown (architecturally) is the fact that its architecture is spread out over several miles and at times, difficult to view. An added bonus is the forward by Bill Bryson. I love the way he writes. The only drawback to Off the Tourist Trail is that it isn't portable. Oversized and heavy, this is a book you can't take in your carry-on. Do your research at home and save room in your bags for souvenirs. show less

Anyone who really enjoys traveling is most likely familiar with the many varieties of travel guides that list a location's "must-see's" along with recommendations for restaurants and hotels to fit every budget. These guides are invaluable when planning a trip, but they provide little in the way of inspiration. This is where Off the Tourist Trail comes in.

This beautiful, large coffee table book is not only stuffed with spectacularly gorgeous photographs that make you want to pack your bags and hop the next flight, but also highlight the kinds of destinations that are under the average traveler's radar. What I most appreciated is that the authors never undervalue the well-known tourist destinations, they merely offer alternatives that are show more similar. For instance, the authors recommend a visit to Avebury as opposed to Stonehenge. While they readily admit that "Stonehenge is worth seeing under any circumstances," the recommended Avebury site provides travelers with the opportunity to get up close and personal with ancient standing stones. Having visited Stonehenge twice before, I can both attest to the magnificence of the place and its crowded touristy nature. I'm now excited to "graduate" from Stonehenge and visit the more intimate and obscure Avebury. In addition, I'm now desperate to visit Croatia, which positively glows on the pages of this beautiful book.

If you're looking to find a book that will give you the best hotels, the most popular locations, opening and closing times, or estimated rail ticket prices, this is not the book for you. But if you are a devoted traveler looking for inspiration, like I am, there is no better resource. The combination of awe-inspiring photographs and thoughtful text about what these out-of-the-way locations have to offer is pitch-perfect. show less

This is not only a gorgeous coffee table book, but also one that you can read by yourself or share with others. The concept is that of a travel book that offers the reader alternatives to the best-known travel destinations. The volume is divided into nine sections: ancient and historical; festivals and parties; great journeys; architectural marvels; natural wonders; beaches; sports and activities; art and culture; and cities, and includes a foreword from my favorite travel writer, Bill Bryson.
I immediately turned to some of the sites with which I was most familiar, and was delighted to find that not only were the more familiar sightseeing sites described, but each was accompanied by sites similar in their interest and orientation, but show more more accessible and less crowded, expensive, and touristy.
One example was Stonehenge, which I visited many years ago, when you could walk among the stones while taking in their ancient wonder. Nowadays, you have to pay an entrance fee to get close enough to see it well, and even then-- from behind a fence during visiting hours. Off the Tourist Trail describes Avebury, only 20 miles north of Stonehedge, and the world’s largest henge. If you’re really into ancient sites, the book includes six more sites ranging from Ales Stenar, in Sweden, to the Megalithic Temples of Malta, each accompanied with short descriptions, photos, practical information, and web sites.
Another section on natural wonders describes African safari parks that rival the more well-known Kruger National Park in South Africa. Or if cities are more your thing, you can find information on the less-explored aspects of cities such as London, New York, and Hong Kong. This book is a veritable treasure chest for travel and information junkies! show less

This may become my favorite time-wasting, daydreaming book ever. Just paging through, seeing suggestions of places to visit that I've never even heard of before, but likening them somewhat to places I *have* heard of, but want to avoid because of the [crowds, cost, cliche, take your pick]. As Bryson says in the intro, it's a shame I'll never get to them all, but better that than to ever run out of things to anticipate.

As in all DK books, the photography is gorgeous, rich colors, interesting and varied views of whatever is being covered. There are, necessarily, few pictures of any one destination, but they've done their best to provide an overview while not making similar places look the same. The book itself is definitely NOT a "travel" show more book - it's more coffee-table size than pocket size. It's not meant to be an in-depth guide so much as a jumping-off point.

The book is divided into sections by different kinds of tourism: ancient/historical sites, festivals, journeys, architecture, natural wonders, beaches, sports, art/culture, and cities. The cities section tends to focus on lesser-known sights in major cities, since there's nothing you can quite say is almost the same as New York/Paris/London/Beijing.

While the book only provides the very basic information on each destination, it's still a great way to find out about places you may never have heard of otherwise, and then do your own research. And even though the focus is non-tourist destinations, many are presented in a "this, instead of that" format, and there is always a sidebar covering the basics if you still feel compelled to go for the more well-known example, with ways to avoid the worst of the crowds (e.g., visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon instead of the more popular South Rim; go out to the Giza pyramids early in the day when it's less crowded; etc.).

I really can't recommend this one enough. If you have it on your coffee table, I can almost guarantee that every visitor will end up paging though it, fascinated. show less

I consider myself a serious traveler. Whether it's abroad or within the states, I take every chance I can to pack up and go. This book is a wonderful asset for any traveler.

I literally squealed with delight while I looked through this book. It's filled with luscious, full color photography on every page. It's too large to travel with, but is the perfect book for inspiring new trips.

Everything from music festival to parades to museums to natural wonders like mountains and lakes are covered in this book. No matter what highly trafficked area you were thinking of checking out, this book gives you a dozen other suggestions of similar wonders around the world that would be just as great, if not better, but are lesser known. It also gives show more you some tips in case you decide you still want to see the mainstream location.

In addition to those suggestions it sheds some light on some hidden gem locales in big cities like London, Paris, Sydney, etc. It suggests markets, museums, etc. that other guide books forsake for more mainstream places. It shows even well known cities in a fresh light.

There are enough places reviewed in this book to keep you busy for more than one lifetime. I can't wait to check out their suggestions. show less