This is what I want from a travel guide. As I'm considering a lengthy trip to Arizona, and to Phoenix specifically, I want to know the what's what on the what-to-see. "The Best of Phoenix and Tucson: The Ten Best" has that, with a hearty dash of personality.

Lots of travel guides take a similar tack: list the top ten of the usual categories. What makes this one different is that the writers have avoided becoming lackeys to the hotel of entertainment industry. Instead of being crammed with corporate logos, they focus on their opinion. I like that.

No one will be surprised to read most of the lists: dining, resorts, romantic vistas, but nice to see were lists like, "The Ten Best Other Ethnic Restaurants." Naturally, they have a number of general and Hispanic restaurant lists, but I was pleased to see the authors really did their homework. Now I know I can check out "Peter's European Cafe" and taste their Hungarian palacsintas (stuffed crepes).

Phoenix and Tucson are neighbors. Anyone visiting one community is likely to visit the other, but they are not twin cities. Therefore, the writers wisely create separate sections for each city. Anyone willing to make the 110 mile drive will be ready.

A tourist will love this book, but I suspect any local will discover things about his home city previously hidden deep in the phone book.

I fully recommend "The Best of Phoenix and Tucson: The Ten Best" by Don W. Martin, Betty Woo Martin.

Anthony Trendl

Undoubtedly the most fun and most helpful travel book we have ever consulted. Have just returned from a wonderful week in this extraordinary city, made all the better by recommendations in "The Best of San Francisco." Instead of paying $200 at the conference hotel, we spent $79 at a small boutique hotel nearby everything, including the cable car, that was recommended in the "Proud Paupers" section. It could not have been nicer: impeccably clean, friendly staff, charming atmosphere, most comfortable hotel beds we have ever had, walking distance to shops, restaurants, galleries, everything you want is right in the neighborhood. We also used the "PP" section to select two wonderful ethnic restaurants - Thai and Indian. Both served delicious, savory meals, with large portions for small prices (under $6 in some cases). And provided interesting cultural experiences. In addition to pointing you in the right direction to enjoy San Francisco to the fullest, this book also tells you how to avoid major headaches, by recommending you do not, under any circumstances, drive a car in this city. We took that advice and were so glad we did! The best buy in town was also recommended, and that is a transportation pass at $15 for 7 days. You can ride any of the public transport, buses, trolleys, BART, and the famous cable cars. Before you take a trip to San Francisco, do yourself a favor and get a copy of this wonderful, down-to-earth little book. You will be glad you did!

I used this as my main reference book on a trip to Oregon last summer (1998). The info was current, easily understandable, directions were very accurate. I loved the list of radio stations at the end of each chapter - it eliminates searching around the dial while you drive. And I contacted cities from the list of Chambers of Commerce and received a lot of additional helpful info. The best recommendation that I can give is that I'm headed for California this summer and the Martin's book is at the top of my short list of books to buy! PS - There is a 1999 update available now.

This is a guide to 21 road trips in California and 4 in Nevada. I've now taken a number of the backroads described in this book. There are some excellent suggestions for getting away from the interstates and finding the true character of these two states. The Martin's have a folksy style that I enjoyed. They didn't include much info about the scenery in between but mainly rundowns of the main cities along the way and places to eat and sleep. They really keep to the basics here. For example the section on "The Silver Trail" from Las Vegas to Virginia city is only 14 pages for a trip covering 443 miles. This book is a good starting point to get ideas for road excursions, but if you're going to spend any length of time on one of these trips I'd recommend getting further material before setting out.

I never thought a book could have so much information about how to get around to different places. The authors know what they are talking. They have researched all information that is in the book and now I can travel and see that I have been missing. Thank you for a great book.

I would certainly reccomend this book to anybody considering a move to Arizona. It includes useful employment information for most of the larger cities, tax information, population statistics, and much more.

This book is perfect if you don't know where to go on Mt Tam's 200 miles of trails but have always wanted to explore the mountain. The trail summaries, "getting there" instructions and maps, as well as the actual trail maps are easy and informative. The trail ratings (for running and hiking) are useful as well. This book makes a great gift.

This isn't a bad book, but the information is very broad, with not as many specifics as one might believe - or want. For exapmle, the book does not contain directions on how to obtain a work card to get a job in casinos, or what a work card is. Other info has nothing to do with Nevada but is still useful, like how to write a cover letter. The best info is the geographic info and the descriptions of the towns and real estate. The book's shortcomings deal with jobs and money issues (save real estate)Also, the book's writing style is very informal, to the point of dumbing down the material. Still, it's a pretty good place to start, but you'll want more specific info later.

This book is very insightful for those who wonder what Nevada has to offer other than tourism and casinos. A must read if you are thinking about moving to this state!

I bought a few guide books to plan a trip to Seattle, the city of my birth. With only a few days to spend, The title attracted me because it is the TEN BEST THINGS to do.

225 pages on TEN THINGS?

NO MAPS - all landmarks are the same print color, events tend to blend into one another. Also the book is large, not an easy fit into the purse.

I recommend Access Seattle, which is a great guide full of easy to read maps, wonderful reviews and an easy to read lay out! Also gives you clues into festivals different times of the year. Not to mention, a good size to fit into a bag.

I gave it two stars because the book is rich in history. So, it is an interesting read, but I would not plan a vacation around it.

This book has been very helpful in planning my first distance adventure by myself. Instead of reading EVERYTHING about Seattle, it narrows down things to the important information of opportunities that I have in my short week visit. This has been a great help in deciding upon B&Bs and hotels, baseball tickets, boat excursions, etc. It is a must read for planning a trip to Seattle.

My husband and I recently bought a home in Prescott, AZ and I purchased this book as a resource for the local economy, job info etc. as we plan to move to the area in a year or so. The section of the book on "job seekers" seems to contain mostly outdated information and refers to statistics between 1985 and 1995 only.

I have been to Arizona about 6 times and I skimmed through the book in search of additional information about the state I plan to live in, but didn't find much of anything I didn't already know. Most of the historical and cultural information is trivial; the climate, economy and travel information is no more detailed than what one could find over the internet by visting a city's chamber of commerce.

The information is also very general as the book covers the entire state of Arizona, so it is not a recommended read for someone looking for specific information about a certain city. This book might be good for someone looking for retirement community information and/or travel information if one intended to take a motor home tour through the state...otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it.

I first started with the a book entitled, Moving to Arizona, published in 1991, then picked up this title, Arizona in Your Future, published in 1998, and writted by the same duo. The two books are the same! Minimal, very minimal updates, same use of tiny, completely undetailed maps and very bland reading. The "Top 10" reviewer who rated this book 5 stars obviously didn't read this book, just rated it. Please, make better use of your time and don't throw other readers off to heighten your standings as to the amount of books you review.

I live in Arizona. I moved here in March of 2000, and before I moved in, I got a copy of this book, after having researched all the options in a bookstore. The good thing about the book is that it's an extremely valuable resource BEFORE you move in, and even if you're only considering whether to move to AZ. It gives you tons of figures and tips, ranging from how to deal with the desert weather, to how the state's "lemon law" works, just to name a couple of them.

The downside to the book, though, is the date in which it was edited: 1998. Since then (it's been three years now) lots of things have changed: area codes, population, some laws, etc. If you're looking for a state guide to use for tourism purposes, or as a daily reference guide, look elsewhere (I'd recommend Frommer's guide -it's truly complete and up-to-date).