Disclosure: This post not only has some amazing travel books that I love it in it, but also Affiliate Links that I earn commissions from. This is how I pay for my travels and this blog. Thank you for supporting me! I appreciate it.
Travel books inspire the imagination to think of a world outside of your front door. One that when you close your eyes you can imagine the sun basking down on your skin while your toes sink into the sand. I often dream of a cabin on a cliff watching the waves crash into the rocks with a fire going to keep me warm – I’m still searching for this too! There are many travel books that will make you want to hit the road and live a life a little less ordinary. These are just a few travel books and guides I personally couldn’t live without. After traveling full-time for the last 3.5 years, there are still books I turn to when I need a little inspiration or guidance. Here are my favorites!
The Milepost 2018
When I decided to road trip from Arizona to Alaska, my dad bought me both the hard copy and digital version of the The Milepost 2016. This book was like my Bible as I drove from Vancouver, Canada all the way to Seward, Alaska. It took me nine days to drive the AlCan and Cassiar Highways. I took my time, and because of The Milepost, I knew just where to stop for the night and what not to miss on the drive. I can’t say enough about this book if you are planning an epic road trip to Alaska! When I’m hitting the road as a weekend road trip warrior in Alaska, I always have The Milepost in my passenger seat. Yep, I do buy a new one every year – gotta find out where the new pot holes are!
Traveler’s Guide to Alaskan Camping
Since we are talking about road tripping to Alaska, I would be remiss if I didn’t point you to the Traveler’s Guide to Alaskan Camping. This guide book provides a comprehensive guide as to where to camp in both an RV and in a tent. There are almost 500 campgrounds listed with description of amenities, maps, and what size RVs can be accommodated. I like the pics as I often choose where to call it a night based on the view I will have at sunrise. The new edition has updated information on prices and contact information, plus their GPS data and website link. I camped over 100 days throughout the US, and some of absolute favorite memories were camping in British Colombia, the Yukon, and of course, in Alaska!
Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America’s Two-Lane Highways
When I drove all four corners of the U.S. on my year long road trip, I had one rule – I didn’t want to drive on main highways, but rather the smaller, two-lane back country roads. One book that I was given was Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America’s Two-Lane Highways. It has a roadside curiosities (which I love to check out), obscure towns and their history, and a mile-by-mile description of what you will find on the open road. I love exploring the off-the-beaten-paths in the US!
Off the Beaten Path
You might have noticed by now that I love to do things and go places that are off the beaten path. That’s why I loved receiving the Off the Beaten Path book as a gift last year. It highlights over 1,000 overlooked destinations in the U.S. I’m still checking off places I need to visit. And here I thought I had hit most of them – nope! So many more to go. You gotta have travel goals!
The Most Scenic Drives in America
Until I write my own road trip guide book, I will rely on The Most Scenic Drives in America. I purposefully hit some states based on the time of year. I’m a sucker for fall and made sure I was road tripping throughout New England during the fall color change. Just to be clear, one of the absolute most stunning scenic drives in America is right here in Alaska! It is the Seward Highway which connects Anchorage to the Kenai Peninsula. Absolutely beautiful! Now that I got that out of my system, this book does a great job of separating out the drives based on U.S. region. It includes the best times of year to hit the road and any special events that might be going on. Now to work on my own book…
Destinations of a Lifetime: 225 of the World’s Most Amazing Places
I have only been to six countries, so Destinations of a Lifetime: 225 of the World’s Most Amazing Places lets me dream of new and exciting places I would love to visit. You see, I dream of the next place I should travel to and then look at travel books to see if it resembles the beauty of my dreams. Surprisingly, it does a lot of the time! This book helps me to plan when I should travel and then once I’m there, where I should go.
Lonely Planet Books
For your typical travel guide books, look no further than Lonely Planet Books. I love their style of writing and that they tell it like it is. I first started with their book on Maui and picked up their book for Costa Rica when I went last year. I can always count on them to tell me the best places to go and what I shouldn’t miss.
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Hopefully by now you have read Wild by Cheryl Strayed. You haven’t? Stop what you are doing and read it today. I had heard about this book in my blogging world, then the movie came out during my first year on the road. I chose not to read it or see it until I had road tripped to Alaska. I saw the movie first with one of my friends in Anchorage who insisted I stop what I was doing and go and see it with her. I didn’t realize that I cried during the whole movie. My story might be different from Cheryl’s, but the leaving your world behind to find yourself was a story I knew all too well. I went and bought the book that night. Now I read Wild every year and remind myself the strength it takes to walk a path that no one else can see or understand.
Into the Wild
I was home in Arizona for a brief moment and went to Alyssa to color my roots. As I’m sitting there talking about my upcoming trip to Alaska, she asked me if I had read or had seen the movie Into the Wild. I hadn’t even heard about it. The next time I went in to see her a few weeks later (my grey grows way too fast!) she gave me her copy of the movie. It was about Christopher Johnson McCandless who had given away all of his money to charity, walked away from all his possessions and cash, and invented a new life for himself on the road. He made his way to Alaska and Into The Wild.
When they made the movie, Into The Wild, they replicated the bus that Christopher had found out in Denali. That replicated bus sits at 49th State Brewery! It is also on a few brewery shirts that I wear that remind me of who I am and why I choose to live in Alaska. I don’t want to die in the Alaska wilderness, but this book is really telling me to never forget to live.
Eat, Pray, Love
When I first read Eat, Pray, Love and then saw the movie, I wondered if people really just walk away from their lives? Maybe this book is what started the little thought that maybe I would find a life I loved traveling. I was a little older than Elizabeth Gilbert, but I too felt unfulfilled, confused, and not sure about my path in the world. Elizabeth Gilbert took off and found foodie pleasure in Italy, devotion and mindfulness in India, and love again in Bali. She found herself by letting herself go. I can understand that!
Have you read any of these? Which one do you want to pick up today? If you liked this post, please Pin it or Share It. I appreciate your support!
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Good to know you’ve put this books altogether. You’ve really got me inspired to travel. Thank you.
My parents just bought the Off The Beaten Path book. Looks awesome! I’ve also been meaning to read Into The Wild for soo long!! I need to read more, lol. THanks for sharing.
I’ve read Wild by Cheryl Strayed only recently and it blew my mind. Moreover, all of the other books seem intriguing. Which one is your most favourite?