There was a time when the bigger and more ponderous the travel
guide, the better. Such behemoths were meant as bibles, the fount
of all information about a place. Times are changing, though, and
less is more when it comes to what we want to lug along on our
journeys. Consider these newfangled encyclopedias of place when
planning your next vacation. - Becca Hensley
Find Your Place
An ingenious new take on the usual travel guide,
PlaceNotes are durable traveler's information cards
that expound on specific aspects of a setting: a building, a park,
a painting. Created to celebrate the discovery of travel and give
the user a sense of place, these cards illuminate such cities as
Houston and
Santa Fe. $20,
www.placenotes.com
Paper the City
For those who live by the rules of bon ton, exactly where you go
matters. Perfect for the trendy tourist,
Wallpaper
City Guides tell discerning travelers what they need to
know. Colorful, design-savvy guides boasting sections such as
"Urban Life," "Sports," and "Spas," these pocket-size wonders
explain what's hot in 20 cities around the world. $9,
www.wallpaper.com
Snap to It
Lightweight yet dense in factoids,
Budget Travel
Snap Guides are mini-miracles. Need the scoop on the best
dance floor in Buenos Aires? The most potable cocktail in Los
Angeles? Let the locals tell you in this downloadable, printable
guide, which is meant to be discarded after you complete your trip.
Free,
www.budgettravelonline.com
Listen to the Voices
There’s help for those of us who love the discovery of travel but hate to look like a tourist. These days, iPods replace the ubiquitous umbrella-toting tour leader. They save us from asking directions and unfolding unwieldy maps on foreign street corners. So rush to your computer now and download these sound-seeing programs that will illuminate your next sojourn.
PodScrolls are colorful dining and drinking guides from Rough Guides that reveal the food and drink of
Dublin,
Amsterdam,
Madrid, and other cities. Free,
www.roughguides.comSoundwalk assaults the senses with audacious interactive walks through New
York neighborhoods (as well as some other destinations). Led by voices from the area, you’ll hip-hop through the Bronx and beyond with these streetwise audio programs. $12,
www.soundwalk.comBlueBrolly’s London Audio Walks take you on 50-minute wanderings from Shakespeare’s Globe to the murder sites of Jack the Ripper. $9 to $22,
www.bluebrolly.com