As I sit and think about my next travels away, I'm already surfing the web for information on destinations, accommodation and activities at my chosen holiday spot. However, I will always purchase a travel guide book in addition to web information, why? Because no amount of web surfing will come up with a neat book that you can tuck in your bag and take with you on your travels, that provides impartial information and valuable tips and hints on every aspect of your chosen destination.

On my shelf I have travel guides from the following; Dorling Kindersley, Rough Guide, Frommer's, Fodor's, Lonely Planet, Baedekers, Insight Guides, Michelin, Altitude, AA and numerous local publishers for individual locations that I have visited. I'm quite proud of my library of guide books, and I'm always lending them out with great enthusiasm. They have all provided invaluable information on destinations ranging from Australia, to Africa, the Grand Canyon to regions of France. The different publishers of guide books all offer different view points on travel to each destination, and finally I'm starting to get the art of choosing a guide book according to my needs. I always start however, by carefully browsing the shelves of my local book store, checking out all the different travel guides on my chosen destination before making a purchase.

The ideal travel guide should provide you with the information you are looking for regarding a destination, and here is where you can start to make decisions between publishers. Are you looking for information about a city and its sights, a guide book to allow you to tour with ease a city you have never set foot in? Or are you looking for a travel guide to provide you with accommodation options at every budget level, car rental information and dining recommendations? Of course every guide will include a bit of everything, but some are more tailored to certain requirements.

Dorling Kindersley guide books, I have found invaluable for city breaks. They are full of great illustrations, photos, details of tours, activities, and even have several pages dedicated to individual attractions, so that you may tour a site with only your guide book in hand! Walking tours around the city are suggested with detailed information on points of interest to look out for en route. The Paris guide has over 8 pages dedicated to a floor plan and details of the exhibitions found in the Louvre, whilst the Chicago guide has a detailed walking tour of the 'Loop'.

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