Travel books

Kindle readers will be replying to your answer.

I rarely use guidebooks now because of the locations I travel, but this is what I did:

Another option is that you can pare down a guidebook to the bare bones of what you need to take with you. When I was on the RS Adriatic tour two years ago, I went through the guidebook and tore out (bend the binding & use a sharp knife - easy to do) any pages I wouldn’t need on the trip. I went through a couple of iterations and had it down to just the small amount of pages that were critical for me. I didn’t need the lodging choices pages of cities - mainly just the top sites & I like a map as a general directional reference for the overall day or two in a city.

sometimes we cut out the pages pertaining to the area we will be visiting to lighten the load. One of the tricks our guide shared.

I used to tear out pages and take them with me. Now I just take photos of the relevant pages and put them in a planning album so I can quickly pull them up.

I've bought Rick Steves books in electronic form for my Kindle or Google Play Books, which I also read on my phone. They have worked out well as a compromise between information and weight. I love not having to make space for the physical books and always having the information on my phone. What you could do is download a free sample of the book and see how you like having it in an e-format before deciding whether to purchase it or not.

Sherry makes a good point about trying out the e version.

I've tried the trick about slicing up a guidebook and only taking the parts I needed. Worked like a charm until I needed info that was sitting on my desk at home. So now DH and I share the weight- he takes half and I take half. I might opt for the e version, except I hate trying to read things like that on my phone's small screen. And I'm certainly not hauling my tablet around on sightseeing days.

Kindle books, including guidebooks, are all I bring when I travel. I love that I don’t have to carry any paper or books and it’s so easy to find the info I need using the links. I believe that once you try it, it’s very hard to go back to paper.

And consider to put Kindle app on your phone and use guide books that way. Makes it easy to work between book and internet.

We have the kindle version of a few RS guidebooks but I get frustrated with it. Maybe if you’re more of a techie and know how to bookmark, etc. As suggested above download a guidebook from a library and see if you’re comfortable with it. It does lighten the weight up not having to lug the books around.

I'm on "Team Kindle App"...I can access the guide book it on my phone, iPad Mini if I need to read something more in depth or on my Mac at home. The guidebook on my phone was invaluable in Verona where I was searching for a public toilet, lol. Got to Rick's map of Verona and boom...yes to the public conveniences being shown!

I also cross check specific information on websites on open/close times for museums and other venues as guidebooks may not have the most up-to-date information.

I will also say for a new location I often will get the paper guidebook for planning purposes and then get the Kindle version for travel.

As someone who reads lots of ebooks, I don't like having the guidebook as digital reference. Honestly I use both, as they both have benefits (and down sides)

For the digital books, I bookmark and highlight the relevant text, but I still find it cumbersome to look up on the road. The digital guidebooks are best when you want to do a search. I can do a keyword search and find relevant information. Also I like having the whole book in case plans change.

For paper copies, I do as many suggest here. I tear out the pages I am using and only take those. They are easier to reference than the digital copies. I also bring a notebook to make notes in, so those pages stay with the notebook.

How do you treat the physical books that you own? Currently, I am reading my hardback copy of PARIS REBORN. I dog ear pages, highlight certain words/passages with my yellow highlighter, underline in red when I've misplaced my highlighter, etc.

I am an avid Kindle reader of all other books, mainly fiction. It's too cumbersome for me to bookmark, highlight, etc. any guidebooks. I simply do as Rick Steves encourages readers to do: get out the boxcutter, cut out the pages then place in the original book when I return home.
I have been tempted to own the physical book BUT also have it on Kindle--excess, Lindy, excess.

I'm another who hates-hates-hates using electronic guidebooks. My preference is to boil down the info I need from multiple books, this forum and other internet sources and create condensed notes, which I then print out (front and back) on actual paper. That takes an awful lot of time for a long trip, so it never gets finished, and I end up having to take some guidebook chapters with me. I don't like the weight (my trips are very long), but I choose that rather than using ebooks.

I'm with Acraven, I too make lots of copious Apple Notes and then edit them, (hopefully) and print it out on 2-sides. RS does not cover some of the places I want to visit, so would be wary of taking an RS guide, unless you've checked it covers all the places you're visiting.

There are books, and there are books! I would never rip apart a book I want to keep. Instead I scour library book sales for used guides, have wayyyy too many sitting on a shelf waiting to be ripped apart!
I really like DK guides, because they show details of places like the inside of churches, etc. As mentioned above, can take a screen shot, or check book out from library and print out a few pages. No need to carry the whole book. Good luck! Sounds like fun, I've found the more research I do ahead of time, the less need for guide books.

My preference is to boil down the info I need from multiple books,
this forum and other internet sources and create condensed notes,
which I then print out

Same. For my upcoming trip to Vienna and Prague, I had over 10 guidebooks. All that has been reduced to a 13-page Word document. I also rip out some pages from the guidebooks, like Rick’s walking tour maps, and take those along.

I keep all my papers in a folder like this:

https://www.amazon.com/EOOUT-Plastic-Envelopes-Folders-Supplies/dp/B07H32P9SY/ref=dp_prsubs_d_sccl_1/140-1018145-6217001?pd_rd_w=fvOA0&content-id=amzn1.sym.00d8f370-c2ec-4432-aa57-10d669af24cb&pf_rd_p=00d8f370-c2ec-4432-aa57-10d669af24cb&pf_rd_r=397NY20PGZD5V85W3T0G&pd_rd_wg=5ll6h&pd_rd_r=f6b32ab9-2488-46fe-923d-168db3edb464&pd_rd_i=B07H32P9SY&th=1

kindle travel guides are convenient but for me, it's google and ai these days. travel guides, printed or digital, have so much superfluous information that I gave up on them a while ago.

i also keep my notes in a Word doc. filled with information I've gathered from comments on this site and from other websites. I print it out double sided and put it in my backpack. It has other pertinent information such as flight numbers, addresses of hotels/apartments, contact info, etc. As I go through my trip, I discard pages and lighten my load as I go. Since my itinerary is in my Word doc. I can go back years later and either relive or retrieve info about certain restaurants/sights/hotels I've gone to. I also keep notes in a different color of my trip (trying to do that at the end of each day) sort of like a diary/journal. It's fun to look back.

I love my Kindle books and will not go back…unless the book is only available in paper. As I read, I add book marks and highlight making it easy to jump around.

I have tried the kindle and don't like it, but I do not use a lot of tech while traveling (google maps). I am a guidebook kind of person. I will tear out the sections of where I will be traveling and also get a paper map from visitor information points. I always take my Knopf City Map guides and do research beforehand.

I've been buying Rick Steves' pocket guides. They're still a bit heavier than I'd like but they fit in my purse.

I've used the e-reader versions of travel books and they're fine. I don't bring the e-reader out and about with me but I use it in the hotel room to plot out the next day. I print out Google maps too.

I have tried both the kindle and removing the necessary pages from guidebooks. I like having hard copies, especially for the maps.

anyone bought kindle versions

They work great. Have gone to 100% ebooks on iPhone and Fire Tablet. Either Rick's or the many, many free versions from everyone else from my local library. Maps? 100% on my iPhone.

One of the great things about traveling by rail is that you can download and read your next city or country guide on the train.

I often buy the hardcopy of Rick's books to study and mark-up at home as I plan my next trip. It stays at home and I often add post-trip notes.