Guidebooks - do you use them?

alleepally

Just doing a bit of research for a small project I am working on. When you are going on a trip, do you bring a guidebook with you -- or do you do all your research on the internet and print out relevant pages of information.

If you don't do either of the above and you were to bring a notebook with you that was to contain information on the place you were going to visit, what sort of information would you jot down?

Your help is appreciated.

Ruu_Old

Nah, just google the information I need beforehand and print it off.

killbillvol2

On a long trip (2-6 weeks) I'll usually bring a guide book. For shorter trips I'll usually get the info online before I go.

Bradidup

I brought several guide books back in the 90s when travelling to the states, no choice back then. With Google its up to the minute and the money you would spend on books could be put towards net cafes and print outs. Stuff I would consider when travelling would be, No go areas, distance of hotel from city centre, local transport, festivities on, local customs, closing times, shops and what the cops are like (Spanish cops can be corrupt, had bad experiences myself).

BC

I do both. Its handy to have a guide book but i usually look for more up to date info on the web before travelling.

Stephen

I normally just look it all up on the web. I find Wikitravel to be very good. I try to summarise everything I need to know into one page along with flight references and the like and bring that with me.

Zaph

Usually when I go on holiday there's very little planned and a lot is made up as we go along, so I usually bring a guide book with me. Always buy Lonely Planet, but couldn't get one for Croatia last year so bought a Rough Guide instead and didn't think much of it so i won't be buying one of them again.

alleepally

Thanks everyone for your replies. You've been a great help!

lord lucan

usually do all the research beforehand and just print out the stuff i'll forget:eek: have'nt bought a guide book in years,although i used to enjoy the time-out guides:)

missmatty

A bit of everything! Usually get at least one guidebook as i love them (fav is lonely planet), write down or print stuff off the net also. Usually spend ages reading forums etc on place I'm going so by the time i get there I feel comfortable about the place and I know where I'm going. I think it helps with personal safety if you are clued up beforehand and I try not to take out a guidebook on public transport (have had a few dodgy experiences after doing that).

A new thing is the Moleskine notebooks which are plain unobtrusive notebooks on outside but you can buy them for different cities. Inside there are street maps, metro maps etc, sections for writing down recs for restaurants or whatever you like. Am bringing one on my next city break.

Dodge

If I'm planning a trip a good bit in advance I get the Rough Guide book. Use it mostly for background info, general knowledge rather than what to do etc