North Bay Trails: Outdoor Adventures in Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I found North Bay Trails and the author's previous work, East Bay Trails, to be excellent. It provides great direction and is written from a hiker's perspective without confusing and unclear information that haunts so many guidebooks. The maps are always accurate and as fine as a bound format allows while the excellent photos help us choose where to go. The historical background is fascinating and the information on wildlife and flora keep me and my child going from discovery to discovery along the trail. This book has guided us to wonderful places we would not have thought or known to hike rather than take us to the often hiked Mt. Tam and Pt. Reyes areas (although his picks in these areas are jewels). This is a must-have if you want to hike the glorious North Bay - now, if Weintraub could just pack our lunch...

Click Here to see more reviews about: North Bay Trails: Outdoor Adventures in Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties

North Bay Trails is the most complete and up-to-date trail guide for Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties. While the route descriptions pertain to hikers most of all, other outdoor enthusiasts-fitness walkers, joggers, equestrians, and bicyclists-will also find them useful. This is the only substantial guide to trails in the North Bay parklands, including the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Pt. Reyes National Seashore, Samuel Taylor state park, and the natural areas of the Sonoma and Napa valleys. The book contains something for everyone, from families with children to experienced hikers. Each route description begins with a snapshot of the hike: distance, time, difficulty rating, and highlights. The route descriptions are clear, easy to follow, and contain information about native plants, animals, and history.

Click here for more information about North Bay Trails: Outdoor Adventures in Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties

Read More...

Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)What a nice book. I live in the Echo Park district of Los Angeles, and a friend suggested this book to me. I realized I had read a novel by the author a few years ago that I really enjoyed, "The Ivory Coast" a jazz/noir set in Vegas, so I picked up a copy. Now I'm planning to take the walks written about in the book. Wow. As a kid, one of my favorite "Three Stooges" was shot on a stair street. They had a job delivering ice, and Curly has a huge block of ice in tongs, and when he gets to the top, he's holding a little ice cube. What I love about L. A. is how much history and mystery exists here, particularly on the east side, and parts of Hollywood. Because it was run down over here for so long, large swaths of the east side weren't touched when all of the money moved in a little west, and few of those monstrous developments occurred; there are still little nuggets and gems you can find. My only quibble is that I would have loved pictures of the stair street, but on the other hand, the descriptions are great, and leaving the mystery makes me want to go there myself. Which I plan to.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles

In a city known for its fast cars and freeways, this guide reveals a unique feature of the Los Angeles cityscape: more than 200 stairways across the hilly sections of the city, many of which are remnants from the days when most city residents depended on streetcars and buses for transportation. Containing more than 40 walks and detailed maps, this handbook highlights the charms and quirks of this quintessential feature of Los Angeles' development and chronicles the geographical, architectural, and historical features of each staircase and the neighborhoods in which the steps are located. Rated for duration and difficulty, the circular walks deliver tales of historic homes, their fascinating inhabitants, and troves of historic trivia-such as where William Faulkner lived while he wrote the screenplay for To Have and Have Not, where Graham Nash lived, and where actress Thelma Todd was murdered-while other walks highlight spectacular homes by some of southern California's most important architects, including Neutra and Schindler. From strolling through the classic La Loma neighborhood in Pasadena and walking the vintage Red Car Loop in Silver Lake to taking the Beachwood Canyon Hollywoodland hike and enjoying the magnificent ocean views from the Castellammare district in Pacific Palisades, these staircases present a new way for urban explorers to discover a little-known side of the City of Angels.

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles

Read More...

Best Easy Day Hikes San Francisco's North Bay (Best Easy Day Hikes Series) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Somehow in between a full time career and being a full time mom, Tracy Salcedo-Chourre has found the time to write some of the best hiking and biking guides to California. She is one of my favorite authors and in this little book, she shares her favorite short hikes near her home in Napa. The north Bay region has a lot of excellent day hiking, so selection was something of a problem. Trails in Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Valley have so much to offer that the author faced an embarrassment of riches. But she faced another problem as well. As she notes in her introduction, some friends did not want her to write about these trails as they prefer the gift of solitude to sharing the wealth. Against their wishes, Salcedo-Chourre has produced a beautifully written compendium to her outdoors home, and invites the reader to come along.
In all this book offers some 22 routes, many of which are only between 1 and 2 miles long. But these hikes pack a lot of scenery into a short distance. The hike to the Point Reyes Lighthouse graces the cover, and there are few better places to watch for whales or contemplate life in the previous century. Walks through John Muir Woods (a personal favorite) and Armstrong Redwoods can awe even regular visitors. And for those who simply demand longer hikes there is an 8 mile loop route along San Pablo Bay that I intend to take the next time I visit the Bay Area. As with all books in the Best Easy Day Hike series, each hike description includes a decent sketch map, point by point mileage descriptions, and accurate driving directions coupled with GPS trail head coordinates. What more can you ask for?
But the book does offer more. It offers a conservationist vision that is far more attractive than the stern, sometimes anti-people environmentalism that occasionally rears its head in political discourse. As noted above, some people would rather not have special trails publicized. Their sense of isolation is more important to them than sharing the beauty of nature with others. But if public lands are truly public, we should encourage people to get out and hike the trails. And I think many who fret about sharing hikes with the masses whose taxes help pay for public land access are a little overwrought in any event. Yes, Muir Woods is crowded. But it is not the same type of "crowded" feeling one gets on Market street. The trees and canyon work their magic on virtually all visitors to that lovely park. They walk quietly in loving reverence always making room for others. And they can take their peace with them as they leave. We as a society are richer for the open access to places like Muir Woods, and many others found in this book. Kudos to Ms. Salcedo-Chourre for sharing the trails and land she values so much with the rest of us.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Best Easy Day Hikes San Francisco's North Bay (Best Easy Day Hikes Series)

Click here for more information about Best Easy Day Hikes San Francisco's North Bay (Best Easy Day Hikes Series)

Read More...

Walking San Francisco Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I love this book. I have done about 7 of the walks so far and they have all been brilliant. I am going to do them all before I leave San Fran in a couple of months time. The guides take you to all the most famous locales and sites with many good suggestions for shops and cafes along the way.
But what I love best is that the book is small enough to slip into your pocket. I frequently leave my apartment" with no other guidebook but this one. I really, really recommend it to anyone who wants to get off the beaten track - it is so much more fun to see a city that way.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Walking San Francisco

San Francisco is a mythical city, fabled for it urbanity,its handsome setting, and its charming and distinctive neighborhoods.Mild in climate and quirky in character, it boasts myriad attractionsand opportunities.For the walker, the city offers breathtakingvistas, a stunning diversity of culture and cuisine, and a vastnetwork of city parks, including the largest urban national park inthe world: Golden Gate National Recreation Area.This compactguidebook will lead you to the best the city has to offer.Strollalong vibrant Fisherman's Wharf or follow a tranquil forest trail inthe Presidio.Explore the rich culture of Chinatown or stride alongthe Pacific coast at Lands End.Here are step-by-step directions anddetailed maps for 18 excursions, as well as firsthand descriptions ofpoints of interest along the way.If you're visiting San Francisco,or exploring your own hometown, you can be sure you're on the righttrack with Walking San Francisco to g!uide you.

Click here for more information about Walking San Francisco

Read More...

Historic Walks in San Francisco: 18 Trails Through the City's Past Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If Adah Bakalinsky's Stairway Walks in San Francisco (see my review) is like touring the city with your eccentric, but lovable aunt, Rand's book is like a walk with her history professor husband.
Rand's book is very well organized and presented. He provides maps and directions, like Adah, but adds in trip length and degree of difficulty, which are welcome information omitted from Adah's Stairway Walks.There is little of Adah's whimsy here: it is replaced with exhaustive research on the area for each walk and its architecture. This results in a very different walking experience.
The first major difference is that many of these Historic Walks are on flatter ground, meaning they both cover different ground from Stairway Walks and are more accessible to people who have trouble with all of the climbing inherent in Adah's routes.
The second major difference is that, given his focus on history and architecture, not sweeping views, Rand's walks are not as diminished by bad weather as Adah's are.
The last difference is the sheer amount of history. The walks in this book always take me much longer than I think they will because I spend so much time standing around reading. Sometimes this is good, e.g. the Castro walk's extensive information about how Harvey Milk helped shape the area, but sometimes, like when there is an extensive discussion of old maps and how hard it is to trace exactly when a particular nondescript house was converted from a nondescript barn, you just want him to get on with it.
I like this book as a contrast and follow on to Adah's Stairway Walks book but, unless you are a history buff, I'd do Adah's first.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Historic Walks in San Francisco: 18 Trails Through the City's Past

Get 18% OFF

Click here for more information about Historic Walks in San Francisco: 18 Trails Through the City's Past

Read More...

Walking San Francisco: 30 savvy tours exploring the CityAEs distinctive enclaves, colorful history, and back alley intrigues Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Being a pedestrian in San Francisco can be adventurous enough given the wild-eyed drivers here. However, if you are not worried about making appointments, getting to work or simply too exhausted to look beyond your feet when you trudge home, this compact, well-organized book is a good reminder of what this city does offer for local and tourist alike. Bay Area travel writer and Lonely Planet contributor Tom Downs traces thirty walking routes that range from the familiar to the surprising spotlighting the key sights to be seen along the way. Like a true hiking guide, he gives the distance and difficulty level, the latter of which can be wildly variable thanks to the hills and valleys indicative of our cityscape.
For each do-it-yourself tour, Downs provides helpful public transportation information and a sense of the parking challenge, perhaps the most common logistical dilemma when starting and ending these walks. His concise descriptions of the unique sights are bulleted in helpful fashion. The areas covered are what you'd expect in a guidebook - stretching from a strenuous coastline hike from Land's End to the Golden Gate Bridge to an easy stroll along the refurbished Embarcadero Walkway. There are hidden gems to be discovered in neighborhoods as diverse as Bernal Heights, Westside Cordillera and the Presidio. Along with periodic sections to describe worthwhile detours and interesting back stories, there are also appendices that organize the information by walking themes and points of interest.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Walking San Francisco: 30 savvy tours exploring the CityAEs distinctive enclaves, colorful history, and back alley intrigues

In Walking San Francisco, Tom Downs has created an exceptional guide to exploring the best of the City "on the ground," from North Beach to Lands End, Bernal Heights to Golden Gate Park. Take one of these specially designed walking tours, and you'll not only get great exercise but also soak up the history, culture, and vibe of the City by the Bay. It's like having a savvy tour guide at your side, showing you where to find great mojitos, and pointing out a rare worker-owned strip joint. Two special tours sample the best bars in North Beach and the Mission District. Locals and visitors alike will appreciate insider tips and entertaining asides in the 30 walking trips. Each tour contains a clear neighborhood map and critical public transportation and parking information. Route summaries make each walk easy to follow, and a "Points of Interest" section outlines each walk's highlights.

Click here for more information about Walking San Francisco: 30 savvy tours exploring the CityAEs distinctive enclaves, colorful history, and back alley intrigues

Read More...

Stairway Walks in San Francisco Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I completed maybe 12 of the walks from the earlier edition before I moved away from SF. I reget not completing them all. My advice for anyone living in SF or visiting it, buy this book and spend a few hours taking in one of the walks. You'll see neighborhoods that even long time residents don't know about. And, you'll be away from the crowds who flock to the usual places. Buy it and do it!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Stairway Walks in San Francisco

Hundreds of stairways traverse San Francisco's 42 hills, exposing incredible vistas while connecting colorful, unique neighborhoods, and veteran guide Adah Bakalinsky loves them all. Her updated Stairway Walks in San Francisco explores clandestine corridors from Lands End to Bernal Heights while sharing captivating architectural, historical, pop culture, and horticultural notes along the way. Long-term locals and tourists alike have used the book for over 25 years to adventurously uncover San Francisco's unexpected details. This revised and expanded edition has been thoroughly updated and includes three additional walks, new maps, and new color photographs. A comprehensive appendix lists every one of the city's 600-plus public stairways.

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about Stairway Walks in San Francisco

Read More...