Buy a Travel Guide Book??

We have all been to someone’s house and seen on the coffee table their collection of travel books. Some people use old travel books as a discreet way to show off all the places that they’ve visited, without having to come out and brag about it. Others use it just as a simple reminder of an amazing trip.

20 years ago you didn’t have a choice. The only way to get travel information was to buy a travel guide book. Nowadays, things have drastically changed. With the invention of the internet and smart phones, you now have all the information you want at your fingertips. So is it still really worth it to buy a travel guide book?

If you travel a lot and are looking to save money, DON’T buy the book! Go online and research everything you want to know about a place: read forums about what others did and saw, top 10 things to visit, where to eat, where to stay, nightlife, how to get around, what else is in the close proximity of the city you’re visiting and a plan B if your original ideas fall through. Once you compile everything you want to know, email it to yourself. You will now have it on your phone and your phone will now be your FREE travel book. Many smart phones also have a number of travel applications that you can download for FREE: city and subway maps, learn a new language, dictionary etc. You can also use your WIFI to get any additional information you might need while away.

However, if you only travel once a year, don't have a smart phone, want to show off to your friends that you’ve been someplace that they haven’t and the colors of the travel book match your coffee table, then buy the book!