A couple of months ago I bought a book I wished I had for my past 15 years of travelling with the VW camper. I've had many guidebooks and also many maps and road atlases (in fact I have several shelves full). The problem with guidebooks is typically that they have too much text and no or inferior maps. So lots to read, but hard to guess what makes an worthwhile side trip; then if I decide to side trip to some out-of-the way place I often get lost (even with a GPS and maps since some of the gems aren't marked on maps or GPS waypoints. Maps of course tell you how to go places, but don't help you decide where to go.

The book I got a while ago is "Canadian Book of the Road". I got it at a used book sale. It seems to have been available from CAA in the 80's. Some people might think that sounds dated, but I found it accurate. Little has changed in the countryside. The big advantage with this book is that it merges maps, text and pictures in a good balance. Just enough text + a picture to tell me if a goal is worthwhile or not. Then this text and pictures are well integrated onto the map page of the region with the route highlighted. Many of the glossy ad filled maps one picks up in tourist information centres attempt something like this, but tend to fail because they point to mainly commercial attractions. The Book of the Road has a succinct non-biased description. And it covers the whole Canada. Much better done than the usual free CAA/AAA books, pamphlets and maps.

Looks like it can still be bought used if anyone is interested:
http://www.amazon.com/Canadian-Book-Road-Canada/dp/0888500807

Did AAA or someone else do a similar book for the USA? How about Mexico?

Martin (and '82 Westy 1.9TD "Poppie")