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by Liz Hamill Scott
ISBN: 1566916496
Binding/Media: Paperback - 650 pages
Condition: New
Comments: Sold with pride. New, unread copy.
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Customer Reviews
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NOT for Route 1, Budget Travelers, or Nature Lovers!
Rating  (1)
Date: 2009-12-26
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book was a huge disappointment! Of course it is tough to cover all of Cali in one book, but Hamill Scott seems to have very different priorities than other Moon writers. She covers expensive resorts, restaurants and tons of wineries at the expense of parks, trails, and budget accommodations. She favors upscale dining to hole-in-wall finds and local favorites. The San Francisco section spends pages on shopping and nightlife but fails to include prices and basic information about gardens and some museums. And if you're looking for tips on enjoying the city without dropping lots of cash, forget it. You can't even count on this book to cover how much it will cost to enter museums (or parts of museums, like the free tower at the De Young).
While the coverage of SF is passable, the coverage of the central coast is atrocious. She completely skips large portions of Route 1, including the entire city of San Luis Obispo and the stunningly beautiful Montana D'Oro State park. It is painfully obvious where she actually spent time and what she just googled. The book is also plagued by typos.
To be clear, I did not use the North Coast, Wine Country, or Lake Tahoe portions of the book, so maybe that's what the other reviewers are lauding. Perhaps older travelers looking to sip wine, check out a few vistas from the car windows, eat in nice restaurants, and sleep in swank hotels will find this guide useful. Twentysomethings looking to get out and explore, keep looking.
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Clear, concise, accurate guide
Rating  (5)
Date: 2009-03-16
3 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
I found this to be a valuable and accurate guide, clearly and concisely covering a very large area with excellent pointers and insider's tips. It's clear that the author's knowledge of California is deep and broad.
I particularly appreciated the descriptive and historical text included about many attractions, and suggestions on activities that are off the beaten path. I found the author's evaluations to be spot on and the writing is very accessible.
It is hard to encompass a topic as large as the entire state of California in any kind of depth in one book, but this one does a very good job of covering important "don't miss" sights (with tips and tricks like best times to avoid crowds, when to see get the best views, etc) while also introducing smaller but equally worthy local gems.
Highly recommended.
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Excellent coverage of an enormously diverse state
Rating (5)
Date: 2009-03-16
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
California is a large state of amazing geographical, cultural, and recreational diversity. In one book "Moon California" covers the state very well and with style.
A vast amount of information about sights, activities, dining, and lodging is presented in a manner both logical and easy to access. I particularly liked the text boxes which gave very specific information on some topics.
Unlike many travel books, the writing itself is entertaining. The writer's often amusing and sometimes sharp comments lead me to believe that she is giving her true opinions about the places and activities she is describing.
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I would buy more books by this author!!
Rating (5)
Date: 2009-03-16
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
Finally a travel guide that's not afraid to tell the truth about Opus One and other pretentious crap.
This book is full of helpful tips and insightful advice, reading it is like talking to a really cool friend who's been to the places you want to go.
Highly Recommended!!
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