1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die

This book was very interesting. Limiting it to 1,000 things is both a plus and a minus for it. On one hand, there are things excluded from the book that I felt should have been in there in some locations. On the other hand, limiting it to 1,000 things keeps the book from being too long and cumbersome. Overall, this book was an enjoyable read but when traveling, I would definitely couple it with your own research about interesting attractions in the locale you are visiting.

New Mexico, South Carolina, Montana, Vermont, New York, Virginia, and Maine are some of the places I have lived that are well covered and reasonably represented in this guide (with the East certainly receiving more attention than the West). Although anyone can name worthwhile places not included, or argue about the appropriateness of some of the places that are included, overall, the balance of well-known attractions and lesser-known gems is a good one. There seem to be fewer expensive hotels featured in this book than in the world-wide volume, but emphasis on restaurants is stronger--not a bad thing for those of us who consider culinary treats an important part of travel and culture.
As with her other "1000 Places" volume, this guide provides more inspiration and travel ideas than practical travel details--that's what conventional guide books and the Internet are for. I love the book and recommend it to anyone considering travel.
-Lynn Michelsohn, author of Roswell, Your Travel Guide to the UFO Capital of the World!

I've been on a bit of a traveling kick lately. I'm really interested in seeing different parts of the world and different parts of the US. I bought this book because I was planning a road trip to quite a few different states and I thought it would be a good reference book.

Let's talk about the positives first. In terms of how it's written, the book is organized by sections of the country (New England, the west coast, etc.) It's not hard to find a specific state. Second, there's something listed for everyone in all of the states. From theme parks to museums, from parks to restaurants, there's quite a bit of information in this book. The writer even mentions the best times of the year to visit a particular area as well as the cost. Also, the writer lists some recommendations (like what to eat at certain restaurants) which is a bonus.

And now for the negatives. I have to say that a good amount of the attractions listed are historical in nature. Now, I'm all for doing historical-related things but I wish there was a bigger selection of other attractions. Second, in my opinion, this book doesn't read like a typical book. I wouldn't find much enjoyment from reading it from beginning to end. This is simply a reference book.

Overall, I think this book is great to have on hand when you're planning a trip to another state. It has some interesting tidbits that may be useful. However, I'm sure there are better books out there.

I was pretty harsh on Schultz's previous international edition of this book. So I am going to be a little nicer here and admit that the book is fun to read through and does let readers know about some great places to visit that they might otherwise have never heard of.

But the fact remains that Patricia Schultz is who she is, a snobby writer for Conde Nast Traveler magazine who has an intense obsession with fancy hotels, restaurants, spas and resorts that are out of the price range of most travellers. I also agree with the previous reviewer that the more you enclose yourself within the gated confines of luxury the less of an authentic travel experience you are likely to have.

I was especially upset by Schultz's international edition because it reinforced the notion, that too many Americans already have, that global travel is only possible for wealthy jetsetters. Instead the truth is that travel on a budget is available to everyone. And, in fact, many backpackers manage to spend a year or more travelling around places like Latin American and Southeast Asia for less then the costs of paying rent and bills at home. Of course, the declining U.S. dollar is making this harder to do now, but that's a whole other story.

I see Schultz's fascination with the lifestyles of the wealthy and fabulous to be slighty less problematic in this book because Americans and Canadians are generally more aware of domestic buget travel options as compared to travelling abroad. Still I think if Schultz focused a little less attention on the Hamptons and Palm Beach, on $700 hotels and $300 restaurants, then she might have been able to write a book that is more useful to the ordinary traveller.

1,000 places to go before I die? More like 1,000 spas and resorts and resturants. Big deal - the more money you spend, the bigger the wall you create between yourself and the local culture. Who wants to know about exotic resorts and five star restaurants? Don't tell me about the big ticket items! Tell me about quirky offbeat places with personality and charm, things I cant get anywhere else. Tell me about Hole in the Rock, UT. Tell me about The Last Stoplight on I-90. Tell me about a PLACE, not about how to spend money at generic locations.

Worthless.