The Great Towns of America: A Guide to the 100 Best Getaways for a Vacation or Lifetime

Rating:
Summary: Not for a Lifetime
Review: Make no mistake about it--this book is only a vacation guide. This is NOT the book to read if you are looking for a place for a "Lifetime" (as the subtitle would mislead you to believe.) This is not the book to read if you are considering relocating. It's reviews are very superficial and offer no information regarding school systems, retirement options, etc. As a vacation guide, I find there are better. The Away for the Weekend series by Eleanor Berman are more helpful.

Rating:
Summary: biased toward the west
Review: The author includes dozens of towns from California and Oregon, but only four total from New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut combined. Many of the small towns in the northeast are the heart, soul, and heritage of America, but the author -- all of whose books except this one are guides to California and the west -- seems too distracted by gimmicky tourist and ski resort towns to notice.

Rating:
Summary: Terrific resource guide - weather info is very informative
Review: This is a very well-organized and great to read guide. It really hits on a lot of great locations missed by other guides.

Rating:
Summary: A great travel and leisure guide
Review: Vokac's crisp writing style and well-organized chapters are certainly refreshing in a travel guide. I have visited some of the places in his book and look forward to using this guide to help me discover new leisure destinations. What a great read!

Rating:
Summary: This is an excellent guide - a must have.
Review: What a great guide to finding some of the best towns in this country! David Vokac really captures the essence of each place drawing you in with a concise description and a pragmatic guide on what to do, where to eat, and where to stay. Unlike other travel guides, this one doesn't cover the major cities. Instead, it introduces you to places with populations under 50,000 that are rich in natural beauty and/or cultural significance. I love just flipping through this book. I can't imagine the fun the author must have had doing all the research!