FROMMER'S
VERMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE & MAINE

frommers ..

.....Frommer’s is one of the “big two” of U.S.-based guidebook publishers (along with Fodor’s). Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine is a 400-page guide to three of the most popular New England vacation states.

.....The book is primarily black & white text, with no photos or illustrations and limited maps. It starts off with some good introductory material, such as seasonal info (“when to go”), “fast facts for the visitor,” and other useful information about trip planning. One minor complaint is that the book we acquired in late 2006 was a 2004 edition. Admittedly, things (except dining and lodging) don’t change all that much in New England, but we always prefer a newer book whenever possible. To its credit, the book does have a front section on “What’s New in Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine.”

.....New England is one of the several regions of the U.S. we’re fairly familiar with, and we found that the Frommer’s guide has a nice balanced feel to the region. It covers history, places to see, things to do, dining, and lodging – as is typical and necessary in any guidebook published today. New England has a lot of history, scenery, and recreational opportunities, and Frommer’s Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine samples the options fairly well.

.....As you’ve probably discovered if you’ve read How To Travel America, or read other book reviews on this site, we dislike listings of lodging and dining options in guidebooks. We’ll say it again (and probably again and again in future book reviews): Dining and lodging choices are far to varied and changeable to be given any sort of decent treatment in a guidebook. We’ve generally found much better and more timely information on the internet.

.....That said, we think that Frommer’s handles lodging and dining better than many other guidebooks. There are varied and good choices listed, even if they are limited in number. (For example, there must be 50 restaurants in Stowe, Vermont, half of which we think of as “good.” Frommer’s lists five choices, all of which we wouldn’t hesitate to eat at, even if they might not be our “favorites.”) The book does concentrate on the larger communities (such as Stowe, or Bar Harbor, Maine) and offers very few or no options in smaller towns. (One of the main jumping-off towns for accessing Baxter State Park and Mt. Katahdin in Maine – Millinocket – isn’t even mentioned.)

.....As for outdoor recreation, Frommer’s Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine gets you in the ballpark with very basic information about hiking, canoeing, skiing, and the like, but we wouldn’t want to try climbing Mt. Katahdin from the information in the book. Still, visitors interested in those activities would probably consult more detailed climbing or paddling guidebooks for that kind of detailed information.

.....Overall, we think this would be a good book for understanding the basics of travelling to and within this part of New England. A state-specific guide would probably be needed for extended touring in the region.

.....Frommer’s publishes many guidebooks to destinations across America.