Category: travel

Author:  Trish Clark
Publisher:  Hidden Spring
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 978-1-58768-053-3
Pages: 242
Price: $20.00

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Traveling around Europe on a budget doesn’t have to mean skimping on accommodations. Sure, you could stay at a youth hostel, but you might find it more cozy at one of the many convents and monasteries who accept overnight guests. And you’ll be surprised by the many health spa amenities they offer, in addition to lodging.

In Good Night and God Bless, Trish Clark provides a guide to travel in Austria, the Czech Replublic, and Italy. Within each geographic section, there are open houses who welcome everyone, some that are only open to women or men, and those who also offer spiritual refreshment to travelers. Descriptions and contact information for each of the convents and monasteries is provided, along with some interesting sites to see while visiting.

Overall, this is a great travel guide with lots of information that would be hard to find anywhere else. But there were two things this book lacked, in my opinion. I would have loved to see some photos of the accommodations offered, and website addresses would have been helpful, even though many of the sites are written in other languages.

Trish Clark clearly did a lot of research on this subject, and has created a helpful and comprehensive travel guide. If you’re thinking of visiting these countries and are interested in great, inexpensive lodging or a spiritual retreat, I highly recommend this book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Serena Bartlett
Publisher: Sasquatch Books
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 978-1-57061-606-8
Pages: 288
Price: $16.95

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It’s fun to travel to new places, and if you want to see all the sights that interest you, you need a good guidebook. But what if your interests are a little off the beaten path? Or a bit greener than most? GrassRoutes Guides were designed with the eco-tourist in mind.

This guide to Oakland and Berkeley shares some of the best places to visit, broken down into sections by city. Within each of these two geographical sections, things to do are organized in helpful categories like “Outside,” “Do Lunch,” “Get Inspired,” “Film Buffs,” and “Stay Up Late.”

Symbol keys identify businesses that bank & hire locally, use organic products, run a green establishment, and recycle. Costs, dog friendliness, reservation info, and other factors are also included to make planning a breeze.

If you’ve always longed to visit Oakland or Berkeley, but prefer to venture onto roads less traveled, this guide will be indispensable for you. Bike, walk, volunteer, and eat healthy, while visiting the places you most want to see. It’s easier to travel green with your GrassRoutes guide.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Serena Bartlett
Publisher: Sasquatch Books
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 978-1-57061-607-5
Pages: 288
Price: $16.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Traveling to new places is fun and exciting, and it’s helpful to have a guidebook to see all the places that interest us. But what if our interests are a little off the beaten path? Or a bit greener than most? GrassRoutes Guides were designed with the eco-tourist in mind.

The Northern California Wine Country guide shares some of the best places to visit, broken down into sections by location: Napa & Suisun Valleys, Livermore Valley, Inland Sonoma County, and the Northern West Coast. Within each of these geographical sections, things to do are organized in helpful categories like “Sweet Tooth,” “Gardens,” “Bookish,” “Pamper,” and “Volunteer.”

Symbol keys identify businesses that bank & hire locally, use organic products, run a green establishment, and recycle. Costs, dog friendliness, reservation info, and other factors are also included to make planning a breeze.

If you’ve always longed to visit California Wine Country, but prefer to venture onto roads less traveled, this guide will be indispensable for you. Bike, walk, volunteer and eat healthy, while still sampling some of the best wines on the market. It’s easier to travel green with your GrassRoutes guide.

Reviewer: Alice Berger