With the end of the year coming to a close, it is time to look forward and set yourself up for a new year of possibilities. As the saying goes, “New Year, New Me” and that all starts with doing activities and experiencing things you have never experienced. Take the journey you have dreamed of and thought about, but never took the chance to take. If you ever felt lost and didn’t know where to go or where to start looking, these 10 books can help you out. Filled with tips and places you can’t imagine, these books can get you excited to take on the new year and bring on a world of adventure. So read on below, and choose a book full of expeditions and experiences you will not forget.
Lonely Planet Dream Trips of the World by Lonely Planet
Starting off strong with travel guides you must read, Lonely Planet Dream Trips of the World by Lonely Planet is one of those books that is packed with valuable knowledge for any traveler. This book features spectacular photography, ideal itineraries and planning information, and, of course, tales from other travelers offering insider tips on the places. With an exhaustive list of locations and an amount of information on each place, you will be able to travel just about anywhere and make the most of your trip. Every page can make your travel dreams a reality and make you become a globetrotter. If you need some inspiration for your next thrill and want to make an action plan, this book is perfect for you to pick up and read.
USA National Parks: Lands of Wonder by DK Travel
If you are looking to travel, but not leave the country, USA National Parks: Lands of Wonder by DK Travel is the book for you. With beautiful photography and inspiring ideas for your next journey, you won’t want to stop at just visiting one. The USA’s National Parks are a place of wonder with showstopping landscapes and incredible foliage. Stand on the very edge of civilization and step away from reality for a short period of time. Explore nature and visit countless places to hike, camp, climb, swim, and paddle. Take hold of the freedom of the outdoors and create life-long memories in the wide-open spaces. Looking for a place to escape and unwind, this book can help you find that place and so much more.
Here Not There: 100 Unexpected Travel Destinations by Andrew Nelson
Want to find alternatives to less predictable, less expensive, and less crowded travel destinations? The book Here Not There: 100 Unexpected Travel Destinations by Andrew Nelson can help you on your way. This book offers places that are off the beaten path, vacations that are not the usual destinations in other travel books. Combined with unexpected travel destinations, you get expert tips on when to visit, where to eat, what to see, and where to stay. If you are looking for authentic, unexpected destinations of a lifetime, this book has them. The book is a must-read for all travelers, offering the perfect opportunity for an escapade. Offering readers a chance to think beyond the typical boundaries of destinations, this book will be sure to expose you to something new and unforgettable.
The Bucket List: 1000 Adventures Big & Small by Kath Stathers
Are you ready to read a travel book like no other? The Bucket List: 1000 Adventures Big & Small by Kath Stathers is one of those books that can build your dream vacation all in the span of pages in a single book. This book contains every bit of information that you need to plan a vacation and have the best time ever. With ventures spanning the seven continents with different levels of traveling, every traveler will get their must-dos and must-see experiences. Packed with over 300 photos and information on the best visiting spots, each chapter is filled to the brim with activities that you can fit into any itinerary. Seen as a valuable reference, this book can help anyone, from the most seasoned travelers to even beginners, in finding the journeys that tick off an item on their bucket list. Fair warning: you might find the places you might never have known you wanted to go, but now can never live without.
World Travel: An Irreverent Guide by Anthony Bourdain and Laurie Woolever
For those who loved the show from the early 2010s featuring Anthony Bourdain, this book is the perfect encapsulation of the show. World Travel: An Irreverent Guide by Anthony Bourdain and Laurie Woolever is the guide to some of the world’s most fascinating places seen and experienced by curious traveler Anthony Bourdain. In World Travel, a life of quests is collected into an entertaining and fun travel guide that gives readers an introduction to some of his favorite places in his own words. Featuring essential advice on how to get there, where to stay, and what to avoid, it provides essential context that will help readers find an enchanting and memorable place. Additionally, each chapter includes illustrations and a handful of essays by friends, colleagues, and family that tell deeper stories about the place he’s been. Perfect for veteran travelers and those not so regular, this book offers a chance to experience the world like Anthony Bourdain.
Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips by National Geographic
If you want something informative and inspiring, the book Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips by National Geographic is a perfect read. This best-selling inspirational travel guide features 120 new destinations that reveal 500 celebrated and other lesser-known destinations around the globe. By offering a diverse array of possibilities, each continent is able to show off its picturesque destinations and allow readers to transport themselves there. This new edition is the perfect resource for travelers who crave adventurous trips and specific experiences that make the best memories. Each chapter features stunning photography, color maps, and practical tips to help you make the most of your journey. This book brings to life what it means to be human and pushes you to take care of your thirst for curiosity and strive to visit new places. Get ready to pack your bags, this book is bound to help you book your first flight on your upcoming journeys.
100 Hikes of a Lifetime: The World’s Ultimate Scenic Trails by Kate Siber
Are you a thrill-seeking hiking lover and want to travel in the new year, but don’t know where to start? The book 100 Hikes of a Lifetime: The World’s Ultimate Scenic Trails by Kate Siber is a must-read for you. This book is the ultimate hiker’s bucket list that celebrates all different hikes that trek through 100 energizing experiences for all levels. Filled with beautiful National Geographic photography, tips from expert jokers, and need-to-know travel information, this guide offers the best expeditions for hikers and sightseers. Written in the pages are all different hikes that can match your interests and skill level, allowing you to grow with the book and be able to work on becoming a more experienced hiker. So pack your hiking gear and this book to lead you to the best hikes of your life.
Birnbaum’s 2025’2026 Walt Disney World: The Official Vacation Guide by Birnbaum Guides
Prepare yourself for the one and only official travel book to the most magical place on earth, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Birnbaum’s 2025’2026 Walt Disney World: The Official Vacation Guide by Birnbaum Guides. This book offers insider advice, reviews, coupons, sample budgets, schedules, colorful photographs, and maps to help you make it the most magical trip. Birnbaum Guides are the best for planning trips and can help you spend as much time at the parks as well as other things to do at Disney, too. With a comprehensive collection of everything you need to know for planning a vacation, you won’t have to look anywhere else for the information you need to know about Disney World. Keep in mind, while these books do get updated every year, they do tend to miss some updates at the park, but even without some updates, these books are a great help for any visit to one of the top tourist destinations in Florida.
The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips by Reader’s Digest
Meant for everyone, especially those who do not want to take an airplane, there are options to travel by car. With the book The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips by Reader’s Digest, you make your trip a reality without even setting foot in an airport. Explore 120 breathtaking routes across the U.S. and Canada and craft a journey to celebrate natural beauty, cultural richness, and unforgettable landmarks you wouldn’t normally see. With easy-to-follow itineraries, tips and tricks on road trips, and bonus content on scenic detours, you won’t need another book for driving trips across America. Included in the book are rich photographs of the different landmarks and engaging details to make travel planning easier while encouraging a slower pace to savor the journey more than the destination. Whether you are planning to travel cross-country or exploring your own state, this is more than just any travel book, and it serves as your ticket to unforgettable memories.
Rick Steves’ Europe 101: History and Art for the Traveler by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw
To finish off the travel books to kickstart your new year expedition, the book Rick Steves’ Europe 101: History and Art for the Traveler by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw is the perfect book for traveling to Europe. This book comes in full color with a witty and engaging look at Europe’s history and art from well-known travel expert Rick Steves. Steves knows exactly what to do to make the most of your sightseeing and see things you could have never dreamed of seeing. Unusual to his competitors, Steves preaches a low-cost, low-to-the-ground style of traveling that not only saves your money, but gets you closer to the true scene of Europe. This book covers key time periods as well as covers history through time in a short snapshot that gives you a little bit of everything. Prepare for a travel experience like no other and become an expert with this book by Rick Steves.
Our incredible traveling through books that take you around the world has come to an end. I know how to push forward to you the opportunity to take the journey you have been waiting for. Make sure you cross off travel on your New Year’s resolution and get one step closer to being a newer you. Create new memories you will hold onto forever, and see the world outside of your single view. In the words of Charles Muntz from the Disney movie Up, “adventure is out there”, so seize the year and take on the adventure.
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