The World Might be Getting Smaller, but Lonely Planet Reminds Us That It's Still Epic

Let’s face it: the days of tourists carrying around travel guides are quickly fading into the rear view. It used to be, you couldn’t go anywhere popular without seeing crowds of tourists crack open their blue Lonely Planets for sightseeing (and eating and sleeping and traveling…) tips and advice.

Alas.

Thanks to the internet, travel guides were dealt a death blow by social media and the crowdsourcing of information, which – admittedly – is more immediate, immediately accessible, and easier to update. (It also doesn’t kill as many trees.) Publishers such as Lonely Planet, whose entire business model was based on traditional print travel guides just a few years ago, have had to innovate to remain relevant.

Thankfully, Lonely Planet seems to have found its niche with stunningly gorgeous books that celebrate our world and the joys of exploring it. We’ve been huge fans of LP for years, but recently, they’ve just been knocking it out of the park. From their coffeetable photo books to Lonely Planet Kids (which does a fantastic job of inspiring wanderlust among the youngest readers) to the scrumptious Lonely Planet Food imprint, we just can’t get enough.

And if you haven’t seen them yet, may I introduce you to the series of “Epic” guides? Quite honestly, I don’t think LP could have designed books that were more perfectly targeted to me if they had tried. These books speak to me on a primal level and crawl into my very soul every time I crack them open.

So, fair warning that I’m just going to gush about them from here on out.

To many, my preferred method of travel might seem “epic.” Recent family trips have found us road tripping to the northern tip of Newfoundland, hiking rim-to-rim across the Grand Canyon, and backpacking around China for five weeks. We go big.

The way we travel is not everyone’s speed. I get that, and I respect that. But I’m a sucker for quests, superlatives, out-of-the-way journeys, and “once-in-a-lifetime” experiences.

And these books both scratch that travel itch and add dozens of items to the ol’ bucket list. Each title showcases 200 activities and journeys (organized by continent), along with awe-inspiring photos, engaging firsthand accounts, and practical advice on how to get there, where to stay, and what to eat along the way.

The titles are fairly self-explanatory:

So if you’ve got a preferred style of travel or outdoor activity (among those four buckets), your choice might be clear. And I hear you. I immediately gravitated toward the hikes and drives books since that’s what I do. And they’re like catnip for people who like to dream big and plan crazy trips.

With 200 suggestions in each book, the ideas span the globe. So some might be close to home; others might be places you’ll never reach. But each book provides 200 reasons to travel. Indeed, it was a thrill to find several hikes and road trips that I’ve done, several more that were already on my list, and of course dozens I’d never heard of and were instantly added to the list.

I won’t lie – I’m not much of a runner or bike rider. Still, those two titles are JUST as fascinating and inspiring as the two that speak more to my personal interests. I still find myself flipping through them when wanderlust strikes.

And that’s the beauty of these books. You don’t NEED to be a marathon runner. You don’t NEED to be a long-distance thru-hiker. You don’t NEED to be a demon on (two) wheels. Even if you’re never going to run a marathon in Afghanistan, hike the coast of Mallorca, or drive through the heart of Napa Valley, these pages provide nourishment for the imagination and soul.

If you’re fortunate enough to be in a position that allows for “epic” travel such as this, then you won’t find more enticing suggestions, photographs, and side trips. If you’re more of an armchair traveler, then every page is bursting with the promise of adventure.

Told you I’d gush about these books. Truly, they’re wonderful. Grab one; grab them all. You won’t be sorry. And I hope the series continues.

What would you like to see next? Personally, I’d love to see Epic Train Trips of the World. I’ve been on more than a few of those I could recommend.