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


Compras Nikon
Bluetooth
1 Basic directory for weekends, weak for relocation
GREAT TOWNS has a solid selection of towns across America, with no obvious candidates missing. For each place you get an introductory paragraph which provides travel-brochure copy about why the town in question is interesting. There follows a weather chart (the author's own index about how likely mild weather is each month) and then a list of hotels and restaurants. These lists have minimal descriptions, making it hard to really get a feel for the options. And that's basically it.

Obviously it's hard to communicate what truly makes a Great Town 'tick' in a directory-style book. Telluride versus Vail among Rockies ski-towns? Very different flavors, but you'd hardly know it from GREAT TOWNS. I feel there is a distinct lack of critical opinion between the covers. As a result, web browsing is far more informative.

Interesting footnote: at the back is a scoring system to rate 'livability' for people considering moving. Towns that voted for Republican Presidential candidates get a 'good' score on politics.


2 biased toward the west
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.
3 Try a Great Town Trip!
In the bookstore, "Great Towns" had such instant appeal that I bought it, read it and immediately planned a "Great Towns" trip - up the coast of California. With Vokac's book in hand, I stayed in attractive B&Bs, ate in exceptional little restaurants, and generally got to know five very charming towns in my one-week journey. Anywhere you travel in the U.S., arrange to visit at least one "great town," and try Vokac's suggestions!
4 Not in Paula's lifetime
I just read Paula's review.. It is obvious that Paula was reading a different book than the rest of us! Loosen up Paula! Maybe you and Eleanor can visit some of these great towns together!
5 Greatest Book about Best Towns in America
I wish I could get away right now. This book takes you to another place immediately and you want to live in each of these towns for at least 5 years each! If I start now I can live in 10 of these great towns! Goodbye and Hello! this is a "GREAT" book!
6 Not for a Lifetime
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.
7 This is an excellent guide - a must have.
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!
8 Lots of helpful tips
Author gives lots of information on many overlooked destinations
9 A great travel and leisure guide
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!
10 A great travel and leisure guide
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!
11 A "must have" to complete your travel library!
David Vokac has created an excellent travel and visitors guide. Along with some of my favorite places, Vokac has included new places which I can't wait to visit! Vokac's excellent format, attention to detail, unique weather guide, and restaurant picks make this guide a must-have. All of Vokac's books are excellent, and his latest is no exception.
12 Terrific resource guide - weather info is very informative
This is a very well-organized and great to read guide. It really hits on a lot of great locations missed by other guides.
13 This is a terrific resource-easy to read with loads of info!
I'm planning to relocate and have certain immutable requirements, as well as "wish list" priorities. Mr. Vokac's in depth descriptions of the 100 great towns in America plus his friendly, conversational style, made reading this book a pleasant as well as informative experience. I think one of the best features of this guide is the revelation of personalities and characteristics of the various towns.

It felt more like getting inside information from a friend than doing research, but I've gleaned some very valuable data which has helped me narrow my search considerably.

It's also given me some great ideas for future vacations!



Saturday, 05-Jul-2008 17:47:46 CDT
Quote of the Day:


	Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do,

and how to be, I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the
graduate school mountain but there in the sandbox at nursery school.
These are the things I learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don't
hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry when you hurt someone.
Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good
for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw and paint
and sing and dance and play and work some every day.
Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch for
traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the
little seed in the plastic cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up and
nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that. Goldfish and
hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the plastic cup -- they all
die. So do we.
And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you
learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK. Everything you need to know is in
there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and
politics and sane living.
Think of what a better world it would be if we all -- the whole world
-- had cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with
our blankets for a nap. Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other
nations to always put things back where we found them and cleaned up our own
messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into
the world it is best to hold hands and stick together.
-- Robert Fulghum, "All I ever really needed to know I learned
in kindergarten"

Q: What's the difference between the 1950's and the 1980's?
A: In the 80's, a man walks into a drugstore and states loudly, "I'd
like some condoms," and then, leaning over the counter, whispers,
"and some cigarettes."