It's not easy to boil down the essence of such a huge, varied, complicated country. No doubt, some of you will raise an eyebrow at what's missing. That's sure to be the case with any guide professing to cover the entire United States.
Our guide doesn't pretend to be comprehensive. It's simply not possible to cover every great destination in the country in one usable volume. We did, however, concentrate on a select group of destinations that will appeal to a wide cross section of domestic travelers, be they road-trippers, business travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, history buffs, or museum lovers. This way, rather than glossing over lots of destinations with coverage that's broad but an inch deep, we've been able to offer you in-depth, practical coverage you can really use.
Take, for example, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket: We'd love to cover both islands, but we chose to focus on Martha's Vineyard instead. Few travelers have time to visit both, so we used the space to include more detailed and useful information on the Vineyard, which is larger and easier to reach. We've applied the same sort of logic to our destination choices throughout. In the end, we've come up with a list of destinations that's representative of the very best America has to offer -- cities, national parks, beaches, resort areas, and more.
And because we recognize the diversity of American travelers and their interests, you will find at least some information on every single state in the Union inside these pages.
We hope you'll discover your own America as you hit the road and start exploring. If you'd like more coverage of the destinations covered here, or if any of them prompt you to explore further -- if you want to see Nantucket, say, after the Vineyard has charmed you -- chances are good that we have a more dedicated, in-depth guidebook for you. Happy trails!
