The glory of road trips is that they can be as spontaneous or as well-planned as you wish. Toss a picnic in the car and your maps to the wind and see where the road takes you – whether for an afternoon, a weekend… or a season. Then again, half the fun of travel can be in the planning: devouring guidebooks and travel websites, savoring descriptions of places you intend to visit and, of course, new foods you hope to try.

In the spirit of both planning and spontaneity, I offer a few favorite reads from my own library.

Books to Guide You

The Next Exit
The Most Complete Guide of What´s Available at Every Interstate Highway Exit From Coast to Coast

“Dry ice two miles south of exit.” “Great BBQ here!” Our worn 2005 edition of The Next Exit is replete with so many personal notes that my travel companions and I have been unable to bring ourselves to upgrade to the latest edition. Whether you need a listing of motels along a specific interstate or crave a coffee and free wifi at the next Panera Bread, you´ll find the information you need in this indispensable travel reference. Being a terrier of mature years, my eyes aren´t what they used to be; so I confess that reading the detailed listings can be a bit of a strain at times – but the font size is certainly easier than your typical phonebook. Of course, if you follow the advice in my travel book and get off the main highways (see quote below), this book won´t be much help as it “only” covers every mile of interstate highway in the U.S. Then again, the point of exploring state routes and local roads is not knowing what´s over the next hill, right?

Tip #54 from my road-trip guide Tube-Sock Tricks
Get off the main highways and start exploring. The real adventures aren´t on the interstates!

Dog-Friendly New York
A Complete Guide to New York City and the Empire State
Trisha Blanchet

Four-pawed visitors to the Big Apple can thank author Trisha Blanchet and her canine companion Sadie for sniffing out every outdoor eatery, dog-welcoming store, and tourist or historical attraction that permits dogs in one of my very favorite cities. Part of Countryman Press´s “Dog-Friendly” series, this well-researched guide includes a directory of overnight accommodations (ranging from budget-minded motels to vacation rentals to Manhattan hot spots), as well as detailed lists of resources both basic (kennels, emergency vet services) and luxurious (doggy daycare, dog spas, fancy boutiques).

Doin´ Arizona With Your Pooch
Where to Stay, What to Do, and How to Do It!
Eileen Barish

This book´s bright cover – featuring a grinning, gun-slinging hound – caught my eye first. But it was award-winning author Eileen Barish´s detailed entries and extensive resource listings that made me lug her book up to the cash register. In addition to lists of hotels, hiking trails, and tourist attractions that welcome dogs, you´ll find sections on such varied topics as which Indian reservations permit dogs, wildlife you probably hope not to encounter in the back country, and local hiking etiquette.

Books to Inspire You

The Alchemist
Paolo Coelho

A simple shepherd boy sells his beloved sheep and sets off to seek his destiny in this modern fairy tale by Paolo Coelho. Journeying from the Andalusian hills of Spain to the markets of Tangiers and thence into the heart of the Egyptian desert, the reader joins Santiago in discovering the greatest treasure of all: the magic of following one´s dreams. A fairly traditional terrier, I tend to eschew much of contemporary fiction, especially anything that´s “too popular.” So I must confess that this book´s international best-seller status put me off at first (as did the fact that it was used as a prop in an episode of Friends, presumably to demonstrate the intellectual weight of guest star Sean Penn´s character). Oh happy day that Coelho´s slim book found its way to the top of the “to read” pile! Like a Key West sunset, your first peek into the Grand Canyon, or retracing the footsteps of your forefathers on Ellis Island – fill in your own travel memory here – the details of Santiago the shepherd boy´s journey will linger in your consciousness long after you´ve returned to the “real” world.

Three Men in a Boat
(To Say Nothing of the Dog)
Jerome K. Jerome

“Fox-terriers are born with about four times as much original sin in them as other dogs.” So wrote Jerome K. Jerome, one of my Editor´s favorite authors for road-trip reading, in this charmingly hilarious book. While his description of my noble breed seems just a tad bit exaggerated, Jerome´s tale is an inspiration to would-be travelers (and perhaps a mild warning). In the words of one Amazon reviewer, “Imagine Bertie Wooster and two of his idiot friends out on a boat… with no Jeeves. That about describes Three Men in a Boat.” Accompanied by a most delightful terrier named Monty, Jerome´s characters struggle with tent poles, boastful fishermen, the perils of drinking river water, and an assortment of other mishaps – all in the cause of embracing nature and good health. If Jerome´s hapless bachelors can find such excitement on what should be a lazy float down the Thames, who knows what awaits you on your next trip around the corner, or across the continent?

Travels With Charley
John Steinbeck

“I´ve lost the flavor and taste and sound of it,” said John Steinbeck. “I´m going to learn about my own country.” And off he set on a several-month trek across the United States in 1960 with his giant poodle Charley, exploring the landscape and conversing with his fellow Americans. At times it seems he discovered as much to dishearten as to delight him: racism, bigotry, urban decay…. So why add this title to my “Books to Inspire” list, you ask? Travels With Charley is a fascinating snapshot of America at an important point in our collective history, seen through the eyes of a literary giant – someone who certainly didn´t have to chuck his life of comfort to travel the back roads of America in a wheeled contraption best described as a “mobile cabin.” Besides, filled with anecdotes both heart-warming and humorous, Steinbeck´s travel memoir just might inspire you to hit the road, hound at your side, in search of the good that America has to offer.