KEY WEST BED & BREAKFAST, Key West Lodging and Accommodation Guide: Florida Traveling Guides: Frommer's Texas (Frommer's Complete)

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Frommer's. The best trips start here.

Experience a place the way the locals do. Enjoy the best it has to offer.

The lowdown on all things Texas, from designer duds to honky tonks.
Outspoken opinions on what's worth your time and what's not.
Exact prices, so you can plan the perfect trip whatever your budget.
Off-the-beaten-path experiences and undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions.

Find great deals and book your trip at Frommers.com

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars

Depends on what you are looking for.... August 5, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I think I understand the caveats the other reviewers have for this book; it basically boils down to this: this book is either excellent or mediocre, depending on what you are looking for.

In a logical decision, this book devotes most of its space and in-depth coverage to the parts of Texas that 90% of travelers will probably be visiting: the cities. The coverage of San Antonio & Austin (IMO, the top 2 cities for out-of-staters) and others like Dallas/Ft. Worth, El Paso, Corpus Christi and Houston (of which I am a native) are great. You really get a feel for the cities and the listings of must-see places, lodgings, and eateries are right on the money.

On the other hand, if you are a vacationer looking for a _scenic_ trip, that's another story. Visitors may be shocked at how un-scenic the vast majority of Texas is, it being the largest state in the lower 48 and a gateway to the West after all. While it's all just fine for us natives, visitors may be dismayed to find that the state is overwhelmingly flat; the north is reminscent of the plains states, the wilderness in the east is impenetrable and swampy, the beaches to the south are unremarkable by the standards of what the best of the U.S. has to offer. The west, in its vastness, contains some of the desolate stretches you may ever see. Many of these areas are also covered in the book as best as they can be covered (and don't get me wrong, there's some great things to do and see in all these places).

That leaves the scenic parts of Texas, which are very breathtaking indeed. The Hill Country, west of San Antonio and Austin (in the central-ish part of Texas) is gorgeous, as are Palo Duro Canyon far to the north, the Guadalupe Mountains/McKittrick Canyon and the Big Bend area in the west. The problem is, except the Hill Country, they are pretty far off the beaten track (I can count on one hand the number of people I know who have visited Big Bend, one of the least visited National Parks in the country). The coverage of these areas in the guide, although not bad, can definitely be improved.

The Hill Country is treated as "side trips" from Austin or San Antonio; I say it definitely merits its own chapter. There are many state parks in the Hill Country area that are not mentioned, also they can emphasize some of the activities that natives like to do there: wildflower watching and "tubing" on the rivers, for example, along with the many great towns. As another reviewer mentioned, the dining/lodging information for West Texas can be improved on; I would've liked more information on the gateway towns of Big Bend: Ft. Davis (the Davis Mountain loop drive is cool), Marfa (which is mentioned shortly), Alpine, Marathon, maybe even Presidio. Big Bend Ranch State park is not mentioned at all (the River Road is awesome, btw).

For what it does cover, Frommer's Texas does a great job and is a worthwhile guide to have. If they expanded upon some of the more scenic areas of Texas, I'd easily give it 5 stars.

5 out of 5 stars

More than enough information for a short trip January 1, 2008
We are planning a long weekend trip to Houston and found that this book provided more than enough detail on where to stay and what to see. It's well organized and has a sufficient level of detail.

I know Dallas pretty well, and skimming that section hit all of the high points I remember and made several suggestions for newer attractions that I did not know about.

1 out of 5 stars

Buy the updated version June 27, 2007
I recently made the mistake of buying this edition. The reviews are totally outdated. Also, Frommers is not good about giving specific addresses of attractions, etc. They give intersections and cross streets instead of the actual address, which is not the most convenient option if you are using a GPS.

3 out of 5 stars

Lone Star State October 23, 2005
5 out of 7 found this review helpful

I found this guide to be quite thorough when it came to the major cities, granted it is not exactly a Rick Steves guide to Texas, but it did hit upon the most popular attractions and it got Dallas and Houston about right and I am very familiar with both cities, I really know very little about West Texas so I'll defer to the other reviewer on the guides shortcomings on accomedations and such out there, but if you are going to Austin, San Antonio, Houston, or Dallas-Ft. Worth, I think you will find this guide helpful, and easy to read.

3 out of 5 stars

A decent travel guifde for Texas December 2, 2003
11 out of 13 found this review helpful

This is one of the few guidebooks one can find on Texas that is from a reputable company(the other is the lonely planet guide). I found this book wholly inferior in giving accommodation and restaurant choices in West Texas, particularly from Midland to El Paso and the Big Bend Area. Although some choices were provided it seemed that the book passed over many fine dining establishments. Nevertheless the book does have a wealth of information on Texas but it seems it needs some updating. Many of the phone numbers need new area codes. A marginal travel guide but one of the few choices.