Dark Tourism California: A Paranormal Travelogue

Dark Tourism California: A Paranormal Travelogue

A New Kind of Travelogue
Take an unusual, sometimes spooky, but always fun trip through the Golden State with this little travel companion—perfect for toting on an impromptu road trip or long-planned vacation. Visit the haunted Star of India and USS Hornet. Find out who is really living in a mysterious ghost town and wandering the halls of the “stateliest ship afloat.” Experience the electrifying ghosts of Universal Studios and the invisible inmates who forever roam “the Rock.” Ten popular and easy-to-access locations will show readers what a dark vacation is all about. From Alcatraz to the Calico Mountains to San Diego’s Old Town, California is a haunted paradise ready for you to explore . . . if you dare!
111 Places in Los Angeles That You Must Not Miss

111 Places in Los Angeles That You Must Not Miss

  • The ultimate insider’s guide to Los Angeles; features interesting and unusual places not found in traditional travel guides
  • Part of the international 111 Places/Shops series with over 650 titles and 3.8 million copies in print worldwide
  • Appeals to both the local market (nearly 10 million call Los Angeles home) and the tourist market (over 42 million people visit Los Angeles every year)
  • Fully illustrated with 111 full-page color photographs
  • A revised and updated edition

“In Los Angeles, everyone is a star.” – Denzel Washington

For more than a century, seekers of sun and celebrity from around the world have flocked to this sprawling metropolis on the Pacific, which Dorothy Parker once described as “72 suburbs in search of a city.” But beyond the red-carpet reputation and Tinseltown trappings is a west coast wonderland teeming with unexpected cultural experiences, iconic architecture, gorgeous open spaces, quirky museums, hidden vistas, unconventional art, and obscure stories about the starlets, moguls, personalities, and players who have made Los Angeles their playground. This unusual guidebook explores 111 of the city’s most interesting and unknown places and experiences: wander a serpentine path in a spiritual quest of your own making; channel your inner cowboy at a tried and true honky tonk bar; pay homage to the Dude at the bungalow where the big Lebowski lived; turn your car tires into musical instruments on the country’s only ‘musical’ road; sleep with the ghosts of Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin; view a constellation of stars more vivid than anything Hollywood has to offer. From the San Gabriel Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, Angelenos and visitors will fall in love with the real Los Angeles. Adventures beckon. Surprises await. Just imagine how much more scintillating your dinner-party storytelling will be

CURVES Malaysia: Limited Edition

CURVES Malaysia: Limited Edition

Soulful Driving in Malaysia.

The Thailand edition revealed that CURVES has a passion for Southeast Asia. With this limited special edition, Stefan Bogner now heads to Malaysia. Immerse yourself in the colorful whirl of life, the diversity and exoticism of Southeast Asian cultures, the friendliness of the people, the food and the landscapes.

But if you thought this country consisted only of beautiful beaches, turbulent cities and dense jungle, you need to be proven wrong: The islands and peninsulas between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean are excellent places to drive! Winding roads lead up into the mountains of the interior or palm-fringed along the coasts, swirling through the country as less frequented and often well-maintained driving pleasure hunters.

  • Route suggestions for smaller and larger trips
  • Tips on restaurants and accommodation along the way
  • Includes map for planning your own road trip and for when you are on the road

So, buckle up, open all your senses, start your engines. Join us on breath-taking tours between the east coast and west coast – into a world of lush greenery, dripping jungle, foreign cultures, adventures and experiences.

Text in English and German.

Off the Road

Off the Road

More and more people are hitting the road to the middle of nowhere. Along less-traveled paths they are heading up mountains and down dunes in converted mobile homes, campers, trucks, or vans. They are enjoying the drive and the view through mud-splattered windshields as much as the stops and evening campfires amid stunning terrain. Although many of us love living in cities, we have a growing longing to escape into nature. The outdoor scene is booming and many people are heading off to discover it with their own converted vehicles. This way, they can determine their own routes, itineraries, and pace, as well as how many challenges they’d like to meet along the way. After a day on the go, these multifunctional vehicles also serve as kitchens, campgrounds, and sleeping quarters that offer a great deal more improvised fun than a standard, perfectly equipped RV. Conventional luxuries are eschewed for the sake of greater freedom, tranquility, and adventure. Off the Road captures the special mood of such trips by solo travelers, couples, or families who are seeking an alternative to a more standard vacation or want to live their lives differently ―at least for a while. On the one hand, the book shows how familiar models, such as VW buses, Land Rovers, jeeps, and Toyotas are being rediscovered and repurposed for these exploits. On the other, it presents automotive dreams turned into customized, homey vehicles that offer tailgate breakfasts or roof beds to better admire the stars and that can, in an emergency, cross a river or drag a fallen tree from the road. Whether exploring the desert, showing children the world, or navigating polar landscapes, the journeys collected in Off the Road are as unique as the people who take them. From radical escapists to fans of nature looking for their next trip, the book celebrates the joy of being on the go on four wheels.

Nostalgic Journeys: From the Orient Express to Ocean Liners

Nostalgic Journeys: From the Orient Express to Ocean Liners

  • A unique cultural history of travel in the 19th and 20th centuries
  • Photographs certain to arouse feelings of nostalgia and a yearning for faraway places
  • Marvelous historical (celebrity) photographs to enjoy
  • Revised new edition in a handy format

The seaside or the mountains? Today’s most important vacation planning question never came up in days long past. Both seemed unappealing and nearly inaccessible. It wasn’t until the invention of the railroad that previously sparsely visited and overlooked areas opened up, and Thomas Cook, the tour operator and founder of modern tourism, was born. Fishing villages became sophisticated seaside resorts, remote mountain areas became destinations for hiking and skiing enthusiasts, and inns became grand hotels. Nostalgic Journeys takes you on a journey back in time, through the last two centuries: Ride the Orient Express to the East, cross the Atlantic on huge ocean liners, travel Route 66 through the United States, and break the sound barrier aboard the Concorde. As you browse through the pages of this book, you will get the idea that traveling was, and can be, more than just being stuck in a traffic jam or passing through numerous security checks. It can be a stylish and sometimes adventurous way to explore the world and return home feeling transformed by your many and varied experiences. Bon Voyage! Text in English and German.

The Great American Road Trip: Roam the Roads From Coast to Coast

The Great American Road Trip: Roam the Roads From Coast to Coast

There’s really nothing quite like the freedom of the open road. And there’s nowhere on the planet more thrilling to traverse by car than the United States, a country that in many ways is the birthplace of the modern road trip. As more and more travelers are looking to reduce their reliance on flying, The Great American Road Trip is about seeing the world on wheels, not wings. This book is about both the iconic routes and the roads less traveled, crossing barren deserts, otherworldly canyons, snowy mountains, and dramatic prairies – all without crossing a border. From the bourbon trail in the south to retracing the underground railroad, each route in this book has a story to tell.

Street Was Fun in ’51

Street Was Fun in ’51

Mid-century: that period that we look back at and see as a peaceful, stable time. There was a sense of optimism in the air, a belief in the American Dream. People had money and were looking for something to spend it on. But for some there was a strong desire to rebel, to assert a personal identity in the grayness of the Eisenhower-Nixon years. No wonder the interest in hopped-up and customized cars began to accelerate. The roots of the Car Culture had barely hit the soil when an entire movement blossomed.
At mid-century, to own a good street roadster made sense. They were fun, swift, economical, handled well, and they were noticed! In those simpler days, when there were far fewer people around, far fewer laws and regulars, when the legal speed limit was 75 mpg, when gas was cheap, when driving was a pleasure, if you owned a hot machine you could point the grill down an empty road and go! To the beach, the mountains, or just to the Tik Tok, Jim Dandy’s Flanagan’s, to your favorite drive-in where you could make a cherry coke last all night while you listened to Patti Page and Perry Como and watched the parade of cars that, in memory, seems endless.
Street was fun in ’51!
Targa Florio a 20th Century Epic: The Centenary Official Book

Targa Florio a 20th Century Epic: The Centenary Official Book

Many years ago in Sicily, the legend of the €œCoppa Florio€ and €œTarga Florio€ road races became one of the most emotive and prestigious expressions in world motor racing, second only to the mythical Mille Miglia. €œCoppa Florio€ began in 1905 while €œTarga Florio€ in 1906, at the dawn of motoring civilisation and evolved over the years, hand-in-hand with the ever growing popularity of the car itself. The narrow and tortuous roads of the Sicilian mountains were testimony to the feats of Fiat, Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lancia, Ferrari and Porsche: manufacturers who alternated year after year at the top of the final classification of one of the toughest races in history, a race rich in allure and an ever present peril. On the occasion of the Targa Florio Centenary the book retraces this charming epics thanks to a vivid text and hundred of pictures, many of them unpublished. The work is complemented by a rich appendix (150 pages)

Backroads of Arizona – Second Edition: Along the Byways to Breathtaking Landscapes and Quirky Small Towns

Backroads of Arizona – Second Edition: Along the Byways to Breathtaking Landscapes and Quirky Small Towns

Explore the wide open spaces of Arizona with this guide to roads less traveled and awe-inspiring sights less seen.

Backroads of Arizona guides you into the heart of Arizona’s sun-shiny beauty and fascinating history. In this thoroughly updated edition, you’ll find twenty-five driving tours and adventures that take you off the beaten path to stunning landscapes and breathtakingly beautiful vistas. Marvel at the multicolored hues of the Painted Desert and the jaw-dropping majesty of the snowcapped San Francisco Peaks. Wander into a sky-high forest of regal ponderosa pines and quaking aspens near Flagstaff, scan the deep blue waters of Lake Havasu on the western border, and feel dwarfed by the incredible Grand Canyon. With scenic drives in all corners of the state, Backroads of Arizona offers insight into Arizona’s rich history, from the Spanish conquistadors seeking the legendary cities of gold to the Wild West shootout at Tombstone’s OK Corral.

Thanks to the maps and directions to the Grand Canyon State’s unique scenic, historic, and cultural attractions, you can explore prehistoric cliff dwellings, hike to see a mountainside of cacti in bloom, or get your kicks on Route 66. This second edition includes new routes along timeless roads, with fresh images and pithy stories of what can be found along the way. Discover something off the beaten path, and make memories you’ll never forget.

Sprinting Through No Man’s Land: Endurance, Tragedy, and Rebirth in the 1919 Tour de France

Sprinting Through No Man’s Land: Endurance, Tragedy, and Rebirth in the 1919 Tour de France

The inspiring, heart-pumping true story of soldiers turned cyclists and the historic 1919 Tour de France that helped to restore a war-torn country and its people.

On June 29, 1919, one day after the Treaty of Versailles brought about the end of World War I, nearly seventy cyclists embarked on the thirteenth Tour de France. From Paris, the war-weary men rode down the western coast on a race that would trace the country’s border, through seaside towns and mountains to the ghostly western front. Traversing a cratered postwar landscape, the cyclists faced near-impossible odds and the psychological scars of war. Most of the athletes had arrived straight from the front, where so many fellow countrymen had suffered or died. The cyclists’ perseverance and tolerance for pain would be tested in a grueling, monthlong competition.

An inspiring true story of human endurance, Sprinting Through No Man’s Land explores how the cyclists united a country that had been torn apart by unprecedented desolation and tragedy. It shows how devastated countrymen and women can come together to celebrate the adventure of a lifetime and discover renewed fortitude, purpose, and national identity in the streets of their towns.

Legends & Lore Along California’s Highway 395

Legends & Lore Along California’s Highway 395

Stretching from Victorville to Carson City, Highway 395 offers a snapshot of California’s diverse landscapes and oddities. Tales of skinwalkers and Sasquatch sightings flourish among the bones of ghost towns, and stories of the elusive Lone Pine Mountain Devil ignite the curiosity. Far from fiction, the Sierra Phantom lived among the hills for fifty years, and mountaineer Norman Clyde used his skills to find lost hikers and climbers. Rumors of the Lost Cement Mine, with a rich vein of gold, lure people in, and the Tuttle Creek Ashram, built high above Lone Pine, offers peace. Author Brian Clune explores the strange and fascinating side of the majestic mountains and lonely deserts along US 395.

The Impossible Road Trip: An Unforgettable Journey to Past and Present Roadside Attractions in All 50 States

The Impossible Road Trip: An Unforgettable Journey to Past and Present Roadside Attractions in All 50 States

Filled with color photography, entertaining site descriptions and histories, and five unique infographic map illustrations, The Impossible Road Trip is your ultimate look back at America’s most famous—and quirkiest—roadside attractions, past and present.

The great American road trip is back. With its advantages for your health, budget, and the environment, now is the time to plan the road trip you have always dreamed of taking.

Following in the great tradition of the mid-century golden age of car travel, join the new wave of road warriors with a targeted itinerary chosen from the 150 roadside attractions explored in this colorful guide. From famous to quirky and covering all 50 states, author Eric Dregni gives you an unprecedented look at the breadth of roadside attractions in the US, illustrated in part by the photography of architectural critic and photographer John Margolies (1940–2016). Specially commissioned infographic map illustrations capture the spirit of mid-century automobile travel.

Each site depicted is accompanied by a lively and insightful history and color imagery. From autumnal New England to the gothic South, from the homey Midwest to the great expanses of the Desert Southwest, the dizzying heights of the Rocky Mountains, and the breathtaking Pacific Coast, The Impossible Road Trip encompasses it all:

  • Neon-shrouded motels
  • Mimetic architecture
  • Tourist traps
  • Roadside sculpture
  • And much more

You’ll see sites both famous and esoteric, including the Cardiff Giant in Cooperstown, New York; the five-story Haines Shoe House in York, Pennsylvania; Solomon’s Castle in Florida; the world’s largest fish in Hayward, Wisconsin; one of several Paul Bunyan statues; Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, California; and so many more.

With The Impossible Road Trip in hand, set out to discover the nation’s oft-overlooked nooks and crannies.

The Bonanza King: John Mackay and the Battle over the Greatest Riches in the American West

The Bonanza King: John Mackay and the Battle over the Greatest Riches in the American West

A monumentally researched biography of one of the nineteenth century’s wealthiest self-made Americans…Well-written and worthwhile” (The Wall Street Journal) it’s the rags-to-riches frontier tale of an Irish immigrant who outwits, outworks, and outmaneuvers thousands of rivals to take control of Nevada’s Comstock Lode.

Born in 1831, John W. Mackay was a penniless Irish immigrant who came of age in New York City, went to California during the Gold Rush, and mined without much luck for eight years. When he heard of riches found on the other side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in 1859, Mackay abandoned his claim and walked a hundred miles to the Comstock Lode in Nevada.

Over the course of the next dozen years, Mackay worked his way up from nothing, thwarting the pernicious “Bank Ring” monopoly to seize control of the most concentrated cache of precious metals ever found on earth, the legendary “Big Bonanza,” a stupendously rich body of gold and silver ore discovered 1,500 feet beneath the streets of Virginia City, the ultimate Old West boomtown. But for the ore to be worth anything it had to be found, claimed, and successfully extracted, each step requiring enormous risk and the creation of an entirely new industry.

Now Gregory Crouch tells Mackay’s amazing story—how he extracted the ore from deep underground and used his vast mining fortune to crush the transatlantic telegraph monopoly of the notorious Jay Gould. “No one does a better job than Crouch when he explores the subject of mining, and no one does a better job than he when he describes the hardscrabble lives of miners” (San Francisco Chronicle). Featuring great period photographs and maps, The Bonanza King is a dazzling tour de force, a riveting history of Virginia City, Nevada, the Comstock Lode, and America itself.

Ferrari 857S: The remarkable history of 0578M (Exceptional Cars)

Ferrari 857S: The remarkable history of 0578M (Exceptional Cars)

Exceptional Cars #9

Ferrari 857S chassis number 0578M personifies, if an inanimate object can personify anything, Italian road racing.

During its first season, the car mainly competed in its natural habitat, travelling abroad once and, while its first race was on the purpose built circuit of Monza, it is on the open roads, blasting through Sicilian villages or up spectator-lined mountains in the Valle d’Aosta region that one pictures this four-cylinder engined, evocatively shaped two seater. Driven by some of the greatest sportscar drivers of the period including Hawthorn, Castellotti, Gendebien, Maglioli, de Portago, Trintignant and Phil Hill, 0578M was rebuilt as part of Ferrari’s attempt to challenge Mercedes-Benz in 1955, competing in the Tourist Trophy and Targa Florio before racing at Buenos Aires and Sebring the following season, finishing second in Argentina.

Ferraro 857S:

  • Records a significant, yet unusual, period in which Ferrari used four-cylinder engines not only to win the World Drivers’ Championship but also in an attempt to remain competitive in sports car racing.
  • Chronicles the full racing history of 0578M, including its time as a factory entry and subsequent seasons when it competed in privateer hands both Down Under and in Scandinavia.
  • Features evocative, period photos, plus a gallery of superb photographs of the car today, restored as it was at the 1956 12-hours of Sebring.
  • Includes profiles of all those who raced it, from serial Le Mans 24-hours winners to enthusiastic independents.
111 More Porsche Stories That You Should Know

111 More Porsche Stories That You Should Know

• The ultimate insider’s guide to Porsche – the stories behind the legend

• Following on from the incredible success of Volume 1

• 111 more insider stories from the dream factory

• From the Coffee Tractor to the first epic turbo victory and the e-revolution

• Fully illustrated with 111 full-page color photographs

Here are 111 more gripping Porsche Stories that afficionados of the Stuttgart brand and sports car enthusiasts should know. Wilfried Müller tells the stories of very individual characters – no matter if in the race car cockpit or on the executive floors of the Stuttgart factory, the New York showroom or the Santa Ana racing headquarters in California. Meet Mark Donohue, Dan Gurney, Alwin Springer, Max Hoffman, Jackie Oliver, Brian Redman, Stefan Bellof, Björn Waldegård, Valentin Schäffer and many more. Enjoy the anecdotes of race cars dubbed Mickey Mouse or Kangaroo, Earl Rossi’s 917 on the French Autoroute, tales from 10,000 mile rallies, Porsches that handled best when going 1.5 mph, and Porsches that were never built. Learn about the background to America’s very own version of the legendary 962 racer, the story of the 356C SC Cabriolet, and the elusive America Roadster. Not to forget the chapter about magic Porsche words, which tell the stories of Porsche Design, “RS” or the “Schüttgut”, the Porsche family’s home base and retreat in the Austrian mountains.

Hit the Road: Vans, Nomads and Roadside Adventures

Hit the Road: Vans, Nomads and Roadside Adventures

Get behind the wheel, turn the key, and feel the breeze. Hit the Road features the individuality of overland vehicles, their passionate owners, and the inspiring journeys that celebrate a life on the move.

There’s a worldwide movement of people escaping the buzz of cities and diving into nature-packed camping trips and weekends away. Recharged, some head back on Sunday evening; others keep driving for months on end as they visit new countries, experience new cultures, and collect new memories. Hit the Road excites as a collection of overland adventures that put the focus on those who have decided to leave the average life behind–and not just millennials. Their rides range from the classic Volkswagen camper to cozy refurbished Airstream trailers and unstoppable fully-equipped 4×4 Adventuremobiles. The journey continues with stunning photography from the deserts of Africa to snow-tipped mountains in Mongolia. Experts share their experiences, their tips and tricks, and their favorite campfire-friendly recipes for life on four wheels. Are you ready to hit the road?

Adventure Motorcycling Manual

Adventure Motorcycling Manual

Everything you need to plan and complete the journey of a lifetime

Outdoor enthusiasts thinking of trying adventure motorcycling will be inspired, invigorated and informed by the Adventure Motorcycling Manual, which covers every aspect of the trip, including practicalities (cost, personal fitness, how long you can be away from home), choosing the right bike, equipment, clothing, legal documentation, riding techniques, maintenance, navigation and emergencies. Whether stranded on a mountainside or dreaming in the armchair, both experienced and would-be adventurers will find this book essential reading.

The Road Trip Book: 1001 Drives of a Lifetime

The Road Trip Book: 1001 Drives of a Lifetime

The world’s superlative road trips—scenic, thrilling, and memorable—in both natural and urban settings.

For anyone who has fallen under its spell, a car represents freedom and adventure. For decades, the American tradition of the road trip has been bound up with the idea of new possibilities and new horizons. This book is an indispensable guide to the most beautiful, breathtaking, extraordinary, and fun road trips the world has to offer.

Complete with road trips varying in length and level of challenge, from an epic transglobal route inspired by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s Long Way Round documentary series to a two-mile blast around Monaco’s F1 street circuit, there is something for any adventurer. Each entry provides information about distance, start and finish points, road surfaces, must-see stop-offs, detours, and other details to plan an unforgettable trip.

Entries are organized into three categories: Scenic, Adventure, and Culture. One can marvel at the views from Cape Town’s scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive or central California’s Pacific Coast Highway, but the thrill seeker might opt for the hair-raising ride through Montenegro’s coastal mountains to reach the medieval walled town of Sveti Stefan on the Adriatic. The culture category features routes inspired by film, literature, and history: re-create Thelma and Louise’s heart-pounding joyride (minus the final leap), savor Japan’s “Romance Road” through unspoiled small towns, or follow Jack Kerouac’s path from On the Road.

The Art of the Airport: The World’s Most Beautiful Terminals

The Art of the Airport: The World’s Most Beautiful Terminals

Three quarters of a million people are in a plane somewhere right now. Many millions travel by air each day. For most of us, the experience of being in an airport is to be endured rather than appreciated, with little thought for the quality of the architecture. No matter how hard even the world’s best architects have tried, it is difficult to make a beautiful airport.

And yet such places do exist. Cathedrals of the jet age that offer something of the transcendence of flight even in an era of mass travel and budget fares. Here are twenty-one of the most beautiful airports in the world.

The book features:
Wellington International Airport, ‘The Rock’ shaped like the dangerous cliffs of a local legend
Kansai International Airport, Renzo Piano’s gigantic project built on three mountains of landfill
Shenzhen International Airport, a manta ray shaped terminal putting this booming region on the map
Daocheng Yading Airport, the world’s highest civilian airport in the middle of the Tibetan mountains
Chhatrapati Shijavi International Airport, rising from the slums of Mumbai like a Mogul palace
Queen Tamar Airport, a playfully iconic modern airport nestled in the mountains of Georgia
King Abdulaziz International Airport, the gateway to Mecca resembling a Bedouin city of tents
Pulkovo Airport, mirroring the city of St Petersburg with bridges, squares and art
Berlin-Tegel Airport, ultramodernity, 1970s style
Copenhagen Airport, an icon from the golden age of air travel
Franz Josef Strauß Airport, sober and easy to negotiate, Munich’s model airport
Paris Charles du Gaulle Airport, the brutalist icon that launched the career of airport architect Paul Andreu
London Stansted Airport, Norman Foster’s return to the golden age of air travel
Lleida-Alguaire Airport, a relic of Catalonia’s early 21st century building boom
Madrid-Barajas Airport, Richard Rogers and Antonio Lamela’s calm, bamboo-panelled Terminal 4
Marrakesh Ménara Airport, a blend of 21st century construction and traditional Morrocan design
Santos Dumont Airport, Rio de Janeiro’s modernist masterpiece
Carrasco International Airport, Rafael Viñoly’s design inspired by the sand dunes of his native Uruguay
Malvinas Argentinas International Airport, echoing the mountains and glaciers of Tierra del Fuego
John F Kennedy International Airport, Eero Saarinen’s glamorous jet-age TWA terminal
Spaceport America, a vision of the future in the New Mexico desert

Historic Aircraft Wrecks of San Diego County

Historic Aircraft Wrecks of San Diego County

Clear weather and a natural harbor made San Diego an early aviation hub, but success in flight came with devastating tragedies. The remains of more than four hundred aircrafts lie scattered across the county s deserts and mountains. Experts estimate that dozens more are on the ocean floor off the coast. In 1922, army pilot Charles F. Webber s DeHavilland biplane went missing over Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. In 1978, Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 178 collided midair over San Diego and crashed in the residential North Park neighborhood, claiming the lives of 144 people in what was the worst airline disaster of the era. Author and aircraft accident research specialist G. Pat Macha recounts these and other stories of astonishing survival, heroism and heartbreaking fatality.”