nina_rod's review against another edition

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5.0

Sometime I lament that I never go anywhere or do anything. So I bought this book to change that. With Covid, maybe trips near home might be a good idea. I call the Pacific Northwest home. Reading this book, I realized, I do go places! I’ve Pacific Coasted from Mid-California to mid-Oregon. So long and boring, I wouldn’t recommend again. But found gems like Eureka, CA and Florence, OR. Then I Pacific Coasted Tillamook, Oregon up through Astoria and found I loved the Northern Oregon Coast. So much so I did this trip twice and want to do it again with my friend, an Oregon Coast virgin this summer.

And what I like most about this book, is that Pacific Coasting doesn’t end at the upper Pacific Coast tip of Washington State. It instead loops inward around the Olympic National Forest, meanders around through Puget Sound and ends in Seattle. It even offers a side trip to Vancouver Island, Canada!

And I have done the road trip from Victoria and up though the interior Coast of Vancouver Island. This book recommends Victoria to the outer Coast of Vancouver Island. I have wanted to try this!

I have also done the loop around the Olympic National Forest. So maybe I bought this book not as an effort to do something... but to do it again!

The book is full of art that makes it an enjoyable book to wander through. But recommendations of what to do in Seattle are only two pages, so not a comprehensive resource for road tripping, but makes you excited about discovering possibilities and offers ideas to research further.

My daughter saw me reading the illustrated book and said “Oh, I like books like that.” It’s a great visual treat.

And remember folks... West Coast, Best Coast!

margaretmechinus's review against another edition

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4.0

Getting ready for our west coat road trip. Read lots of travel guide books, but this one was the most fun to read.

annieb123's review against another edition

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5.0

Review to come on my blog at release: Nonstop Reader.

Pacific Coasting is a tutorial, planning, and inspiration guide to driving the Pacific coast of the USA. Due out 16th March 2021 from Workman Publishing on their Artisan imprint, it's 224 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is a really engaging and appealing homage to the All-American road trip with some specific destination suggestions and a wealth of information for dreaming, planning, and execution. The introduction includes some good general info - what the pack, how to plan, and what the Pacific coast has to offer.
The following chapters are arranged more or less from southerly destinations toward the northwest (she explains why in the book). The chapters include lots of fun destinations for day trips, longer trips, or the ultimate marathon road trip from Southern California to Washington. Each of the chapters - So. Cal, No. Cal, Oregon, and Washington contain side info on different destinations and seasonal information.
The text is accompanied by a number of the author's own paintings of areas and landmarks (and whimsical maps) of the area and destinations. This is a beautifully written, illustrated, and inspirational book. I'm sitting in front of my living room window at the end of September and it's rainy, overcast, and grey, and I'm definitely California dreamin' - sunshine, palm trees, picnics, and breezes sound wonderful.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

zmarshall839's review

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informative medium-paced

3.75

dizzyjenn's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved every bit of this book. The illustrations are so cute, quirky, and worth admiring. The information for each stop along the coast was enough to get to know the area, but little enough to find your own hidden gems. Will definitely be picking this up anytime I plan a trip to the coast.

courtwj's review

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adventurous informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

4.5

mishmashedme's review against another edition

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5.0

This travel guide is filled with stunning watercolours and quick tips. I bought it on a whim for the pretty pictures and was inspired by the journey it took me on.
Planning a road trip is hard and can be overwhelming. This guide suggests great stops and gives tidbits of info about each. I especially enjoyed the extra info about the flora and fauna found along the coast from California to Vancouver Island.
Even though we’ve been down the coast south to Florence, OR it was nice to retrace our steps and learn about new places to stop the next time we go. I really loved the journey through California since I’ve only been inland there.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will refer to it repeatedly.

empathephant's review

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adventurous inspiring relaxing fast-paced

4.5

The illustrations and the construction of this book is utterly gorgeous. I don’t know how useful it will be but it is making me dream of moving.

bookpairings's review

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adventurous inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

colleenish's review

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medium-paced

4.0

Worth browsing for the pictures.