My family and I love to hop in the car and enjoy a summer day touring the areas around Calgary. We have visited the mountains and Banff, of course. We have made many visits to the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller, the Frank Slide and Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.

Having lived in Calgary for many years, I thought I knew a lot about day-tripping in southern Alberta. However, I am discovering we have been missing a lot by not using the resources that were right under my nose here at the library.

For instance, the last time we went to Drumheller, after we had visited the museum and the big T-Rex, we went further west to Wild Horse Canyon and the teeny, tiny church and then east to the Hoodoos and the suspension bridge. There was still more that we could have done according to Bill Corbett in his book Day Trips from Calgary. For example, we could have gone on to the East Coulee School Museum and had lunch at the Last Chance Saloon in Wayne (4 stars on Yelp), plus we could have learned more about the coal-mining history of the area.

Bill talks about the well-known and the not-so-well known in his book. I wish I had discovered it years ago.

Sometimes it's fun to take the road less travelled. But, even for our often travelled route from Calgary to Banff, Bill has many nuggets of information to share about the history along the highway which can make the experience much more interesting. My kids always watched for the sleeping dragons as we travelled on Highway 1 - long, low hills with rocks on their spines. Bill explains that these are hogbacks and how they were formed. Did you know that there is a walking trail to see some magnificent hoodoos off Tunnel Mountain Drive? You'll never see it if you stick to the main drag going into Banff.

West on One: the Stories Behind the Scenery is a lovely book that talks in more depth about the things you will see as you travel west on the highway from Calgary to Lake Louise. There are wonderful snippets of information about the history, the geology, the wildlife, etc. Did you know where Scott Lake Hill is and that it is the second-highest point on the entire Trans-Canada? Did you know that Heart Mountain was so named for the shape of its peak and that it is a popular easy scramble? These are just a couple of examples of the fascinating stories, facts and pictures in this book.

So, the next time that we are going day-tripping, we will first be checking in these and some of the other great books at the library. Why not check out some of these great resources yourself?

And, don't forget to check out earlier entries in the Good Life blog. Just click on the tag "staycations' or 'Alberta travel'. Happy trails!!

Thinking of staying close to home this summer? Hoping to explore Alberta?

Join us for Travel Day 2013 and find out about great Alberta staycations.

Saturday, May 4

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

John Dutton Theatre

Central Library, 2nd Floor

616 Macleod Trail SE

Travel Alberta the Budget Way (10 – 11 a.m.)

Find out about free and inexpensive ways to enjoy travelling around Alberta.

Day Trips from Calgary (11 a.m. – 12 p.m.)

Learn about the amazing landscapes, communities and history of South-Central Alberta, all within a two-hour drive of Calgary! Presented by Day Trips from Calgary author, Bill Corbett.

Brown Bag Lunch and Travel Film (12 – 1 p.m.)

Bring your own bag lunch and watch Long Horizons, a documentary on the intriguing prairie landscapes of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

West on One – History along the Highway (1 – 2 p.m.)

Discover fascinating facts and stories behind the scenery as you travel the Trans-Canada Highway from Calgary to Lake Louise. Presented by author Kathryn Manry.

I Love Parks (2 – 3 p.m.)

Learn about the many parks you can visit close to Calgary, why they are important and the many activities you can enjoy in them. Presented by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

The Hiking Lifestyle (3 – 4 p.m.)

Check out beginner and intermediate level hikes found in Kananaskis country and learn bear and other safety tips to ensure hiking can become a lifestyle for the rest of your life. Presented by Julie Walker, Guide, Full Circle Adventures.

Please register in person, online or by phone at 403-260-2620.

Did you know the library has books on just about any way that you can think of to see the world? You can find out about travelling fast.. or slow; by foot, by bike, by rail, by boat, or by motorbike. Here are just a few samples to whet your appetite.

Go Fast!!

36 Hours (2012): 125 Weekends in Europe - Dream weekends with practical itineraries from Paris to Perm. Culture, history, natural beauty, fine cuisine, artistic masterpieces, cutting-edge architecture and style-- Europe overflows with so many riches that a lifetime seems too short to appreciate them. But with the right guidance, you can go far in a single weekend . Stylishly written and carefully researched, this updated and expanded collection of the popular New York Times 36 Hours feature offers you 125 well-crafted itineraries for quick but memorable European trips, accompanied by hundreds of color photographs to fire your imagination.

36 Hours (2011): 150 Weekends in the USA & Canada - The ultimate travel guide to the USA and Canada To travel in North America is to face a delicious quandary: over these vast spaces, with so many riches from glittering cities to eccentric small towns and heart-stoppingly beautiful mountains and plains, how to experience as much as possible in limited time? One answer is the quick hit, a jam-packed adventure that delivers a full sense of a single place's opportunities and personalities over a well-plotted two-night stay. The New York Times has been offering up dream weekends with practical itineraries in its popular weekly "36 Hours" column since 2002.

Go Slow!

Go Slow France (2010): Special Places to Stay, Slow Travel and Slow Food - Go Slow France is the third book in Sawday's hugely successful Go Slow series. Discover 47 of France's most exquisite châteaux, B&Bs and hotels chosen as places to 'go slow'.

Slow Dorset, [2012] : Local, Characterful Guides to Britain's Special Places - Slow Dorset is a personal celebration of what makes Dorset special - an invitation to slow down and enjoy its beauty. The author takes you on a personal journey through the county introducing some of Dorset's best kept secrets and hidden delights including little known walks, cycle rides, pubs, local craftsmen and visitor attractions.

Go By Foot!

We have several different series of books that cover walking tours.

We have books that help you tour a city step by step, or a pilgrimage route, like the Camino de Santiago.

We have books with walking tours with a literary theme or those with a walk into history.

You can find them in our catalogue by searching "walking guidebooks".

Go by Bike!

Our books on cycling cover the world - from specific locations such as Oregon and the Kettle Valley Railroad in B.C. to the fifty places to bike before you die.

We also have books on cycling for all ages. Just search guidebooks cycling.

By Rail or By Boat!

The same applies to travelling by Rail; search railroad guidebooks (ignore the first few titles, they can't be borrowed).

For travel by Boat, search guidebooks cruises. You can find cruises everywhere from Alaska to the Caribbean to the Greek Islands.

By Car Or Even By Motorcycle!

If travelling by Car, search using the phrase guidebooks automobile.

If touring on a motorcycle, use the phrase guidebooks motorcycles.

However you go, the library has books to help you plan a great travel adventure! Knowing before you go helps you make the most of your trip. Happy trails!

Well…full disclaimer – there is still a lot of the plastic in Los Angeles, but the recent rejuvenation of its downtown, the breathtaking views from its cliffside hikes, and the enduring quirkiness of its surfside communities made me rethink LA as just a plastic jungle – and might make you rethink it too.

To start with, Santa Monica is not to be missed. The pier has retained its unique charm populated with boardwalk performers, acrobats, and beachfront muscle men. An excellent way to pass an afternoon is cruising the boardwalk on a rented bike, taking in the sights – which certainly will not disappoint. To end the day, head down to the tip of the Santa Monica pier to Mariasol Cocina Mexicana for margaritas as the sun goes down.

Laguna Beach is another ‘can’t miss’ spot in the LA area. This Orange County community has kept its beachside and historical charm, nowhere more evident than at The Beach House – Laguna Beach’s converted old Hollywood getaway turned brunch and dinner destination. The Beach House is only metres from the shore, and during high tide the waves lick the restaurant’s balcony, showering unsuspecting diners with sea spray. Throughout Laguna Beach are exceptional hikes, both along the shore and along the cliffs overlooking the waves – and sometimes, amongst the waves, you can even see dolphins.

Another welcome surprise is LA by night – a different and charmed place. Cruising down Sunset Boulevard (especially at sunset) is an enthralling drive as you pass by iconic landmarks like the Chateau Marmont, the Los Angeles Film School and the Whiskey A Go-Go. After that drive, nothing is more fitting than a visit to the Griffith Observatory – right from Rebel Without a Cause. The recently renovated observatory is extraordinary for evening star gazing and for looking upon the Hollywood sign.

My last nighttime suggestion would be to visit the Hollywood hotspots, the Walk of Fame, the Grove, and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre – all within a few blocks of each other. LA is cooler, even breezy, in the evening, and there are significantly fewer tourists at that time, turning what in daylight hours might be a dreadful experience into a magical and thrilling adventure. The Chinese Theatre shines at night illuminating the many stars’ footprints in its foreground.

While the nearby outdoor shopping mall, The Grove, is an exceptional venue in its own right, it is most famous for the adjoining Kodiak Theatre, home of the Oscars. On a evening like this, even the most apathetic LA visitor will be titillated by ascending the Oscar stairs – and trying to fit their shoes into Darth Vader’s foot prints on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

This was my LA trip – a peaceful, exciting, and altogether unexpected vision of LA far from the Plasticland of my worries (…though there are an alarming number of plastic surgery clinics everywhere!)

But before you go, 3 tips:

1. Get focused: LA county is vast and a little overwhelming - Frommer’s Editor Matthew R. Poole’s calls it a “circus-without-a-tent” (2009). Given this (and the excessive traffic) focus your trip on what side(s) of Los Angeles you want to see – the glamorous glitz of Hollywood and Rodeo Drive, the sandy beaches of Orange County, the animated excitement of Disneyland and Universal Studios – but don’t try to do it all on one trip. At the library we have LA guidebooks focusing on the micro and specific (such as Top 10 Los Angeles and The L.A. musical history tour: a guide to the rock and roll landmarks of Los Angeles) and on the macro and overarching (such as Fodor's Los Angeles or Frommer's Los Angeles) to help you get started.
2. Get inspired: through music and movies. Rent LA classics like Rebel Without a Cause or Sunset Boulevard from the library, and before you leave don’t forget the soundtrack to your LA trip! The library has the greatest hits from the Beach Boys to make sure you have the right tunes and the right tone for your LA trip.
3. Get a GPS: it will make your LA trip so much easier. As Frommer’s points out, most car rental agencies offer GPS rental now, or you can get a GPS app for your iphone or ipod touch. Either way it is well worth it.

Amie visited Los Angeles a year or two ago, but her impressions still hold true.

Living Aboard Your RV: [Take your Home on the Road!] by Janet Groene, & Gordon Groene

Imagine a life with no deadlines, no neighbors, no leaves to rake, and no lawn to mow. The open road beckons, and your home goes with you wherever you travel. Welcome to the world of fulltime RVing-self-sufficient, comfortable, and mobile. Living Aboard Your RV will help you decide if this lifestyle is the right choice for you, taking you through every step of hitting the road fulltime.

Frommer's Exploring America by RV by Shirley Slater

In the seventh edition of this perennial favorite guide, renowned travel writing team Harry Basch and Shirley Slater offers updates on their favorite RV trips around the U.S., including scenic routes along Virginia's Skyline Drive and the New England coast, plus jaunts through the Heart of the Heartlands (Indiana, Iowa and Illinois) and to Alaska via Canada. On each trip you'll get all the famous, infamous, and off-the-wall attractions; campgrounds along each route, from luxurious private RV parks with heated swimming pools and golf courses to quiet, forested campgrounds in state and national parks; tips for making life on the road easier and more comfortable and a complete guide to buying or renting an RV, with tips on how to decide which type is right for you. All this, plus information on wildlife watching and scenic views, the best parks and beaches, quick-and-easy recipes, packing suggestions, info on road etiquette and safety, and more. Head off the beaten path with Frommer's, to discover the real life lurking around the bend.

Trailer Life Directory, 2012: Guide to RV Parks and Campgrounds

The only place where you will find a complete list of Good Sam discount locations, the Trailer Life Directory is the official directory of the 950,000 member Good Sam Club. Celebrating Trailer Life Directory’s 40th Anniversary, this new edition lists over 11,800 RV parks; highlights the 400 Top Rated Parks, including the Top 100 Good Sam Parks and the Top 300 Trailer RV Parks; provides RV troubleshooting & safety tips and identifies service & repair facilities; points out tourist attractions appealing to the entire family; includes money-saving coupons. This comprehensive RV campground directory for RV Parks, RV travel services and tourist attractions for the RV enthusiast was the bestselling title in its category according to BookScan for 2010 and 2011.