Southern Alberta for City Folks has just arrived on library shelves.

Caroline Steman, a city folk herself, shares some of her favorite hikes, drives and places to go in Calgary and Southern Alberta. Her choices require no special experience or equipment. This is a slim volume of 41 pages packed with beautiful colour photographs and lots of historical tidbits.

Another, slightly older, book which follows the road less travelled is Country Roads of Alberta (2007).

"This travel guide to the country roads of Alberta emphasizes locations that are "off the beaten track," offering plenty of color photography that should entice travelers to be more adventurous in their next Canadian sojourn. Bryan, a noted journalist and former co-founder of Western Living magazine, seasons this travelogue with historical facts and geological information while pointing out notable landmarks and wildlife. Detailed maps and driving directions enhance the stunning images, making this book a welcome traveling companion." (Book News Inc)

Other books that will help you explore Southern Alberta are:

West on one : the stories behind the scenery : fascinating facts, stories and pictures along the Trans-Canada Highway from Calgary to Lake Louise by Kathryn Manry (2010)

In plain sight : exploring the natural wonders of southern Alberta by Neil L. Jennings (2010)

And a couple of older titles that are still full of great information:

Alberta history along the highway [1996] : a traveler's guide to the fascinating facts, intriguing incidents and lively legends in Alberta's past by Ted Stone

Backroads of Southern Alberta by Joyce Donaldson Yarmey (1992)

Have fun exploring!!

A few weeks ago, I talked about our wonderful trip along the Icefields Parkway to Jasper. We have just received two new books which would have really enhanced our experience.

"Since moving to the Rockies of western Canada in 1984, Lynn Martel has spent countless hours and days exploring the mountain wilderness with her many experienced friends as well as some of the best known and well-informed professional guides in the outdoor adventure business...Her vast amount of experience and insight into the most popular activities available to tourists, locals and the most skilled and competent weekend warriors infuse this collection of 20 of her best adventure stories. Complete with colour photographs and maps, difficulty ratings, seasonal details and general information, these stories will inspire those seeking to experience adventures at their own level in and around Kananaskis Country, Canmore, Lake Louise and Banff, Yoho and Jasper national parks." (Syndetics)

"Canada's 42 National Parks are beautifully showcased in this first edition official guidebook for the 2011 100th anniversary of Parks Canada...this book will be a handy, practical, and extensively illustrated guide to help visitors plan and execute their trips to all the Canadian national parks. It also offers short excursions to 40 plus National Historical Sites and the four National Marine Conservation Areas. Written by authors who know Canada's national parks, this volume includes seasonal facts on these stunning and vital wilderness areas as well as guidance for getting there, when to go, how to visit, practical information on where to stay, and detailed descriptions of specific places within each park. Stunning photographs and custom, one-of-a-kind maps prepared by National Geographic cartographers enhance the entries." (Syndetics)

We have received a beautiful new picture book, A Million Steps:Discovering the Lebanon Mountain Trail. " A thrilling, yet intimate, view of the 440 km trail that runs through the remote and majestic Lebanese mountains. Hana El-Hibri and her fellow hikers were the first to walk the length of Lebanon from north to south, and her up-close account of the month-long journey is accompanied by Norbert Schiller’s superb photos, capturing the region’s diverse wildlife, its stunning scenery and the colorful characters that live there." (Syndetics)

From one side of the world to the other:

Andes, by travel writer Michael Jacobs, describes his trek from one end of the Andes to the other.

"Following in the footsteps of "The Liberator" Simon Bolivar and explorer/naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, Jacobs meanders the entire length of the Andes, interweaving his own travels with the postcolonial history of South America." (Library Journal)

"The Andes, earth's longest mountain range, spans seven countries, from Colombia to Argentina, include rain forests and deserts, virtually deserted areas, massive cities, Incan ruins, pre-Incan ruins, Spanish ruins, and more. It's a lot to take on, but Jacobs ... is nothing if not game. He braves high altitude, terrifying bus rides, endless delays, crime-ridden cities, and wackjob mystics." (Publishers' Weekly Review)

Thinking of travelling around Canada this summer? We have just received some books that will help you make the most of your trip.

To find other great guidebooks to Canadian destinations, just enter the destination and guidebook in the Search Box on our homepage.

Other great new travel books are:

What better way to take in all the sights and sounds of a country than by seeing it from two wheels - whether on a bike or a motorbike?

Take an armchair trip through South America with Dominic Gill or Glen Heggstad.

Take a seat : one man, one tandem and twenty thousand miles of possibilities

When Dominic Gill set out from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, by bicycle on June 16, 2006, it was to be no ordinary bike ride. His goal was to reach Ushuaia, the southernmost city in South America, nearly 20,000 miles away, and he was starting off with virtually no money in his pocket, barely enough food to last a week, and, worst of all, with thousands of miles between him and his friends and family.

Two wheels through terror : diary of a South American motorcycle odyssey Glen Heggstad's journey through South America involved kidnapping, violent protests, mechanical failures and inhospitable climates, not your average gentle ride through the countryside.

Another trek through South America!!

You can armchair cycle from Siberia to England on a three and a half year trek through Papua New Guinea, Australia and Afghanistan with Rob Lilwall or cross America by bicycle with two intrepid middle-aged women.

Bicycle Diaries, part travelogue, part journal, part photo album, a behind-the-handlebars celebration of seeing the world from the seat of a bike with 100 photos throughout.

Check these books out to see the world from the comfort of your own comfy chair!!