Is there a book or soft ware app that shows the best travel route to destinations?

there used to be an insurance company that had books on all the states and their tourist traps but I haven't seen that around since the 90's. now you just get on the web and type in the state you are going to visit and see what they have to offer.

Google Maps or Microsoft Streets and Trips I use both. Streets and Trips lets you say if you want the quickest or shortest plus has a lot of other options like construction updates etc.My wife has a smart phone that does it all.

No, but there are a zillion that CLAIM to do so.

No books. There are computer apps, phone apps, and online services that will calculate travel routes for you, and include intermediate destinations if you have those, and possibly travel preferences.For a lengthy trip, there is no "best" travel route because that is subjective, a compromise that depends on a traveler's preferences for several factors that must be balanced: travel time, distance, cost, avoidance of cities, mountain roads, toll roads, heavy traffic, etc. I travel several times a year between NE Oklahoma and southern Michigan and there are hundreds of different ways to go, and there are about eight equally good route variations I regularly use today, depending on season, weather, and what time of the week. These are not the same routes I used 35 years ago because the roads and city congestion problems have changed over time.Most online and computer route calculations will assume you want minimum travel time using superhighways and toll roads as much as possible, and might take you on a longer route, more distance and time, to keep you on that type of road.I've used Microsoft Streets and Trips (no longer available) for the past ten years because this program makes it easy for me to force my preferences in the planning, and to quickly try a lot of options to see what might better suit my needs for a particular trip.

Another alternative to Streets And Trips is Delorme Street Atlas. I am trying to learn it after having used S & T for years. Time will tell how I like it.

Travel routes | Good Sam Community

Allworth
Explorer II
Feb 16, 2015
Rand McNally "Motor Carrier's Road Atlas". Available at truck stops.
bsinmich
Explorer
Feb 15, 2015
AAA has the tour books they update every year. That and the maps are the only 2 reasons I still carry AAA membership.
DonPd
Explorer
Feb 15, 2015
You can get this free from Garmin but you do need to have a Garmin device to get maps that the software can use.

BaseCamp

It allows you to create routes and transfer the routes to your Garmin device. You can also print the directions for the routes. View the routes in Google Earth.

You can also use Google earth to plan routes and it is also free.
C-Bears
Explorer
Feb 15, 2015
That would be a hard question to answer. First of all, are you driving a 9' high truck camper? Are you towing a FW that is 13'6" high?

We are 13'5" high so we are not sight seeing down country roads. We start by using computer based mapping, but then everything is checked against our current Trucker's Atlas.
PastorCharlie
Explorer
Feb 15, 2015
I have used Delorme Street Atlas Plus for many years and I find it the best overall. I have never had a problem with it and I update it ever 2 years. It does not require any Internet connection and is programmable to ones own interest. It will take you where you want to go the way you want to go.

I also have used Magellan, Garmin and Rand McNally and they are good but do not compare with Delorme.
john_bet
Explorer II
Feb 15, 2015
Dso66 wrote:
Is there a book or soft ware app that shows the best travel route to destinations?
Your best travel route may not be the same as mine to the same place. To many choices.
Dso66
Explorer
Feb 15, 2015
Sdaniel, you might have what I looking for. By best I meant. Roads and routes that might be better pulling a fifth. Lower mountain passes and such. Just thinking. Thanks for all the input
sdianel_-acct_c
Explorer
Feb 14, 2015
I just downloaded CoPilot app to my iPhone and love it! It has an RV setting and is easy to use.
Carb_Cleaner
Explorer
Feb 14, 2015
Harley Ride Planner.
Free, but you gotta have internet:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/content/h-d/en_US/home/owners/plan-your-ride/hd-ride-planner-overview.html
CLICKY
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Feb 14, 2015
It all depends on how you travel. If you're on limited time and have to get there in a hurry just pick the nearest interstate and take off.

If you have plenty of time and want to see things along the way, start with a good road atlas, highlight what you want to see and make your route from there. If you're traveling in the West, the Benchmark individual state atlases are awesome. They include public parks and public lands.

If you want to do it on your computer, we've used Delorme for over 20 years. You don't need to be online. You can customize the map by putting in vias to include the scenic stops you want to make.

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