If ever there was a time we needed to escape into an inspiring travel book it is now, during this pandemic era when our travel wings have been so severely clipped!
These Beautiful Coffee Table Travel books are sure to have you planning your next adventure!
We are sharing some of the most interesting recently published travel books to help keep your travel inspiration alive and give you hours of enjoyment! They are also the perfect gift for your travel addict friends. Here are some of my favorites!
COFFEE TABLE TRAVEL BOOKS
These eye-catching, oversized travel books are excellent to have sitting on your coffee table so that you can just pick them up at your leisure, flick through, and reminisce about places you have visited in the past, or as inspiration for places you’d like to explore in the future.
National Geographic, with access to their world-class travel photographers, continues year after year to publish magnificent travel books. Two of their most recent publications are:
1,000 PERFECT WEEKENDS: Great Getaways Around the Globe
by George Stone (Foreword by) National Geographic
Published 2021
It would take almost 20 years of weekends to visit every one of the 1,000-weekend escapes highlighted in this book. Packed with innovative ideas and inspiring photographs, this gift-worthy treasury features 1,000 dream weekend escapes from sunny beach retreats to lush mountain idylls, exotic city sojourns, and wild adventures in more than 40 countries around the world.
Divided by theme and interest—including nature parks, country weekends, mountain retreats, enabled travel, romantic getaways, traveling with pets, and more—this fun-packed guide offers an adventure you can experience in 36 to 72 hours.
Amazon customer review rating – 5 out of 5.
Goodreads customer review rating – 5 out of 5
Buy 1000 perfect weekends here
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SPECTACLE: Rare and Astonishing Photographs
Published 2018
by National Geographic, Mark Thiessen (Foreword), Susan Hitchcock (Contributor)
This book, as its name suggests, is a spectacular photo collection showcasing more than 200 images of awe-inducing moments from around the world, including the aurora borealis, cities made of neon lights, a great wildebeest migration, a contortionist on display, and much more.
It’s broken down into different sections- Chaos, Surprise, Beauty, and Awe. The book captures moments of chaos, serenity, beauty, and wonder of the spectacular world in which we live.
Amazon customer review rating – 4.8 out of 5.
Goodreads customer review rating – 4.52 out of 5
DRIVES OF A LIFETIME 2nd Edition: 500 of the World’s Greatest Road Trips
Published 2020
This is a glossy, beautifully photographed coffee table book with a wealth of information on travel and road trips inspiring you to just pack up the car immediately and hit the road! It features the best celebrated and lesser-known road trips on the planet from National Geographic’s legendary travel writers. The chapters are set up by type of drive- hills and mountains, sea and shore, rivers, valleys and canyons, etc.
Amazon customer review rating – 4.7 out of 5.
Goodreads customer review rating – 4.56 out of 5
Since 1973 LONELY PLANET has printed over 145 million guidebooks and phrasebooks for 120 languages, and in recent years have published some brilliant coffee table travel books also.
LONELY PLANET’S BEST IN TRAVEL 2022
Published in 2021
by Lonely Planet (Author)
Hot off the press, this annual list ranks the planet’s must-visit countries, cities, and regions for 2022. As we re-engage with the world with a new appreciation for what a privilege and responsibility travel is, Lonely Planet has drawn on the knowledge of their global community of experts to curate a collection of experiences that will inspire you to reconnect with the world.
The book also reveals how you can have a positive impact as you return to the road, with practical advice that will help you to make sustainable travel choices, support local communities and celebrate inclusivity.
Amazon customer review rating – 5 out of 5.
Goodreads customer review rating – 4 out of 5
LONELY PLANET’S BEST PLACES TO EAT IN EVERY COUNTRY
Over 2,000 Recommendations from the World’s Leading Travel Authority
Published 2021
“For the first time ever, Lonely Planet has compiled the best dining spots in every country of the world. Our writers know how to sniff out the best food around and our picks favor local, authentic and atmospheric experiences – whether that means tucking into tasty oysters at a seafood shack in southeast England or gorging on the best jerk chicken in Jamaica. With over 2000 expert recommendations, this is the ultimate companion to help foodie travelers make the most of every meal, wherever they are in the world. ” Lonely Planet
The book is packed with color photos and includes restaurant guides, advice on tipping, costs, specialty dishes, and a great deal of information about the food favorites of every country. If you’re a foodie, It is bound to motivate you to start planning that next trip!
Amazon customer review rating – 3.7 out of 5.
Goodreads customer review rating – 4 out of 5
Buy Best Places to Eat in Every Country here
THE TRAVEL BOOK (Lonely Planet Travel Guides)
Published 2021 (4th Edition)
The Travel Book is very much a pictorial book, as opposed to a guidebook, with 850 photos from 230 countries, Each country features a profile that includes details of when to visit, what to see and do, and how to learn more about the country’s culture.
The New York Times reports it depicts what life is like in each nation from photographic portraits of people, beautiful landscape photographs, and vibrant street photography.
Amazon customer review rating – 3.out of 5.
Book Depository customer review rating – 4.29 out of 5
EPIC TRAIN JOURNEYS- The Inside Track to the World’s Greatest Rail Routes
By Monisha Rajesh
Published 2021
If you’re a train aficionado you will love having this book to be able to inspire and plan your next great train journey. The book has details and descriptions of 50 amazing rail trips of all shapes and sizes from all over the world. From a journey through the Alps on the Bernina Express to a ride from Colombo up to Sri Lanka’s tea plantations, there are endless possibilities to explore the world through fabulous train rides.
Amazon customer review rating – (No ratings to date)
Goodreads customer review rating – (No ratings to date)
#WANDERLUST – The World’s 500 Most Unforgettable Travel Destination
by Sabina Trojanova
Published 2020
This is a beautiful coffee table book featuring 500 destinations with personal insights, information, invaluable advice, and where to take the most Instagram-worthy photos. It has a little blurb about each place. You will need to do more research for further information, but it is great for inspiration for possible destinations for your next trip.
Amazon customer review rating – 4.5 out of 5.
Goodreads customer review rating – 3.48 out of 5
WHERE TO GO WHEN: Unforgettable Trips for Every Month
(DK Eyewitness Travel Guide)
Published 2019
This DK Eyewitness Travel Guide is arranged month by month so destinations can be easily searched by time of year. It contains over 100 destinations to choose from and is brought to life through stunning photography.
Each month of the year has a dedicated chapter, so you’ll know the perfect travel destination for that time of year. Discover when to explore Costa Rica’s rainforests, journey into the clouds in Nepal, sail between Croatia’s cypress-clad islands, or gaze at the saw-toothed crags of Canada’s Rocky Mountains. Learn about just the right moment to see the cherry blossoms bloom in Japan or the reindeer in Lapland. This book will help you plan the ultimate experience.
Amazon customer review rating – 4.7 out of 5.
Goodreads customer review rating – 4.25 out of 5
COME FLY WITH ME: FLYING IN STYLE
Published 2021
by Jodi Peckman (Author)
I love reading books about the glory days of aviation and “Come Fly With Me: Flying in Style did not disappoint! Now, more than ever, nothing captures our yearning for travel, freedom, glamour, and adventure than the fantasy of flying away from it all.
The photos are fun! From John and Yoko waving from the airstairs to Rihanna bustling incognito through the halls, and from Muhammad Ali’s crisp-pressed suits to Miley Cyrus’s playful onesies, this is a whimsical and welcome reminder when we need it most of the joys of travel.
Amazon customer review rating – 4.4 out of 5.
Goodreads customer review rating – 3.00 out of 5
I hope this list helps you find a beautiful coffee table travel book for you or a loved one. Nothing is more inspiring than pictures of beautiful places you can explore!
Thanks to National Geographic, Lonely Planet, Amazon Books, and Goodreads for book cover images and reviews.
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