Lonely Planet | For Explorers Everywhere
If you're looking for one travel guide series that inspires you to explore more deeply and experience a destination beyond the obvious, Lonely Planet is where we'd start. For more than fifty years, its guides have helped travelers discover not only the iconic sights, but also the neighborhoods, local restaurants, scenic walks, and hidden corners that give every destination its personality. Whether you're planning your first international trip or your fiftieth, Lonely Planet remains one of our favorite all-around travel guide publishers.
Founded in 1973 by travelers Tony and Maureen Wheeler after their own overland journey across Asia, Lonely Planet has always been driven by a spirit of curiosity and independent exploration. That philosophy continues across an impressive collection of destination guides, road trip books, phrasebooks, travel inspiration, and children's titles designed to spark a lifelong love of discovery.
The name Lonely Planet was inspired by a misheard lyric from Joe Cocker's recording of Space Captain. The song says, "This lovely planet caught my eye," but founder Tony Wheeler heard it as "lonely planet"—and a travel publishing legend was born.
FEATURED BOOK: Best in Travel 2026
Ready to map out your next adventure? Lonely Planet, one of the most trusted names in travel guides, just released their highly anticipated Best in Travel 2026 guide, featuring 25 incredible destinations and 25 unforgettable experiences that belong on every traveler's bucket list. Imagine yourself chasing the northern lights across remote Arctic landscapes, wandering through ancient temples in Southeast Asia, or diving into the vibrant street food scenes of undiscovered neighborhoods where locals gather. This year's edition has been completely reimagined with a fresh design, stunning photography that practically transports you to each location, and a handy fold-out map to help you visualize your journey. It's more than just a guidebook—it's the kind of coffee table essential that sparks wanderlust every time you pick it up, offering a full year's worth of inspiration for wherever your travels take you next.
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Ready to plan your next adventure? Travelreads is proud to partner with Bookshop.org, where many of our favorite Lonely Planet publications are available while helping support independent bookstores. Every purchase supports local booksellers and the communities they serve.
Discover More From Lonely Planet
Discover More From Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet - The Travel Book
The Travel Book is Lonely Planet's ultimate encyclopedia of wanderlust, offering a compelling glimpse into every single country on our diverse planet, with hundreds of stunning photographs that will transport you to far-flung corners of the globe . But it's not just eye candy – each page is brimming with interesting tidbits and insider tips on the best things to see, do, and experience in every destination. Whether you're a seasoned globetrotter or an armchair adventurer, this book will ignite your imagination and fuel your desire to explore. It's the perfect gift for travel enthusiasts, geography buffs, or anyone who dreams of embarking on their next great adventure.
Lonely Planet - Ultimate Travel List
Ultimate Travel List is another outstanding coffee table book from Lonely Planet, featuring a thoughtfully curated ranking of 500 of the world's most extraordinary places to visit. From iconic landmarks and breathtaking natural wonders to vibrant cities and remarkable hidden gems, each destination is accompanied by engaging insights that help explain what makes it truly special. Drawing on decades of travel expertise, the book goes beyond a simple list to celebrate the incredible diversity of our world while inspiring readers to dream bigger and explore farther. Whether you're planning your next adventure or simply imagining future journeys, this beautifully designed volume is one you'll return to again and again as your travel bucket list continues to grow.
Lonely Planet’s Dream Trips of the World
Lonely Planet's Dream Trips of the World is a stunning collection of the planet's most incredible journeys, from chasing the Northern Lights across Norway's Arctic coast to island-hopping through Indonesia's Raja Ampat archipelago, with road trips along California's Big Sur and treks through Jordan's Wadi Rum desert in between. It's the kind of coffee table book that actually gets used, substantial enough to help plan real trips while being beautiful enough to keep guests flipping through pages for hours. The book balances famous bucket-list destinations like Machu Picchu with lesser-known adventures like cycling through Slovenia's wine country or exploring the temples of Bagan in Myanmar. Each trip includes gorgeous photography and practical details about timing, duration, and what makes the journey worth taking.
Lonely Planet’s Where to Go When
Where to Go When With Kids brings Lonely Planet’s popular month-by-month approach to family travel, with 300 ideas designed for children and teenagers up to age 16. Families might watch penguins gather on South Africa’s Boulders Beach in January, explore Japan beneath the cherry blossoms in spring, or experience the lights and celebrations of Hong Kong’s WinterFest in December. Written by Lonely Planet’s team of travel-expert parents, each recommendation explains why that destination works particularly well at that time of year, along with practical planning advice, important things to know, and suggestions for visiting in other seasons. Covering wildlife encounters, outdoor adventures, cultural discoveries, beaches, cities, and once-in-a-lifetime journeys, this beautifully illustrated guide is an inspiring way to find a trip that will appeal to the whole family—and perhaps introduce children to parts of the world they have never imagined visiting.
Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Story
One of the defining moments in modern travel literature came when newlyweds Tony and Maureen Wheeler decided to self-publish a book about their honeymoon journey across Asia. That first guidebook, Across Asia on the Cheap, launched an extraordinary entrepreneurial adventure that grew into Lonely Planet, the world's largest travel guide publisher—all born from a shared love of exploration and a desire to help others experience the world. This fascinating book offers readers a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the beloved guidebook series, tracing the Wheelers' remarkable journey from curious young travelers to influential publishers whose work inspired generations of independent explorers and forever changed the way millions of people discover the world.
