As an active RV’er who has used a potpourri of maps, brochures and oddball resources to find sights of interest along otherwise boring routes, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by Dave Hunter’s book Along Interstate 75. Dave does the leg-work to keep travelers current on local road conditions and great stops all up and down the I-75 corridor. This is the 16th Edition and the updated version of his popular travel book. The book was originally designed for snow birds headed away from the Michigan and Canadian cold in their yearly migration south and for their northbound return trip. It’s such a pleasure to read that I’d say it’s an entertaining book for anyone who enjoys roaming the country and discovering new destinations.

At first glance, the book looks complicated with its many colorful and highly-notated strip maps in the front and back. After a few minutes of study, you’ll find the maps are really easy to use. The front maps are for the southbound traveler and the back maps are for the northbound traveler. The maps cover the area between Detroit to the Florida border in 25 mile increments with easy to read exits and a local road to help bypass freeway congestion or just to get off the beaten path for a change of pace.

The strip maps are loaded with information and cover everything from services to speed traps to tourist notes. The easy to read orange blocks with their lane change and traffic cautions are my personal favorite as the navigator of our RV. They are the next best thing to a crystal ball when it comes to confusing freeway merges. The graphics for patrol cars, golfers, and RV’s make handy, easy to read notations. What seems cluttered at first glance is actually a very organized way of giving lots of quick, handy information. The map pages themselves are cleverly colored to represent elevation and population centers.

In the middle section of the book the fun begins for those of us with an inquisitive nature. This section is a mile by mile “travelog” designed to entertain and inform the reader with stories and local insider tips about the area. Far from I-75 in the comfort of my recliner, I enjoyed Dave’s stories and the tips with each passing mile. The stories entertained with a tiny slice of history, a local attraction worth visiting, or a bit of trivia such as the tale of the abandoned Cincinnati Subway Station.

There is a little bit of something for everyone Along Interstate 75. History, shopping, nature, restaurant reviews and the best aquarium for the grandkids are all included. There are also helpful tips for the RV driver, tornado tips, and handy references for weather and traffic alerts. Dave’s insider tip on the Drury Hotels had me ready to ditch the RV for a night. All this was put together in a friendly, organized and thorough way with tons of information that fits easily in the glove compartment. Dave’s friendly style grew on me and somewhere between reading what that big cross was doing on the side of the road to his insider tip on the Grits Café, Dave earned my trust. Without having actually traveled down I-75, the road seems familiar to me and I can’t wait for my journey to begin.

This review copy of Along Interstate 75 was provided to me free of charge.