When the journey is the point, the mode of travel is as important as the destination. Moving from here to there—whether via quiet footfalls or the whisper of wings or sailing with a neatly trimmed spinnaker—fascinates readers and makes them wonder if there are ways to do it more efficiently, more economically, or with more zest and flair. The books on this list answer with a resounding “yes.”

AIR

Aircraft: The Definitive Visual History. 2nd ed. DK. 2022. 320p. ed. by Philip Whiteman. ISBN 9780744027457. $40.

Consultant, aviation journalist, and engineer Whiteman (editor, Pilot magazine) brings together writing, illustrations, and photographs by the hundreds to explore the history of flight. Airplane profiles, engine specs, historical notes, and brief biographies of flight pioneers grace this exhaustive reference. It’s riveting eye candy for flight-minded browsing.

Anderson, Jay & others. Peterson Field Guide to Weather. Mariner. 2021. 552p. ISBN 9780547133317. $27.99.

This latest addition to the “Peterson Field Guides” series builds on information from previous guides on atmosphere, clouds, and weather. This title covers air-pressure effects, precipitation, clouds, winds, severe weather, and the history of meteorology. More than 400 photos, detailed science-based explanations, and numerous charts and graphs enhance awareness and understanding of weather-based phenomena from graupel (soft hail) to why there’s wind (the atmosphere’s response to pressure difference), hurricane anatomy, and different types of rainbows.

Cavanagh, Peter. How Birds Fly: The Science & Art of Avian Flight. Firefly. 2024. 336p. ISBN 9780228104865. $49.95.

Wildlife photographer Cavanagh (100 Flying Birds) combines beautiful and detailed photographs with clear prose to explain why birds fly, and the mechanics of takeoffs, gliding, landings, and more. Spellbinding photos of birds with their wings spread, along with charts and illustrations, accompany engaging narrative that’s sure to appeal to scientists and casual birders alike. Brief bios of bird-flight notables and thorough endnotes add to the allure of this title.

Grant, R.G. Flight: The Complete History of Aviation. 4th ed. DK. 2022. 456p. ISBN 9780744048452. $50.

Indeed a complete history, this volume moves from imagination and mythology (e.g., Icarus) to pioneers and World War II aircraft and ends on cutting-edge ideas for drone delivery and pilotless air taxis. Historian Grant’s (Flight) intelligent narrative and pithy captions add context to captivating layouts filled with photos, illustrations, boxed biographical notes, aircraft specs, and flight-related ephemera. Useful for reference, but also offering hours of diversion for casual browsers.

Schwartz, Bill. Out of this World: Historic Milestones in NASA’s Human Space Flight. ACC Art. 2022. 300p. ISBN 9781788841795. $65. 

Documentarian Schwartz presents pivotal moments in the history of NASA and U.S. space exploration with up-close photos of Mercury astronauts and images of galaxies millions of miles away, via the Hubble telescope. Arranged chronologically, this book includes historical notes, inspirational quotes, illustrations, and hundreds of photographs and portraits that honor NASA projects and explorations beyond the bounds of Earth.

WATER

Evans, Jeremy & others. The Sailing Bible: The Complete Guide for All Sailors from Novice to Experienced Skipper. 3rd ed. Firefly. 2024. 400p. ISBN 9780228104650. $39.95.

Sailing specialist and photographer Evans and other experts educate sailing enthusiasts at all levels about how to maintain and navigate their vessels, including how to sail through inclement weather. The photos, illustrations, and step-by-step instructions cover singlehander and doublehander dinghies, keel boats, catamarans, and cruisers, including yachts. Updated for this edition is information on navigation and safety technology. The glossary adds to this resource’s usefulness. An excellent guide to all things sailing.

Mondy, Ben. The Breitling Book of Surfing: A Ride to the Heart of Community. Rizzoli. 2024. 256p. ISBN 9788891839992. $75. 

This photo-drenched tribute to surfers and surf culture is organized geographically (covering six continents) and includes 15 interviews with surfing notables, about a quarter of them women, who use words like “passion” and “dream” in talking about the sport. Two-page spreads with images of sea sprays, breaking waves, and the occasional wipeout are plentiful. Exhilarating!

Ross, David. Submarines: From Early Submersibles to Nuclear-Powered Submarines. Amber. 2024. 224p. ISBN 9781838864934. $29.99.

Maritime historian Ross (Battleships) details 52 submarines. His coverage spans from the Turtle, used during the Revolutionary War and powered by a two-blade foot paddle-propeller, to India’s nuclear submarine Arihant, which began sea trials in 2015. Illustrations each span two pages and include specs (dimensions, speed, armaments) and the history of each increasingly sleek, stealthy, and usually more weaponized design. This title presents detailed coverage of a distinct niche of naval history.

Stang, Mason & Udi Gal. The Sail Racing Bible: The Complete Guide for Dinghy and Yacht Racers. Adlard Coles: Macmillan. 2024. 304p. ISBN 9781399405157. $35. 

A competitive sailor in high school and college, Stang distills advice from world champion Olympic sail racer and coach Gal. Their book is designed for all sorts of racers: pre-regatta and start, upwind, downwind, reach, and post-race. The tactics, tips, detailed narrative of race strategy, and clear diagrams convey a top coach’s aggressive yet supportive strategy to win. Will benefit serious sail racers and novices looking to up their game.

Ward, Douglas. Insight Guides Cruising & Cruise Ships 2024. 29th ed. Insight Guides. 2023. 376p. ISBN 9781839053443. $27.99.

Ward, with more than 1,130 cruises (including 160 transatlantic crossings) under his belt, offers basic information about cruising. There’s a FAQ section, insight on choosing a cruise, and more than 300 ship profiles with grading criteria, statistics about the ship’s size, the number of crew members, the passenger capacity, and the types of food and accommodations travelers can expect. The book also includes assessments of the kind of experience (such as relaxed luxury or high-energy) that each cruise offers. Succinct and helpful for newbies and experienced cruisers alike.

ROAD

Buxton, Will (text) & Davi Augusto (illus.). Grand Prix: An Illustrated History of Formula 1. Ten Speed. 2024. 240p. ISBN 9781984863249. $29.99.

Formula 1 racing expert Buxton, who appeared on Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive To Survive, pours two decades of passion into detailed yet approachable, adrenaline-fueled prose. He highlights cars, constructors, high points, and impressive drivers, many of whom died young. Information on tracks, scoring, safety, race formats, inclusion efforts, and sustainability heighten this title’s appeal. Add points for Augusto’s expressive portraits and energetic artwork. Heart rates will rise during this read.

Falco, Charles M. & Ultan Guilfoyle. The Motorcycle: Design, Art, Desire. Phaidon. 2023. 320p. ISBN 9781838666569. $59.95.

Lifelong motorcycle enthusiast Falco (optical sciences and physics, Univ. of Arizona) and award-winning film director, producer, and writer Guilfoyle (Making Space) distilled their passion for motorcycles into a 2020 exhibition at Australia’s Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art. This companion volume taps into their deep knowledge of motorcycles, offering details about the vehicles’ history, technology, and design. The book showcases (as two-page spreads) 100 iconic vehicles dating from the late 1800s to the present; close-ups will inspire awe and envy. The list of additional resources, which includes works for younger readers, is extensive and handy.

Grevemberg, Noami. Living the Vanlife: On the Road Toward Sustainability, Community, and Joy. Simon Element. 2023. 224p. ISBN 9781982179618. $24.99.

In 2016, Grevemberg left her corporate job for a life on the road. She, her husband, and their dog now live full-time in a tightly packed Volkswagen Westfalia Camper van named Irie. Her book shares her observations of nomad culture and communities. As the founder of Diversify Vanlife, she also discusses her road experiences as a Black woman and offers safety tips and suggestions for vanlife essentials and finances, all the while encouraging thoughtfulness and intention. Photos showcase landscapes and candid peeks at crowded counters and tight living quarters. An honest perspective that opens space for all on the vanlife continuum.

Payne, Janelle & Chadwick Payne. DIY Camper and RV Reno: Restoring and Designing Vintage, Retro, and Classic Trailers and RVs with Nailgun Nelly. Cool Springs. 2024. 192p. ISBN 9780760392409. $25.

Nailgun Nelly founder Janelle Payne brings her online renovation content to print with the help of her husband, Chadwick. Covering everything from major projects (choosing and buying materials, installing electricity and plumbing, designing sleeping quarters) to decorative flair (mood boards, paint colors, and hardware), this can-do title tackles jobs like solar-panel installation and making lightweight headboards. With plenty of photos, it’s sure to attract many readers.

Ride: Cycle the World. DK Eyewitness Travel. 2021. 256p. ISBN 9780744028850. $30.

Cyclists, travel writers, and bloggers pool their knowledge to choose 100 biking adventures, from bucket-list standards to hidden gems. Specs (distance, riding surface) combined with maps, photos, must-see sights, and spellbinding details give a sense of rides from paved urban trails to the 7,226-mile Tour d’Afrique. A book that will inspire wanderlust.

Riding in the Wild: Motorcycle Adventures off and on the Roads. Gestalten. 2023. 272p. ed. by Gestalten & Jordan Gibbons. ISBN 9783967041279. $65.

This compilation coedited by motorcyclist and adventurer Gibbons (editor, Built) embraces the element of the unknown in 20 motorcycle adventures. Introductory chapters offer tips about packing, food, tools, and bike options. Each travelogue covers about 10 pages of evocative prose, with photos, a map, and information about the route’s distance, terrain, skill level, and highlights. With trips that range from exploring the Faroe Islands (roughly 540 square miles) to a monthslong, 25,000-mile adventure through South and Central America, this resource motivates readers to plan or vicariously indulge in breathtaking motorcycle adventures.

Zinn, Lennard. Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance: The World’s Best-Selling Bicycle Repair and Maintenance Guide. 6th ed. VeloPress. 2024. 488p. ISBN 9781646046874. $27.95.

The updated edition of Zinn’s best-selling manual for maintaining and repairing road bikes has thousands of new illustrations and supportive, concise, yet highly detailed instructions, explanations, and schedules, plus some equipment suggestions. Helpful for newbies are the “Basic Stuff” section and a suggested maintenance schedule. There’s also guidance on making complicated adjustments and furnishing a well-stocked repair shop. The illustrations and Zinn’s can-do attitude and humor will benefit cyclists of all skill levels.

RAIL

All Aboard: The Railroad in American Art, 1840–1955. Giles. 2024. 168p. ed. by Julie Pierotti. ISBN 9781913875602. $44.95.

Produced in conjunction with the 2024 exhibition of the same name, this catalogue includes nearly 50 high-quality artworks of railroad landscapes and passengers from the Progressive Era and beyond. Pierotti (curator, Dixon Gallery and Gardens) gathers commentary, maps, photographs, and images from a broad cross-section of major artists, whose paintings and drawings feature engines, bridges, excavations, and moody and stark landscapes. Examples include Jacob Lawrence’s somber Subway—Home from Work and Georgia O’Keeffe’s watercolor of a train, symbolized by a stylized cloud of smoke. The book convincingly argues that the railroad upended 19th- and 20th-century travel and commodity transportation as much as the internet affected and disrupted the 21st century. Endnotes and a time line add scholarly utility. Intelligent, engrossing, and beautiful.

Beanland, Christopher. Station: A Whistlestop Tour of 20th- and 21st-Century Railway Architecture. Batsford. 2024. 208p. ISBN 9781849948258. $35.

Explore 50 railway and subway stations, organized by architectural style, via interior and exterior photos, all in bright colors and often on two-page spreads. Beanland’s (Lido) writing style doesn’t stint on colorful, evocative lines, describing the “‘look at me’ drama” of Calatrava-designed stations and a Swedish T-Bana station that looks as if it were “hollowed out of the earth by elves.” Commentary on signage and graphic design broadens appeal in this bright volume, as do Q&A interviews with journalists, architecture critics, and rail-station enthusiasts.

Ferguson-Kosinski, LaVerne. Europe by Eurail 2024: Touring Europe by Train. 48th ed. Globe Pequot. 2024. 578p. ed. by C. Darren Price. ISBN 9781493078127. $24.95. 

Drawing on more than three decades of experience of traveling by rail throughout Europe, Ferguson-Kosinski (Britain by BritRail) meets her goal of providing a practical and comprehensive guide. Chock-full of general rail info and planning tips, this book covers the 33 countries that Eurail serves, from Portugal to Finland and from Ireland to Turkey. Notes about each country lead into details about “base cities” (like key sights, landmarks, tourist information centers, and day trips), which can serve as jumping-off points to more adventures. Fifteen appendixes list ferry crossings, airport–city center connections, Eurail schedules, and much more.

Train: The Definitive Visual History. 2nd ed. DK. 2023. 320p. ISBN 9780744077506. $40.

This book treats serious rail fans and the merely curious to maps, photos, illustrations, pioneer profiles, engine specs, and historical and cultural details about major rail service lines and stations. From steam trains to diesel to electric, and from the romantic (the Orient Express) to the grim (wartime uses) and the practical (high-speed commuter rail), this title, with its striking graphics and abundant information, offers something for all readers interested in railroads past and present.

HIKE

Berger, Karen (text) & Jonathan Irish (photos). Hiking America’s National Parks. Rizzoli. 2023. 384p. ISBN 9780847899234. $60.

The words of award-winning travel writer and hiker Berger (America’s National Historic Trails) pair well with National Geographic photographer Irish’s stunning views of moss-covered trees, majestic elk, and sun-drenched canyons. All 63 of the featured national parks, listed in order of congressional designation—from Yellowstone (1872) to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia (2021)—are given multipage spreads with notes about their history and distinctive features. There are also general overviews of trails that are primarily day hikes. An inspiring and satisfying handheld breath of fresh air.

Butler, Stuart & Mary Caperton Morton. 20,000 Steps Around the World: Great Hikes, Walks, Routes, and Rambles. Universe. 2023. 320p. ISBN 9780847873524. $39.95.

Travel guidebook authors Butler (coauthor, Lonely Planet Best Day Hikes Spain) and Morton (The World’s Best National Parks in 500 Walks) select 50 iconic hikes, organized by continent. Each entry contains historical and cultural notes, anecdotes, stats, a map, and ample photos. The “Walk Here Next” sections expand options. From easy half-day walks to difficult multiday adventures, this title gives hikers a good dose of inspiration.

Nagakyrie, Syren. The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California: Outdoor Adventures Accessible by Car, Wheelchair, and on Foot. Falcon Guides. 2024. 248p. ISBN 9781493073436. $24.95.

Nagakyrie (founder, Disabled Hikers; The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Western Washington and Oregon) is a lover of the great outdoors who is primarily ambulatory with use of a mobility aid and occasionally a wheelchair. Their book includes conversational trail notes, photos, and maps of 42 hikes and scenic drives, plus helpful tidbits, such as whether the road or trail is curvy or hilly. Summary notes indicate elevation gain, trail width, and cell phone reception. Detailed cross-references discuss ADA accessibility, degree of effort, and more. The photos, many taken by Nagakyrie, showcase scenery and trail features.

Rivoli, Shelly. Hiking with Kids Southern California: 45 Great Hikes for Families. Falcon Guides. 2023. 256p. ISBN 9781493051496. $24.95.

Travel writer and hiker Rivoli (Travels with Baby) outlines 45 family-friendly day hikes (none of which is longer than five miles) in this “Hiking with Kids” series entry. Trails cover the Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and Channel Islands national parks, among other iconic Southern California destinations. The book’s “hike chapters” detail fees, suggested ages, and restroom locations. There are conversational, kid-centric trail stories throughout the book as well. Highly recommended for readers seeking shorter, often stroller-accessible outdoor excursions.