The 3 best travel books of all time

Are you someone who tends to favor the new or the great? While many new travel books come on the scene every year, these 3 best travel books of all time remain the tried-and-true classics on my travel book shelf. I would love to hear your favorite travel books in the comments.

Travel as a Political Act, by Rick Steves

This classic of travel non-fiction is Rick Steves’ manifesto on travel. In it he outlines not just why travel is beneficial to the individual, but why it is necessary to have open-minded travelers gaining new experiences and understanding of their world.

Rick Steves is one of the most eminent travel writers of all time. He has been spending 3 months in Europe since 1976 after his first travel experience. Steves runs a successful travel tour company out of Seattle, and has authored more than 50 European guide books.

Travel as a Political Act is Steves’ is an interesting book that will change the way you see the world. It is his challenge for our society to do better.

Vagabonding, by Rolf Potts

This book will change your life. First published in 2002, Vagabonding has gone through over 20 printings and has been translated worldwide. It remains one of my favorite travel books that I re-read at least once a year.

“Work is how you settle your financial and emotional debts—so that your travels are not an escape from your real life but a discovery of your real life.” -Rolf Potts, Vagabonding

This was one of the only 2 books that Tim Ferriss took on his 18 month world adventure in 2004 that spawned the inspiration for the final book in our list.

The 4-Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferriss

The next classic of 3 best travel books of all time is the 4 hour Work Week. This book isn’t so much a classic travel story, but a how-to guide of how to live and work anywhere in the world. The 4 hour moniker isn’t expected to be taken literally. Instead, Tim Ferriss offers tips and tricks on how to maximize your efficiency, work smarter and not harder.

This book really opened my eyes to a world beyond a regular 9-5 job. The United States is actually one of the most expensive places in the world to live. If you could make a modest location independent income, you could easily move anywhere you wanted to in the world. Why not move to Thailand for a few months?