As much as the internet is a wealth of information, nothing beats having a paper copy of a travel guide. Any self-respecting traveller would have heard of the lonely planet guides. But luckily for me, my library was filled with other Canadian travel guides.

In the past, on shorter trips, I've been able to actually borrow the guides from the library, take them overseas and then bring them back before they were due. For a year long trip, it is seemingly impossible to renew the books so many times. Plus, luggage space is limited, so it's best to only buy/bring the best travel guides with me.

Let me review the first three Canadian Travel guides I got from the library.

#1. Fodor's Toronto: with Niagara Falls & the Niagara Wine Region (Full-color Travel Guide)

Available from all good bookstores, including Amazon (Link by clicking picture or link above) for approximately $13.

Out of the three guides I got from the library, this is probably the one I would actually buy and take with me. For starters, the book is in full colour, with many pictures and coloured text to highlight key topics of interest. Second, it really compact and light, with a strong focus on attractions and important travel information that would be handy to keep on hand. On discussion with Mr MK, the book contains very relevant and up to date information including information about tax, cost of transport, cost of food, etc. Above all of that, it's inviting, the moment I held the book in my hands, I started to say, "woo... I want to go here, and here and here and here..." which, is the whole point of a travel guide- to point you to places you didn't totally expect.

On my bucket list from this first guidebook, CN tower, Historic Distillery District, St Lawrence Market, Toronto Islands, Winterlicious, Cavalcade of lights (code for heaps of lights around the city near christmas time), Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario Legislative building, Nathan Phillips Square, Niagara Falls, Apple picking.

#2.DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Canada
Available from all good bookstores, including Amazon (Link by clicking picture or link above) for approximately $18.

This is a comprehensive but concise travel guide for the whole of Canada. For it's size though, it's relatively heavy, so it's more for a luxury traveller rather than one that will travel with a backpack or constantly move around from hostel to hostel. It is colourful and full of cultural insights (if you are into the whole history thing, I have often found that Eyewitness guides are a great way to pass time waiting for flights to board or in flight delays). Of the three guides, I think this was the most informative, i.e. boring. Like I really needed to know that the major contemporary Canadian artists on the international circuit were Janet Cardiff and Rodney Graham- who?

It is still worth a flick through before you pack your bags though, because this travel guide inspired me to include things on my to-do list that I had not previously considered including the Canadian Tulipfest (Ottawa), Ice magic (international ice sculpture competition), Prince Edward Island, Montreal, Flowerpot limestone monoliths at Mingan Archipelago National Park, Casa Loma, Ottawa, Point Pelee National Park, Banff, Yoho, Yellowknife.

#3.Lonely Planet Canada (Travel Guide)
Available from all good bookstores, including Amazon (Link by clicking picture or link above) for approximately $20.

For a big and comprehensive travel guide, this was surprisingly light. After reading the first two colourful travel guides, the lonely planet guide seemed more like a phonebook. And who in 2015 reads phone books- I lie, it's a recommendation I make to clients who have difficulty sleeping. Without pictures, it was really hard to get a feel of each attraction they described in detail. First impressions aside, I found the Lonely Planet guide great for pre-trip planning for the different locations in Canada and includes a lot of details on opening hours, prices, and how to put attractions together in an itinerary. It's also great to choose places to stay and eat on the fly.

Great ideas I got from the lonely planet travel guide include the Chocolate festival (May), Scarborough Bluffs, Legoland, White River (home of Winnie the Pooh), Ottawa museum passport.

Summary
In summary, I would buy and take Fodor's guide with me, have a great of eyewitness travel before I leave, and probably download electronic copies of the relevant Lonely Planet chapters when I arrive.