Buzz
This compilation is excerpted from our upcoming release, The Ultimate Book of Bizarre Lists, which you can pre-order now to get in time for the November rush. The book features additional lists from me and several of our contributors that have never been published before. In this entry, we explore the ten oddest travel guides that you could ever imagine. The next time you find yourself in need of a unique vacation idea, consider grabbing one of these for an unforgettable experience. Most of these books are available on Amazon.com, though some may be out of print.
10. The Space Tourists Guide
Incredible as it may seem, there's a guidebook for those willing to spend millions to venture into outer space. This is it. It provides everything you need to know about space travel—what to expect, how to get ready, and more. A must-read for any billionaire dreaming of spending twenty million dollars on a truly out-of-this-world vacation.
9. Up the Creek
True to its title, this book is a collection of stories about misadventures involving toilets, poop, and river rafting. Written by a rafting guide, it’s a surprisingly funny read. Though it ranks high on the bizarre scale, it's also quite an enjoyable experience.
8. Laid to Rest in California
If you're heading to California for a vacation, or if you’re already there and tired of seeing celebrity mansions, why not explore the final resting places of the stars? This book offers a fascinating tour through cemeteries, introducing you to the who's who of the celebrity world—via their graves.
7. Biking to the Arctic Circle
Have you ever dreamed of biking to the Arctic Circle? No? Well, neither have I. However, someone did it, and this book chronicles his journey. While it’s certainly a peculiar travel guide, it’s not unusual enough for me to recommend it to my friends.
6. Travel by Cargo Ship
If you're looking for a budget-friendly travel option, this book is just what you need. It details 120 different cargo ship itineraries that you can book a passage on, providing information on the fares, facilities, and the odds of encountering Somali pirates. Apologies for the poor image quality—that’s the best Amazon could provide!
5. Round Ireland with a Fridge
In a bizarre bet, the author of this book spent an entire month traveling around Ireland with a refrigerator in tow. What's even stranger is that this book became an international bestseller! There must be something intriguing about it after all.
4. Mini-Trips for Maxi-Fun
Ah, McDonald's – who else would create a travel guide designed to lead unsuspecting readers straight to the numerous McDonald’s outlets across America? This book, written in the 1970s by McDonald's employees, features family-friendly mini-trips, each with a stop at—you guessed it—McDonald's.
3. Flattened Fauna
Here is the ultimate guide to the unfortunate dead animals that line the highways and streets of North America. If you're a fan of spotting flattened creatures in the middle of the road, this book is a must-have for your glove compartment. And if it's not your thing, you could always gift it to someone special.
2. Other People’s Business
192 pages detailing over 100 free factory tours across Ohio. Oh, how thrilling! Yes, please! Joking aside, this book tackles such a dull subject that it absolutely deserves a spot on the list of bizarre travel guides. It seems everyone else agrees, as it ranks as the 4.4 millionth most popular book on Amazon.
1. The Complete Medical Tourist
Looking to get a tummy tuck? Want a facelift? Or maybe you're considering a gender transition? This book is exactly what you need. Instead of paying a fortune at local clinics, it guides you to affordable plastic surgery destinations across Asia and the rest of the world. Just be cautious and double-check the results—you don’t want any unexpected surprises!
