The USA BookLonely Planet

This brand-spanking-new pictorial takes you on a rip-roaring journey through every state in the Union. Part reference encyclopedia, part jaw-dropping photo exposé—there are more than 400 photos in all—this is the must-have coffee-table book of the year.

1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. and Canada Before You DiePatricia Shultz

Start your bucket list now… it’s a big, big world. And while you may never get to all the places referenced in this clever tome, it’s worth thinking about. Leave it bedside—we guarantee it’ll inspire your dreams.

The Best Women's Travel Writing 2009Travelers' Tales

Relive the best travel stories written in ’09 with this dense edition. We love the series, and this new selection of traveler tales is something special. The eclectic mix of stories takes you hitchhiking through Mexico in the 1960s, out on the soccer field in Kenya, into a French kitchen in the Loire Valley and beyond.

Nokia Apps

Not everybody wants an iPhone—shoot, not everybody needs an iPhone. For “The PC” in all of us there’s the Ovi Store by Nokia (store.ovi.com), where you can find plenty of traveler-friendly applications that range from city guides (both Lonely Planet and DK have strong offerings) to hotel finders like Hotelzon Mobile.

Zagat to Go

If you’ve got the dough to dine in a Zagat restaurant, you can probably afford the $9.99 it’ll cost you for this top-selling iPhone app. For the price, you get over 40,000 reviews, instant reservations, GPS tracking and a digital concierge that you’ll never have to tip.

Urbanspoon

End ambivalence with this fun—and free—app. Just give your iPhone a shake and the Urbanspoon slot machine will pick out a good restaurant for you. Not happy with your choices? Give the phone a shake again… and again and again… until you find the one you were thinking about in the first place but just couldn’t remember the name.

Greg Benchwick is the managing editor of Wild Blue Yonder. When he’s not cruising the web for the best new travel deals and gadgets, Greg can be found knee-deep in the steep bowls of the Colorado backcountry.