15 ’90s Travel Guidebook Features That Are Obsolete
Here's a nostalgic look at the outdated travel guidebook features from the '90s that tech has replaced for good.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Traveling in the 1990s meant packing bulky guidebooks filled with details we once considered essential. Today, smartphones have made most of those features useless. Here’s a lighthearted dive into the things we used to swear by but now laugh at.
1. Fold-Out Paper Maps
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Every guidebook came with a massive map tucked in the back cover. Tourists would awkwardly unfold it on sidewalks, trying to find landmarks.
2. Currency Conversion Tables
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Remember squinting at tiny charts to figure out exchange rates? These charts were always slightly outdated and a pain to use. With modern apps, you get instant, accurate conversions — no math required.
3. Suggested Taxi Fares
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To avoid being overcharged, guidebooks listed “fair” taxi prices for airport rides or short trips. But prices often changed before the book was even printed.
4. Top-Rated Hotels Based on Editor Picks
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Instead of crowdsourced reviews, the hotel lists relied on the opinions of one or two writers. Star ratings weren’t always reliable either.
5. Mini Phrasebooks
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Guidebooks included a handful of essential phrases in different languages. It was helpful, if you could pronounce the words correctly. Now, translation apps speak for you, even in multiple dialects.
6. Restaurant Listings
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Eating well used to depend on a list of recommended eateries, often outdated or closed. No menus, no user feedback, just the author’s take.
7. Average Monthly Weather Charts
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Charts with expected temperatures and rainfall were once the gold standard. However, they didn’t account for weather anomalies or sudden changes.
8. Grainy Black-and-White Photos
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To save on printing, guidebooks mostly used low-quality black-and-white pictures. It gave only a vague idea of what a place looked like. Now, travelers can browse high-resolution photos and 360-degree videos before booking a flight.
9. Printed Transit Schedules
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These timetables were often outdated before the ink dried. Travelers had to gamble on connections or wait at stations. Transit apps now offer live updates, detour alerts, and route planning.
10. International Calling Codes
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Calling home meant consulting a page full of country codes and instructions. You’d cross your fingers that the hotel phone worked.
11. Fixed Itinerary Plans
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The books gave rigid sample itineraries like “Day 1: Museum, Day 2: Market.” These didn’t leave room for personal preferences.
12. Warnings About Tourist Traps
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Authors tried their best to steer readers clear of overpriced attractions. By the time the book was published, many “traps” had changed.
13. Color-Coded Tabs by Region
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Some books used bright color edges to mark different cities or regions. It was a clever idea — until you lost your place mid-trip. Now, GPS and search functions eliminate the flipping.
14. Postal Services Info
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They used to list how to mail letters home, down to stamp costs. In 2025, a WhatsApp photo or an Instagram post does the job better.
15. Packing Lists with Film Rolls and Traveler’s Checks
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Back then, you packed film, a Walkman, and traveler’s checks. Guidebooks even had checklists to remind you. Today, everything’s on your phone — and traveler’s checks? What are those?