The New Age of Travel Guidebooks
The Intuitive Storyteller: HearHere / From a cult-favorite publisher launching a national-parks series to a Kevin Costner (& Chuck Leavell) –narrated app, these five new releases are reinventing the traditional field guide
The idea: Inspired by the joy that cofounder and former North Face president Bill Werlin had as a child traveling through Colorado while his grandfather narrated along the way, this GPS-generated audio guide shares stories related to where you are at any given moment. Your phone’s navigational system and a tailored list of interests combine to bring the forgotten accounts of the places you’re driving through to you as you go (from $7 for a weeklong subscription).
The difference: Unlike audio guides that solely focus on location, these narratives about people and popular culture will likely attract travelers who weren’t guidebook purchasers in the past. “Where a guidebook will help you learn about the place that you are visiting, HearHere is all about exploring the history and land you’re traveling through,” explains Woody Sears, its cofounder and CEO. “Think of HearHere as bringing to life the historical markers you pass every day on the highway.” The audio guides launched in August with entries for three states (California, Oregon, and Washington) but more than 10,000 tales, covering all 50 states, are planned for release by summer 2021.
Simply prioritize your favorite topics from a list of predefined interests (including history, sports, colorful characters, and natural wonders) in the app before heading out on your road trip. Every time you arrive in a destination with a story that matches your preferences, you’ll get a notification on your phone. From former basketball legend Phil Jackson narrating the history of the Beartooth Highway as you make your way into Yellowstone National Park to a profile on groundbreaking Danish photographer Benedicte Wrensted and the Shoshone people she photographed in Idaho, the stories are both entertaining and informative.
Fun fact: Actor Kevin Costner is an investor and narrates some of the entries.
