I’ve been surprised at how many emails I get regarding what to buy, what to take or what products (backpacks, cameras, strollers) I prefer. I have written this list of personal recommendations on what to take on your trip or vacation but I don’t have recommendations for everything. So I thought I’d create a different list (which I’ll update frequently) on items that are proving popular with travelers and parents in a handful of related categories. I hope you’ll find the list helpful and let me know – or leave a comment below – if there’s anything you’d like to share about the list, the products on it or things you’d personally recommend for taking on the road. And if nothing else I hope it’s fun to browse through.

The Most Popular Travel Books

This is a great list of books. Eat Pray Love was Elizabeth Gilbert’s breakout book but it certainly isn’t here best – that distinction belongs to here phenomenal book from 2002, The Last American Man. Not sure whether Into Thin Air qualifies as a travel book, but it’s a great read all the same. 

1. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
2. Blind Descent: The Quest to Discover the Deepest Place on Earth
3. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
4. Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India
5. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
6. The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World

The Most Popular Travel Guides

Rick Steves held all the top spots which maybe makes the list a little less interesting than it otherwise might be – but if you’re looking for some guide books for a trip to Europe, they’re right here.

1. Rick Steves’ Italy 2010
2. Rick Steves’ Paris 2010
3. Rick Steves’ Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary
4. Rick Steves Paris 2010
5. Rick Steves’ Rome 2010
6. Rick Steves’ London 2010
7. Fodor’s Costa Rica 2010
8. Rick Steves’ French Phrase Book and Dictionary
9. Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Back Door 2010: The Travel Skills Handbook
10. Rome (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

The Most Popular Point and Shoot Cameras

I’ve been a Canon Powershot guy for years and they are well represented here. The S90 is probably my favorite. That said, the Lumix sounds like an amazing camera that’s well worth a look.

1. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 12.1 MP
2. Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP
3. Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS2 14.1 MP
4. Canon PowerShot S90 10MP
5. Polaroid t1032 10.0 MP
6. Canon PowerShot SD1200IS 10 MP

The Most Popular Laptops and Netbooks

If you’re going on a trip a Laptop or Netbook is just about a necessity nowadays. It makes booking hotels on the road incredibly easy, booking a cross country flight rather painless – even in SE Asia – and they just come in really handy in a variety of places. I’m a hardcore Apple/Macbook user so if you’re scanning through this list you can stop, drop and click at #1.

1. Apple MacBook Pro 13.3-Inch Laptop
2. Toshiba Satellite 15.6-Inch Laptop
3. HP Pavilion 14.1-Inch Laptop (Digital Plaid)
4. ASUS Eee PC 10.1-Inch Netbook
5. Dell Inspiron Mini 1012 10.1-Inch Netbook
6. Apple iPad Tablet

The Most Popular Strollers

I can’t believe it! My personal favorite (the Maclaren Techno XT) didn’t make this list – people obviously aren’t forwarding my posts and recommendations to enough of their friends.

1. The First Years Ignite Stroller
2. Jeep Cherokee Sport Stroller
3. Contours Options 3 Wheeler Stroller II
4. Quinny Buzz 3 Wheel, Stroller
5. Chicco Trevi Stroller

Most Popular Travel Systems

The Graco is great travel system – we used it for both our kids – and very well represented here.

1. Graco Spree Travel System
2. Graco Alano Flip It Travel System
3. Chicco Cortina Keyfit 30 Travel system
4. Graco Quattro Tour Sport Travel System
5. Evenflo Aura Select Travel System