Do you enjoy a sip of the...

Do you enjoy a sip of the grape and good eating? Then “Gourmet Food and Wine Festivals of North America” by Carol Spivak and Richard A. Weinstock is for you. The guide directs the vacationer to a number of select places including special details of the where and when. It also describes nearby attractions and lodging (Print Wheel: $4.95).

For the most part, “Bed and Breakfast Homes Directory--California, Oregon and Washington” by Diane Knight is directed to B&Bs; in California. However, the lure to the land of the golden poppy and the style of accommodations described is understandable. The text, sketches and photos present above-average information (Knighttime: $8.95).

Insight Guides’ “Alaska” ($15.95) reveals this land of adventure, its diverse scenery and wildlife. Sophisticated travelers should enjoy this almost complete compendium presented in text and color photography. It also touches upon the variety of scenery, life styles and interesting occupations. Included are briefings on where to stay, eat and what to enjoy.

Those on the go in the U.S.A. will want Rand McNally’s “Road Atlas & Campground Guide” ($19.95) on their dashboard. It contains 118 pages of large-scale maps, more than 7,000 campgrounds plus motoring and fishing game laws. Included are mileage calculators and telephone area codes. Best yet, it has more than $200 worth of coupons and lots of toll-free numbers for information sources.

“Just A Bite” is Egon Ronay’s Lucas Guide 1986 for gourmets on a budget. It lists hundreds of places to dine in the British Isles. A first-time visitor should find the guide helpful and complete with ambiance symbols, prices, et al. Old hands might find places they missed (St. Martins: $6.95).

Anyone planning a trip to either Magic Kingdom will find the visit more enjoyable with “The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World--Florida” by Bob Sehlinger and John Finley or “The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland--California” by Bob Sehlinger. The various attractions are well described including time necessary to enjoy and visit each one. It’s a worthwhile investment for $5.95 each (Simon & Schuster).

“Off the Beaten Track In Israel” by Ori Devir is a guide to the more beautiful places of this country. There are 176 full-color photos, a good supply of detailed maps and explicit text. It has many practical suggestions and instructions on how to enjoy your visit. This hard-cover coffee table compendium is worth the space in your library (Adama Books: $14.95).

“Tahiti & French Polynesia--A Travel Survival Kit” by Robert Kay is a hip-pocket guide useful for easy reference. It should furnish enough information to help one feel at home in this paradise. The historical vignettes, including a few color photos, are inspirational, the maps succinct but good (Lonely Planet: $7.95).

“The Traveler’s Health Guide” by Dr. Anthony C. Turner is a must for the world traveler. It furnishes answers to almost any health query you may encounter in various countries. There are lots of plan-ahead observations and suggestions (Roger La Scelles--distributed by Bradt Enterprises: $7.95).

Here are a few more helpful guides for those who are turned on by B&Bs;, inns or older picturesque hotel-castle accommodations: “Country Inns of New England” by Elizabeth Squier (Globe Pequot: $9.95), “Budget Dining & Lodging in New England” by Fran & Frank Sullivan (Globe Pequot: $8.95), “Best Places to Stay in New England” by Christina & Bruce Shaw (Harvard Common: $9.95), “Country Inns of the Southwest” by Cynthia Gruver (101 Productions: $7.95) and “Country Inns--New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and West Virginia” by Brenda Chapin (Globe Pequot: $8.95).

Three additional books for other countries are “Romantic Inns of Mexico” by Toby Smith (Chronicle Books: $7.95), “The Most Romantic Hotels and Inns in Britain” edited by Richard Nissen (St. Martin’s: $9.95), “Historic Country House Hotels 1986--Great Britain and Ireland” by Signourney Welles and Jill Darbey (East Woods: $10.95), and “1986--The Best B&B; in the World” by S. Welles, J. Darbey and Joanna Mortimer (East Woods: $10.95).