By the early 90s, Let’s Go had a problem (admittedly, one many companies would love to have): it was too successful for a non-profit company like HSA. In January 1992, the HSA Board of Directors voted to create Let’s Go, Inc., a wholly owned for-profit subsidiary of HSA. As if to symbolize the transition, that April, Let’s Go’s offices moved from Thayer basement to brighter accommodations at 1 Story St. In addition, Anne Chisholm was hired as the new office manager for Let’s Go, Inc.
The 1990 and 1991 series were also edited in the dark confines of Canaday G, but above ground, the times they were a-changin’.
For the 1991 guides, the thumb logo, already exiled to the land of the apostrophe, had to contend with the warning, “Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking as a method of travel.” That same year, the series took an urban turn with the publication of the first city guides. Previously, regional guides had been the most destination-specific Let’s Go books, but with city-hopping quickly gaining on backpacking as young people’s preferred travel style, it made sense to provide even more in-depth coverage of individual cities. Thus, Let’s Go: New York City and Let’s Go: London became the 12th and 13th titles in the series.
In the depths of Canaday G's basement, fifteen bookteams rallied for one last subterranean summer in 1992. That year saw two new additions: Let’s Go: Washington, D.C. and Let’s Go: Germany, Austria & Switzerland, with 80 RWs exploring globally. Tweaks were also made to existing titles, with Greece extending its focus to Turkey, and Spain & Portugal streamlining from a trio. Heralded as "the granddaddy of budget guides" by The New York Times, Let’s Go: Europe's unmistakably orange cover proudly flaunted its top-selling status.
In 1994, the Let's Go series sported a neon-yellow look with photographs. Transitioning from WordPerfect to Adobe FrameMaker and offering scholarships drew 361 applicants for 95 RW roles. The series grew to 20 titles, with "Let’s Go: Thailand" and "Let’s Go: Ireland" making notable appearances. The Austria guide, grappling with content, introduced eclectic inclusions like pig knuckle recipes. Beyond its student-project origins, Let’s Go had evolved into a publishing juggernaut, taking on roles previously managed by St. Martin’s.
In the digital age's dawn, Let’s Go launched its internet presence withboasting impressive statistics from its 1996 RWs, from multilingual prowess to run-ins with secret police. A fresh contract with St. Martin's Press brought publicity and map editing under its wing, birthing roles like Publicity and Cartography Managers. The debut of pocket-friendly Map Guides covered six global cities, while the series grew to 22 titles, even commencing the ambitious India and Nepal project. The seasoned Let's Go: Europe flaunted 928 pages and a 125,000 copy sale, contributing to the whopping $5 million annual sales, with mapmaking further solidified by newly-introduced Map Editors.
For its 1997 lineup, Let’s Go expanded to 24 titles, launching the awaited Let’s Go: India & Nepal and debuting in South America with Let’s Go: Ecuador & the Galapagos. Six new cities graced the Map Guides series. Furthermore, a collaboration with CNN saw RWs showcasing cities in the network’s “Travel Guide” series, sprinkling their segments with quintessential Let’s Go insights.
In 1998, Let’s Go expanded its reach with new guides to Australia and New Zealand, hitting six continents and a total of 26 guides. The series also rolled out Amsterdam and Florence Map Guides and shed "The Budget Guide to" from all titles. Highlighting the year, a 1990 libel suit over a contentious Israeli hostel review was dismissed, with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court lauding Let’s Go as “the modern equivalents of Thomas Paine or John Peter Zenger,” affirming its commitment to honest reporting.
In 1999, Let's Go launched separate guides for Greece and Turkey, added South Africa, and hit 28 titles. The series modernized with RWs adopting laptops and introduced the Editor-in-Chief role for improved management. Celebrating 40 years, they revamped their thumb logo, debuted a China guide, and extended Map Guides to cities like Hong Kong and Sydney.
