2024 the best places to visit in america review

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Featuring 120 new destinations, this best-selling inspirational travel guide reveals 500 celebrated and lesser-known destinations around the globe, from ocean cruises in Antarctica to horse treks in the Andes. Completely revised and updated for its 10th anniversary.

Compiled from the favorite trips of National Geographic's legendary travel writers, this fully updated, 10th anniversary edition of Journeys of a Lifetime spans the globe to highlight the best of the world's most celebrated and lesser-known sojourns. Offering a diverse array of possibilities, every continent and possible form of transport is covered, illustrated with glorious color photographs. With 16 new pages; new destinations like Cartegena, Colombia; and updated information throughout, this timely new edition is the perfect resource for travelers who crave adventurous trips--from trekking the heights of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to mountain biking in Transylvania--and those searching for more specific experiences (the world's top small cruises, hot new museums around the world, secrets for following in the footsteps of film and TV heroes, and more). Each chapter features stunning photography, full-color maps, and practical tips, including how to get there, when to visit, and how to make the most of your journey.

Informative and inspiring, this luxurious volume is a lifelong resource that readers will treasure for years to come.

From the Publisher

Completely Revised and Updated

Across Water

Traditional longtail boats sit at anchor in the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea, off Thailand’s western coast. You can take a six-day junk cruise through the sea, visiting some of its 3,500 islands.

Discover 500 of the World's Greatest Trips

Featuring 120 new destinations, this best-selling inspirational travel guide reveals 500 celebrated and lesser-known destinations around the globe, from ocean cruises in Antarctica to horse treks in the Andes. Each chapter features stunning photography, full-color maps, and practical tips, including how to get there, when to visit, and how to make the most of your journey. Informative and inspiring, this luxurious volume is a lifelong resource that readers will treasure for years to come.

Inspiration for Exploration

Curiosity is the gift we were born with. It’s the most important thing to bring on any journey, and is a quality that rewards us throughout our lives. But even the most inquisitive travelers hunger for a spark of inspiration now and again—and that’s where this magical book comes in. More than just a collection of alluring places, it’s a treasury of reasons to visit them now. This book is about what happens when our curiosity runs wild.

Every Walk Begins With A Single Step...

Paria Canyon

Thousands of years of river water wearing away at faults in the rock have created this wondrous twisting “slot” canyon, running across the border between Utah and Arizona. As you enter it from White House, Utah, you vanish into a fantastical world, where sunlight seeping down from above creates unusual plays of light and dark on its high, sculpted red-rock walls. In places, the cliffs are only a few yards apart and rise up to 1,000 feet on either side. At—and often around—your feet, the Paria River (“muddy water” in the Paiute language) flows fast over sand and boulders. From time to time, you pass a tree sprouting from the rock with a mini Garden of Eden of greenery and wildflowers spreading out around it. As night falls, you find a ledge to camp on, and the next day it starts all over again.

Climbing Mount Fiji

Sacred and snow-capped, Fuji-san—rising 12,388 feet above sea level—is a dormant volcano, its image immortalized by the printmaker Hokusai in “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji.” The most popular starting point is Kawaguchiko 5th Station, more than halfway up the mountain, where tourists and locals congregate, creating a sense of camaraderie as they get ready for the nighttime trek to watch the dawning of the day. The trail winds upward, with long sections of steep steps that take a toll on calf muscles. As you climb, the forest known as Aokigahara (Sea of Trees) falls away and you enter a moonscape of rocks and shrubs. Look up and you will see a pristine night sky dusted with the Milky Way. The temperature drops quickly, and the rest stops and huts become more frequent. A pinpoint of sun pierces the horizon, pauses, then explodes with light, and bathes the vast panorama of metropolitan Tokyo in its morning glow.

The Tongariro Crossing

Set in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, Tongariro National Park is home to three active volcanoes: Ngauruhoe, Ruapehu, and Tongariro. It owes its existence to Te Heuheu, Chief of the Ngati Tuwharetoa Maori nation, who gifted the land to the New Zealand government in 1887 to protect it from farmers and loggers. The area is a paradise for hikers. From the Mangatepopo Valley, the trail climbs bare volcanic rock in steep zigzags to the rim of South Crater. To the south the towering mass of Ngauruhoe looms, its top venting steam and smoke in a steady stream. After crossing the flat expanse of South Crater, another steep climb leads along an exposed ridge to the Red Crater, where a hot upward draft reminds you that you are walking on a very active volcano.

On Foot

A journey on foot is the purest and simplest of pleasures. Walking offers perfect freedom—no tickets, no timetables, no limits apart from those geography or your own desire dictates. An amble around New York’s Greenwich Village becomes a journey into the lives of famous artists and writers. A few hours browsing through Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar becomes a treasure hunt through time and space—as well as a lesson in the art of bargaining. At the other end of the spectrum are demanding wilderness treks, taking days or weeks to accomplish. Peru’s Inca Trail literally rises above the clouds on its way to the Lost Citadel of the Inca Empire. In between lies a world of inviting hikes, from the Great Wall of China to California’s John Muir Trail. No other form of travel brings you so close to nature, including human nature. And no other form is so kind to the planet—nor so satisfying to body, mind, and soul.

Mississippi River Paddle Steamer

Hurricanes such as Katrina in 2005 have altered the cultural and physical profile of New Orleans and its environs, but the lower Mississippi River and its legendary maritime traffic keep on rollin’. Traveling upriver from New Orleans to Memphis, you experience the living history of America’s largest river, aboard one of the signature relics of a bygone age—a stern-wheeler steamship, updated with such modern comforts as large staterooms and fine food.

Charleston and the Lowcountry Cruise

This ravishing realm of sea islands, gracious antebellum towns, and wildlife-filled salt marshes is known as the Lowcountry—one of the United States’ most mysterious and compelling regions. The ship is small—more a large motor yacht than a cruise liner—and the scale of things intimate as you head south from historic Charleston, hugging the shoreline along the blue highway of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.

The Mekong River

From high up in the mountains of Tibet, the vast Mekong River winds its way for almost 2,500 miles through seven countries—but it is at its most beautiful sliding through the dark green, misty hills of Laos. Reject the roaring, high-powered “fast boats” and opt for a brightly colored wooden “slow boat.” Once you’ve got used to the puttering engine bolted to the back of the vessel, you can spend hours gazing out at the rolling forested hills and paddy fields and allow your mind to wander.

The Great Murray River Rune

At sunset, tall silvery red gum trees cast long shadows across the golden surface of the Murray River. This leisurely cruise takes you through the sunbaked landscapes of South Australia. By day, the boat glides past scenery that ranges from sheer limestone cliffs to fragrant, golden-green citrus fruit orchards. In the evening, you disembark to spend the night in one of a succession of comfortable hotels. You may also see an excited angler landing a Murray cod, one of the world’s largest freshwater fish, which regularly grows to more than 3 feet (1 meter) in length.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ National Geographic; 2nd edition (October 23, 2018)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1426219733
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1426219733
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.4 x 1.29 x 12.1 inches
Reviewer: KC
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great retirement gift
Review: Beautiful book.

Reviewer: Kari Lucero-Puckett
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Journey’s of a Lifetime
Review: Absolutely gorgeous book! Came in great condition, each page had such beauty with much information for each destination.Recommend

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Gift for husband
Review: Beautifully made and on sale for 1/2 price!

Reviewer: Sabina Ashurova
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Beautiful photos, still missing a lot of the world
Review: I would describe this book as one containing summaries of potential trips by land, dearer way, rail, foot and a culinary focused chapter.Overall I liked the book itself. It’s very big and the pages are long. Photos are very beautiful, but I wish it highlighted more of the world content wise. I felt like a lot of underrated places didn’t make the cut.I did appreciate how it listed links and suggestions for the trip recommendations.

Reviewer: Grandson of Sam
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Love this book
Review: Adventure ideas with good pictures

Reviewer: SJ
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great travel book!
Review: Beautiful photographs and great information! Great gift!

Reviewer: E. R.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: The best travel book around!
Review: This book is amazing considering the low cost! It has so many well known and not so well known places in the world. I have been fortunate enough to have been able to take a full World Cruise in 2015 and now I spend about a month each year (by cruise) going to places that I haven’t yet been to as well as some repeat places that I fell in love with and that are included in this book. It’s even an entertaining one for those who want to ‘see’ what they wouldn’t be able to in person. Throughout my extensive travels I still find new and unexplored places to visit - this is a great way to find info about them, if only a page or two. Whether it’s used for travel or for entertaining reading purposes I highly recommend it - the other ‘world’ travel books don’t compare to this one! Happy Travels from an armchair or in ‘real life’!!! This would also make a great and unique gift for someone!

Reviewer: riseandvine
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great gift for someone about to retire
Review: I bought this as a holiday gift for someone who has not traveled much but is interested in doing so. They will be retiring in the next couple of years. I think it really inspired him and has given him a few ideas as to where he'd like to go first. Beautiful pictures and well organized (type of trip/destination vs region). Would recommend.

Reviewer: Sharon
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Très beau livre pour un second main je recommande se vendeur ! 🥰

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Must buy..delivery was timely and product quality is also good..

Reviewer: Marie D
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Pros:Stunning photographs and illustrations that bring the world's most incredible destinations to life.Engaging writing that transports you to each destination and provides fascinating insights into the history, culture, and natural beauty of each place.The book covers a broad range of destinations, from well-known hotspots to off-the-beaten-path gems, ensuring that there's something for everyone.Practical travel tips and advice for each destination, including the best time to visit, where to stay, and what to see and do.Hardcover edition with high-quality paper, making it durable and perfect for displaying on a coffee table.Cons:Due to the vast number of destinations covered in the book, some may feel that certain destinations could have been explored in more depth.The practical travel advice provided is not as comprehensive as a dedicated travel guidebook, so travelers may need to supplement with additional resources for trip planning.The book is quite heavy and may not be the most practical choice to take on a trip.Overall, Lonely Planet's Journeys of a Lifetime is an excellent coffee table book for armchair travelers or anyone seeking inspiration for their next adventure. The book's engaging writing and stunning visuals make it a joy to flip through, and the practical travel tips provide a solid starting point for planning a trip to any of the destinations featured.

Reviewer: Vlad
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Good book to inspire you for the new journeys. Wide variety of amazing places to go

Reviewer: Juan José Pérez Rodríguez
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Reúne una serie de lugares muy interesantes con fotografías muy buenas.