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Discover The Best of Coasta Rica
Content from Frommer's Costa Rica 2010

First coming to the attention of international travelers in the mid-1990s, Costa Rica is currently-and consistently- one of the hottest vacation and adventure-travel destinations in Latin America, with over two million visitors each year. Despite the boom in vacationers, Costa Rica remains a place rich in natural wonders and biodiversity, where you can still find yourself far from the maddening crowds. The country boasts a wealth of unsullied beaches that stretch for miles, small lodgings that haven't attracted hordes of tourists, jungle rivers for rafting and kayaking, and spectacular cloud- and rainforests with ample opportunities for bird-watching and hiking. In addition to the country's trademark eco- and adventure-tourism offerings, you will also find luxury resorts and golf courses, plush spas, and some truly spectacular boutique hotels and lodges.

Having lived in Costa Rica for more than 18 years, I continue to explore and discover new spots, adventures, restaurants, and lodgings-and my "best of" experiences keep on coming. In this chapter I've selected the very best of what this unique country has to offer. These places and experiences are covered in greater detail elsewhere in the book; this chapter is merely meant to give you an overview of the highlights so that you can start planning your own adventure.

Costa Rica's Top Destinations by Category

The Best of Natural Costa Rica	The Best Beaches	The Best Adventures
The Best Bird Watching	The Best Luxury Hotels and Resorts	The Best After-Dark Fun

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Discover The Best of Alaska
Content from Frommer's Alaska 2010

As a child, when my family traveled outside Alaska for vacations, I often met other children who asked, "Wow, you live in Alaska? What's it like?" I never did well with that question. To me, the place I was visiting was far simpler and easier to describe than the one I was from. The Lower 48 seemed a fairly homogeneous land of freeways and fast food, a well-mapped network of established places. Alaska, on the other hand, wasn't even completely explored. Natural forces of vast scale and subtlety were still shaping the land in their own way, inscribing a different story on each of an infinite number of unexpected places. Each region, whether populated or not, was unique far beyond my ability to explain. Alaska was so large and new, so unconquered and exquisitely real, as to defy summation.

In contrast to many places you might choose to visit, it's Alaska's unformed newness that makes it so interesting and fun. Despite the best efforts of tour planners, the most memorable parts of a visit are unpredictable and often unexpected: a humpback whale leaping clear of the water, the face of a glacier releasing huge ice chunks, a bear feasting on salmon in a river, a huge salmon chomping onto your line. You can look at totem poles and see Alaska Native cultural demonstrations, and you can also get to know indigenous people who still live by traditional ways. And sometimes grand, quiet moments come, and those are the ones that endure most deeply.

As the writer of this guidebook, I aim to help you get to places where you may encounter what's new, real, and unexpected. Opening yourself to those experiences is your job, but it's an effort that's likely to pay off. Although I have lived here all my life, I often envy the stories visitors tell me about the Alaskan places they have gone to and what happened there. No one owns Alaska, and most of us are newcomers here. In all this immensity, a visitor fresh off the boat is just as likely as a lifelong resident to see or do something amazing.

Alaska's Top Destinations by Category

The Best Views	The Best Alaska Cruises	The Best Glaciers
The Best Fishing	The Best Bear Viewing	The Best Marine Mammal Viewing
The Best Encounters with Native Culture	The Best Hotels	The Best Winter Destinations

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Discover The Best of New York City
Content from Frommer's New York City 2010

We all have our personal tastes: what we like to listen to in terms of music, what kind of food we enjoy, what we relate to in art and architecture. Personal taste is a subjective matter, and I (Brian) only pay attention to raves, whether they are for a restaurant, artist, musician, or film, if they are universal. If everyone likes it, it has to be good. Well, not always. Anyway, we've (Brian Silverman, Kelsy Chauvin and Richard Goodman) compiled our personal favorites below...for what we can call the "best of" in many areas from experiences to restaurants. You may not agree, but that's what makes these "best of" lists fun. Just don't take them too seriously.

New York City's Top Destinations by Category

The Most Unforgettable New York Experiences	The Best Events and Seasons	The Best Museums
The Best Places to Take the Kids	The Best Bites for All Appetites	The Best Shopping

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Scrambling around ruins; exploring underground excavations; searching for gladiators, secret passageways, and creepy skeletons; feasting on pizza and gelato-Rome with Kids is a dream. Revel in the glory of Roman Civilization without hearing 'I'm bored!' as an insider guides you through Rome with field-tested tours that tell you what to see and how to see it with children.

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• Completely updated every year, Frommer's Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call features photos of all the major ship classes that sail to Alaska.
• You'll also get up-to-the-minute coverage of all the lines servicing Alaska, as well as; in-depth ship coverage so you can choose the ship that's best for you.
• Our authors, longtime cruisers, hit all the major ports of call on the Alaska cruise routes, from Vancouver to Juneau to Anchorage. They've also checked the major cruisetour locations, including Denali National Park and the Canadian Rockies. Their candid reviews will help you find the choices that suit your tastes and budget.

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This guide to the islands of Greece is designed to be used when planning a trip, on holiday, and as a souvenir on returning home. It is organized with a thematic approach, district by district, with the aim of helping the reader to get to know the islands quickly. Every significant sight, location, building, museum and gallery, as well as major shops, hotels and restaurants, are shown on the page alongside practical information. It also contains 3D aerial maps, foolproof visual guides to currency, tickets and communication systems.

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Discover The Best of Hawaii
Content from Frommer's Hawaii 2010

There's no place on earth quite like this handful of sundrenched, mid-Pacific islands. The Hawaii of South Seas literature and Hollywood films really does exist. Here you'll find palm-fringed blue lagoons, lush rainforests, hidden gardens, cascading waterfalls, wild rivers running through rugged canyons, and soaring volcanoes. And oh, those beaches-gold, red, black, and even green sands caressed by an endless surf. The possibilities for adventure-and relaxation-are endless. Each of the six main islands is separate, distinct, and infinitely complex. There's far too much to see and do on any 2-week vacation, which is why so many people return to the Aloha State year after year.

Unfortunately, even paradise has its share of stifling crowds and tourist schlock. If you're not careful, your trip to Hawaii could turn into a nightmare of tourist traps selling shells from the Philippines, hokey faux culture like cellophane-skirted hula dancers, overpriced exotic drinks, and a 4-hour timeshare lecture before you get on that "free" snorkeling trip. That's where this guide comes in. As a Hawaii resident, I can tell the extraordinary from the merely ordinary. This book will steer you away from the crowded, the overrated, and the overpriced-and toward the best Hawaii has to offer. No matter what your budget, this guide will help ensure that every dollar is well spent.

Hawaii's Top Destinations by Category

The Best Beaches	The Best Island Experiences	The Best of Natural Hawaii
The Best Golf Courses	The Best Luxury Hotels & Resorts	The Best Ways to Immerse Yourself in Hawaiian Culture

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• Completely updated every year, Frommer's Seattle features 16 pages of gorgeous color photos of the sights and experiences that await you.
• Our expert author has combed the city looking for the best hotels, restaurants, shops, and nightlife spots, and has created detailed walking tours to take you through some of the city's most famous neighborhoods.
• Extensive side-trip information takes you through the San Juan Islands, Olympic National Park, Mount Rainier, and more.
• Frommer's Seattle also includes a color photo insert and fold-out map.

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Recognized the world over by frequent flyers and armchair travelers alike, Eyewitness Travel Guides are the most colorful and comprehensive guides on the market. With beautifully commissioned photographs and spectacular 3-D aerial views revealing the charm of each destination, these amazing travel guides show what others only tell. Includes beautiful new full-color photos, illustrations, and enhanced maps Extensive information on local customs, currency, medical services, and transportation New "Discovering" feature helps decide which regions are best suited to the trip.



The Best Just Keeps Getting Better!

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Michelin country maps give an overall picture of your route with practical road and travel information. Simple folding design, reads like a book, durable p cover, multi-language legend, large-scale city maps, Clear, precise cartography. Icons pinpoint important travel information.

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