Краткое описание: Frank Sinatra once proclaimed Chicago his kind of town. It’s mine, as well. Awaiting you in the Windy City are new discoveries and favorite places you’ll want to visit again and again, from riding the “El” to singing along with the crowds at Wrigley Field’s seventh-inning stretch. In this section, I describe some quintessential Chicago experiences that just might become part of your family’s vacation lore. They may make Chicago your kind of town, too.

Краткое описание: Like any great city, Chicago’s got something for everyone, whether your tastes run toward world-famous museums and blow-your-budget luxury hotels or family-friendly lodgings and low-key neighborhood restaurants. Narrowing down your choices may seem daunting, but never fear: Here’s your cheat sheet to the very best of the city, the places to which I send out-of-town friends and relatives when they want to experience the “real” Chicago. Some are well-known tourist attractions, others are insider secrets, but all are places and experiences that truly sum up this town. Happy exploring!

Краткое описание: Though today’s cruise ships are sailing to more and more places, the Caribbean is still number one, the destination most of us imagine when we think “cruise.” Throughout the region you’re guaranteed nearly constant sunshine, plenty of beaches, and relaxation, but you’re also likely to find rich culture and (depending on the island) Mayan ruins, European colonial architecture, lush rainforests, winding mountain roads, beautiful tropical flowers and marine life, and opportunities to be as active or laid-back as you want to be.

Краткое описание: In the Caribbean, you can hike through national parks and scuba dive along underwater mountains. But if your idea of the perfect island vacation is to plunk yourself down on the sands with a frosted drink in hand, you can do that, too. Whether you want a veranda with a vie w of the sea or a plantation house set in a field of sugar cane, this chapter will help you choose the vacation that best suits your needs.

Краткое описание: Cape Cod is a curling peninsula only 70 miles long that encompasses hundreds of miles of beaches and more freshwater ponds than there are days in the year. The ocean’s many moods rule this thin spit of land, and in summer , it has a very sunny disposition indeed. The “arm” of the Cape has beckoned way farers since pre-Colonial times. These days, more than five million visitors flock from around the world each year to enjoy nature’s nonstop carnival, a combination of torrid sun, and cool, salty air.

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Краткое описание: The Yucatan peninsula sometimes seems a country altogether separate from Mexico. That’s partly a legacy of the Maya’s determined, centuries-long resistance to being scooped up as part of Spain’s booty, and you still feel more than a hint of "in it, but not of it” to the present-day Yucatan. The other-ness goes beyond history, though; the very earth is a mystery, an impossibly flat, porous limestone slab whose rivers run below rather than above the surface and grudgingly yield their contents through sporadic breaches in the stone ceilings.

Краткое описание: The Canadian tourism industry is dealing with something of a triple whammy these days: In addition to new U.S. passport requirements, the strength of the loonie has sent Canadian tourists out of the country and kept foreign visitors from spending as freely as they have in the past. Plus, the federal Visitor Rebate Program that allowed nonresident guests to recoup taxes they paid on purchases and lodging was eliminated in 2007. The following offers additional hints of new developments awaiting travelers to Canada.

Краткое описание: The countries of Cambodia and Laos immediately conjure up many images: ancient temples in the mist; colorfully dressed ethnic hill tribes working terraced rice paddies up steep hillsides; weathered colonial charm; remote river journeys with breathtaking sunsets; religious ceremonies reflecting centuries of cultural complexity; and busy markets, fantastic food, and natural riches. Robustly emerging from an era of conflict, these two countries once again offer those who visit all these things and more.

Краткое описание: There’s more - a lot more - to California that isn’t scripted, sanitized, and broadcasted to the world ’s millions of mesmerized masses. Beyond the Hollywood glitter is a wondrously diverse state that, if it ever seceded from the Union, would be one of the most productive, powerful nations in the world. We’ve got it all: misty redwood forests, an exceptionally verdant Central Valley teeming with agriculture, the mighty Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, eerily fascinating deserts, a host of world-renowned cities, and, of course, hundreds of miles of stunning coastline.