Lonely Planet: The 10 best things to do in 2011

Punctuate this year with meaningful experiences. Choose from options that girdle the globe – from cricket bats and birthday parties to sobering memorials or a copy of Led Zeppelin IV. Here are the 10 best things to do next year, fresh from Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2011.

1. Hug a tree in the Amazon
2. Cricket in India and Sri Lanka
3. Visit the new 9/11 memorial
4. DIY Wonders of the World list
5. Pan American Games, Guadalajara, Mexico
6. FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Oslo, Norway
7. Climb a ‘stairway to heaven’
8. Isle of Man motorbike race
9. Indy 500, Indianapolis, USA
10. Write a postcard

Fun in the Sun! - The Pacific

When the temperature drops, the wind howls, and the snow swirls, some of us like to curl up by the fire with a good book. Others dream of warm, sunny places. If beaches and pools beckon you, check out the books on display in our Travel Center or use the websites below to help you plan a Fun in the Sun vacation to...the Pacific!

The Hawaiian Islands
South Pacific Tourism Organisation

Fun in the Sun! - Mexico, Central & South America

When the temperature drops, the wind howls, and the snow swirls, some of us like to curl up by the fire with a good book. Others dream of warm, sunny places. If beaches and pools beckon you, check out the books on display in our Travel Center or use the websites below to help you plan a Fun in the Sun vacation in...Mexico, Central & South America!

Visit Costa Rica
Cancun.travel - the official travel information website
Brazil Travel Guide
BuenosAires.com
VisitPanama.com

Fun in the Sun! - Caribbean

When the temperature drops, the wind howls, and the snow swirls, some of us like to curl up by the fire with a good book. Others dream of warm, sunny places. If beaches and pools beckon you, check out the books on display in our Travel Center or use the websites below to help you plan a Fun in the Sun vacation in the...CARIBBEAN.

Caribbean Travel
The Bahamas
Bermuda Tourism
Puerto Rico

Fun in the Sun! - Florida

When the temperature drops, the wind howls, and the snow swirls, some of us like to curl up by the fire with a good book. Others dream of warm, sunny places. If beaches and pools beckon you, check out the books on display in our Travel Center or use the websites below to help you plan a Fun in the Sun vacation in...FLORIDA.

VisitFlorida.com
Florida's Paradise Coast
Greater Miami and the Beaches
Florida Keys

Fun in the Sun! - Southern California

When the temperature drops, the wind howls, and the snow swirls, some of us like to curl up by the fire with a good book. Others dream of warm, sunny places. If beaches and pools beckon you, check out the books on display in our Travel Center or use our featured websites to help you plan a Fun in the Sun vacation.

Anaheim/Orange County

VisitCalifornia.com - Explore Deserts

San Diego - Vacation, Travel & Tourism

Fun in the Sun! - Arizona

When the temperature drops, the wind howls, and the snow swirls, some of us like to curl up by the fire with a good book. Others dream of warm, sunny places. If beaches and pools beckon you, check out the books on display in our Travel Center or use our featured websites to help you plan a Fun in the Sun vacation.

Visit Phoenix
Visit Tuscon
Arizona Tourism & Travel

Lonely Planet: Top 10 places to learn to cook the local cuisine

One of the best souvenirs you can bring back from a trip is some tasty dishes to share with your friends. Beats a fridge magnet, right? Here are 10 great places to visit if you want to brush up your culinary skills.

1. Luang Prabang, Laos
2. Istanbul, Turkey
3. Oaxaca, Mexico
4. Banks Peninsula, New Zealand
5. Hoi An, Vietnam
6. Chiang Mai, Thailand
7. Tuscany, Italy
8. Fez, Morocco
9. San Sebastian, Spain
10. Goa, India

On the road: Lonely Planet authors around the world

Lonely Planet’s authors are constantly travelling the globe, doing research to update our guidebooks. Each month Lonely Planet magazine asks them to report back about what’s going on where they are, keeping us all up-to-date.

Here’s what our authors are talking about this December:

New York street food awards
Robert Reid, Lonely Planet’s US travel editor.

New York street food has long outgrown the hot dog. Just note the finalists of the 6th annual Vendy Awards, the city’s street-vendor competition. It’s less frankfurter, and more chalupa, vegan pastry, even ‘gay ice cream.’

‘It’s definitely not just hot dogs anymore,’ says Fares ‘Freddy’ Zeideia, of the King of Falafel and Shawarma in Queens – this year’s Vendy winner. ‘You only see hot dogs on Fifth Avenue for tourists.’

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