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The Best Place to Be Today: 365 Things to Do & the Perfect Day to Do Them
Find the best thing to do every day of the year, from one-day events like India's Holi festival or the cheese-rolling race at Cooper's Hill in England, to seasonal events like Alaska's caribou migration and weather-dependent adventures like completing the Tour de Mont Blanc. This vibrant, practical and addictive book covers the 365 best festivals, sporting events, adventures and natural phenomena.
For anyone looking for inspiration for where to go when, "Best Place to be Today" offers a wealth of ideas, inspiring photos, and dates galore.
About Lonely Planet: Started in 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel guide publisher with guidebooks to every destination on the planet, as well as an award-winning website, a suite of mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet's mission is to enable curious travellers to experience the world and to truly get to the heart of the places they find themselves in.
"TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2012 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category"
"'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times"
"'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia) "
For anyone looking for inspiration for where to go when, "Best Place to be Today" offers a wealth of ideas, inspiring photos, and dates galore.
About Lonely Planet: Started in 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel guide publisher with guidebooks to every destination on the planet, as well as an award-winning website, a suite of mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet's mission is to enable curious travellers to experience the world and to truly get to the heart of the places they find themselves in.
"TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2012 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category"
"'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times"
"'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia) "
272 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2014
40 people are currently reading
504 people want to read
About the author
Lonely Planet
3,657 books882 followersOUR STORY
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 27, 2020
A great book for inspiring travel ideas. There is a whole year of experiences out there waiting for us. Each one says, "Pick me!" The glossy color pictures make activities look so inviting, including running down hill after a cheese and bog snorkelling. There's something for everyone.
October 9, 2014
If you're one of those persons who do not feel they are always in the best place to be today, here's a book of better places to be every single day of the year.
Granted, you'd have to be able to do a lot of travel but, just win the lottery, or something. Easy. Better places are just around the corner.
Seriously, though, what a delightful book! There's a holiday/festival/special event/something neat going on somewhere in the world every day of the year and this maps some of those things out for you. If you really were stupidly rich and had the power of supersonic travel, you could have a different awesome adventure every day for 365 days if you followed this book's itinerary.
Of course, that's not really the point. The point is to highlight some of the cool things that go on all over the world. (Did you know there's a day for exhuming and re-dressing and hanging out/dancing with the dead in Madagascar? It's in the dry winter months so that there's less damage to the body when you re-wrap your loved ones, spritz a little perfume on them, and hang out for a bit) You can travel to those places to see those things - from Halloween in NYC to deer rutting in...Switzerland, I think? - or just learn more about our earth and the things, people, animals, places, and phenomena it houses.
Also, there are a lot of pretty pictures.
All in all, it's a quickly-digestible, fun book!
Granted, you'd have to be able to do a lot of travel but, just win the lottery, or something. Easy. Better places are just around the corner.
Seriously, though, what a delightful book! There's a holiday/festival/special event/something neat going on somewhere in the world every day of the year and this maps some of those things out for you. If you really were stupidly rich and had the power of supersonic travel, you could have a different awesome adventure every day for 365 days if you followed this book's itinerary.
Of course, that's not really the point. The point is to highlight some of the cool things that go on all over the world. (Did you know there's a day for exhuming and re-dressing and hanging out/dancing with the dead in Madagascar? It's in the dry winter months so that there's less damage to the body when you re-wrap your loved ones, spritz a little perfume on them, and hang out for a bit) You can travel to those places to see those things - from Halloween in NYC to deer rutting in...Switzerland, I think? - or just learn more about our earth and the things, people, animals, places, and phenomena it houses.
Also, there are a lot of pretty pictures.
All in all, it's a quickly-digestible, fun book!
March 6, 2017
This book recommends a place to be for every day of the year. E.g. 1 January - Singapore. (And no, the book doesn't say to be in Singapore on this day, but I figured why not plug my own country in this review?! :D)
Some are specific dates while others are more of for that period, e.g. the whole of February. The reason for visiting at that time is usually because of festivals and other activities, or else weather. For instance, one would visit Rovaniemi (in Finland) in December because of Santa.
The book makes for interesting reading regardless of whether you are planning to take a trip and need travel inspiration. And if you are planning a holiday, this book offers some good ideas, based on when you want to do your travelling.
Some are specific dates while others are more of for that period, e.g. the whole of February. The reason for visiting at that time is usually because of festivals and other activities, or else weather. For instance, one would visit Rovaniemi (in Finland) in December because of Santa.
The book makes for interesting reading regardless of whether you are planning to take a trip and need travel inspiration. And if you are planning a holiday, this book offers some good ideas, based on when you want to do your travelling.
January 11, 2017
Okay, but specifying one day as the perfect day when something goes on for several weeks sort felt like cheating to me.
November 24, 2019
Definitely some good ideas in here (judging by the amount of post-it-notes that are now stuck to my copy, more than a few). However, reading a lot of the entries, I was struck by how more ethically aware we have become, even in the last few years since this book was published, and how I would hope that most of the ideas featuring animals (I'm thinking mostly of elephant riding but there were also others) would not be included if it were printed today.
May 30, 2020
由於排除掉哪一天去都沒啥差的行程
本書的內容基本上是各地的慶典及氣候適當時的自然景觀
換句話說，基本上是人擠人或是上天下地的行程
沒啥冒險精神的我大多時候只能苦笑然後往下翻閱
誤以為書名暗示各個行程一天就能擺平
翻沒幾頁就看到了騎單車從開羅到開普敦……
(喜歡單車旅遊的可參考 Epic Bike Rides of the World)
不是每個行程都有照片，有點可惜
本書的內容基本上是各地的慶典及氣候適當時的自然景觀
換句話說，基本上是人擠人或是上天下地的行程
沒啥冒險精神的我大多時候只能苦笑然後往下翻閱
誤以為書名暗示各個行程一天就能擺平
翻沒幾頁就看到了騎單車從開羅到開普敦……
(喜歡單車旅遊的可參考 Epic Bike Rides of the World)
不是每個行程都有照片，有點可惜
December 31, 2015
Most of my daily reading books are spiritually oriented, but I always try to have two or three that are lighter explorations of interesting topics. In 2015, this was one of them.
The book describes 365 wonderful things to do or see around the world, one day at a time, on a day that the event is likely to occur (or at least somewhat near the day.) For example, today's (12/31) reading is "Say hooray for Hogmanay SCOTLAND" and describes the wonderful New Year's Eve events in Edinburgh that are attended by over a quarter of a million people. Most days have associated photos, but for the days that don't the Google Image Search is helpful.
The book is enthusiastically and humorously written. While I will probably only make a handful of the events over the remainder of my life, it is good to know that someplace in the world, every single day, folks are having riotously wonderful adventures!
The book describes 365 wonderful things to do or see around the world, one day at a time, on a day that the event is likely to occur (or at least somewhat near the day.) For example, today's (12/31) reading is "Say hooray for Hogmanay SCOTLAND" and describes the wonderful New Year's Eve events in Edinburgh that are attended by over a quarter of a million people. Most days have associated photos, but for the days that don't the Google Image Search is helpful.
The book is enthusiastically and humorously written. While I will probably only make a handful of the events over the remainder of my life, it is good to know that someplace in the world, every single day, folks are having riotously wonderful adventures!
February 18, 2016
This is a book for a travel-lover/travel-dreamer. It is really neat to read about some of the festivals and rare experiences the world has to offer.
My minor criticism is that there seems to be a few countries that are disproportionately represented by events, but usually they are larger/highly-populated countries.
My minor criticism is that there seems to be a few countries that are disproportionately represented by events, but usually they are larger/highly-populated countries.
February 19, 2015
Awesome! This is a great photo book that lists all the different things you can do on any given date around the world, Although it makes me jealous as i cannot possibly go to the places, but still a fun book to look at and dream.
April 18, 2016
I have my year planned out. Enough said.
February 5, 2015
Read this with a pen and paper or something convenient at hand to make jot notes.
October 30, 2016
This would be the ultimate bucket list. Impossible to complete in a lifetime but I will try.
December 30, 2018
I've actually been reading this book all year, because it tells you where on the planet you should spend each day of the year. This book was given to my mother upon her retirement, and passed down to me. I've really enjoyed learning about different places, customs, and celebrations, and it's given me some awesome new ideas for adventures.
October 10, 2021
not for me. the definition of perfect day really lands on - unique or huge festivals, large animal migrations/births and extreme outdoor activities or lengthy hiking routes. i probably noted a couple of things, but all in all i felt this was more about gorgeous images and not that useful in the end.
December 14, 2018
Great concept, featuring some well-known events and places around the world and also plenty of intriguing things I'd never heard of.
December 31, 2018
This book was fascinating, and it was a great format to learn about some amazing trips I may want to take someday!
August 28, 2019
Where in the world should I be?
February 2, 2021
A fun read to deal with travel wanderlust in quarantine. A lot of the event dates really only apply to 2015, though
June 6, 2022
Super fun and entertaining read! It’s a crazy travel adventure in a book! I learned about all kinds of places, festivals, events and wild nature and the best time to see them!
July 26, 2023
Meh. Heavily skewed towards local festivals (not that interesting for me) and contains some ethically questionable experiences such as elephant riding.
December 28, 2024
Many travel ideas and tips.
April 21, 2015
Beautiful pictures. Good concept but you can tell the publisher is from Great Britain. Heavy on pics from Great Britain.
July 11, 2018
If you are looking for places to travel and when the right time to do so, this is the book.
I loved reading about the festivals, culture and adventures that one could participate. Many would take a while to travel, but others are within reach. Some I wold love to save up for....like Lapland in Finland.
I loved reading about the festivals, culture and adventures that one could participate. Many would take a while to travel, but others are within reach. Some I wold love to save up for....like Lapland in Finland.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews