Frommer's 500 Places to See Before They Disappear

by Hughes, Holly; Duchaine, Julie

• ISBN13: 9781118046005
• ISBN10: 1118046005
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-11-29
• Publisher: Frommers

Summary

500 Places to See Before They Disappear is packed with a broad range of must-see rare cultural, historic, and natural places that are the last of its kind and may not be around forever. Among the places detailed here are: One-of-a-Kind Landscapes: The Gulf of Mexico, Florida Everglades, Antarctica, The Dead Sea The Last of Their Kind: Penguins at Cape Town, green turtles in Costa Rica, polar bears in Manitoba Islands at Risk: Madagascar, Iceland, Falkland Islands Where Sea Meets Shore: Melting glaciers in Alaskas Inside Passage and overdevelopment in the Algarve, Portugal. Vanished Peoples: Nazca Lines in Peru, Stonehenge, the mysterious pre-Mayan people of Teohuatican Ruins: Romes Colosseum, Pyramids of Gaza, Great Wall of China Cityscapes in Peril: Manila, Venice, Detroit Disposable Culture: Wrigley Field, oldest McDonalds, Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas Plus Literary Landmarks, Places of Worship, and features on crumbling coral reefs, petroglyphs, and lighthouses

Author Biography

Julie Duchaine has been a freelance writer for the past 25 years. Most recently, she contributed to Frommer's 500 Extraordinary Islands, Frommer's 500 Places for Food & Wine Lovers, and Frommer's 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up. She lives in Milwaukee.

Holly Hughes has traveled the globe as an editor and a writer—she's the former executive editor of Fodor's Travel Publications, the series editor of Frommer's Irreverent Guides, and author of Frommer's New York City with Kids. She's also written fiction for middle graders and edits the annual Best Food Writing anthology. New York City makes a convenient jumping-off place for her travels with her three children and husband.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 One-of-a-Kind Landscapes 1

Ecosystems in Peril 2

Fragile Treasures  12

10 Places for Dark Sky  14

Man-Made Damage 19

Chapter 2 The Last of Their Kind 25

By Sea 26

By Land 34

By Air 49

10 Places to Sight Big Game  56

Chapter 3 Islands 63

Islands at Risk 64

Singular & Separate 74

10 Places to See Coral Reefs  80

Wildlife Sanctuaries 84

Chapter 4 Where Sea Meets Shore 98

Shorelines in Trouble 99

Mangroves 108

10 Disappearing Beaches  112

Coastal Marshes 115

Wildlife at Water's Edge 120

Dramatic Coasts 124

Chapter 5 Let The River Run 131

All Dammed Up 132

Down on the Delta 142

Swamps & Bayous 147

10 Places to See Piping Plovers Nest  152

Along the Banks 155

Chapter 6 Forest & Jungle 163

Trees of Life 164

Into the Woods 168

Rainforests 185

Chapter 7 Mountains 196

Shrinking Glaciers 197

High Wilderness 205

Alpine Flowers 214

10 Places Where the Bighorns Still Climb  220

Volcanoes 222

Chapter 8 Prairie, Plain & Desert 229

Prairie Wildlife 230

Coastal Plains 241

10 Places to See North American Prairie  248

Desert 251

Chapter 9 Ancient Ruins 257

Cave Dwellers 258

10 Places to See Petroglyphs  264

Fortresses & Ceremonial Sites 266

Cradle of Civilization 272

10 Places to See Stone Circles  276

Legendary Cities 278

Birth of the New World 284

Chapter 10 Crumbling Landmarks 294

Classical Relics 295

Middle Ages 304

Historic Homes 313

10 Battlefields to Fight For  314

Chapter 11 Cityscapes 326

Cities in Peril 327

10 Last-of-Their-Kind Towns  336

Traditional Ways of Living 343

Neighborhoods in Transition 350

10 Unique Accommodations  362

Chapter 12 Holy Places 368

Ancient Temples 369

Seats of Religion 376

Pilgrimage Sites 384

Churches 389

10 Prehistoric Mounds to Visit  396

Haunting Memorials 400

Chapter 13 Neglected Moderns 405

Industrial Age 406

10 All-American Lighthouses  414

Historic Spots 417

10 Classic Movie Palaces  422

Chapter 14 Disposable Culture 427

Sports Shrines 428

Entertainment 432

Roadside Relics 440

10 Signs That Go Blink in the Night  446

Vintage Hotels & Motels 448

Resource Index 454

Index 457