Fifty Places To Bike Before You Die

A beautiful guide to fifty of the world’s best places to ride a bicycle, as chosen by expert cyclists who have been there. Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die is the ninth addition to the bestselling Fifty Places series by Chris Santella. Biking has grown increasingly popular in recent years, as both a leisure and an extreme exercise activity, and Santella covers trips for cyclists of every level. Fifty Places to Bike covers environments as varied as the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia, the Indochina Trail in Vietnam, and the urban jungle of New York City. With a healthy mix of international and national locations, the 50 chapters capture the breathtaking vistas cyclists will enjoy around the world. As always, the places are brought to life with more than 40 stunning color photographs. Praise for Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die “OMG views, killer hills and open road—the routes in Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die (in bookstores this month) have everything a pedal pusher could ask for.” —Fitness magazine “If you know someone who can’t view a landscape without visualizing themselves traversing it on two wheels, Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die is a sound gift choice.” —The San Francisco Chronicle “Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die gets adventurous cyclists going in the right direction.” —The Boston Globe “50 chapters capture breathtaking cycling trails around the world.” —Metrosource magazine

A breathtaking guide to fifty of the world’s greatest locations to hike, as selected by the experts who have been there. Fifty Places to Hike Before You Die is the latest offering in the bestselling Fifty Places series. Chris Santella, along with top expedition leaders, explores the world’s greatest walking adventures. Some, such as the Lunana Snowman Trek in Bhutan and the Kangshung Valley Trek in Tibet, are grueling multiweek adventures at high altitudes. Others, such as Japan’s Nakesando Trail, move leisurely from village to village, allowing walkers to immerse themselves in the local culture. Whether it’s climbing the Rwandan mountains to view mountain gorillas or strolling through bistros along Italy’s Amalfi Coast, there’s a memorable hike at everyone’s level within these 50 chapters. With commentaries from expert trekkers and insider tips that lead the reader off the beaten path, Santella has again captured the special characteristics that make these must-visit destinations.

Championship racers and professional adventurers disclose their favorite destinations in an inspiring volume of stories, travel tips, and photos. Featuring some of the best-known men and women in the sport—Tom Whidden and Gary Jobson (members of the winning 1987 America’s Cup crew), Jeff Johnstone (of J-Boats), award-winning sailing writer Lin Pardey, and many others—this is a unique full-color celebration for sailors to relive their greatest memories or plan their next big adventure. The amazingly diverse places they’ve selected include: Australia: Fremantle and Sydney Bermuda: St. George’s Harbor Brazil: Bay of Ilha Grande California: Channel Islands and San Francisco Bay Chile: Cape Horn Italy: Costa Smeralda, Sardinia Maine: Boothbay Harbor, Penobscot Bay, Southwest Harbor Florida: Biscayne Bay and Key West Scotland: Firth of Clyde South Africa: Cape Town…and dozens more For each place, the sailor recommending the venue spins an entertaining yarn about their experience there, and each description is accompanied by a “make you want to go there now” photograph. From the relative indolence of cruising the Dodecanese or the British Virgin Islands, to the white-knuckle adventure of rounding Cape Horn, to the thrill of partaking in the regatta off Newport, Fifty Places to Sail Before You Die captures the rich and varied world of recreational sailing—and may just inspire you to set sail on some new adventures of your own.

Covering famed surf spots all over the world, this unique full-color gift book and travel guide invites you to discover such unexpected gems as the Amazon and the Gulf of Alaska. From the frigid waters off Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula to Nazaré, Portugal, where in 2013 Garrett McNamara broke a world record for surfing the tallest wave (78 feet!), highlights also include: North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii Gold Coast, Australia Malibu, California Faroe Islands, Denmark Cocoa Beach, Florida Hossegor, France Grajagan, Indonesia Montauk, New York Thurso, Scotland Jeffreys Bay, South Africa And dozens more! Fifty Places to Surf takes readers on a wide-roving adventure, divulging the details that make each venue unique—and plenty of tips for those who aspire to surf there. Author Chris Santella writes in his introduction, “Surfing means different things to different people. For some it might mean longboarding mellow chest-high waves in board shorts, followed by a great sushi dinner; for others it may mean donning a six-millimeter wetsuit to brave near-freezing waters and triple overheads. Fifty Places to Surf Before You Die attempts to capture the spectrum of surfing experiences—from beginner-friendly to downright death-defying.” Featuring interviews with seasoned surfing experts such as pro surfer Joel Parkinson and Billabong executive Shannan North, Fifty Places to Surf Before You Die is an essential travel companion for surfers of all levels who are looking to catch that perfect wave.

In Fifty Places to Paddle Before You Die, the newest addition to the Fifty Places series, Chris Santella explores the best destinations for the diverse sport of paddling. The book features the world’s top spots for kayaking, rafting, canoeing, and stand-up paddleboarding. Destinations include the Grand Canyon, Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, Baja California, Indonesia’s Komodo Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula, as recommended by paddling experts. Compelling travelogues are complemented by beautiful and vibrant photographs of the locations and travel tips to help readers experience the destinations for themselves.

The author of the bestselling Fifty Places series returns with a collection of the most meditative and relaxing locales for every type of yoga practice Fifty Places to Practice Yoga Before You Die is the seventeenth entry in Chris Santella’s bestselling Fifty Places series. The book shares yogis’ recommendations for the best and most beautiful places to do yoga as well as tips for how to plan the trip. It covers a variety of venues around the world that cater to many different classes and styles of yoga, including Anusara, Ashtanga, Bikram, hot yoga, Iyengar, Restorative, and Vinyasa. The following breathtaking, diverse locales are explored throughout: Haines, Alaska - Lake Louise, Alberta - Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica - Sedona, Arizona - Melbourne, Australia - Uluru, Australia - Austria, St. Anton - Nassau, Bahamas - Paro, Bhutan - Welgevonden Game Reserve/Tuli Reserve, Botswana - Salt Spring Island, British Columbia - Joshua Tree, California - Los Angeles, California - Ojai, California - San Francisco, California - Watsonville, California - Siem Reap, Cambodia - Torres Del Paine, Chile - Denver, Colorado - Nosara, Costa Rica - Malta, Europe - Islamorada, Florida - Lake Atilan, Guatemala - Kapaau, Hawaii - Maui, Hawaii - Goa, India - Mysore (Mysuru), India - Pune, India - Rishikesh, India - Bali, Indonesia - Val de Chio, Italy - Boston, Massachusetts - Stockbridge, Massachusetts - Tulum, Mexico - Helena, Montana - Taghazout, Morocco - Bagan, Myanmar - Pokhara, Nepal - Glenorchy, New Zealand - Popoyo, Nicaragua - Valdres, Norway - Palmer Rapids, Ontario - John Day River, Oregon - Oregon City, Oregon - The Sacred Valley, Peru - Siargao, Philippines - Olhão, Portugal - Unawatuna, Sri Lanka - Kho Phangan, Thailand - London, United Kingdom

Amateur or expert, every angler dreams of landing the big one, but that's only part of the appeal of fly fishing. Because even when hours pass without a bite, nothing beats the rugged beauty of the surroundings. For both armchair travelers and avid outdoorsmen who may have already started a checklist of their own, Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die maps out the meccas of the fly-fishing world. Through in-depth interviews with the sport's acknowledged gurus, author Chris Santella goes beyond standard guides to convey the very essence of the recommended locations. Readers can vicariously cast mouse pattners to fifty-pound taimen in the wilds of Mongolia, wrangle with wily permit off the Florida Keys, and match the hatch on Montana's Armstrong's Spring Creek. Jardines de la Reina, Cuba (tarpon), the Zhupanova River, Kamchatka (rainbow trout), and the Rio Negro, Brazil (peacock bass) are also included. The essays include a cultural and natural history of each site, along with colorful anecdotes based on the author's and authorities' experiences. With breath-takingly-beautiful photos of the spots, many by celebrated fly-fishing photographer R. Valentine Atkinson, the book also provides adventurous anglers with enough travel-and-tackle information so that they, too, can start planning excursions to go fish around the globe.

In Fifty Places to Camp Before You Die, Chris Santella illuminates the best destinations for exploring the great outdoors. The book features the world’s top spots for sleeping under the stars and enjoying a host of outdoor recreational activities that make camping such a time-honored tradition. Featuring favorite US National Parks destinations—as well as more exotic locales in Italy, Chile, France, Botswana, Germany, and more—Santella provides helpful information and tips that will appeal to novice campers and seasoned outdoorsmen alike.