Honolulu is the island of Honolulu is the capital. This city is a largest city of the state of Hawaii. I heard many time about this city. So I to be very excited to see this city and last time I got
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Acadia National Park is beautiful, encompassing the main mounts on Mt. Desert Island and on good days offering spectacular views of the Maine coast. It is an easy climb to the... More
Gorgeous. One of the most picturesque places in the entire country. Can be crowded in tourist periods. Also worth the visit is the northern part of the park which is on a... More
This is a typical example of a shop where you find yourself buying things you don't need at all. But you often encounter something so colourful, exotic and cute, it's hard to resist the temptation.
Inflatable plastic pandas and elephants from Japan, miniature tools for all occasions from Korea, kitchen accessories from the former GDR, Chinese thermos flasks, posters of sexy hair-styling ideas from India ... Fantastik has collected more than 300 weird and surprising products from more than 20 countries.
A nice alternative to bringing home flamenco dolls and souvenir bulls.
? Details about this spot: Fantastik, Carrer Joaquim Costa, 62, El Raval, +34 93 301 3068. Open Mon-Thu 11am-2pm and 4pm-9pm, Fri/Sat 11am-9pm
The TrashArt Museum is a yard full of small garages, each with a yellow door. Behind them are a wide range of materials, saved from being thrown away ? including fabric, metal and wood ? that the museum makes available to turn into sculptures.
Founded in 2008, the project is run by the Kunst-Stoffe association, which focuses on sustainability, waste avoidance and cultural development and runs workshops and an artist-in-residence programme.
The museum itself is the initiative of Adler FC, a Munich artist who used to be in residence at the association. Doro, a friend of the Kunst-Stoffe, explains: "We are upcycling, redesigning, not recycling." Some of the sculptural works thus give a different meaning to everyday objects.
The museum is open on Wednesdays and Fridays, but don't hesitate to call them if other days suit you better. The people at Kunst-Stoffe are very friendly and open to forming new collaborations.
? Details about this spot: TrashArt Museum, Free, Berliner Str 17, +49 (0)30 34 08 9840. Open Wed 2pm-8pm, Fri 11am-6pm
Kampa is a beautiful area in downtown Prague, near Újezd, consisting mainly of a large park which has great views of the river and the rest of the city. People go there to hang out, smoke a water-pipe or throw a frisbee.
But it's also a cultural place. There is a local museum and many outdoor exhibitions take place here ? most recently there was a display of phone booths.
Kampa used to be the site of a water-mill and the atmosphere is refreshing and truly charming. In the summer it's a great place to have a beer and a chat on the benches outside the cafe or just lounge around on the grass.
Many interesting or famous people spend their evenings in Mlınská kavárna ? sculptor David ?ernı, the author of Entropa and Miska republika and other original works of art is there virtually every day, usually surrounded by women!
? Details about this spot: Mlınská kavárna, Park Kampa, Prague +42 (0)60 844 4490. Open 12pm-12am daily
As I'm from the former Dutch colony, Surinam, I still crave its cuisine. It's hard, however, to define what "Surinam cuisine" is exactly. Nasi and bami goreng (fried rice and noodles) come from Indonesia, roti comes from India, and there's even a Jewish dish known as pom.
A nice place to experience the cooking and to challenge your taste buds is Kiem Foei restaurant at the West-Kruiskade, near central station.
West-Kruiskade is known as "China Town" but the Surinamese tokos (or shops) dominate the street. The area doesn't look that hip but nobody cares as it's all about the food here, which is partly Surinamese and partly Antillean.
You can choose to eat in or "to go". Mingle with the crowd and snack on buns filled with vegetables, meat or shrimps. Whatever you choose, get ready for some interesting flavours. And Kiem Foei is a good choice if you're on a tight budget.
? Details about this spot: Kiem Foei, West-Kruiskade 29, Rotterdam +31 10 413 9983. Open 12pm-11pm daily
Für dich cafe bar ? meaning "for you" ? has already become a favourite haunt in its neighbourhood despite launching a year ago. Several regulars have gone as far as to tattoo an anchor on themselves in homage to the anchor hidden in the cafe's logo, which also happens to be the symbol for Aussersihl, the Zurich district where the bar is located.
It's a great bar because it's located right next to Bäckeranlage and because for once in Zurich, you get a feeling of spaciousness. The four founders completed the renovation in six months and they made some spontaneous decisions along the way ? such as leaving one wall bare after the tiles were removed and sticking gold foil to another.
The result is an open, spacious, simple venue with large windows ? it was a shop in its previous incarnation ? which nevertheless radiates warmth due to a preponderance of wood, as well as the red children's corner with its huge blackboard which turns into a comfortable lounge area at night.
This is definitely a place to linger, chat and feel at home and a few times a month there are bands playing as well (unplugged).
? Details about this spot: Für dich, Stauffacherstrasse 141, Zurich +41 43 317 9160. Open Tues-Thurs 9am-12am, Fri-Sat 9am-2am, Sun 10am-8pm
Twenty years ago, Britain's tradition of harvest festivals had dwindled to little more than a few children taking cans of beans to school for charity. Today, the food festival has been reborn, and with new events springing up nationwide, the next few weeks are the highlight of the year for gourmets. Nicola Iseard picks the best
Ludlow Food Festival 11-13 September Now in its 15th year, this festival has grown into one of the country's biggest. While many events take place throughout the town (sausage trails, beer tastings et al), the hive of activity is at the medieval castle, with more than 130 stalls selling everything from cheeses and chutneys to olive oil, cherry liqueur and truffles. There are also taste workshops, a chefs' cook-off and a "vegetarians versus carnivores" debate led by food writer and broadcaster Henrietta Green.
Stay: The Feathers (01584 875261; feathersatludlow.co.uk), with its world-famous 17th-century timber façade, has doubles from £95, including breakfast
? foodfestival.co.uk; day tickets £7 adults, £1.50 children, family (two adults and up to four children) £16
Soil Association Organic Food Festival, Bristol 12-13 September With more than 150 exhibitors around the harbourside, this is the biggest organic festival in Europe. New for this year are the Kids' Taste Tent and the Street Food Bazaar, where you can sample Indian, Portuguese, Thai and Somalian delicacies. But there is far more to this festival than just eating - learn to make chutney at the Granny Skills Workshop or head to Bordeaux Quay for some organic cooking tips from celebrity chefs including Sophie Grigson. There is even a fringe, with live music and dance shows.
Stay: Rosebery House (0117 914 9508; roseberyhouse.net), a charming B&B tucked away in a quiet Georgian crescent within walking distance of the harbour, has doubles from £89 including breakfast
? theorganicfoodfestival.co.uk; admission price: £5 adults (of which £1 is donated to the Soil Association), children free
Abergavenny Food Festival 19-20 September It's the biggest date in Wales's gourmet calendar. As well as around 170 stalls selling local Welsh produce, there will be tutored tastings with top chocolatiers and cider-makers, talks and masterclasses by famed foodies such as Antonio Carluccio, Levi Roots and Valentine Warner, and plenty of family activities, including sessions on making Welsh pancakes. Sugar rush made you giddy? Get some fresh air on a field trip led by famed forager Miles Irving.
Stay: The Angel (01873 857121; angelhotelabergavenny.com) is classy and central, with doubles from £85 including breakfast
Manchester Food and Drink Festival 1-12 October This event takes over more than 100 venues across the city, so it's hard to know where to start. In St Ann's Square, a host of local producers will be setting up stalls and celebrity chefs including Michael Caines will cook live. Go on a foodie tour of the Northern Quarter, or learn how to distinguish a Semillon from a Sancerre at the Wine Festival on 2 October. The festival is also hosting the first Manchester Whisky Festival, on 10 October, where you can taste your way around Japan, the US and even India.
Stay: Velvet Hotel (0161 236 9003; velvetmanchester.com) is a gorgeous boutique hotel on bustling Canal Street, with doubles from £115, room only
Slow Food Market, London Various dates London and slow aren't two words you normally associate, but every autumn the capital holds a series of slow food markets at the Southbank Centre, celebrating ethical and tasty grub. The first was held this weekend, and the next runs from 18-20 September (there are three more markets after that). Sample and buy foods from around the world, such as scallops from Dorset, Colchester Native Oysters from Mersea Island and exotic spice blends from the Levant.
Stay: Bermondsey Square Hotel (0870 111 2525; bermondseysquarehotel.co.uk) is a new hotel in a vibrant neighbourhood within walking distance of the Southbank Centre, with doubles from £119, room only. The Hoxton (020 7550 1000; hoxtonhotels.com) offers rooms from £59, and also releases five rooms a night for £1 during seasonal sales.
Liverpool Food and Drink Festival 13-20 September Now in its second year, Liverpool's Food and Drink Festival involves more than 50 of the city's top bars and restaurants, such as The London Carriage Works and Italian Club Fish. Throughout the week they will be offering discounts and laying on themed menus, such as "Fish for Friday" and "Organic and Locally Sourced". For a chance to sample dozens of them in one location, make a beeline for Sefton Park on 13 September, where there will be food sampling, cookery demonstrations and opportunities to buy.
Stay: Hope Street Hotel (0151 709 3000; hopestreethotel.co.uk) is central and offers stylish rooms from £120, room only
Nottingham Food and Drink Festival 16-20 September Nottingham is hosting its first food and drink festival this month. Alongside more than 30 street stalls, all eyes will be on the Chef's Theatre in the Market Square, where you can watch celebrity chefs including James Martin and James Tanner whip up all manner of feasts in Ready Steady Cook-style cook-offs, as well as masterclasses and demos by local producers and suppliers. There will also be cocktail-making sessions, women-only beer tastings and paella demonstrations in restaurants and bars across the city.
Stay: Hart's (0115 988 1900; hartsnottingham.co.uk) is a boutique hotel just five minutes' walk from Nottingham city centre, with rooms from £140, room only.
York Festival of Food and Drink 18-27 September Following the theme Crude Food, the focus of this year's festival is on simple food, and there will be urban and riverbank forages and slow food workshops running throughout the 10 days in locations across the city. Other highlights include Introduction to Wine sessions and a Death by Chocolate event at Middlethorpe Hall. Men may prefer to keep themselves amused with the Ale Trail, where they can sample the best of the 200 pubs York has to offer.
Stay: The Blue Bridge (01904 621193; bluebridgehotel.co.uk) is a five-minute walk along the river from the city centre and offers doubles from £59, room only.
Eat Bute, Isle of Bute, Scotland 11-13 September Held at Mount Stuart, a grand house set in 300 acres of lush woodland and coastal gardens, food fests don't get much more picturesque than this. The event showcases the finest produce from Bute and the surrounding areas of Argyll, and highlights the importance of eating food that is "good, clean and fair". Stalls are wonderfully varied, from cockles and chutneys to jellies, handmade fudges and sticky desserts. There are also lots of food-themed family events.
Getting there: The island is served by two regular ferry links from the mainland, from Colintraive and Wemyss Bay. See calmac.co.uk for timetables and prices
Stay: Jacqueline's Property Services (01700 503906; buteselfcatering.co.uk) offers a range of carefully chosen holiday homes across the Isle of Bute, from the towns to more rural areas. A three-night stay in a two-bedroom flat costs from £245
Narberth Food Festival, Pembrokeshire 26-27 September Learn how to make the perfect nattou-maki roll at a sushi workshop, and whip up a trophy-winning sticky toffee pie in the pudding competition at what claims to be the friendliest food festival in Wales. If that all sounds like too much work, check out the chef demos (Angela Gray is in the line-up), or grab a glass of local wine and watch the live music and street entertainers.
Stay: Little Loveston (01834 891261; littleloveston.co.uk) is a group of four stone cottages set around a large courtyard, a short drive from Narberth. Prices from £290 a week (for a one-bedroom cottage)
Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festivals Suffolk 26 September to 4 October Now in its fourth year, the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival is all about celebrating local produce. Alongside the main festival at Snape Maltings, where there will be more than 70 exhibitors, there are fringe events at farm shops, breweries and nature reserves across East Suffolk. In between farm walks, game butchery workshops and behind-the-scenes tours (don't miss the smokehouse at Pinneys of Orford), check out the cookery demonstrations with Fergus Henderson and Stuart Oetzmann.
Stay: Snape Holiday Cottages (07802 878172; snapecottages.co.uk), two miles from Snape Maltings, offers three nights' self-catering at the pretty Victorian cottage The Sheilings from £310 (sleeps up to six).
Shetland Food Festival 2-11 October If you fancy venturing further afield, the windswept Shetland Isles are holding their second food festival. There will be a producer market stocked with seafood, top-quality meats and local delicacies such as seaweed oatcakes and black potatoes. There will also be a food theatre with demonstrations and cook-offs. For something a bit different, sign up for a workshop to learn how to make traditional bannock.
Getting there: Ferries from Aberdeen to Lerwick take 12-13 hours (0845 6000 449; northlinkferries.co.uk)
Stay: Glover Lodges (01950 477596; gloverlodges.co.uk) has lodges sleeping four on the beautiful coastal location of Fladdabister from £580 a week
Kendal Food Festival, Cumbria 24-31 October Cookery schools, delicatessens, wine shops and farms will be throwing their doors open to the public next month for Kendal's first festival of food. Have a go at sausage, burger and kebab making at Sillfield Farm in Endmoor; see how coffee is roasted at Farrers Coffee in Kendal; learn what makes organic wines special at Organico in Staveley; and sample lip-smackingly good cakes at the Baba Ganoush deli in Kendal.
Stay: Cottages4you (0845 268 1560; cottages4you.co.uk) has a range of properties in the Kendal region. Three nights' self-catering at Low Shepherd Yeat Farm in Crook starts from £599 (up to eight sharing)
Special Interest Speyside Whisky Festival, Banffshire 25-28 September Dufftown's twice-yearly festivals attract whisky connoisseurs from far and wide. Speyside is home to more than half the whisky distilleries in Scotland, and even those that don't usually welcome visitors will be opening their doors for the festival. Serious tasters up for a challenge should sign up for the Seven Stills Bus Tour, for a dram at no fewer than six distilleries in the area. For something more sedate, learn how to pair whisky with food, discover how whisky distillers and smugglers lived off the land on a guided excursion to the Braes of Glenlivet, and make some last-minute purchases at the closing Dreg's Party.
Stay: Tannochbrae Guest House (01340 820541; tannochbrae.co.uk), in the centre of Dufftown, has six cosy rooms from £65, including breakfast
Great British Cheese Festival, Cardiff 26-27 September Held within the grounds of Cardiff Castle, the enormous, self-proclaimed "focal point of the cheese lovers' calendar" showcases a mind-boggling 400 British and Irish sheep, cow, goat and buffalo cheeses, including the winners of the British Cheese Awards, which are held on 25 September. Pop along to the masterclasses, which take place at the School of Big Cheeses, made up of the Apprentices' Hall, for "wannabe experts", and the Dragon's Den, for "serious fanatics". Cheesed out? Hunt for hot chilli chutney and Hebridean liqueur, two of the many other products on show at the market.
Stay: Jolyons Boutique Hotel (02920 488775; jolyons.co.uk) has six lavishly furnished rooms from £99, including breakfast
? thecheeseweb.com; two-day admission £8.50 adults, children £6.50
The Big Apple, Herefordshire 10-11 October Every year since 1989, the communities of Herefordshire's tiny parishes have put together a collection of small rural events based in and around the village of Much Marcle to celebrate the region's favourite fruit - the humble apple. Choose from cider orchard open days, apple pressing and cider making demonstrations, cider and perry trails, apple identification talks, food markets and lunches. On the Sunday you can ride off that cider hangover with the Big Apple group bike ride through the county's orchards.
Stay: Great Moor Court (01531 66032; muchmarcle.net/accommodation) is a charming 300-year-old working farmhouse (complete with several apple orchards) with just two guest bedrooms, from £60, including breakfast
Norwich Beer Festival Featuring a staggering 200 real ales from Britain's independent breweries, more than 25 varieties of cider and perry from East Anglia and the West Country, and a selection of draught and bottle beers from continental Europe, the Norwich Beer Festival is a highlight for beer lovers across the nation. First held in 1978, the festival takes place in the St Andrew's and Blackfriars' Halls, where visitors have to purchase a glass for around £2 and beer tokens on entrance (each token is worth 10p and average strength beers will be around £2.50 a pint), then it's all about tasting, tasting, tasting.
Stay: 38 St Giles (01603 662944; 38stgiles.co.uk) is a stylish B&B in the heart of Norwich with just five bedrooms, from £120 for a double
As Brighton's month-long food festival kicks off, we pick our top spots to eat in the city for under a tenner
1. The Chilli Pickle
For classic Indian street food, the Chilli Pickle is without equal in Brighton: lunches of crispy masala dosas, thalis that mix rich curries with fresh rice, and smaller dishes of masala potatoes, zingy salads and aubergine fritters. The dinner menu includes tandoori quail and shoulder of lamb rogan josht, all served up at the baby-blue painted tables with a friendly, no-nonsense atmosphere. ? Lunch dishes from £3.50/mains from £7.50; 42 Meeting House Lane, 01273 323824; thechillipicklebistro.co.uk
2. Bandstand Cafe
Ten minutes' stroll west from Brighton's heaving seafront lies Hove's genteel green and more tranquil seafront ? made even more attractive by the reopening in July of the Grade II-listed bandstand, after a £950,000 refurbishment. Beneath the stage lies the Bandstand Cafe, with a patio that overlooks the sea and a menu of home-made pastries for breakfast or fresh oysters and salads for lunch. A programme of concerts and recitals in the bandstand itself means free music while you eat. ? Pastries from £1.50; Hove seafront
3. Planet India
Brighton's most famous vegetarian restaurant may be Terre a Terre, but if you don't have the budget for their prices, then Planet India is a great substitute: fantastic vegetarian food, big portions, all served up by the sometimes barefoot owner with an infectious mix of enthusiasm and eccentricity. It's a no-frills establishment but the food ? crispy spiced poppadums, smoky cumin rice and curries with a real kick ? is top-notch. ? Curries from £4.50, rice and starters from £2; 4-5 Richmond Parade, 01273 818149
4. Riddle and Finns
One of Brighton's glammest addresses, situated on the edge of the Lanes, Riddle and Finns is a classic champagne and oyster bar. The menu has an extensive "light bites" section, with everything from monkfish cheeks to Brighton scallops for under a tenner. Or drop in for a lazy weekend breakfast: strong coffee, eggs benedict and maybe a glass of champagne to kickstart the day with a buzz. ? Light bites from £5.75, breakfast dishes from £6.95; 12B Meeting House Lane, 01273 323008; riddleandfinns.co.uk
5. Basketmakers Arms
Saved from the tourist hordes by virtue of being tucked away just off North Laine, and by its unimposing exterior, the Basketmakers is a gem. Locals come for the killer burgers, fiery chilli and ? slightly oddly ? to leave notes in the huge collection of tobacco tins stacked up against the walls. In spite of its back-street location, it does get busy, but the food ? and the whole off-the-wall experience ? is worth the crush. ? Mains from £8; 12 Gloucester Road, 01273 689006; fullers.co.uk
6. Cafe Delice
In the heart of the bohemian North Laine area, Cafe Delice is the perfect spot for people-watching, and trying to decide whether to buy that batik top, wood-carving or vintage handbag. Illy coffees and pastries are on offer for breakfast; sandwiches stuffed with smoked salmon, crème fraiche and capers, or sweet chilli and goat's cheese, make great lunches; and if the weather is inclement, the upstairs room is a joy, with slouchy chesterfields, old wooden rocking chairs and chocolatey jazz on the stereo. ? Sandwiches from £2.95; 40 Kensington Gardens, 01273 622519
7. Moshi Moshi
Combining the conveyor belt concept, where you select from the dishes that slowly drift by, with more traditional restaurant dishes, the sushi in Moshi Moshi is some of Brighton's best, with Scottish salmon, Cornish fish and succulent tempura prawns. Best value are the Geta sushi sets, which offer a selection of sushi on a traditional wooden platter. They are ideal washed down with one of the fresh juice concoctions; the Ginza Morning (carrot, apple, celery, ginger and orange) is particularly delicious. ? Plates from £1.80, Geta sets from £7.50; Opticon, Bartholomew Square, 01273 719195; moshimoshi.co.uk
8. English's
A Brighton institution, English's has been serving up locally caught fish, scallops, crab and lobster for more than 150 years, housed in three fisherman's cottages dating back to medieval times. It's at the pricier end of the spectrum, but the fish is spectacular and the chance to sit out on the cobbles with half a dozen oysters is a classic Brighton experience. Inside, it's a world away from the town's hip, minimalist eateries: all red velvet and white linen, quietly spoken waiters and old-school charm. ? Oysters from £5.95 for six, fish and chips £9.95; 29-31 East Street, 01273 327980; englishs.co.uk
9. Barefoot Bar, Yellowave Beach
Ideal for families, the Barefoot Bar is part of the Yellowave complex, which has six beach-volleyball courts, a climbing wall and the chance to play "beachminton" and ultimate frisbee. If it's sunny, sit outside with a cold beer or three and a fresh salad or something from the barbecue, and watch the healthy sorts on the courts. If it's blustery and cool, there's plenty of space inside, where pine tables are dotted around to make full use of the beach views through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Open all year round, the bar also hosts quizzes and live music nights. ? Burgers from £3.50; 299 Madeira Drive, 01273 672222; yellowave.co.uk
? The Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival starts tomorrow and runs until September 27. For details of events, go to brightonfoodfestival.co.uk
We can't help you locate the elusive barbecue summer, but we can point you in the direction of the best public spots in England to whip out a grill and get cooking
The Met's "barbecue summer" failed to materialise but that hasn't stopped the optimistic chaps at Simply Beef and Lamb (the standards agencies for English meat) compiling a map of the best public barbecue spots in England. In a survey of 2,000 people they found that 41% of people think it's illegal to barbecue in public. In fact there are hundreds of places where you cook outdoors on an open fire and this interactive map shows 50 of the best 'grillocations' (our favourite made-up travel term of the week) from Sandholme carpark, part of Bolton Abbey Estate, in the Yorkshire Dales to Cardinham Woods in Bodmin, Cornwall. They plan to add another 50 and are also asking members of the public to recommend their favourites.
Meanwhile, the Met confirms that yes, there will be "near or above average" rainfall in August, though it insists " there is still the possibility of fine weather at times throughout the month." Woohoo. We suggest you pack an umbrella along with your tongs.
"The best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst." That's how Pulitzer prize-winning author and historian Wallace Stegner described America's magnificent national parks.
California was the inspiration for the national park system - early visitors to Yosemite were so awed by the grandeur of the scenery that it was the first special area to be preserved by the government for public use. It sowed the seeds for the first national park to be created at Yellowstone eight years later in 1872, "for the benefit and enjoyment of the people".
It is a cruel irony then that it should be California's governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who has proposed the closure of 220 state parks in order to save money and balance the books. Just to be clear, these are parks run by the state of California - closures would restrict access to the mountains of the Sierra Nevadas, the beaches and wetlands of Big Sur, and the deserts of San Diego among others - not those run by the National Park Service (NPS).
The NPS has already warned that it might take control of six California state parks if they are not kept open. But there is no suggestion that national parks are facing closure - indeed they have seen their budgets increased this year to make improvements to roads and facilities.
More Americans will be holidaying at home this year because of the recession that has given rise to the proposed park closures. And when "the economy is not in shape, that bodes well for the park service", according to David Barma, chief of public affairs for the NPS. The latest figures from the NPS show an increase in the number of park visits over the first four months of this year and bookings are up at national park campsites.
Nowhere does the great outdoors better than America. It is epic - cinematic - in its scale and beauty. There are deserts, great lakes, swamps, canyons, mountains, rivers, forests, oceans and beaches. It would be a crime to close any of it.
We asked 10 experts to share their favourite wild spaces with us.
1. Best for wilderness: Katmai and Kenai Fjords National Parks, Alaska
The expert: Ken Burns, filmmaker, whose latest TV series, National Parks, America's Best Idea, premieres in the US on PBS on 27 September
At the Brooks River Falls in Katmai in summer there can easily be 50 grizzly bears gathered as thousands of salmon from the Bering Sea swim upstream to spawn. It looks almost anthropomorphic, a grizzly symposium, and the human observers are definitely outsiders - the bears own this place and they are seriously gorging on fish. You're coming all the way to Alaska for the pristine wilderness, so do also drive to Aialik Bay, Kenai, to see humpback and orca from kayaks and watch the glacier "calving" great booming chunks into the sea, sending the seals on the ice floes bobbing furiously - it's a transformational experience.
As far as epic adventures go, this is a classic: roaring down the canyon through a 100-degree desert landscape looking up at jagged layers of vermillion rock, some half as old as the planet itself, in wild water that's very cold. It's not about "wanting" to do it in your lifetime, it's about "needing" to do it. They stagger the raft permits, so it's not crowded. You shoot the rapids like a bucking bronco, hanging on for dear life, then float on a smooth section past Native American ruins. It takes two weeks for a full trip, but you can get the idea in four days if that's all you have, camping on beaches, feeling like a little ant under the massive walls and taking day hikes to hidden waterfalls.
? Oars.com organises rafting trips lasting from four days to a full canyon trip of 18 days. Oars: four-day rafting trip all-inclusive (equipment, local shuttle transport, camping, food, etc) this season is $1,758 per person (£1,085); 16-day trip at $4,916 (£3,034) or an 18 days in a wooden dorie boat $5,401 (£3,333). +1 209 736 4677.
Best regards,
3. Best-kept secret: Precipice Trail, Acadia National Park, Maine
You've done the gorgeous drive up the coast of Maine, now for the aptly-named Precipice Trail. The first thing you see are all sorts of warning signs - this hike, well it's really a non-technical climb, is not for the faint of heart or those prone to vertigo - then you notice all the iron rungs drilled into the rock from long ago, to help you monkey up the exposed eastern face of Mount Champlain. Getting to the top gives you a heck of a rush and you're looking down at magical islands and coves in the bay, and inhaling spruce and fir. Your reward is the freshest catch from the lobster men for dinner - nothing fancy, just the critter and 100 napkins.
? Stay: There are two campgrounds in Acadia National Park. You can make reservations for Blackwoods Campground only. Seawall Campgrounds operates on a first come, first served basis. Campgrounds normally fill up early in July through September, so plan to arrive early. The Claremont Hotel's waterfront cottages, from $152 (£92) per night, minimum three nights; +1 207 244 5036. ? Eat: Beal's Lobster Pier, 182 Clark Point Road, Southwest Harbor, +1 207 244 7178. ? Further information: acadia.national-park.com.
4. Best on two wheels: New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia
Mountain bikers are no longer the enemy of the National Parks - there's been a lot of diplomacy and more trails are now being allowed, and designed so that we don't wreck the place. The New River Gorge is known for white water rafting, but there are four mountain-bike routes through beautiful forest, built along railway lines that used to serve the coal industry. It's a buzz to bike through a canopy of trees where all you see is lush greenery, right next to the gushing, tumbling river, and maybe the odd fly-fisherman. Biking in West Virginia is generally rough and tough, but these trails are a little more mellow. And the autumn foliage is to die for. Prepare to get mud on your face.
? Where to stay: There's a choice of RV sites, economy cabins, car-camping or primitive camping at Rifrafters Campground, Fayetteville, West Virginia, +1 304 574 1065
5. Best off the beaten track: Back-country hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
The expert: Marcus Woolf, writer for Backpacker and guidebook author.
The most-visited national park in the US drew 9.4 million visitors in 2007, according to the National Parks Service. But strike out to the north-east, into the back-country and you'll get some solitude ? there are 800 miles of hiking trails - and can absorb spectacular views across the rolling mountains bathed in milky haze to the horizon. The misty 'smoke' is actually not weather but plant respiration on a scale and diversity to rival a rainforest - it's dreamy stuff. From the cosy wooden huts of LeConte Lodge, take the Rainbow Falls Trail, past the wonderful plunge, to the top of Mount LeConte and connect at high elevation to the Appalachian Trail then eventually to the Maddron Bald Trail wending through ancient forest. Doss down in your sleeping bag in the three-sided shelters along the way.
? Stay: Smoky Mountain Park campsites. All backcountry campers are required to have a free backcountry permit (available at most ranger stations and visitor centres). Camp in a designated site or shelter. Campers need reservations to stay in any shelter, and 14 tent areas also require reservations. Campers can make reservations by calling +1 (865) 436 1231. LeConte Lodge, $110 per adult, per night dinner, bed and breakfast +1 865 429 5704.
6. Best for wildlife: Yellowstone Park, Montana/Wyoming in summer, and Everglades, Florida, in winter
The first national park in the US may seem over-exposed, but when you've been haunted by the howl of the wolf pack and the grizzly is ambling by, you'll appreciate it's the best. If you want to escape the camera-clicking crowds clustering the Old Faithful geyser - magnificent as it is - and rushing at some poor buffalo, head into the wilds on foot or horseback. Here, you stand the chance of seeing see black bear, bobcat, grey fox, mountain kingsnake, white-headed woodpecker, spotted owl, beaver, chipmunks etc. My winter favourite destination is the Everglades. Make for Alligator Alley and you'll definitely encounter reptiles but the birds are fabulous, a line of white ibis flying against the sinking sun, the endangered wood stork, bald eagles. Hike the Anhinga Trail on boardwalks over the swamps and listen to the feathered hosts waking up at sunrise.
7. Most extreme activity: Slot canyoneering, Zion National Park, Utah
The expert: Kate Siber, adventurer and writer for Outside and National Geographic Adventure
The Subway is one of Zion's more trippy, tunnel-like slot canyons, sculpted by millennia of wind and water, where sunlight glows round corners, turquoise water swirls in rock cauldrons and the psychedelic walls undulate in abstract curves. The deal here is the wow-factor of being deep in this narrow space that looks as if Gaudi or Dr Seuss concocted it in a daydream. A couple of abseils, scrambling, some chilly swims (pack a drybag) and wading in ankle-deep water ups the adventure quotient, but it's not generally dangerous, particularly with a guide. If you don't want anything to do with ropes, you can boulder and hike in part way from the bottom and get the gist.
The parks overlap, so it's a Sierra Nevada two-for-one, and each has record-breakers. Giant redwood (sequoia) "General Sherman" in Sequoia is one of the largest trees on Earth at 275 feet (83.8 metres), and grows in the Giant Forest, which contains five out of the 10 largest trees in the world. Kings Canyon has Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the Lower 48 at 14,505ft (4,421m), with a shark's tooth peak, and the US's deepest gorge - who knew? Campsites are designed for car-camping - neither backcountry nor motor-home ? with basic fire pits and showers. Spy black bears on wilderness day-hikes. Kids enjoy Crystal Cave ? a marble cave - and the stone staircase up Moro Rock - a large granite dome in the Giant Forest - where the view extends for 300 miles on a clear day.
? Stay: Lodgepole and Dorset Creek are the largest and busiest campgrounds and the only ones that can be reserved in advance. All other sites in the parks are first-come, first-served daily. nps.gov/seki, +1 559 565 3341.
9. Best view: The Teton Range of mountains from Jackson Lake Lodge, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
From the patio at the lodge, there's an utterly incredible view of the Teton Range, all jagged and snowcapped, across a beautiful piece of open country, where you can easily see moose wandering and perhaps a bear. The beautiful Jackson Lake is in the foreground and the mountains are so close, you feel you could touch them. It is one of the most amazing views in the world, with the spirit of the American West and the pioneer feeling of being so close to nature. The view is very accessible for park visitors, but hike a few minutes from the lodge towards the view and you'll leave the crowds behind.
10. Best challenge: Learning to rock climb in Yosemite National Park, California
The expert: Jo Whitford is a certified Yosemite Mountaineering School Instructor, who has climbed all over the US and the world and has settled on Yosemite as her base
Climbing on granite in Yosemite, even a small slab, is inspiring because you know El Capitan is just around the corner, where the world's best climbers scale its intimidating 1,000-plus vertical metres. I guide on the Girls on Granite two-day course, on which beginners learn basic knots and techniques for hooking fingertips into seemingly-invisible cracks to edge up 40-metre mini-cliffs. Intermediates scale steeper climbs with smaller finger-holds, and learn to follow a leader up the climb. Catch a glimpse of stunning Half Dome mountain and aspire to climb that one day as you learn to abseil down.
? Girls On Granite is a two-day climbing and hiking package, with tent-cabin accommodation - beginner or intermediate: $181 (£110). Other rock-climbing lessons/guiding also available, all through Yosemite Mountaineering School +1 209 372 8344.
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