Lonely Planet Announces THE BEST PLACE TO BE TODAY

Oakland, CA

The Best Place to be Today is a brand new title from Lonely Planet which brings together 365 inspiring travel ideas and the perfect day to do them.

From thrilling festivals to natural and seasonal phenomena, action-packed sporting events and cultural highlights, the book showcases the best adventure to be found each day of the year, helping the reader zoom in on precise dates or periods and instantly discover the world's top travel experiences.

Big-hitter attractions such as Glastonbury and the Northern Lights feature alongside lesser-known experiences, like observing a Voodoo festival in Benin and snorkelling with jellyfish in Palau, Micronesia.

Each of the 365 travel ideas in The Best Place to be Today details why it is best visited that day. Some are date specific, such as religious holidays and events, while for others the conditions are ideal, whether it's lack of crowds, favorable weather or the best chance for an amazing wildlife encounter. The experiences include:

January 30th: Climb Adam's Peak in Sri Lanka, sharing the path with pilgrims who make the ascent at this time of year
February 20th: Watch thousands of Monarch Butterflies take flight after months of being motionless in Michoacán, Mexico
August 26th: Get messy at Tomatina festival in Valencia
September 16th: Raft the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, the day after motorboats are prohibited for the year

Sarah Baxter compiled and edited The Best Place to be Today, and says "When you drill down into the calendar year, you can find the world's seasonal secrets, like Vanuatu's land-divers marking the start of the yam season or the brief window of opportunity to trek while listening to the sound of mating pandas. Organizing the planet this way helps you pick a destination for that June honeymoon or your October annual leave. You can even use it to inspire your whereabouts on your next birthday."

The Best Place to be Today is available in stores and through e-retailers starting in September.

Lonely Planet has created an interactive calendar telling you the best places to go and when. Users can search and browse all 365 travel experiences from the book, each one illustrated with a stunning image. In addition, we're asking the community to share amazing experiences using the hashtag #bestplacetobetoday on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine or Google+, for the chance to win an experience of a lifetime with tour partner Viator. Visit lonelyplanet.com/today for more information.

About the Book:
The Best Place to Be Today: 365 Things to Do & the Perfect Day to Do Them
ISBN: 9781743601655
272pp, paperback, $19.99, full color
Publishes September 2014

Lonely Planet is the world's leading travel media company, supplying inspiring and trustworthy information for those planning a trip, on the road or browsing as an armchair traveler. Last year marked the company's 40th anniversary and to-date, Lonely Planet has printed over 120 million books in nine languages to almost every destination on the planet. It also boasts mobile apps, a complete ebook portfolio, an award-winning website, and a dedicated traveler community. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com, join us on Facebook and Twitter (@lonelyplanet and #lp).