About the Adventures

By Holly Hughes

Our book Frommer's 500 Places to See Before They Disappear enables passionate travelers and the eco-conscious to learn about and plan a visit to see rare cultural, historic, and natural places before they are irrevocably altered or even gone forever. Here are one-of-a-kind landscapes, fragile ecosystems, rare bird habitats, places to see the last remaining species of big game in the wild, cityscapes in peril, vanishing cultural kitsch, petroglyphs, and more -- 500 thoughtfully-chosen treasures that will inspire and enlighten travelers of all ages.

Each entry explains why it's been included, gives its history, the nature of the threat against it, brief practical information on how to visit, and what visitors can to do protect it.

• Big Pictures: Landscapes, islands, and ecosystems in transition
• Sea & Stream: Rivers, beaches, and denizens of the deep
• From the Mountains to the Prairies: Big game, woodland creatures, and flora
• Big Skies: Dark skies and flight
• Going to the Ruins: ancient mysteries and crumbling classics
• City & Town: Neighborhoods in transition and tumbling cityscapes
• Where History Was Made: Battlefields and literary landmarks.
• Tarnished Gems of Architecture: Iconic designs and places of worship
• Disposable Culture: Classic movie palaces