Endless Summer: 8 American Islands That Are Warm NOW

THE CLASSICS La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur, Paris Proposing in Paris may be a cliché, but clichés exist for a reason, especially this one. Near dusk, head to the top of Montmartre; if you can tolerate the steep streets and steps, which aren't too difficult, skip the funicular and go by foot. Walk through Le Moulin de la Galette (the setting for Renoir's masterpiece of the same name), but avoid Pigalle (the setting for Paris's red-light district). Head to the illuminated Basilique du Sacre-Coeur and relax on the white stone steps of the famed church. From here you'll get the best view of Paris that doesn't require an admission fee or lengthy wait. If that vista doesn't inspire love, tell your sweetheart it was the setting for U2's "Two Hearts Beat as One" video. And while it might make that engagement ring you bought dim in comparison, time your walk back so that you see the Eiffel Tower after nightfall: At the start of every hour until 2 a.m. (1 a.m in winter), its 20,000 bulbs glitter for 10 minutes. Central Park, New York City With 843 acres of lawns, woodlands, and lakes, Central Park is a relaxing retreat in the middle of Manhattan. If you can't find a romantic setting here, it's your fault, not that of the park's main designer, Frederick Law Olmsted, whose general plan for the park persists today despite many additions. In the winter, ice-skating at Wollman Rink is a great way to get your beloved's heart racing. Later, take a break for hot chocolate and popping the question. When the weather's warmer, the Conservatory Garden's six acres make a great proposal site—they're filled with hedges, as well as an impressive number of roses. Or propose marriage on a rowboat rented from the Loeb Boathouse. And if you're afraid that a proposal in a free public park might seem cheap and less than romantic, don't be—Central Park's property value was appraised at $528 billion in 2005. Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence This 19th-century terrace with a sweeping view of Florence, framed by the Arno River and the Tuscan countryside, is one of the most romantic sites in a country full of them. (While on a solo trip through Italy, I almost proposed to myself here.) The plaza attracts a lot of tourists, however, so make sure the subject of your wooing is looking out to the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio, rather than at people dripping gelato on their jean shorts. Guidebooks suggest riding local bus No. 13 to Piazzale Michelangelo, but it's better to go by foot; it's a romantic 30-minute stroll through a charming part of Florence's Oltrarno district that you wouldn't otherwise visit. And public transportation is rarely romantic. EVEN GREATER ESCAPES Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz. There's something about looking into a gaping display of two billion years of the Earth's history that says, "Hey baby, we can make it until death do us part." The colors brought out at sundown give the Grand Canyon one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world (try to catch it at Hopi Point on the South Rim, which has a view that stretches at least 30 miles and includes a glimpse of the Colorado River). At 277 river miles long, as much as 18 miles across, and a mile deep, the canyon's got plenty of secluded spots of proposing. And if getting to such a place on foot or by mule doesn't appeal to you, there's always helicopter: Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, a tour company, has had many customers get engaged during a romantic picnic on the canyon floor (just make sure your intended is comfortable hovering 5,000 feet above the ground on the trip there and back). Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Authors' Lounge, Bangkok, Thailand Is sipping afternoon tea on white rattan furniture as Siamese umbrellas, bamboo, and palm trees shield you from the sun coming in through the translucent roof romantic enough for you? Frequented by Joseph Conrad, Noël Coward, and Barbara Cartland, the Authors' Lounge in the Mandarin Oriental hotel is the perfect place for a sophisticated proposal that says, "I'm literate and classy" (but not out loud—that would be creepy). While all this atmosphere doesn't come cheap, you'd be hard-pressed to find its idyllic combination of colonial East and West elsewhere. Afterward step outside and buy your betrothed flowers from a wooden long-tail boat as you walk along the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Siasconset, Nantucket Island, Mass. 'Sconset, as it's sometimes called, is so quaint, rustic, and free of brash day-trippers from Cape Cod that it makes Nantucket's other villages seem like Tijuana. Rent bikes at Young's Bicycle Shop near Steamboat Wharf ($25 for the day), but avoid the tandem models, which are romantic in theory only. From there pedal to Siasconset, on the island's eastern shore. Buy some picnic food at the 'Sconset Market, and head to one of Nantucket's most secluded and beautiful beaches. It doesn't matter whether you face the ocean or the bluffs—both are gorgeous. On your way back, stroll along Baxter Road, a grassy lane, to admire the picturesque cottages. It's best in the late summer, when the hydrangeas are blooming. Wailua Falls, Kauai, Hawaii There are almost as many places in Hawaii for a kitschy proposal as there are for a romantic one. Stay away from man-made attractions like Don Ho's Island Grill and instead opt for a natural setting. Wailua Falls, on the east side of Kauai, is one of the best. Although the 173-foot-high falls are in a lush green setting, they are easily accessible by car. And Wailua Falls has a long history of being a choice spot for romantic bravado: In ancient times, Hawaiian men leapt from the top to prove their manliness (unfortunately, they often killed themselves in the process). And while your friends might not have heard of Wailua Falls, getting engaged here will impress them once you tell them it was in the opening credits of the frequently romantic (and even more frequently campy) TV show Fantasy Island. MODERN LOVE Burning Man, Black Rock Desert, Nev. Held annually in late summer since 1986, this eight-day festival's intention, as stated on its website, is to "generate society that connects each individual to his or her creative powers, to participation in community, to the larger realm of civic life, and to the even greater world of nature that exists beyond society." (You may also know it as a New Age event where a bunch of naked people come together to make art and party.) And you might expect Burning Man to disavow a tradition like marriage. But it can be the perfect place for a romantic and symbolic proposal: Its principle of communal effort is the pillar of a strong marriage; it's in the beautiful, often very warm outdoors; and its emphasis on gifting means you'll have one heck of an engagement party. But why stop there? Weddings are common enough here (there are about 35 a year) that the official website has a page devoted to how to get hitched there. You may want to propose earlier in the festival rather than later, though—showering can be difficult. Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky. Thoroughbred horse racing is the sport of kings, so what better way to make your would-be spouse feel like royalty than by proposing at the Kentucky Derby, one of the world's premier horse races? Held annually on the first Saturday in May "the most exciting two minutes in sports" provides all the pageantry needed for a memorable proposal. While general admission tickets to the infield (a mob of alcohol-infused barbarians enjoying things other than a horse race) are easier and cheaper to acquire than grandstand tickets, get the latter. There you can sip $9 mint juleps out of commemorative glasses and check out the expensive, and frequently bizarre, hats. And with plenty of celebrities in attendance, you'll have a great story to share with your friends. For example, if you'd proposed at the Derby in 2007, you'd have been able to brag that you'd gotten engaged in the presence of Queen Elizabeth (probably best not to mention that it would have happened in the company of O. J. Simpson too). Macworld Conference & Expo, San Francisco This one's strictly for the fanboys. If you're an Apple-lover and want your love life to be as integrated as your hardware, propose at Macworld. The world's largest trade show dedicated to Apple technology has been held annually since 1985, most recently in San Francisco this past January. Before going, make sure you've saved on your iPhone the Robert Hess Macworld Memorial Events List, which catalogs the parties and other events taking place, and you'll have lots of options for a fun, fully geeky place to propose. If the conference itself isn't romantic enough for you, take a break and propose nearby while hiking in the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, or while looking out at the Golden Gate Bridge from Crissy Field. Regardless of where you propose, we hope you'll be as self-satisfied about your choice of a spouse as you are about your computer.

For many travelers, duty-free is a luxurious enigma wrapped up in discounted Swiss chocolate and soaked in tax-free vodka. Duty-free goods are mostly sold inside international airport terminals, ferry stations, cruise ports, and border stops. As the name implies, duty-free shops sell products without duty (a.k.a. local import tax). For example, by buying goods in a duty-free shop at Paris's Charles de Gaulle, you avoid paying the duty that France slaps on imported goods (like Swedish vodka) and that French stores ordinarily include as part of a product's list price. In Europe, there's a bonus perk: Duty-free shops in airports and ports are "tax-free shops," too, which means you are spared the value added tax (or V.A.T., a type of sales tax) that would otherwise be included in the price of goods sold elsewhere in the European Union. That means a savings of between 5 and 25 percent, depending on the country. But there's a catch for duty-free products bought in Europe and elsewhere. If you bring into the U.S. more than $800 worth of items purchased abroad—duty-free or not—you'll have to pay the U.S. duty. As a rule of thumb, Americans returning from overseas trips must pay 3 percent on the first $1,000 worth of merchandise over the $800 allowance. Import products worth even more than that and you may be taxed at a higher percentage. In short, duty-free is hit-or-miss for Americans. The best deals are on items labeled "tax free" and otherwise taxed heavily—such as alcohol and cigarettes. You may also find it worthwhile to shop in duty-free stores if you have some local currency left and would rather put it to use than redeem it for dollars (and get hit with the high conversion fee of a bank or currency exchange bureau). Not every duty-free item is a true bargain. Yngve Bia, president of the duty-free research company Generation Research, says price differences depend on two things: geography and currency exchange rates. "Right now, Heathrow and Gatwick in London offer good deals, especially for liquor, because of the weak British pound," he says. For example, a one-liter bottle of Absolut vodka has a typical non-duty-free price of about $30 at retail U.S. shops. But travelers can buy it for just $15 (£11) at duty free shops at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports. That's a significant savings. We found impressive discounts on booze elsewhere, too. One liter of Absolut sells for $17.50 (€13.50) at duty-free shops at Rome's and Brussels's main international airports, and for a bit more elsewhere, such as in Prague ($18.50, or 399 Czech koruna) and Munich ($21, or €16). Those prices offer substantial savings off the $30 benchmark price at a typical U.S. retail store. But be aware that American states may restrict how much alcohol you may import duty-free. There's a typical one-liter limit for all types of alcohol per person, though the rule depends on your state of residence and the country you've visited. (One exception: You can return from a visit to a Caribbean country with up to two liters of alcohol duty-free.) Cigarettes offer similar savings. Gatwick's duty-free shop sells a carton of Marlboro Reds for $36 (£26). The same carton goes for $27 (€20) at the airport in Rome. In New York—the state with the highest cigarette tax in the nation—a carton of Marlboro Reds goes for about $80. In a state with more-typical cigarette taxes, Minnesota, the price of a carton is $44—still higher than in duty-free shops. (Note: U.S. customs law allows you to import only up to 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars, whether you bought them at a duty-free shop or not.) But not everything in the duty-free shop is a steal. Duty-free stories once specialized in heavily taxed items, such as alcohol and tobacco products, but now they hawk other products that aren't as deeply discounted. When shopping for cosmetics and fragrances—which account for almost one third of all duty-free sales—you need to shop with savvy and persistence. A 1.7-liter bottle of Ralph Lauren Notorious EDP, for example, costs $46 (£33) at duty free shops at Gatwick while the Ralph Lauren store in Miami retails it for $59. That's a savings of almost 25 percent. Luxury goods—defined in duty-free stores as high-end watches, designer-name handbags, and the like—accounts for 36 percent of duty-free sales. But you need to comparison shop for these products to make sure that an item is truly on sale. A case in point: Sydney Airport's duty free shop sells Maui Jim Kula sunglasses for $368 (AUD$355). But shoppers can buy the same sunglasses off Maui Jim's website for $279—$89 less. In the end, if an item isn't liquor or cigarettes, be wary, and come prepared. Says Kathy Borrus, author of The Fearless Shopper: How to Get the Best Deals on the Planet, "If you know the price of something back home and you go to a duty-free store, you can compare and know what the bargain might be." Consider that United Airlines sells duty-free products on board many of its planes, and a few items are truly discounted. A Waterford Kilbarry Guilloche Pen sells for $72, which is a savings of $18 off the price at a Waterford store.

A year after the birth of her second child, Sugar Carroll, of Anchorage, Alaska, was ready for a break. "I've been sleeping in a recliner for the past year!" she says. Her husband, Bob, had been working a lot of long hours at an environmental company, so Sugar decided to take on the trip planning and give him a surprise vacation. Being a stay-at-home mom, though, meant that Sugar faced a few extra hurdles: "It's hard to reserve a hotel room with your husband's credit card without him finding out! I've had to stash cash for months to pay for the trip." Sugar chose Maui, not only for its sun and beaches, but for logistical reasons, too: She and Bob would stay at her cousin's house in Lahaina. Sugar contacted Bob's boss to arrange time off for him, asked her mother to babysit their two children. All she had to do then was concoct a cover: She and her mother were going to Las Vegas to visit Sugar's brother. Bob didn't blink. He even offered to drive them to the airport. On the day of the departure, as Bob was helping the women get their suitcases out of the car, Sugar turned to him and asked: "Will you miss me when I'm gone?" Bob replied, "Of course!" "And I shot back: 'No you won't because you're coming with me!'" says Sugar. That's when Sugar's mom hopped in the car, waved goodbye, and pulled away. Bob didn't believe it. "I was positive the other suitcase was her mother's," he admits. "But sure enough, it was filled with my clothes. I was absolutely floored. Tears started welling in my eyes." Bob was so discombobulated by the surprise that he let Sugar guide him through the check-in and security lines—and he had no idea he was headed to Maui until he and Sugar were at the gate. "When he realized what was going on, he shouted in the middle of the waiting area: 'Oh my god, we're going to Maui!'" says Sugar with a laugh. "Everyone else must have thought we were crazy." Sugar saved the Budget Travel Upgrade surprise for last: "I brought a copy of Budget Travel on board with me and began reading it," says Sugar. "I got to the last page, where the Upgrade is, and I turned to him and said 'Honey, listen to this! These readers wrote in about their vacation, and the magazine created this special experience for them. You think we should enter it?' He turned to me and said, 'I'm sure it's too late, Sugar.' That's when I said, 'What if I told you that I entered the contest and they picked us?' His response? 'Oh, whatever, Sugar.'" But Sugar had printed all the e-mail correspondence from Budget Travel and began reading the e-mails out loud—starting with the one that said, "We received your submission and we're thrilled to tell you that you're a finalist!" "He was totally shocked. It was awesome!" says Sugar. "It was just one, long continuous surprise," says Bob. "I couldn't believe it was really happening to me. She's pretty much got a get-out-of-jail-free card for life!"

Wendy Yanagihara: Hi there! This is Wendy Yanagihara writing to you from sunny (and snowy) Boulder, Colorado. I'm looking forward to chatting about Costa Rica and imagining where you'll be going (and wishing I were tagging along!)... So let me get to your questions. _______________________ New York City, N.Y.: I am going to Tamarindo for the week first week in February with 3 girlfriends. Are there any secret sites, beaches, expeditions, restaurants, etc. that we shouldn't miss? We are very active 50-year-olds. Thank you! Wendy Yanagihara: This sounds like fun! I can't remember the last time I got to go away with a bunch of my girlfriends. You'll get the lay of the land pretty quickly in Tamarindo. The beach there is great for learning how to surf, and the main drag is full of beachside cafes and shops full of sarongs and jewelry. If you're celebrating a special occasion, book a dinner at Dragonfly Bar & Grill or Carolina's Fine Dining. But elsewhere in town there are plenty of great, inexpensive places to eat: Olga's Coffee Shop, Smilin' Dog Taco Stop, Wok & Roll... Once you've gotten your fill of Tamarindo, there are some good places nearby to get away. Just across the inlet north of town, in fact, is the beach community of Playa Grande. Not only are the waves good (suitable for beginners, too), but you'll also be there during leatherback turtle nesting season. You can make arrangements from Tamarindo, but do this as soon as you get into town as the national park (Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas de Guanacaste) limits the number of visitors per night and you may have to wait a few days for an opening. You can drive to Playa Grande, which may be the best option, as hotels and restaurants are a bit spread out in Playa Grande. If you don't have a car, you can take a water taxi from Tamarindo, but you'll have to do a little walking along the beach once you get across. If you do rent a car, you can find tons of secret beaches both north and south of Tamarindo. The drives themselves can be an adventure, since most of these coastal roads are of the bumpy dirt variety. Head south to Playa Avellanas, Playa Negra or as far as Playa Junquillal. Each has its own village feel, with family-run restaurants where you can get a cheap, delicious plate of fish and gallo pinto (black beans and rice) and a beer. Go north and you'll find slightly more developed beach communities like Playa Brasilito. Any of these spots would make good day trips, which you can arrange through your hotel in Tamarindo or local travel agencies if you don't feel comfortable driving yourselves. _______________________ New Orleans, La.: I have wanted to visit Costa Rica with my 12-year-old daughter and 15-year-old, son but would like ideas as to which part to visit. I would love to see the volcanoes, the beach, and some wild life, but know we can't see it all in less than a week. What do you suggest to me as a single mother who tires easily? Wendy Yanagihara: One of the great things about Costa Rica is its size—it's small enough that you can spend about a week and get a good taste of the richness that the country has to offer. Luckily, you're also traveling with kids who are old enough to really appreciate a lot of this stuff. A good place to start would be the Volcan Arenal and Monteverde area. They're close enough that you can spend several days exploring both, and then move on to the beach to round out your stay. Arenal has spectacular nighttime views of lava flowing from the top of the volcano, and you can enjoy the hot springs and warm rivers heated by the tectonic activity. If your kids are active, you can also arrange day hikes or horseback rides through the rainforest here. Monteverde cloud forest is a three-hour 'jeep-boat-jeep' trip away from La Fortuna, the base town for Volcan Arenal. The cloud forest is a unique environment, and though you won't see a ton of wildlife here, it's justifiably famous for its lush beauty. You can do short hikes at Monteverde, and guided hikes are best as you're most likely to spot birds and other wildlife with an experienced guide. Around Santa Elena, the base town for Monteverde, there are lots of great things to do and see—horseback riding, a frog 'zoo' where you can see a dazzling variety of colorful frogs you might not see in the wild in CR, a bat 'zoo'...it also has a wonderful artistic community, so the town is scattered with little galleries, handicraft shops and even artists' ateliers. There are also some great restaurants her! You'll probably want to hit the beach after this, as it can get cool in Monteverde. You can easily reach the beaches on either coast with a few hours' travel. The Pacific coast is probably the easiest to access, and places like Jaco or Quepos are geared towards tourism. They have some lovely beaches and have excellent access to Parqe Nacional Manual Antonio, one of Costa Rica's most famous national parks. A must-visit if you've never been. For a more low-key beach experience, try the Nicoya Peninsula. Some places to do some basic research on, to see what fits your own preferences, would be Tamarindo, Playa Samara, and Montezuma. If you tire easily, pick a town and relax on the beach for a few days and let the kids take surfing lessons, canopy tours, and kayak trips. Have a great time! _______________________ Hull, Mass.: My boyfriend and I are planning a one-week trip to Costa Rica on March 28. I have been there twice before with tour groups. This time, we want some independence. We want to stay at least two days each in Arenal/La Fortuna and Monteverde. We don't know what to plan for the remaining days with the limited time we have left. Could you suggest something that won't require too much travel? We also would like some advice about travel options in the country. The price to rent a car seems expensive but we don't want to take the buses. Any suggestions? Wendy Yanagihara: Since you only have a week, I'd settle on a spot and explore more deeply. Costa Rica is a small country, so it's tempting to run around trying to see as much as you can, but there's a lot to be said for the Tico mindset—take it easy and enjoy yourself. Since you'll be around Arenal and Monteverde for a few days, I'd recommend heading for the coast after that. It wouldn't require more than several hours of travel to get to either coast. The Caribbean side has a very different flavor from much of Costa Rica, due to the influence of Afro-Caribbean culture. A great place to base yourself on that side would be Puerto Viejo de Talamanca—you'll have black- and white-sand beaches and small villages to explore, access to activities like surfing and river rafting, and a sloth rescue center where you can get up close with some of the most adorable animals in Costa Rica. On the Pacific side, I'd head for the Nicoya Peninsula. Choose a town and base yourself there, then see how far you want to explore once there. If you're looking for something peaceful and less touristy, I'd give Tamarindo a miss and head south. Playa Samara is on the smaller side but there's a decent variety of things to do there—kayaking, surfing, snorkeling, a canopy tour, horseback riding. It's definitely small but a great place if you want to relax, with good beachside bars and little places to eat. Or to get even farther away, go to Montezuma on the far south of the peninsula, which has a hippie vibe and lots of things to do apart from lazing on the beach—a waterfall with several pools to explore, a butterfly garden, snorkeling, and an artsy feel. Renting a car can be expensive, and I'm assuming you mean you don't want to take public buses. Public buses in Costa Rica are actually pretty comfortable, very cheap and easy to negotiate. But private bus companies like Fantasy Bus or Interbus cater to tourists and run to and from popular towns. They're obviously quite a bit pricier than public buses, but they're very convenient and more comfortable. Traveling independently in CR is a breeze; I think you'll enjoy it much better than being on a tour. _______________________ Los Angeles, Calif.: My friends and I were planning a trip for March. Do you think we should still go so soon after the earthquake? If so, what areas are the safest and best to stay in? Wendy Yanagihara: Costa Rica is one of those countries along the Pacific Rim, which means that along with the volcanoes, hot springs and gorgeous landscape, earthquakes are a fairly unpredictable reality. But this is also true of California, and hey, you live in L.A.! Since tectonic events are near impossible to predict and I'm not an earthquake expert, I would go with your own comfort level. Costa Rica is not a completely developed country, and it happened that most of the people who died in the last earthquake were in one small shop that was buried in a landslide. From what I understand, Costa Rica is on several small fault lines, so I couldn't say what the 'safest' places might be. For the time being, I would avoid the area around Volcan Poas and La Paz Waterfall (the road near here has collapsed, according to local reports). Good luck! _______________________ Charlotte, N.C.: Wendy, my fiancee and I are planning a trip to Costa Rica for the last week in March 2009. Do you know of any resorts or hotels on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica that specialize in elopement packages? Thanks! Wendy Yanagihara: Eloping to Costa Rica, eh? Awww. I know a couple who, while they didn't elope, had a fantastic trip to Hotel Punta Islita. It's actually on the southern half of the Nicoya Peninsula (which is on the Pacific side). This is a gorgeous, fairly isolated spot to get away to. I think my friends flew from San Jose or Liberia into Playa Carrillo, several miles from Punta Islita, so that's a possibility if your budget allows. Hope that helps! _______________________ Miami Lakes, Fla.: Hi. We've heard there is a lot of crime and petty theft in Costa Rica and that tourists are a prime target. What's your take on this? Thanks, Jaime Wendy Yanagihara: Hi, Jaime. Outside of San Jose, I'd say petty or opportunistic theft is the most common crime in CR, though I wouldn't characterize theft as being rampant. Tourists are targeted because they're perceived as being rich—and are rich, compared with many locals. However, taking the usual precautions should help. This means not wearing flashy jewelry, or a lot of jewelry, not leaving luggage or surfboards in a rental car, keeping your passport and bulk of your cash in a moneybelt and keeping what you need for the day in a wallet you wouldn't mind losing. I would not let these concerns keep me from traveling to Costa Rica, and chances are you'll have a worry-free trip. _______________________ Wendy Yanagihara: Wow, there are so many questions I couldn't get to, but I hope some of that info was useful to you. One of the joys of traveling in Costa Rica is that you pretty much can't go wrong once outside of San Jose. My best advice would be to not overbook yourself and take your time enjoying one region, or a couple of places you're intrigued with. From the U.S., it's easy enough to return again (much like some visitors on this forum!) to explore the spots you missed the first time around. I apologize if I didn't get to your question today, but check out our Lonely Planet guide to Costa Rica that was published in October. I and my co-authors Matt Firestone and Guyan Mitra worked hard to get the most accurate and up-to-date travel info on this beautiful country. Thanks so much for coming to this chat! Buen viaje! ~Wendy