PERHAPS A GIFT VOUCHER FOR MUM?: MOTHER'S DAY
Ann Marie Brown made her first solo trip to Yosemite at age 22. Like many first-time visitors, she was immediately inspired by the Valley's sheer granite walls and shimmering waterfalls. Parking her car at the first trailhead she saw, she set off on the Four-Mile Trail. Carrying nothing but a water bottle, she intended to hike only a short distance but was so wowed by the scenery that she kept on walking. Two hours later she found herself at Glacier Point, considered by many to be the grandest viewpoint in the West. Scanning the scene, she noticed tourists dressed in everything from high heels to a nun's habit, and realized that she could have driven to Glacier Point instead of walking. Ann Marie vowed she'd never again go hiking without a map. More than two decades later, Ann Marie has gained substantially more outdoor savvy and is a dedicated California outdoorswoman. She hikes, camps, and bikes more than 150 days each year. She is the author of 13 Moon guides, including several outdoors titles, like Moon 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area, and is the co-author of Moon Northern California Hiking. Her work has also appeared in Sunset, VIA, and California magazines.
"""Far from narrow minded, each Moon travel guide gives itinerary options for a variety of travelers' budgets--from frugal to lavish. They make books catering to those who love the outdoors, those who have limited time, those staying exclusively in cities and those who've fully committed to living abroad. In all, they have hundreds of titles, ranging Bermuda to Budapest, that'll teach you to embrace a new culture.""--Gear Patrol, ""The Best Travel Guidebooks for Every Journey"" ""Moon guides are perfect for the relaxed road tripper or outdoor explorer.""--No Small Plan ""Moon handbooks are always a pleasure to read. The writing is crisp, the research impressive, and the recommendations practical and down to earth.""--Chicago Tribune ""Moon handbooks are known for cannily combining logistical information with cultural background of a country or state.""--Los Angeles Times ""Moon handbooks have become known as well-written and exceptionally informative guides.""--The New York Times ""The books are more easily readable than other guides. The main attractions are also marked with a special icon and sidebars and boxes highlight special information, making the Moon handbooks one of the most user-friendly guides in terms of visual appeal and organization...the quality is uniformly excellent.""--Transitions Abroad"
