Micro Trips

From Austin and Bangkok to Marrakesh and Sydney, Lonely Planet presents the best trips within three hours of 60 of the world’s most popular cities. With sights, activities and hidden gems built around themes like culture, the outdoors, and cuisine, there’s no end to the amazing ideas you’ll find for your next urban escape or long layover, or the new experiences you’ll discover to enjoy in your own backyard.

The cities in this book could fill a lifetime of new experiences, but a short trip by train, bus or car opens an even greater world to explore. In Micro Trips we challenge you to look beyond the city limits for your next adventure.

An hour and 40 minutes from Cape Town you can spy breaching whales from the cliff path at Hermanus; within two hours of Manhattan you can surf at Rockaway Beach; and just outside Běijīng you can choose between rafting a scenic gorge, visiting Jin era temples or hiking along the Great Wall.

Each city is presented with a map of the surrounding area pinpointed with up to 18 of the most notable things to do within three hours’ travel time. Each excursion is color-coded to denote outdoor pursuits, arts and culture, history, festivals and events, film and music, or food and drink.

Special sections include Africa’s best beach towns, Japan’s best onsen retreats, the best food & drink tours in North America, Europe’s finest off-the-beaten-track wineries, Oceania’s most fascinating indigenous experiences, and the top wildlife watching destinations in Latin America.