I'd like to try to teach myself some Spanish before our trip next spring. Can anyone recommend tapes/CDs or software (Macintosh) which will help an adult beginner? Many thanks!

My wife and I have used the Rosetta Stone with good success. I have had better luck with it than I did with a hands-on Berlitz course. Good luck.

My husband said he'd take me back if I learned Spanish--talk about incentive--so we're going back in Nov. Here's what I've been doing--
signed up for Spanish classes at the local junior college
checked out the Pimsleur System called Spanish Speak, Read & Think Essential Spanish from the library
Bought CD Ram series Instant Immersion Spanish from Costco
Bought Spanish for Idiots from Costco
Renting many Spanish films--Talk to Her, All About My Mother, Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Can I speak Spanish now? Un poco. Pero intento.

Good luck! Look at it this way--it's better than not trying at all (and learning a foreign language is supposed to help your mind stay young.)

Enjoy yourself. Spain is wonderful!

Check out www.unforgettablelanguages.com. There is a demo. I think it uses some sort of visual association method. Looks very compelling! I was thinking of ordering it to assist my son in his foreign language class. I wonder if anyone else knows anything about it.

Artlover: I'm doing just about the same things you are to learn Spanish. I loved Spain after our first trip there but wanted to be able to communicate better so I tried a couple of computer software programs (one better than the other but the CD became defective so I no longer use it); took a couple of 8 week evening classes at a high school half an hour away (not enough material covered but a good intro); and finally just signed up for a regular 3x/week course at the local college (I have a great boss who lets me leave to go to class); that has been the best so far, although I also try to get together with one of the students occasionally to chat in Spanish and have found a local woman from Honduras who's working on her English and we help each other. I have purchased all 3 levels of Pimsleur's tapes and found them VERY helpful and have continued to listen to them over & over when I'm in the car. Ahora, entiendo un pocito pero puedo hablar casi todo el tiempo y decir cualquier que quiero! Es divertido, no?

Gail,
Si, es divertido, but you're way ahead of me! If you (or anyone) live in the Seattle area--I'm organizing a Spanish lesson/study group with a really good teacher. If you're interested, let me know.