Treat yourself to one of these great drives, islands,
beach towns, lakes, or wilderness escapes
Cowboy cool in Cody, WY
Grab your cowboy hat and hit the rodeo in this wild west town.
Mountain trail horseback rides and whitewater rafting
are just a few of the adventures that await you.
Vineyard hop in Geyserville, CA
Sip some poolside vino in low-key Northern California.
More: Explore Geyserville, CA
Hang ten on San Diego's Solana Beach
Visit artsy, cool shops, munch on good eats, or catch
some waves at picturesque Solana Beach.
History lesson in Jerome, AZ
Explore this old mining town and you'll find an up-and-coming art scene,
handmade pottery, and a refreshing cooler temperature than nearby Phoenix.
More: Discover Jerome, Ariz.
Splash around in Cascade, ID
Explore nature's very own water world in Cascade, Idaho.
Sparkling lakes, flowing rivers, and natural hot springs
boast fun activities for the whole family.
More: Visit Cascade, Idaho
On a budget in Ashland, OR
See a world-class play, hear live music, wander galleries,
and beat the heat in woodsy 93-acre Lithia Park.
Here's what to do, where to eat, and where to stay on a bargain weekend
in Southern Oregon's famous culture town.
Sun and surf in Huntington Beach, CA
Whether you're carving up the waves or watching the pros from the sand,
this classic beach-town will work its charms on you.
Here's where to stay, get lobster tacos, watch the surfers, and learn to catch a wave.
Escape to Edmonds, WA
Summer brings out the all-American spirit in this small waterfront ferry port town.
Grab some gourmet picnic grub and head to the beach,
or hop a ferry for a scenic tour of the nearby Kitsap Peninsula.
More: Escape to Edmonds, WA
Cool off in Sierra City, CA
In summertime, a cool pine forest laced with bracing-cold streams sounds just right.
Take a dip in ice-cold swimming holes, hike through fields of wildflowers,
then jump back into the crisp alpine waters to cool off again.
More: Cool off in Sierra City
Surrounded by nature in Sawtooth Mountains, ID
Imagine a national park-level wilderness without national park-level crowds.
No bus tours. No traffic. No entrance fees.
Just drop-to-your-knees gorgeous land full of hiking trails, hot springs,
trout-filled streams, and some of the best lemonade we've ever tasted.
Raise your sail in Gig Harbor, WA
Set sail—or just watch the boats glide by—in this mile-long harbor town.
Rent a boat, watch one being made, or count them up in the harbor,
then feast on the catch of the day at a local tavern.
More: A day in Gig Harbor
Take in the beauty of Maui, HI
Maui’s got all the essentials for the ultimate tropical vacation.
Snorkel, shop, head out on a horseback ride, and enjoy the island's immense beauty.
More: Insider's guide to Maui
One perfect day in Yosemite
See the sun rise over glistening meadows, trek to three waterfalls,
eat lunch beneath El Capitan—and still have time for an ice cream break.
Here's our hour-by-hour breakdown of the perfect day in Yosemite.
More: A scenic day in yosemite
Explore nature in San Juan Islands, WA
A long summer weekend in Washington's San Juan Islands is just enough
time to savor the area’s patented pleasures: orcas and eagles, kayaking and hiking,
and a food scene that shows the influence of a burgeoning slow-food movement.
Sparkling scenery at Lake Tahoe
Clear, blue, and still a classic: Summer in Tahoe is the same as it ever was.
Go for a sunset sail, take a shot at paddleboarding, or find a slice of beach
and take in the to-die-for beauty.
More: Lake Tahoe summer
Go wine tasting in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley
This achingly beautiful wine country is in full-throttle discovery mode,
with new wineries and different kinds of grapes going in all the time ―
nearly 60 varietals, planted all over the benchlands, hillsides, and valley floor.
Add to this the Okanagan's pristine lakes, orchards,
and wide range of non-wine-related things for the whole family to do
(from riding the century-old Kettle Valley steam train to biking and hiking),
and you have a wine-country experience like no other.
Kayak through Denver, CO
Rock the South Platte River's rapids or simply relax on the banks of Confluence Park
and sip a beer at notorious Beat Generation hangout My Brother's Bar.
More: Denver by kayak
Pour a glass in Oregon's Willamette Valley wine country
With luxe new inns and tons of tasting rooms,
Willamette is ready for prime time.
You can get lost on the backcountry roads but always
find a good glass of Pinot around the bend.
And now, with new hotels opening and tasting rooms
mustering in towns like Carlton, you can experience the valley’s off-the-beaten-path
vibe yet have the comforts of a soft bed close by.
More: Oregon's wine country
Road trip through Yellowstone, WY
This is the granddaddy of national parks, full of waterfalls, bison, and geysers.
From cabins to fishing to camping, here's our tips on what to do,
where to eat, and where to stay.
Tear up the road on Big Sky drive, MT
Hit the road this summer on an epic road trip through the
Rocky Mountain Front to Glacier National Park.
You'll pass through Montana's Rockies through the plains and you can
stop to explore tipi villages, hunt for dinosaur bones and Indian relics,
stay at a guest ranch, and catch a small town rodeo.
More: Big Sky drive
Cruise along Highway 395 in the Eastern Sierra
Hop from lake to forest to charming mountain town on the Sierra’s eastern slope.
More:
Delicious eats in Long Beach Peninsula, WA
If you like oysters ― we're talking just-harvested Willapa Bays ―
you'll love the Long Beach Peninsula.
Discover Prince William Sound, AK
Adventure therapy? Paddling the pristine Prince William Sound ―
alongside humpback whales, floating icebergs, and 350-pound sea lions ―
soothes Sunset's editor-in-chief.
Pristine waters in Idaho's lake country
Deep, blue, and busy are three words that sum up three of the
West's most beautiful lakes: Coeur d'Alene, Pend Oreille, and Priest.
Each has its own character -- Coeur d'Alene's got boats and golf and high-end resorts;
Pend Oreille has the little town of Sandpoint; and Priest has huckleberry pie.
More: Idaho's lake country
Family time on the Southern Oregon Coast
First-time family camping is best done by car.
There's nowhere more fun than this boulder-strewn,
hermit-crab-crawling stretch of the Southern Oregon Coast.
Natural surroundings in Olympic National Park, WA
A national park to yourself? In prime summertime? Yup ―
it's possible in superlush Olympic ― the greenest, wettest, wildest of the bunch.
Fresh and organic in Lummi Island, WA
Calling all locavores to this little land of blackberries,
just-plucked salad greens, and sustainable salmon.
Paddle through North and South Pender Island, BC
The Southern Gulf Islands is a paradise for paddlers ―
and anyone who loves hidden beaches small farms, and seaside spas.
Relax and refresh in Sooke, Vancouver Island
Escape to the wild seaside on the south coast of Vancouver Island.
You'll need a car to drive the pretty back roads, where there is a meadery and honey farm,
but you can also rent a bike and pedal the Galloping Goose Trail.
Cap it off with a stay at the artsy Sooke Harbour House.
Berries seem to hang on every bush in the summer.
Embrace nature in Lassen Peak, CA
All the scenery of Yosemite, but without the crowds.
Amazing eats in Point Reyes/Tomales Bay, CA
An hour from San Francisco, you’ll find rolling hills, a placid bay, wild coastline ―
and some of the most amazing food anywhere.
More: Savor Tomales Bay
Tour the coast from Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz, CA
Just south of San Francisco, mile after mile of undeveloped, rugged coastline.
More:
Pitch your tent the West's best campgrounds
Camping is the ultimate bargain getaway. From the rim of the Grand Canyon
to the sweeping Arch Rock Campground in Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park,
here are 90 great spots to roll out your sleeping bag.
Soak up some sun on Catalina Island, CA
This is an island retreat only 40 minutes by ferry from the mainland.
You can splash around on Avalon Beach, stroll through the harbor town of Avalon,
or take a jeep tour of the wild backcountry.
Get sandy on the waterfront in Santa Barbara, CA
Tall palm trees, a great sweep of beach and wine country just over the San Marcos pass.
This is the beach town off 101.
Cultural experience in Sante Fe, NM
The high-altitude capital of New Mexico is an ideal summer escape.
See a different side of it with our picks for 4 ways to
experience Japan without leaving the city.
More: Find Japan in Santa Fe
Make a pit stop in Williams, AZ
This tiny Route 66 town has been dubbed the gateway to the Grand Canyon,
but it’s much more than a refueling stop along the way.
Take in Old West history at Wild West Junction, shop in the reinvigorated downtown,
and explore the town’s own secret ― and dazzling ― canyon.
Williams: The town next door
Have some fun in San Diego, CA
What to do, where to stay, and where to eat in the city's
three best neighborhoods for summer fun
More: San Diego getaway
5 comments:
I was really hoping Colorado would be on here and it was!! I will have to hit up this kayaking trip sometime this summer! They should have done something with hiking though.. it's amazing here!
P.s. I'm having an awesome Anthro giveaway on my blog today.. check it out :)
http://samisshenanigans.blogspot.com/2012/05/100-follower-giveaway.html
I so love this!! And am totally saving it for future reference. Thanks!
loads of ool things to do-swim in lake tahoe-yes please. a japanese experience in santa fe is a bit funny though...
I just bought Sunset at the grocery store yesterday! The summer trip stuff sucked me in. :)
Also - i was actually born in Cody, Wyoming but have been in Cali since I was nine. I am going back up there this summer to visit my mom while she is working at Yellowstone! So, good advice, I'd say. ;)
oh if i could just take the entire summer and travel the west... cheers to dreaming!
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