Summer doesn鈥檛 officially kick off until June 20 at summer solstice. But let鈥檚 be honest: if you haven鈥檛 dialed in your summer plans by then, you’ll be behind everyone else already dialing in their plans.

To help you single out a few long weekend summer destinations, I put together a list of can鈥檛-miss trips that will satisfy just about everyone, no matter their preferences. This year, we鈥檙e focusing strictly on homegrown adventures鈥攆or a few reasons. First, the this year, because of their dislike of 鈥ou know who. This means fewer tourists in many of the country鈥檚 most popular spots, like national parks. It could also translate to cheaper bookings. What’s more,听considering the seemingly intractable divide inside our own borders, there may be no better time to take a chance to reacquaint ourselves with our neighbors.

Now is the time to start planning your next outdoor adventure. Here’s our list of the best weekend summer trips to plan for in 2025. Consider this your guide to your greatest听summer yet.

Columbia River Gorge, Oregon and Washington

Why now: Cutting through the Cascade Mountains for 80 miles, The Gorge, as it is known, is the in the U.S. It has it all, including the undisputed windsurfing capital of North America, Hood River. It鈥檚 also home to an increasing number of craft breweries, farm-to-table restaurants, boutique wineries, and all the other gastronomic offerings that helped make Portland, at the western end of the gorge, a foodie capital. In short, for a multisport destination in the heat of the summer, the Gorge is hard to beat.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: For hiking, , which reopened in 2021 after a 2017 fire, is one of the most popular trails in the area鈥攁nd with good reason. It courses through the temperate rainforest, past tall basalt cliffs, and over a narrow gorge 150 feet above the creek at High Falls. For mountain biking, , on the Oregon side of the gorge, offers everything from beginner to advanced cross-country rides. For water activities, Hood River serves as the obvious鈥攁nd best鈥攂ase area, with kitesurfing and kayak rentals and lessons available along the waterfront.

Pro tip: A is required for accessing many of the hiking areas in the national scenic area.

Where to stay: This spring, glamping company unveiled its new camp, set on a stunning 120-acre property in Washington鈥檚 White Salmon River Valley, with views of Mount Hood (from $229).

Anywhere on the Appalachian Trail

Why now: America鈥檚 legendary offers practically endless section-hiking opportunities come summer, and this year thethe nonprofit devoted to protecting and managing the trail, celebrates its centennial. Festivities are planned along the trail鈥檚 entire length, including in popular AT communities like Harrisonburg, Virginia (), and Hot Springs, North Carolina (). But the primary event听is the ATC鈥檚 in Washington, D.C., on June 11, which is bringing together long-time supporters, partner organizations, and public officials to raise funds to protect the , the world鈥檚 longest hiking-only trail.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: For a weekend trip, the only practical way to hike the AT is to tackle sections, and the trail is intentionally routed away from towns, so camping is really the only option if you鈥檙e overnighting it. That is unless you decide to stay at a sort of base-camp town near your route鈥攁 place like Highlands, North Carolina, or Weston, Vermont. Highlands, roughly 30 minutes east of the AT and situated within the, is the quintessential southern mountain town, with stellar swimming, fishing, and paddling nearby. Weston, a small village on the east side of , is full of country charm and easy access to adventure opportunities, including four nearby ski resorts.

Pro tip: If you want to hike significant portions of the trail and avoid carrying a tent, the ATC has good recommendations for .

Where to stay: In Highlands, opt for the new , a 14-room boutique hotel full of Appalachian charm and adventure bonafides, not to mention a front porch that鈥檚 perfect for relaxing after a day鈥檚 hike (from $169). In Weston, it鈥檚 hard to beat the recently-opened , a 9-room retreat that鈥檚 owned by the family behind some of the world鈥檚 most iconic hotels, like New York City鈥檚 The Carlyle (from $450).

Big Sky, Montana

Why now: For years, Big Sky was basically a winter-only destination, in large part because the alpine valley didn鈥檛 offer much in the way of tourist infrastructure or nighttime fun. That鈥檚 all changed in recent years as the resort has attracted a raft of new and upgraded lodging options, including the upscale and the upcoming , which opens in November. Along with the lodging came new restaurants, coffee shops, and added amenities for year-round adventures. The combined effect has turned Big Sky into a legitimate year-round destination.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Staying in the valley means it鈥檚 easier to take advantage of the nearby adventure options, including fly-fishing on the Gallatin River, lift-accessed mountain-biking from the base village, and touring nearby Yellowstone National Park. One of the best day hikes in the area is the 5.4-mile out-and-back Lava Lake Trail, which ends at an alpine lake with stunning views of the Spanish Peaks.

Pro tip: It鈥檚 usually most convenient to stay in , slightly down valley from the ski area, because it offers walking access to great coffee shops like Blue Moon Bakery, the farmer鈥檚 market (every Wednesday night June through September), and good restaurants like The Rocks Tasting Room and Liquor Store.

Where to stay: , which opened in 2019, is in the heart of the town center and has 129 suite rooms with full kitchens, a living area, and a workspace (from $274).

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

Why now: Wrightsville Beach, a tiny hamlet on a barrier island, has quietly emerged as a world-class water-sports capital with a few upgraded lodging options that make it worthy of a long weekend stay. There鈥檚 excellent surfing, SUPing, and lounging on five miles of wide, sandy beaches. Fishing is central to the culture here, as is surfing, and there are waves for riders of all levels, meaning it鈥檚 a great place for lessons and surf camps.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: With multiple waterways and miles of wild terrain, paddling is one of the most popular summertime activities at Wrightsville Beach. An excellent, if remote, paddling destination is , the largest undisturbed barrier island along North Carolina鈥檚 southern coast. The Reserve, as locals call it, is across the channel from Wrightsville Beach and can only be reached by boat. But once there, trails connect the bayside to the ocean, and hiking them is a good way to spot one of the island鈥檚 rarer bird species, like the American oystercatcher or the Least terns.

Pro tip: If you鈥檙e looking for nightlife and cultural activities, Wilmington, just 10 minutes away, is full of museums, boutique shops, and a historic downtown.

Where to stay: In January, outdoor-focused hotel brand opened , a reimagined beach resort set on 3.5 acres of oceanfront property. As one of few hotels on the East Coast with both beach and sound access, every room has a water view.

The Erie Canal, New York

Why now: This year marks the of the waterway that transformed the Eastern Seaboard, and yet few people even know where the canal is located. As it happens, it courses through 365 miles of amazing New York scenery鈥攔olling hills, winding river valleys, lush farmland, and historic towns鈥攆rom Lake Erie in the West to the Hudson River in the East. To commemorate the bicentennial, the state is holding a series of , many of which include recreational opportunities.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: The is full of outdoor adventures, including the , 450 miles of canals and interconnected lakes and rivers with more than 140 access points. There鈥檚 also an equally amazing bike path along the canal, the , with 360 miles of mostly pathway riding. For cyclists, it doesn鈥檛 get much better, or quainter, than this ride, with sections through the Finger Lakes region and Mohawk Valley.

Pro tip: One of the most unique experiences to be had on the water is kayaking through the Waterford Flight, a series of five locks that lift vessels from the Hudson River to the Mohawk River, bypassing Cohoes Falls, with a total gain of 169 feet in just over 1.5 miles.

Where to stay: The NYS Canal Corporation offers along the canal for hikers, bikers, and paddlers during the summer (fees vary on location). For access points and campsites, the state offers an excellent .

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Why now: This year, Voyageurs park, 218,000 acres of pristine lakes and North Woods forests, is celebrating its 听 听As part of the celebration, it鈥檚, where you can learn about the park鈥檚 landscapes and history. It鈥檚 also where you can pick up your permits when venturing into the park鈥檚 interior, which is exactly what you should do.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: The park is a patchwork of land, water, and wetlands, and paddling is a mandatory experience, as is camping. At night, the stars come out, and the occasional auroras. As a designated International Dark Sky Park, there is no light pollution to diminish the view. Voyageurs is famed for its campsites, and it has (and over 270 total) located shoreside. They all require a watercraft to get to, and they鈥檙e all great for experiencing the Milky Way.

Pro tip: One of the more unique experiences you can have in the park is sleeping on a . With the boat as your base camp, you can motor to remote coves and then use kayaks or a canoe to fish for walleyes and explore the area by manual, then return to an actual bed come nightfall.

Where to stay: There are various houseboat rental companies , but 360-square-mile Rainey Lake, on the border with Canada, is usually the best bet for a true wilderness experience while on a houseboat.

Sonoma County, California

Why now: California鈥檚 Sonoma County, roughly an hour north of San Francisco, gets plenty of attention for its wineries but [[it]] often gets overlooked for its commitment to adventure. Case in point: This year is helping expand by that will help connect all of its protected land from the Russian River to the Pacific Ocean. In the future, the new land acquisition will feature hiking and mountain biking trails through ancient redwood forests. In the meantime, Sonoma still has plenty of hiking opportunities鈥� across the county鈥檚 park system.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Sonoma County has it all鈥攈iking in the redwood forests, paddling and tubing down the Russian River, even SUPing along the coast on Bodega Bay. It鈥檚 also become one of the best destinations in the state for road cycling, and one of the area鈥檚 more popular rides is a around Healdsburg, with rolling roads that go past many of the area鈥檚 wineries.

Pro tip: The town of Healdsburg has dozens of hotels, most of which cater to Bay Area folk coming up for wine tastings. Instead, book in Guerneville, a rustic hamlet on the shores of the Russian River surrounded by towering redwood trees.

Where to stay: , a glamping resort set in a redwood grove, opened this Memorial Day. It’s a welcoming mashup between a national park campground and a private Soho House-style members club (from $315).

Denver, Colorado

Why now: The Mile High City has always been a great jumping off point for Rocky Mountain fun, but it continues to evolve as a world-class urban adventure hub in itself. This year, the city bolsters that reputation with the . The private golf course, which closed up shop in 2018, is the largest addition to Denver鈥檚 park system in more than a century. on how to best use the site overall, but this summer the city will restore portions of it with native plant species and walking trails, even a dog park, until it finalizes how to reimagine the site overall.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Denver delivers more than 850 miles of paved, off-street biking and walking trails, including the slopestyle MTB course, dirt jumps, and pump tracks at . For paddlers, , at the intersection of Cherry Creek and the South Platte, is just minutes from downtown and has man-made kayak chutes for playboating.

Pro tip: Denver鈥檚 River North Arts District (RiNo) has transformed itself over the last decade into a world-class creative hub. It also offers easy access to the city鈥檚 many outdoor adventures, including walking access to the 32-mile long . Book here if you鈥檙e staying in town.

Where to stay: , a combination boutique hotel, artisan market hall, and creative hub, is a good base camp in RiNo, with sparse but comfortable rooms, and even a free beer at check-in (from $224 per night).

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Why now: This island, 26 miles off Cape Cod, is known more for its popped-collar crowd than its outdoor adventures, but it鈥檚 full of outdoor fun come summer鈥攆rom paddling in Nantucket Harbor to sailing on the open Atlantic. Until the last few years, the island鈥檚 hotels were fairly, well鈥tale. Not anymore. The historic underwent a massive refresh recently (from $645), as did the , which offer complimentary access to bicycles, fishing rods for kids, and shuttles to the beach (from $570 per night). So now there鈥檚 great adventures and great places to stay.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: One of the best ways to experience Nantucket’s rugged side is by hiking in the , over 1,100 acres of beach dunes covered with bayberry bushes, heather, and beach grass. There are 16 miles of over-sand vehicle routes, but walking on the eastern beaches offers an easy way to get a taste of the island鈥檚 remoteness.

Pro tip: The island鈥檚 windswept beaches and sharp points make landing a trophy striped bass, bluefish, or false albacore a real possibility. Many people even fly-fish for them from shore. Great Point, in the shadow of the , is one of the most popular areas for surfcasting. Book a guide at .

Where to stay: The 65-year-old , which reopened in May after a multi-year renovation from a down-and-out motel into a retro-chic hotel, has听91 hotel rooms, a courtyard pool, and a new lobby, bar, and restaurant.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Why now: Glacier Bay National Park, with its 3.3 million acres of mountains, glaciers, rainforest, and fjords, is celebrating 听its centennial this year. Established as a , the park is as wild as it gets, with opportunities to witness calving glaciers, paddle in the same waters as puffins and whales, and hike through old-growth forests dripping with lichen and moss.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Getting on the water is essential if you want to experience the park鈥檚 true majesty鈥攚hether it鈥檚 a boat tour, kayaking in the fjords, river-rafting, or fishing in the bay.

Pro tip: The park鈥檚 glaciers, over 1,000 of them, are worth seeing up close, and the best way to do that is with a in the backcountry. Of course, if you want to stretch your legs on land, the relaxed are worthwhile.

Where to stay: Not many people stay overnight in the park, as most are visiting on cruise ships. But if you want to crash for a night or two inside Glacier Bay鈥檚 boundaries, the best option is the historic , in Bartlett Cove (from $274). The rooms are basic, but you鈥檙e right in the park itself, so you can explore on foot, plus the lodge offers a daily boat tour on its highspeed catamaran.

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Why now: In April, Chattanooga was named North America’s first National Park City for its commitment to integrating nature and urban life. The recognition was the final cherry on top of a long, dramatic transformation for a city that was one of the most polluted in the U.S.in the 1970s. Today, it鈥檚 a top outdoor destination.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Chattanooga, population 185,000, sits in the foothills of the Southern Appalachians, so outdoor adventures are never far. There鈥檚 kayaking and SUPing on the Tennessee River, which winds through downtown, and 100 miles of singletrack within 20 miles of town. This includes 92-acre , a wooded wilderness inside city limits with 6 miles of flowy singletrack. The area has also become a hotbed of rock climbing, and the most popular crag for out-of-towners is , a bouldering area 20 miles north of downtown with 400 problems on high quality sandstone.

Pro tip: 听For traditional climbers, the in is widely considered one of the best climbing areas in the country.

Where to Stay: For those looking for a little comfort and access to Chattanooga鈥檚 cultural side, the (from $165) is an unpretentious but upscale hotel located in the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo district. The hotel even has renovated Pullman train carriages from the early 20th century that you can book for an overnight stay.

Maui, Hawaii

Why now: Since wildfires ravaged the island in the summer of 2023, Maui has labored mightily to recover. There is still much work to be done, but increasingly the island needs tourists to help it return to a sense of normalcy. The has gone so far as to say that 鈥渢he best way to support Maui is through travel.鈥�

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Hawaii may not be a top-of-mind destination come summer, but the temperatures are nearly perfect, ranging from the mid-70s to upper-80s. The rains have ceased, and the ocean is calmer, making way for more snorkeling and paddling opportunities. Hiking in Haleakal膩 National Park is still great. And all the amazing farm-to-table restaurants, empty stretches of sand, and vibrant towns鈥攍ike Wailuku, P膩驶ia, and Makawao, welcome fewer guests than in the high season.

Pro tip: To help encourage tourists to come back and visit meaningfully, the Hawai鈥檌 Tourism Authority created the , where people signing up for a dedicated volunteer opportunity can qualify for special discounts at participating hotels. A list of opportunities is available .

Where to stay: For a heavier dose of adrenaline, look toward the eastern, windward side of the island. It鈥檚 a remote, rugged, and lush landscape that鈥檚 full of waterfalls and vivid green hues. Hana is the main town on this side of the island, and one of the better upscale lodging options is the , a historic inn recently upgraded into a full-service resort with an off-the-grid vibe (from $450).

Boise, Idaho

Why now: Idaho鈥檚 capital has long been considered one of the mountain West鈥檚 most accessible outdoors hubs. Now an influx of investment dollars, along with coastal transplants since the pandemic, has helped turn downtown into a thriving locus of cultural, gastronomic, and commercial energy. New hotels, shops, and restaurants have added dynamism to a city that could often feel one-note. It鈥檚 ripe for a long weekend trip.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: The parallels the river for 25 miles right through the heart of the city, offering tree-lined paths for walking and biking. At the , just downstream of downtown, three engineered waves create one of the West鈥檚 great urban whitewater playgrounds. And the river also makes for great flatwater SUP outings come summer.

Pro tip: The city鈥檚 Ridge to Rivers Tail System, a vast network of over 190 miles worth of interconnected hiking and biking trails in the Boise Foothills, is getting two new trails. The 2.9-mile Curlew Connection Trail was completed last fall and construction on the 2-mile Sideshow Trail, a downhill-specific mountain bike trail, began this spring.

Where to stay: (from $171) is one of the newest and best entrants on the scene, with 122 rooms, a rooftop lounge called The Highlander, and the Baraboo Supper Club, a chophouse-style restaurant that feels more like a neighborhood joint.

Traverse City, Michigan

Why now: Traverse City, in northwest Michigan, is home to sandy beaches, award-winning vineyards, great restaurants, eight historic lighthouses, and . It鈥檚 also been on a bit of a development spree in the last few years, with a number of name brand hotels opening or breaking ground. The hotels鈥擣airfield by Marriott Inn & Suites, Hyatt House, etc.鈥攁re all standard fare, but together they demonstrate a bullish outlook investors have in the city鈥檚 year-round tourism potential.

国产吃瓜黑料 intel: Summer is the busiest time of year, and it鈥檚 hard to beat, with all of the classic Michigan adventures, like biking through wine country on the 17-mile . For water enthusiasts, there鈥檚 excellent sailing and paddling options on Lake Michigan, with plenty of rental kayaks along the waterfront.

Pro tip: One of the most popular trail networks in this area of the state is the , which is maintained for both summer and wintertime activities. The multi-use trail has a series of loops (3K, 5K, 10K, and 25K) that includes cross-country options through the hardwood forests for both serious mountain bikers and neophytes alike.

Where to stay: If you want to avoid the chain hotels, one of your best bets is , a 32-room boutique property set directly on the shores of the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay (from $190). The rooms are simple but comfortable. Of course, the reason you鈥檙e staying here is not the room itself but the soft-sand beach below your balcony.

Ryan Krogh is a writer and editor based in Austin, Texas. He writes frequently about the outdoors and travel. This summer he has trips planned to Montana, Dominica, Costa Rica, and Paris, France. He also has plans to paddle on the Erie Canal in August, the only trip coinciding with this list of ideas, although he fully endorses all of these destinations based on previous adventures.听听

The post The Best Summer Weekend Trips of 2025 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

No adventure compares to driving across the United States. I鈥檒l never forget my first coast-to-coast drive. It was two friends and me, post college, in a beat-up Subaru loaded with everything I owned. We took the long way home, starting in the farmlands of Vermont and making out-of-the-way pitstops for hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains听of Tennessee, dining at legendary barbecue spots across Mississippi, and listening to live music in New Orleans. We drove west, climbed the highest peak in Texas, ate green chile in New Mexico, and stared into the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Most nights, we slept in a tent and dreamed of where the next day would take us. When we finally crossed the California state line toward our final destination, I remember feeling like I wanted to stay on the road forever.

The cross-country road trip is an American rite, a true pilgrimage where you can plan only so much; the rest will unfold wherever the road goes. These three epic journeys have starting and ending points, as well as some spots that may be worth pulling over for along the way, but what you make of the trip鈥攁nd what you ultimately take away from it鈥攊s up to you.

We鈥檝e picked three routes on major highways that cross the country (for a Southwest specific guide, explore our seven best road trips of that region), but along the way, we鈥檝e provided suggestions for detours and byways that get you off the beaten path and out of your car to stretch your legs, experience local culture, and see the sights you鈥檒l be talking about all the way to your next stop. You鈥檒l pull over for things like meteor craters, giant art installations, and donuts. With visits to roadside national monuments, waterfalls, and hot springs鈥攁nd with stays at unique hotels, campsites, and cabins along the way, these road trips aren鈥檛 just a long drive, they鈥檙e an incredible adventure waiting to happen.

The Music Lover鈥檚 Journey: Boston, Massachusetts, to Seattle, Washington

Route: Interstate 90

Distance: 3,051 miles

This northern route across the U.S. follows Interstate 90 from east to west, passing by major cities like Cleveland, Chicago, and Minneapolis. But you鈥檒l also touch on some of the country鈥檚 coolest wild spaces, like the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, the Black Hills of South Dakota, and Yellowstone National Park in Montana. Inspire your road trip playlist by checking out the outdoor music venues and festivals throughout this route.

Pitstop: The Berkshires, Massachusetts

Hop on Interstate 90 in Boston and point it west. Your first stop is the Berkshires, a mountainous region filled with charming small towns 120 miles west of Boston. Go for a hike in , then pick up a tangleberry pie or farm-fresh apples from market in Great Barrington. In Stockbridge, the is worth a stop to learn more about American painter Norman Rockwell, who lived in the area, or check the performance calendar at , home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, for major touring acts in this pastoral outdoor music venue. It鈥檚 worth the 30-mile detour off the highway to North Adams to post up for a night or two at (from $194), a revamped motor lodge that hosts guided hikes, live music, and pop-up dinners.

Must See: Niagara Falls, New York

Peel off the highway in Buffalo, New York, for a visit to , America鈥檚 oldest state park and home to its three namesake waterfalls. Grab a yellow poncho and a ticket ($14) to view the falls from below at the observation decks.

Pitstop: Saint Charles, Iowa

Take a detour to visit Saint Charles, Iowa, home to the four-day held each August on a 350-acre plot of grassland. This year鈥檚 headliners include Tyler, the Creator, Kacey Musgraves, and Lana Del Ray. You can camp on site during the festival and hop a free shuttle into nearby Des Moines. If you can鈥檛 make the show, Des Moines still delivers, with 800 miles of trails to explore on foot or bike, including the paved 25-mile , a converted rail-trail with an iconic bridge that鈥檚 lit up at night over the Des Moines River valley. rents bikes.

Pitstop: Black Hills, South Dakota

There鈥檚 tons to see in the Black Hills of South Dakota, including famous highlights like and , as well as lesser known gems like the third longest caves in the world at or the annual buffalo roundup each September in . Grab donuts for the road from , a famed roadside attraction. Stay in a canvas tent among ponderosa pines at (from $179), outside the town of Keystone.

Stretch Your Legs: Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming

It鈥檚 not far off I-90 to reach , a geologic monolith with deep roots to indigenous cultures in the northern plains and the country鈥檚 first national monument. Parking and trails can be crowded here, so skip the main lot and hike the 1.5-mile instead鈥攊t鈥檚 less busy and still has good views of the tower.

Pitstop: Bozeman, Montana

Post up at the (from $189) in downtown Bozeman, which has on the property. Stroll Main Street, then take a walk up through Burke Park, a few blocks away, for a nice view of town. It鈥檚 about an hour and 20 minutes drive to reach the north entrance to , known for its geysers and 2.2 million acres of wilderness. If you鈥檙e on the road for music, the in nearby Big Sky takes place in early August.

Pitstop: Coeur d鈥橝lene, Idaho

Home to Lake Coeur d鈥橝lene as well as dozens of smaller lakes, you鈥檒l want to stop in Coeur d鈥橝lene, Idaho, for a swim or a paddle. rents kayaks and paddleboards. on the southern end of Lake Pend Oreille has cabins and campsites (from $48), a , and access to 45 miles of trails for biking and hiking.

Must See: The Gorge Amphitheater, Washington听

Music听breaks up the drive, and there鈥檚 no better place to see live music outdoors in this part of the country than the in Quincy, Washington. There鈥檚 on-site camping during shows and an upcoming lineup that includes Billy Strings and Tedeschi Trucks Band.

Stretch Your Legs: Snoqualmie Pass, Washington

Hike to stunning alpine lakes on Snoqualmie Pass, just an hour outside of Seattle on I-90. You鈥檒l need a $5 to access most of the hikes in this area. The 2-mile follows the Snoqualmie River to a 70-foot waterfall. For a more stout climb, the 8.5-mile roundtrip hike to in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a real gem.

Final Stop: Seattle, Washington

Celebrate the end of an epic journey by watching the sunset over the Olympic Mountains and dipping your toes into Puget Sound from Seattle鈥檚 . Stay in the heart of downtown at the (from $189) and you can browse fresh produce and maker鈥檚 stalls outside your door. The 10-mile paved sits right along the waterfront. Want more live music to cap off your trip? The is downtown Seattle鈥檚 coolest music venue.

The Best National Parks Road Trip: San Francisco, California, to Washington, D.C.

Route: Interstate 80 and Interstate 70

Distance: 2,915 miles

Travel across the heartland of the U.S. on this iconic route along I-80 and I-70, passing through stunning western mountain ranges like California鈥檚 Sierra Nevada, Nevada鈥檚 Ruby Mountains, Utah鈥檚 Wasatch, and Colorado鈥檚 Rockies. You鈥檒l visit the great national parks across southern Utah听and hit cities like Denver, Colorado; Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri, and Columbus, Ohio, before landing in the country鈥檚 capital.

Pitstop: Lake Tahoe, California

Depart San Francisco on Interstate 80 heading east, leaving the shores of the Pacific Ocean to begin a steady climb toward the mountains of the Sierra Nevada range.听, in the roadside town of Auburn, has good burgers and homemade pies for the road. Lake Tahoe is your first stop, a short but worthy departure from the highway. Stay at the new听 (from $138), which opens in March, and you鈥檒l be steps from the lake. Rent bikes at听 to pedal the world-class singletrack along the听 or grab a paddleboard from听. Don鈥檛 miss dinner at the newly opened, featuring eclectic dishes and locally-sourced ingredients.

Pitstop: Ruby Mountains, Nevada

听There鈥檚 not much on Interstate 80 as you cross Nevada between Reno and Salt Lake City鈥攅xcept for the Ruby Mountains, which spike straight up from the desert floor of the Great Basin. In the winter,听 offers heli-ski access to 200,000 acres of rugged terrain. In the summer, there鈥檚听. Stay at Ruby Mountain Heli鈥檚听 or one of their two mountainside yurts (from $190).

Must See: Great Basin National Park, Nevada

For a national park detour, consider visiting听, which has one of the darkest skies in the world for stargazing. Near the entrance to the park, the听 make for a great overnight stop and snack resupply station.

Pitstop: Moab, Utah

In Salt Lake City, you鈥檒l say goodbye to Interstate 80 and head south to meet up with Interstate 70, but not before spending time to explore the Mighty Five national parks that made southern Utah famous: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. You could spend weeks here鈥攐r just a couple of days. Be sure to book a self-guided or ranger-led hike in the slot canyons of the in Arches National Park and get a permit to hike the exposed rocky cliffside of in Zion National Park. (from $129) makes for a great base camp, or there鈥檚 .

Stretch Your Legs: Glenwood Canyon, Colorado

Get back on I-70 and make your way into Colorado, where scenic Glenwood Canyon makes for a stunning drive along the Colorado River. The paved parallels the highway for over 16 miles, making for an easy biking or running destination. Afterward, stay for a soak in the . A new 16-suite boutique hotel called Hotel 1888 is opening near the hot springs this summer.

Pitstop: Breckenridge, Colorado

Spend the night at (from $320), which opened in early 2025 at the base of Peak 9 at, home to skiing and snowboarding in the winter and biking and hiking come summer. Stroll the charming Main Street of downtown Breck and don鈥檛 miss a visit to the , a 15-foot-tall wooden art installation now located on the town鈥檚 Trollstigen Trail.

Must See: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

It鈥檚 not exactly on the way, but this adventure clearly detours for national parks, so make the trek north to Rocky Mountain National Park, a quiet, snowy paradise in the winter and a fishing and backpacking mecca in the warmer months. The short hikes to and are popular among families. For experienced mountain travelers, Longs Peak is the park鈥檚 most famous 14er鈥� leads guided treks to the peak. Stay overnight in Denver before you head into the plains: (from $189), the country鈥檚 first carbon positive hotel, opened in Denver鈥檚 Civic Center Park late last year.

Stretch Your Legs: Monument Rocks, Kansas

There鈥檚 a on an 80-foot easel鈥攐ne of three in the world鈥攙isible from the highway in the town of Goodland, Kansas. Then, pull over for 50-foot-high fossil rock outcroppings and limestone spires on the Kansas prairie at , which is on private land that鈥檚 open to the public south of Oakley, Kansas, right off I-70. 国产吃瓜黑料 of Topeka, you can visit the , a former school site that commemorates the historic end of racial segregation in public schools.

Pitstop: St. Louis, Missouri

Next stop on your national park tour? The of St. Louis. You can ride a tram 630 feet to the top of the arch, walk the palatial grounds beneath the architectural wonder, or admire the arch from a riverboat cruise along the Mississippi River. The (from $149) is housed in a historic shoe company building and has a rooftop pool and restaurant overlooking the city. is a public market with a food hall, retail shops, and live music, and don鈥檛 miss brunch amid a plant nursery at the city鈥檚 .

Pitstop: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio听

Ohio has but one national park and it鈥檚 worth the detour to visit: has paddling along the Cuyahoga River, 20 miles of multi-use pathways along the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail, and 125 miles of hiking trails through woodlands and wetlands. There鈥檚 no camping within the national park but has tent camping (from $40) nearby or the (from $200) is within the park and on the National Register of Historic Homes.

Final Stop: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland

End your national parks tour of the U.S. with a visit to the . The C&O Canal follows the Potomac River for 184 miles from Cumberland, Maryland, to Washington, D.C. It makes for a great walk or bike ride. Pitch a tent at one of the free hiker or biker campsites or pull your car up to one of a handful of drive-in sites (from $10). Or you can stay in a (from $175) along the canal.

The History Buff鈥檚 Tour of the U.S.: Los Angeles, California, to Charlottesville, Virginia

Route: Interstate 40

Distance: 2,696 miles

This pilgrimage sticks to one highway only for most of the way: Interstate 40, which starts in the Mojave Desert of California and crosses the southern portion of the U.S., over the Rocky Mountains and through the Great Plains and the Appalachian Mountains. It traverses Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Much of the western route parallels the historic U.S. Route 66, so it feels like a throwback to another era, a perfect journey for those who love learning about our nation鈥檚 past.

Pitstop: Mojave National Preserve, California

听You can watch a drive-in movie, visit a ghost town, or hike through lava tubes in . You can鈥檛 miss a visit to , an hour away, for stellar stargazing, rock climbing, and 300 miles of hiking trails. Stay in an adobe bungalow at the centrally located (from $195), which has an on-site farm, restaurant, and picnic lunches to go.

Stretch Your Legs: Lake Havasu, Arizona

will deliver you a kayak or paddleboard to explore the waters of the , once a major tributary on the lower Colorado River and one of the last ecologically functioning river habitats in the southwest.

Pitstop: Flagstaff, Arizona

Post up at the (from $109) in Flagstaff, Arizona, and then go explore the sights around Flagstaff, including , an hour and a half north. The 3-mile , along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, makes for a mellow stroll. The on Route 66 in Flagstaff used to be a historic taxidermy shop and is now a popular bar for country music and line dancing.

Must See: Meteor Crater National Landmark

Yep, you鈥檙e pulling off the highway to see this: The most preserved meteorite impact site on earth is right off I-40 near Winslow, Arizona. For a $29 admission at the , you can sign up for a guided hike of the crater鈥檚 rim.

Stretch Your Legs: Continental Divide Trail; Grants, New Mexico

听You鈥檙e passing from one side of the Continental Divide to the other: Might as well get out of the car and go for a trail run or hike along the Continental Divide Trail, which crosses Interstate 40 near the town of Grants, New Mexico.

Pitstop: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Take a detour off I-40 in Albuquerque to spend a night or two in Santa Fe, the highest elevation capital city in the U.S., which sits at 7,000 feet in the high desert. Splurge on a night at (from $645), a full-service retreat in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristos. For art and history buffs, the and the are well worth a visit.

Must See: Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas

You鈥檝e already seen the actual Grand Canyon, so now it鈥檚 time to see the Grand Canyon of Texas, in , 25 miles outside of Amarillo. The park has camping and cabins, an 800-foot-deep canyon, mountain bike trails, and an outdoor stage where actors perform a Texas musical.

Pitstop: Hot Springs, Arkansas

You鈥檒l come to Hot Springs for the historic bathhouses and modern-day spa resorts. At , you can soak in one of two original bathhouses. Want to learn about some of the country鈥檚 most infamous criminals? , in downtown Hot Springs, has exhibits on Al Capone and Owen Madden. The (from $169) is housed in a centrally located historic building. Don鈥檛 miss: is the only brewery in the world that uses thermal spring water for its beers.

Must See: Crater of Diamonds State Park, Arkansas

If you鈥檙e into geologic history, add a visit to Arkansas鈥� , where you can dig for minerals and gems in a 37-acre field on an eroded volcanic crater. (And yes, notable diamonds have been discovered here.)

Pitstop: Nashville, Tennessee

From the music scene to the foodie paradise, you might never want to leave Nashville. Stay in one of eight suites in a 19th century mansion at (from $306), where wood-fired pizzas are served in the backyard. The currently has exhibits on Luke Combs and Rosanne Cash. Go for a walk or run in or take a guided bike tour of the city鈥檚 murals and street art with .

Pitstop: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee

In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, you can hike to waterfalls like Mouse Creek Falls or Mingo Falls, fish for brook trout, or bike the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road, which is closed to cars on Wednesdays from May through September. The coolest place in the park to sleep? The (from $189), located atop Mount Le Conte and accessible only via foot. Open from March through November, the lodge requires at least a five-mile hike to reach. Bookings for this year are mostly snatched up already, but you can get on the waitlist or plan ahead for next year.

Final Stop: Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina

Your trip finale comes in the form of ditching Interstate 40 in exchange for a meandering drive along the , a 469-mile stretch through the Appalachian Mountains and one of the most scenic roadways in America. You鈥檒l stop to see Whitewater Falls, the east coast鈥檚 tallest waterfall at 411 feet, and the rugged Linville Gorge Wilderness. Stay nearby at (from $175), which opened in the mountain town of Highlands in 2024 with a supper club and Nordic spa. They鈥檒l also book you outdoor excursions, ranging from rock climbing to fly fishing.

Megan Michelson is an 国产吃瓜黑料 contributing editor who loves long drives, even when her two children are whining in the backseat. She has recently written about Airbnb treehouses, the most beautiful long walks in the world, and the 10 vacations that will help you live longer.听

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The U.S. was built for cars. I鈥檓 talking about our infrastructure: the interstate system, traffic laws, speed limits, and streets. They鈥檙e all designed with vehicles in mind. And yet, some communities have embraced and are moving toward the bicycle over the car.

These towns have done so much: created bike-lane infrastructure and robust greenway systems, leveraged their natural attributes by building singletrack, and put in signage and lower speed limits to make country roads safer. Bike towns vary wildly, some filled with people who pedal to work and shuttle toddlers around via cargo bikes, others good for those who exist solely to shred dirt trails or ascend mountain roads.

To create this list of the Best Small Bike Towns in America, I studied data collected each year by , a non-profit that ranks the 鈥淏est Places to Bike鈥� based on factors like local speed limits and cycling infrastructure, giving each community a score from 0 to 100. The average city in the U.S. scores in the mid-20s, while the most bike-friendly places rate in the 70s to low 90s.

I doubled down on data by bringing in info from the , a non-profit that promotes cycling through education and advocacy, and rates communities with Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze status dependent on a town鈥檚 numbers of bike lanes and lane connectivity.

Safe streets and being able to commute to school and work are important, but other factors determine a great bike town, like the number of dirt trails and mountains nearby to ascend. So I also sought data from 听which catalogs the number of mountain-bike trails within feasible reach of each community, and looked for towns that also have access both to world-class road-cycling routes and lonely gravel roads to explore. (Trailforks is owned by 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc., the same company that owns 国产吃瓜黑料.)

I wanted to focus on small towns across the U.S., so I capped populations at 100,000, which left out some big hitters like Boulder, Colorado, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, both outstanding places to live if you want to bike. My compliments to those communities鈥攑lease keep up the good work.

While I used as many data points as I could find, this list also contains some subjectivity based on my own experience. For example, Park City, Utah, is in here even though it receives a middling score from People for Bikes. Why? The mountain biking is amazing and there鈥檚 so much of it. I also included towns that go above and beyond for commuters, others that have vibrant social cycling scenes (like group rides and events), and others with epic road routes.

Of course, some cities do it all, and I put them at the top of the list. Here are the 10 Best Small Bike Towns in America, ranked.

1. Crested Butte, Colorado

Population: 1,654

People for Bikes Score: 87

League of American Bicyclists: Gold

Why I Chose It: This small Colorado ski town could have earned a spot on this list solely based on its assessments in People for Bikes and the League of American Bicyclists for its bike infrastructure and safe streets. But Crested Butte rose to the top of the pack because it鈥檚 also a fantastic mountain-bike mecca, with a lift-served downhill park on the edge of town and access to more than 750 miles of trails within the greater Gunnison Valley.

Oh, and it鈥檚 an underrated road-cycling destination, with mixed gravel and paved rides beginning in town and climbing to scenic lookouts like Ohio Pass and Kebler Pass, where the Elk Mountains rise ahead in a mix of craggy peaks and aspen-clad slopes.

Number of Bike Trails: 247

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: tops the lists. This eight-mile, mostly downhill high-alpine trail begins at Schofield Pass and drops more than 1,000 feet, passing through wildflower meadows with views of the Gothic Valley and Mount Crested Butte.

2. Davis, California

Population: 68,000

People for Bikes Score: 77, highest ranked medium-sized city in its report

League of American Bicyclists Status: Platinum

Why I Chose It: Davis, a college town on the outskirts of Sacramento, is a bike commuter鈥檚 dream. It was the first city in the U.S. to implement dedicated bike lanes, back in 1967, and has only improved its bike infrastructure since. Currently, more than have bike lanes, giving locals 102 miles of those and 63 miles of off-street paths to pedal. Many intersections have bike-specific signals, and there are even bike boulevards, meaning streets shut down to motorized vehicles. Davis has been repeatedly touted as the most bike-friendly city in the U.S. by organizations like People for Bikes, and the League of American Bicyclists estimates that 22 percent of residents commute regularly by bike.

Number of Bike Trails: 7. Davis proper isn鈥檛 much of a mountain-bike community鈥搈ost of the in-town trails are short paths cutting through neighborhoods and parks. But there are good trail systems within the greater Sacramento Valley, known for its patchwork of vegetable and fruit farms, including the 20 miles of trail at Rockville Hills Regional Park 30 minutes south.

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: , in Rockville Hills, connects you from the trailhead parking lot to the gems within the stacked-loop system, including Lake Front, which has a fun, easy downhill before skirting Grey Goose Lake.

听3. Jackson, Wyoming

Population: 10,698

People for Bikes Score: 79

League of American Bicyclists Status: Gold

Why I Chose It: Jackson Hole made this list for its bike-lane connectivity. More than 100 miles of paved trails run through and beyond town, with 115 miles of singletrack surrounding it鈥攁nd that鈥檚 just within the valley known as Jackson Hole. Not only can you bike to the grocery store on a designated route, you can pedal into the National Wildlife Refuge and Grand Teton National Park on a paved trail (it鈥檚 20 miles from Jackson to Jenny Lake inside the park), with views of the jagged Teton Range and herds of elk.

Trailheads for popular singletrack begin right on the edge of neighborhood streets, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort鈥檚 extensive lift-served routes are 15 minutes from the town center. Biking is woven into the fabric of the community, through the extensive infrastructure and events like bike swaps, youth programs, and In June, a landslide closed a 10-mile stretch of the Teton Pass mountain road for three weeks, impeding the commute between Jackson and less expensive communities in Idaho. The silver lining? Cyclists enjoyed a car-free pedal to the top of the pass. Teton Pass is open now, and classic rides like Parallel Trail, a 1.5-mile downhill with lots of jumps, are once again easy to access.

Number of Bike Trails: 105

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: takes top honors. This beginner-friendly three-mile cross-country trail begins at the Cache Creek Trailhead and has a number of connectors that allow you to form fast, rolling loops with other trails in the same system, like , for nearby post-work romps.

4. Aspen, Colorado

Population: 6,741

People for Bikes Score: 75

League of American Bicyclists Status: Gold

Why I Chose It: Aspen checks all the boxes, scoring high marks from People for Bikes and the League of American Bicyclists thanks to its infrastructure and low-speed streets. The city of manages more than 22 miles of paved bike trails connecting parks within the town鈥檚 limits, and the Rio Grande Trail offers 42 miles of no-traffic asphalt from Aspen to Glenwood Springs.

Aspen also has a bike-share program in the form of , which has stations throughout the Roaring Fork Valley and offers 30-minute free rides in town.

Aspen-Snowmass and the Roaring Fork Valley was the first destination in Colorado to earn Gold Level Ride Center status from the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA). The Roaring Fork Valley has more than 300 miles of trails, from lift-served descents at Snowmass Mountain Resort to hut-to-hut bikepacking through some of the cabin system. And then you have the road routes, like the bucket-list-worthy 16-mile roundtrip from downtown to Maroon Bells, where the twin 14,000-foot Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak rise above the placid Maroon Lake.

Number of Bike Trails: 191

Most Popular Bike Trail: The crown goes to , a 4.4-mile downhill romp in Snowmass鈥� Bike Park that is full of berms and rollers from top to bottom. Both beginners and pros love it as being fun regardless of how fast you tackle it.

5. Ashland, Oregon

Population: 21,285

People for Bikes Score: 70

League of American Bicyclists Status: Gold

Why I Chose It: Ashland is celebrated for its annual Shakespeare Festival, but this southern Oregon town deserves to be just as famous for its biking. The only question is which riders have it better here, the roadies or the mountain bikers? Road cyclists have the 55-mile Cascade Siskiyou Scenic Bikeway, which begins and ends downtown and climbs 5,000 feet out of Bear Valley, with views of iconic landmarks like the volcanic Pilot Rock and the 9,000-foot tall Mount McLoughlin.

Hundreds of miles of rural paved roads extend into the surrounding Siskiyou Range. Mountain bikers enjoy the 100-mile trail system in the 15,000-acre , where singletrack ascends to the top of 7,532-foot Mount Ashland and runs all the way back into town, more than 5,000 feet below. runs shuttles ($30 per person), so you can skip the climb up Mount Ashland and focus on the descent during your 13- to 25-mile (depending on the route) ride.

All cyclists get to pedal the 20-mile Bear Creek Greenway that runs north from the edge of town, connecting Ashland with surrounding communities. Fun fact: Ashland is home to the United Bicycle Institute, a school for bike mechanics and builders, that has offered one- and two-week programs since 1981.

Number of Bike Trails: 86 trails

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: Locals love the two-mile , which drops almost 1,000 feet of elevation in a series of machine-built berms and tabletops. (Hand-built trails are narrower and often more technical.)

6. Park City, Utah

Population: 8,374

People for Bikes Score: 48

League of American Bicyclists Status: Gold

Why I Chose It: Park City鈥檚 People for Bikes score isn鈥檛 stellar. While at 48 it鈥檚 well above the U.S. average, it still doesn鈥檛 crack their list of the top 10 small cities due to the city鈥檚 lack of bike-safety projects and like grocery stores and hospitals. But its ranking is climbing鈥攗p 15 points, from 33, in the last three years鈥攁nd the town is interlaced by an impressive of non-motorized bike paths. Park City also has a share fleet of electric bikes, and the city introduced a that actually pays people to commute during winter.

All of that is great, but I chose Park City for this list because of its mountain biking. It is an IMBA Gold-Level Ride Center, with more than of singletrack extending directly from town into the Wasatch Mountains. I live in a good city for mountain bikers (Asheville) but am jealous: the you can pedal in Park City is absolutely bonkers: this might be the best town in America to live in if you鈥檙e a mountain biker. The only downside is the trails鈥� seasonality; you鈥檙e not riding dirt in the winter, but that鈥檚 why they make skis.

Number of Bike Trails: 629

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: The Wasatch Crest Trail is a classic mountain-bike ride in Park City, running for 13 miles west of the city with plenty of high-alpine ridgeline singletrack and accompanying big-mountain views. Almost all of the trails are amazing, but locals love , a short A-line section of the Wasatch Crest Trail, with crazy exposure on a knife-edge ridge.

7. Harbor Springs, Michigan

Population: 1,271

People for Bikes Score: 92

League of American Bicyclists Status: Not Ranked (communities must apply for consideration)

Why I Chose It: Harbor Springs, a small waterfront village on Lake Michigan, earned an outstanding score in People for Bikes鈥� latest rankings for connectivity: cyclists can pedal everywhere safely, from grocery stores to schools to parks, thanks to low-traffic, low-speed streets (that are pretty flat, too), and the Little Traverse Wheelway, a 26-mile greenway that connects Harbor Springs with several communities and parks along Little Traverse Bay.

Pedaling isn鈥檛 just relegated to in-town cruising, though. The place has a vibrant mountain-biking scene thanks largely to , a lift-served bike park with 22 miles of mountain-bike trails. There鈥檚 a mix of trails for all levels, while cyclists just looking to cruise will find several miles of wide paths at the and the .

Number of Bike Trails: 54

Most Popular Bike Trail on Trailforks: The short , a double-black downhill trail at the Highlands Bike Park, gets top honors for its bevy of wooden features like jumps, drops, and berms.

8. Provincetown, Massachusetts

Population: 3,664

People for Bikes Score: 96

League of American Bicyclists Status: Silver

Why I Chose It: Provincetown had the second-highest score of any town in the U.S. thanks to its suite of low speed limits, multiple bike paths, a dedication to the commuting cause, and the lack of hills. The secluded island community of Mackinac Island, Michigan, had the only higher score, and while I love the idea of a town that bans cars, I ultimately left the place off this list because of its seclusion and the inherent difficulty of living and working there. (Mackinac only has 500 year-round residents.)

Provincetown has a Bicycle Committee that plans projects and prints an annual . A beach town on the tip of Cape Cod, it was essentially built for single-speed cruising鈥攖hink pedaling to the ocean and then to get ice cream鈥攁nd that sort of low-speed, casual cruising remains a fixture of the lifestyle. The year-round population is just over 3,000, and yet Provincetown has five bike shops. A five-mile loop trail traverses the forests and dunes outside of town, with spurs to beaches facing the Atlantic.

Number of Bike Trails: 21

Most Popular Trail on Trailforks: Province Lands Bike Trail is the main attraction with a hilly, paved 5.25 mile loop through sand dunes and beech forest. Check out the 3.5-mile , which connects two popular beaches on opposite ends of the Cape.

9. Sewanee, Tennessee

Population: 2,922

People for Bikes Score: 83

League of American Bicyclists Status: None, but the University of the South in town has a Bronze ranking

Why I Chose It: Sewanee is a small college town on the top of the Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee with beautiful Collegiate Gothic architecture and stunning fall foliage. Life revolves around the University of the South, and the community in general has the languid pace of a tiny southern mountain town, which, frankly, is ideal for someone riding around. Sewanee is the number-one-ranked Bike Friendly Community in the South, according to People for Bikes, based on the low-traffic streets and bike access to essential destinations like schools, jobs, and grocery stores.

Cyclists could probably live a car-free (or car-light) life, but there鈥檚 more here than just going from A to B. The 22-mile Perimeter Loop is a mix of singletrack, double track, and pavement that encircles the university鈥檚 campus and provides access to other trails in the area, while the 12-mile Mountain Goat Trail is a paved off-street option that traces an old railway from Sewanee northeast to the town of Monteagle. Road cyclists can create 25-mile-plus loops using the country roads that descend and ascend the 1,000-foot-tall Cumberland Plateau.

Number of Trails: 34

Most Popular Trail on Trailforks: The 14-mile singletrack portion of the is the locals鈥� favorite option thanks to its cross-country flow and mild technical difficulty.

10. Fayetteville, Arkansas

Population: 99,285

People for Bikes Score: 50

League of American Bicyclists Status: Gold

Fayetteville barely made it under our population cap of 100,000, but this southern mountain town is a great sleeper destination for cyclists. It may not get quite the attention of hot towns like Bentonville, but Fayetteville is surrounded by the Ozark Mountains, with 50 miles of singletrack in town and the nearby ridges, not to mention hundreds of miles of gravel roads.

Within the city, cruisers have 50 miles of paved bike trails, and the future is only looking brighter. Fayetteville鈥檚 council a community where every resident is within a two-minute pedal of an established trail, and the town is building an average of two to three miles of paved trail every year. Fayetteville is also the beginning of the , a 40-mile regional bike path that connects communities throughout Northwestern Arkansas.

Number of Trails: 154

Most Popular Trail on Trailforks: Mountain bikers love , an intermediate flow trail that connects with two downhill trails, Red Rum and Chunky.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist. He rides his bike everywhere around his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina, even though it has a poor People for Bikes score because of a lack of .

For more by this author, see:

8 Surf Towns Where You Can Learn the Sport and the Culture

The Best Ways to Get 国产吃瓜黑料 in West Virginia

The 10 Best National Parks in Canada

The 5 Best National Park Road Trips in the U.S.

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On June 28, a pod of Atlantic white-sided dolphins became stuck in the shallow mudflats at the mouth of the Herring River estuary on Massachusetts’ Cape Cod. Within a few days, rescuers counted 146 of the aquatic mammals that were trapped in the tidal mouth. The International Fund for Animal Welfare, a Washington D.C.-based conservation charity, eventually confirmed that it was the largest mass-stranding of dolphins in U.S. history.

The beaching kicked off a major operation to try and save the dolphins. Staff from IFAW led the rescue effort, which spanned five days and included help from multiple organizations: the AmeriCorps of Cape Cod, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, the New England Aquarium, the Center for Coastal Studies, the Wellfleet Harbormaster. Dozens of local volunteers also pitched in. The efforts were not in vain, and the IFAW said that the group saved 102 dolphins, approximately 70 percent of those that were stranded.

Cape Cod has a history of marine mammal strandings, a phenomenon that results from a rare combination of coastal geography and changing tides. When seen on a map, Cape Cod juts out into the ocean in the shape of a hook, with a smaller hook nested inside it at Wellfleet. 鈥淚t鈥檚 basically a trap, from a geographical sense,鈥� says Sarah Sharp, an animal rescue veterinarian with IFAW, who was on the scene for the duration of the rescue. Wellfleet also has one of the largest tide fluctuations on the East Coast鈥攕ometimes the difference is 12 feet鈥攕econd only to Canada鈥檚 Bay of Fundy. The combination ensnared the pod of dolphins, which usually swim farther out at sea. 鈥淭he species is pelagic, meaning deep offshore dolphins,鈥� Sharp says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not used to having a 12-foot vertical tide drop and then ending up on land when that happens.鈥�

IFAW has been running rescue operations at Cape Cod for 26 years.听Sharp and her colleagues respond to an average of 315 stranding events each year鈥攖ypically a single marine mammal, or a small group of three or four. Prior to June 28 the largest mass stranding on record in the U.S. was 97 Atlantic white-sided dolphins, in 1998. But that stranding happened over the course of four weeks, not all at once. The largest that Sharp had personally experienced was 45 common dolphins, in 2020.

Sharp recalls arriving at the June 28th听scene in the late morning and being astonished at the sight. From her vantage, she counted more than 80 large dolphins lying in the mud. Many of them were thrashing or flipping their tails, so she knew they were still alive. There were likely more she couldn鈥檛 see around the corner. Sharp had five staffers with her, and more than a dozen volunteers, but they were grossly outnumbered. 鈥淚t was completely overwhelming,鈥� she says.

The group quickly divided into small teams and fanned out to cover the broad area. As Sharp rushed down to the shore, she was overcome by the sudden sound of dolphins breathing鈥攁 forceful whoosh in and out that seemed to come from all sides.

In a typical rescue, Sharp and team would lift the stranded dolphin onto a stretcher and transport it on a specialized beach cart to a custom-built mobile veterinary clinic that staffers call “Moby.” They鈥檇 place the dolphin on a squishy foam mat inside, shelter it from heat and sun, administer IV fluids, and then transport it to Provincetown, on the tip of Cape Cod, where it would be released into food-rich waters near the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

But the June 28 event was not a typical rescue鈥攖here were far too many dolphins to use Moby. Instead, Sharp and the others went from dolphin to dolphin, rolling those that were on their sides onto their bellies and then hand-digging the sand out from beneath the dolphins鈥� nine-inch pectoral flippers so the appendages wouldn鈥檛 dislocate. The rescuers then cleared out sharp oyster shell shards from the dolphins and covered them with light-colored sheets to protect them from the sun. 鈥淲e tried to be methodical, but we ended up running to whichever animal was thrashing the hardest,鈥� Sharp says.

Over the course of an hour or so, they were able to reach every live stranded dolphin before the tide turned and the process of “refloating”鈥攇etting the dolphins to swim in deeper water鈥攂egan. At that point, the rescue team faced the most critical point of the operation. 鈥淲hen the water comes back in, the chance of [dolphins] drowning is high,鈥� Sharp says. If a dolphin falls back over onto its side before the water is deep enough for it to swim, it might not be able to right itself and could drown if the water level is higher than its blowhole.

Sharp compares the refloating experience to whack-a-mole, rushing from dolphin to dolphin trying to keep them upright as the tide rushes back in. 鈥淭ime morphs weirdly when you鈥檙e out there doing these things, but I think it was probably 45 minutes of panic, running from animal to animal trying to save as many as we could.鈥�

Afterward, the rescue team switched from foot to boat to herd the swimming dolphins further away from the shore. Boat crews worked until sunset. The next morning, Saturday June 29, Sharp and her colleagues were back on the scene monitoring ten听dolphins who remained in shallow waters.

By Sunday morning, six dolphins remained. One became stranded at low tide, and was in such bad condition that Sharp euthanized it. Not only because it was the most humane thing to do, but because the gravely injured dolphin was most likely preventing the others from leaving for deeper water. As the IFAW stated in a press release: 鈥淭he very social nature of these dolphins means that they will stick together even in a bad situation. By removing individuals that are not well, the group may be more easily moved offshore.鈥�

Meanwhile, a call came in that 20 Atlantic white-sided dolphins were stranded nearby in Brewster. Three of the 20 died before rescuers arrived at the scene. The rest were able to be successfully refloated.

By Tuesday morning, July 2, a total of 11 dolphins were still swimming dangerously close to shore at Welfleet. When the mammals began to move up shore toward Duck Creek, which Sharp describes as a historic mass stranding area that鈥檚 particularly difficult to extract from, rescuers herded them to a more accessible area. The dolphins became stranded there, where Sharp and team were waiting to bring them into Moby and administer advanced treatment. Two were euthanized for their condition. Nine were treated and released in Provincetown.

As of July 15,听of the 146 stranded dolphins, 102 are believed to have survived, 37 perished, and seven were euthanized for humane purposes. As for what triggered the biggest mass dolphin stranding in recorded U.S. History, no one can say if factors beyond Cape Cod’s geography and tidal shift led the animals to become trapped.

Scientists do know that the species that most typically strands shifts over time. In Cape Cod in the 1980s and early 1990s, it was pilot whales. In the late 90s it was Atlantic white-sided dolphins. In the early 2000s, it was common dolphins, which continue to be the most frequent species stranded today鈥攁lthough this recent mass stranding may be the start of a shift back to Atlantic white-sided dolphins.

鈥淭he Gulf of Maine is the fastest warming body of water on the planet so we know that this ecosystem is changing quite a bit,鈥� Sharp says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 probably affecting where the prey are distributed and the dolphins follow the prey. Other than that we don鈥檛 know.鈥�

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The leaves are past their peak where I live in western New Hampshire, and fall festivals have mostly come and gone, but that doesn鈥檛 mean the autumn road-tripping season is over. That鈥檚 especially true if your goal is finding ingredients鈥攁nd inspiration鈥攆or your Thanksgiving and holiday feasts.

Plenty of New England farms, vineyards, and dairies are still going strong. And heading out on an adventurous pre-holiday sojourn comes with big outdoor benefits: uncrowded trails and beaches, swell perfect for surfing, and scenic roadways waiting to be explored after you score your bounty. Here鈥檚 a state-by-state breakdown of the best places to visit on such a quest.

Where to Find Cheese in Vermont

The tiny town of Salisbury (population 1,200) straddles a sweet spot between the Green Mountains to the east and the agricultural Champlain Valley to the west. It鈥檚 a picturesque setting for , a cheese-making operation run by Hannah Sessions and Greg Bernhardt, who were just 23 years old when they began transforming an old dairy-cow operation near where Sessions grew up into one suitable for goats. Some 150 goats later, the place is听 known for its terrific fresh ch猫vres (my go-to is the herb-crusted variety) as well as bloomy rind and hard cheeses, some made with milk from the cows next door. Call ahead to book a tour ($20), and plan to load up on the goods at their self-serve farmstand.

Ten minutes south, Moosalamoo National Recreation Area beckons with 70 miles of spectacular multi-use backcountry trails. For a fun, flowy ten-mile mountain-bike ride, park at the Minnie Baker Trailhead and follow the singletrack up to Chandler Ridge before looping back on the ferny flats of Leicester Hollow.

Unwind later over a hard cider at Woodchuck Cidery, a production facility and taproom in Middlebury, 15 miles north. Then head east into Ripton to overnight in one of seven two-bedroom (from $237)鈥攔equest one with a fire pit鈥攐ff a forested dirt road about five miles from听 the poet鈥檚 summer home.

Craft Spirits and Farmed Mushrooms in New Hampshire

To me (and I suspect a lot of other travelers), Tamworth was always that little town you zipped through while driving north to hike in the Mount Washington Valley. Maybe you slowed for the famous vista of bald-topped Mount Chocorua, but you didn鈥檛 linger: the Presidential Range awaited.

It turns out Tamworth is well worth a stop, thanks in part to Steve Grasse, the creative mind behind Hendrick鈥檚 Gin, who鈥檚 made it his mission to help revitalize the historic village where he owns a home. Grasse鈥檚 , set in a barnlike building on the Swift River, crafts wildly innovative spirits with New Hampshire ingredients such as beets and balsam buds, as well as more palate-jolting elements including invasive green crabs and beaver-gland extract. Tastings and cocktail workshops are held in the Grasse-owned Lyceum, a restored 19th-century store on Main Street. The gatherings are good prep for making what could be your new signature Thanksgiving or holiday drink.

Continue the happy mad-scientist vibe up the road at the , where mycologist Eric Milligan cultivates gorgeous blemish-free fungi鈥攎eaty black pearls, luminescent blue oysters, shaggy lion鈥檚 manes, and more鈥攊n high-tech grow rooms. You can buy both fresh and dried mushrooms there, and for the fungi-curious, free tours are offered on Sundays or by appointment.

Bring your hiking shoes along and get your steps in at the nearby Big Pines Natural Area. The 2.4-mile loop through massive old-growth eastern pines and hemlocks up to the 1,270-foot summit of Great Hill; there you can climb the 35-foot-tall fire tower, a 1934 Civilian Conservations Corps project, with magnificent views for miles.

Unpack your bags that night at (from $205), a traditional bed-and-breakfast in a restored 1851 blacksmith shop, with a working cider press.

The Best Oysters in Maine

Midcoast Maine is oyster country; most of the state鈥檚 production comes from its cool bays, estuaries, and inlets, where big shell-tumbling tides foster deeply cupped bivalves. Though most farm tours end by mid-October, John Herrigel of the , located in West Point, a fishing village near the tip of the rugged Phippsburg peninsula, is game to run boat trips as long as the weather cooperates. The two-hour experience includes visiting his small offshore farm to learn about the growing process (and slurp a few oysters right out of the water), then motoring back to the dockside Base Camp for private shucking lessons. The outing (from $250) includes a dozen oysters. Alternatively, you can order deliveries from Herrigel and the other Midcoast growers who are part of the co-op he runs; the goods will arrive when you鈥檙e ready to stuff your bird.

Don鈥檛 miss Popham Beach, a beautiful three-mile-long sweep of broad, firm sand at the island-studded mouth of the Kennebec River. Horses are allowed on the beach in the fall; book a two-hour guided ride with (from $175).

Another coastal option is a visit to Bath and the Maine Maritime Museum, 15 miles north, to admire its working boat-building exhibit and collection of 140 historic small crafts. If you haven鈥檛 had your fill of oysters yet, hit the waterfront , run by sisters, one of whom also operates an oyster farm. Bluet, a dry wild-blueberry sparkler crafted in Maine by a Napa-trained winemaker is a worthy accompaniment to your dinner, not to mention a good gift for a Thanksgiving-day host.

From Bath, turn south on Highway 127 onto Georgetown Island. Book a night at the woodsy ($125), a two-bedroom log cabin not far from Reid State Park, where you can surf, birdwatch, and explore the tide pools and sand dunes.

Where to Find Cranberries in Massachusetts

When you find your way down the narrow drive to in the Mid-Cape village of Dennis, you鈥檙e in the cradle of cranberry cultivation. Here in the early 1800s, close to Cape Cod Bay, a retired sea captain named Henry Hall discovered that the wild cranberries on his land produced more fruit after they鈥檇 been covered by storm-blown sand. The practice of covering bogs caught on, and the berry went on to become the state鈥檚 most important crop.

In 1911, a 听Hall descendant sold one of his bogs to Annie Walker鈥檚 grandfather, and today, on certain fall weekends, Walker gives historical tours of the restored bog she works with antique equipment. You can buy fresh, dry-harvested berries out of her museum-like shop.

Cape Cod鈥檚 sandy, well-drained soil is also prime terroir for turnips. Eastham, on the Outer Cape, celebrates its namesake heirloom variety, the Eastham turnip, with an annual festival before Thanksgiving (this year scheduled for Saturday, November 18). If you can鈥檛 make it, you鈥檒l find the unusually large, sweet root veggies for sale at the Orleans Farmers鈥� Market, just three and a half miles away, on Saturday mornings.

A popular area for fishing, biking, and exploration is Brewster鈥檚 1,900-acre Nickerson State Park. Walk through scrub pine and oak to Cliff Pond; the large, glacially formed kettle pond and seven others in the park are stocked with trout. Or pedal an eight-mile paved path that connects to the 26-mile-long Cape Cod Rail Trail. Call it a day at the nearby (from $329) an antique Georgian-style mansion within walking distance of the broad tidal flats of Breakwater Beach.

The Best Apples for Pies in Connecticut

You know those carnival-like farms that feature a corn maze, zombie laser tag, a petting zoo, and you-pick orchards of apples? isn鈥檛 one of those. Six years ago, owner James Wargo planted 4,000 trees on the side of a drumlin in rural Southbury with the intention of creating a simple, no-frills country orchard. His 31 varieties of apples include hard-to-find antiques like Esopus Spitzenburg (Thomas Jefferson鈥檚 favorite) and the 16th-century Calville Blanc d鈥橦iver, favored by bakers for classic tarte Tatin and pies. The pick-your-own season runs through the first weekend of November, or buy apples in the open-air farm stand through the end of the month.

You鈥檙e farm-bound for your next stop, too, but not for produce. Drive 18 miles north to on the grounds of a working farm high in the state鈥檚 northwestern Litchfield Hills. Wander among the planted hops and farm animals, tour the brewing operation on Saturday afternoons, then hit the tasting room to sample two-ounce flights of signature brews like Sweatpants pale ale and Awkward Hug IPA, made with locally sourced ingredients.

Some of the Appalachian Trail鈥檚 least daunting terrain is nearby along the Housatonic River (park just north of where River Road intersects with North Kent Number 1 Road). You鈥檒l likely have company from birders on your walk or run, because the area serves as an important migration corridor.

If听 you鈥檙e looking to stay somewhere local, the downtown (from $475) are a good choice within walking distance of shops, restaurants and galleries. Ask to be put up in the restored 1800s boxcar.

Wine and Vineyards to Explore in Rhode Island

Down a long dirt road five miles from the mansions and marinas of Newport, you鈥檒l find the peaceful , a producer of estate-grown wines. Set on land that slopes to the Sakonnet River, the winery was once a 19th-century gentleman鈥檚 farm. Its stick-style stable鈥攏ow the tasting room鈥攁nd Gothic main house are on the National Register of Historic Places. Sip samples by the fire pits, listen to live jazz on Saturday afternoons, and take home some bottles, like the 2022 Greenvale Select Chardonnay and 2021 Meritage, both of which will pair nicely with your turkey.

Pick up pumpkins and decorative gourds at the post-and-beam market just two and a half miles south, then continue on to Newport and saddle up for an equally sweet ride in a town where cycling has been popular since the Victorian era. Rent a cruiser from and head out on the classic 13-mile Ocean Loop that passes the palatial Gilded Age homes of Bellevue Avenue as well as the Atlantic shoreline, or cycle east to Sachuest Point Wildlife Refuge. Viewing platforms there let you spy on the big flocks of harlequin ducks that arrive in November. Overnight at the (from $200) a colorful hotel three blocks from Newport鈥檚 harbor.

Journalist and lifelong New Englander Meg Lukens Noonan grew up in suburban Boston, went to college in Vermont, and now lives鈥攁nd hosts Thanksgiving鈥攊n Hanover, New Hampshire.

For more Thanksgiving food and fun inspiration, check out Steven Rinella’s story on how to cook a turkey over a campfire.

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Put off by summer鈥檚 heat, crowds, and high prices, many of our editors pushed their big travel plans to fall this year. They鈥檙e also not explicitly headed to do any leaf-peeping but rather are intent on bagging a peak or two in the Berkshires, surfing the swell in Maine, forest-bathing in Japan, and giving van life a go in New Zealand (where it will soon be spring), among other active pursuits.听One editor was so excited about her upcoming trip, she guiltily confessed she’d been 鈥渢rying not to wish away the summer.鈥� Here’s what’s in the works.

Keeping the Love Alive in Savannah and Surrounds

My husband and I will听head to Savannah, Georgia, to celebrate our first anniversary. I was skeptical when he suggested it鈥擲avannah is flat, and I imagined climbing a massive mountain near our home in Taos, New Mexico鈥攂ut after Google revealed a shocking amount of wilderness nearby, I got on board. Here鈥檚 why I鈥檓 stoked: We鈥檒l post up at the downtown Kimpton Brice Hotel (a sweet splurge for us, as we’re听chronic campers), where we can walk to several city parks and the Savannah River. The hotel offers free bikes, so we plan to cruise the cobblestone streets and then hit Truman Linear Park Trail and Lake Mayer Park, stopping for fresh seafood听(a luxury we don鈥檛 have in the high desert). On the day of our anniversary, we鈥檒l ferry to Tybee Island, a paddling mecca just 18 miles east. We鈥檒l rent kayaks from , scope out sheltered waters between the 1,200 or so surrounding barrier islands, and picnic from the boats before renewing our vows at the Tybee Island Lighthouse. Then it鈥檚 back to town and the bar to wrap up the trip. One of the many reasons I married this wonderful man is because he plans unexpected adventures that wouldn鈥檛 otherwise be on my radar. 鈥擯atty Hodapp, 国产吃瓜黑料 Online interim digital director

Freewheeling on New Zealand鈥檚 South Island

My son is studying in New Zealand, so I鈥檓 inspired to do something I’ve always dreamed of: live the van life, if only for a while. I’m headed to the South Island in mid-October and have reserved a sweet rig from for about a month. Other than that, my plans are loosey-goosey. I鈥檒l road-trip around in search of the best 鈥渇reedom-camping鈥� spots: some 500 locations that are free but offer basic amenities.听My friend Patrice La Vigne wrote a book about her exploration of the country, 听and听I鈥檝e already cherry-picked some of her favorite spots, including the Queen Charlotte Track and the Nelson Lakes and Aoraki/Mount Cook National Parks, to name a few. I’ll hang in Wanaka for a few days鈥攁 supercool mountain town, kind of like the Chamonix of New Zealand鈥攁nd I鈥檒l check out Queenstown and probably indulge in a or two (according to Patrice, the city鈥檚听iconic fast-food joint is not to be missed). When my son finishes up his semester in mid-November, I’ll pick him up in Christchurch and we’ll hit the Kepler Track, one of the country鈥檚 ten Great Walks. 鈥擪ristin Hostetter, 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc. head of sustainability and contributing editor

Getting Off the Tourist Track in Japan

Japan has long been on my bucket list, but I didn鈥檛 want to take a group tour and was afraid the language barrier would prevent me from adequately planning a trip myself. How wrong I was鈥攜ou don鈥檛, in fact, need a travel agent or tour operator to build your own trip to this country, but you will need time for research. In mid-October, my brother and I are flying into Osaka and will stay two nights at a ryokan in Kyoto, then fly south to the island of Yakushima, a Unesco World Heritage site whose ancient cedar forests set the scene for Studio Ghibli鈥檚 film Princess Mononoke. (I highly recommend the outfitter , whose staff promptly emailed responses and booked our accommodations, a guided hike and stand-up-paddleboard river tour, and a rental car). After roaming around there, we鈥檒l hop an hourlong flight to the city of Fukuoka to pick up another rental car,听and then off we’ll drive to the onsen community of Kurokawa, two hours southeast, for forest bathing while we soak听in various hot springs. I鈥檓 looking forward to wearing the yukata (a casual kimono) as we walk from bathhouse to bathhouse. We鈥檒l return to Fukuoka, board the bullet train to Osaka (a limited-service that runs this route is just the cutest), and spend our last days hiking two sections of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trail. Props to the tourism bureau that maintains this for English speakers: it answered all of our questions, on baggage transfer, nightly stays, bus service, altitude gain and loss, and estimated hiking duration. Aside from feeling anxious about driving on the opposite side of the road, and possibly getting lost, I鈥檓 fully confident that this is going to be a bucket-list adventure for the books. 鈥擳asha Zemke, 国产吃瓜黑料听magazine associate managing editor

Running the Desert in Perfect Weather in Joshua Tree

I’m heading to Joshua Tree National Park to race a half marathon with my mom in November. Fall is a great time to visit this national park in California, as the weather cools down from the scorching summer heat, so you can enjoy exploring without feeling like you’re melting. And while the nights can get a little chilly, it鈥檚 nothing a cozy jacket can’t handle. We鈥檝e chosen to stay at , a chic and modern cluster of spacious Airstream campers and cabins. A hike around the park is a must! You’ll come across crazy Joshua trees that look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book, cool rock formations, and even hidden oases that you won’t believe exist in the desert. (I like the , a three-mile out-and-back.) Oh, and the sunsets here are mind-blowing. Joshua Tree is also a hub for bouldering, with loads of granite formations to climb, no matter your skill level. In town, don’t miss the Joshua Tree Coffee Company, just a block from the park鈥檚 visitor center. Its espresso con panna will wake you right up. 鈥擲ierra Shafer, Ski magazine editor in chief

Hiking the Hills over a Wedding Weekend in Williamstown

Over Labor Day, my husband, Mike, and I will travel to Williamstown, in northwestern Massachusetts, for the wedding of a dear former coworker. It will be a reunion, with others from the old crew at Big Stone Publishing coming in from London, Las Vegas, and Asheville, North Carolina. Mike and I will fly into Albany, New York, 40 miles west, on Friday. I always figure that you can hike鈥攐r walk, in a city or a park鈥攊n most places, even if a trip is not recreational. Of course, it helps that we鈥檙e headed to a hiking haven like the Berkshires. For Saturday I鈥檝e pegged , a three-to-four-mile out-and-back up 1,893-foot Pine Cobble Mountain, where we can look out over historic Williamstown (once Mohican hunting grounds, and settled by others in 1749) and the Hoosic River valley. I hope to rally friends! Before the ceremony, we have a window where we could walk around the Clark Art Institute, with its marble gallery, backdrop of rolling green hills, and 140 acres of wooded trails. Mike also wants to head up 3,491-foot Mount Greylock, the highest peak in the state, boasting a 90-mile view; for Greylock, we could fit in the 2.6-mile before flying home late Monday afternoon (the 5.5-mile also looks great but would necessitate way too early a start). And we might as well pack climbing shoes in case of available bouldering. (I wonder if we could pass as students at the Williams College wall?) The town has a good farm-to-table scene, and my friend recommends Mezze, though pricey. Another option, the Barn looks casual, just right. 鈥擜lison Osius, 国产吃瓜黑料听magazine senior editor

Celebrating the End of a National 国产吃瓜黑料 in Hawaii

This fall I鈥檓 completing a challenge a quarter-century in the making. I grew up going on a bunch of road trips (the most notable being a 19-day, 5,000-mile adventure with my parents and brother in the family Prius), and before I was even able to drive, I鈥檇 already visited 30 states. So I turned my penchant for road trips into a project to visit all 50 states before my 25th birthday. The only criteria: I had to do something fun or memorable in each state, and layovers didn鈥檛 count. Everyone always asks what my least favorite states have been; I don鈥檛 have a least favorite, because there鈥檚 something in every state for everyone. That said, I do have two favorites: Utah and Vermont. I love hiking through red rocks and dense hardwood forests, and I鈥檝e gone back many times just to hit my favorite trails in both locales. As the clock ticks closer to my birthday in mid-November, there鈥檚 only one state left to check off: Hawaii. I thought it fitting to visit the 50th state as my 50th and final one. I have big plans to fly to Kauai and hike the in Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park. Because it won’t be听peak season, wasn鈥檛 too hard. My dream is to cap off that day with a hefty scoop of Hanalei Sunrise ice cream at Pink鈥檚 Creamery. Or maybe two scoops. It is my birthday, after all. 鈥擡mma Veidt, Backpacker assistant editor

Anticipating a Homecoming听in Asheville

My mom grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, and has always wanted to show my brothers and me around her hometown. My boyfriend has ties there, too鈥攈is sister moved there from New Mexico several years ago. So I鈥檓 headed to this popular outdoor destination in October with both my parents, my siblings, and my partner for four days. We鈥檝e rented a home on a nice plot of land just outside of town, where we’ll be able to have campfires and soak in a hot tub under the stars. Hopefully our trip will happen right as the leaves are firing in all their fall colors. It’s an active bunch, so we’ll hike, maybe ride some singletrack, or fly-fish for trout in the streams of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Beyond that, we’re excited to sample the highly touted food and drink scene. My boyfriend’s sister runs The Garden, a food truck that often posts up at one of three Wedge brewery locations around town, so we’ll definitely check that out. 国产吃瓜黑料 has also run some great stories about Asheville recently, with recommendations from singer Angel Olsen on her favorite hangouts and tips from other locals, so we’ll consult those when planning our day-to-day. 鈥揂bigail Barronian, 国产吃瓜黑料听magazine senior editor

Larch-Peeping Beneath the Peaks of the Dolomites

For part of a longer trip to Europe this fall, I鈥檝e carved out a weekend in the Italian Dolomites when the larches change color. As deciduous conifers (which feels like an oxymoron but surprisingly isn鈥檛), larches听have needles that turn yellow before dropping听off each autumn. I鈥檝e been obsessed with these weird and wonderful trees since I first saw a photo of them in Washington鈥檚 Cascades, and was delighted to learn that they grow thickly near the Italian ski town of Cortina d鈥橝mpezzo. My husband and I听booked a bed-and-breakfast in town鈥攖he options are many, and quite affordable in the autumn off-season鈥攁nd plan to spend a few days in late October hiking through the forests under the towering peaks. While I have more trails on my list than I know we鈥檒l be able to accomplish, I鈥檓 most excited for the 7.8-mile Croda da Lago circuit. The highlight of this moderate day hike is Lago Federa, a larch-ringed lake beneath the face of one of this area鈥檚 most distinct peaks.听Lunch at Rifugio Palmieri, one of the only mountain huts in the region that stays open through October, is a no-brainer. 鈥擬ikaela Ruland, National Park Trips associate content director

Surfing and Kayaking in Maine

I grew up visiting Maine almost every summer, but next month I鈥檒l be traveling to Portland for the first time, for my older brother鈥檚 wedding. Both my brother and his fianc茅e also went to school in Maine (she鈥檚 a many-generation Mainer), so听it feels bizarre that I haven鈥檛 been to the state’s largest city听yet. We鈥檙e staying in an Airbnb close to the wedding-party venue鈥�, an old church turned restaurant鈥攊n between the West End and Old Port districts. The neighborhood is a ten-minute walk from the harbor, where we plan to rent some sea kayaks and explore the plethora of islands that dot Casco Bay. So far my summer has mostly consisted of outings on rivers and lakes, so I can鈥檛 wait to get some ocean time in. And if I can swing it, I鈥檒l go surfing at Higgins Beach, nine miles south of Portland. Fall is the best time to surf in New England, and by mid-September there should be some good swells. I also can鈥檛 wait to check out Portland鈥檚 burgeoning food scene. My friends tell me the is a special low-key place to get a lobster roll overlooking the ocean. 鈥擪elly Klein, 国产吃瓜黑料听magazine associate editor

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Greg Skomal鈥檚 phone rang in late September of 2004. The caller said that a large shark, possibly a white shark, had been marooned in a tidal salt pond on Naushon Island, just southwest of Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Skomal, a shark expert for the Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries (DMF), was skeptical that it was indeed one of the feared predators, which were rarely seen in the area, but he still needed to check it out. Before leaving home, Skomal decided to bring his satellite tagging equipment, just in case. When he arrived at the pond, there was no doubt; it was a female white shark about 13 feet long, weighing approximately 1,700 pounds. Over the next two weeks, Skomal and others attempted to free the shark from the tidal pond, and their efforts .

Skomal was relieved when the shark, which he nicknamed Gretel, finally swam into open water. Before Gretel departed, Skomal affixed a tracking tag, making him the first person ever to tag a white shark in the Atlantic Ocean using satellite technology. But his elation was short-lived. 鈥淎fter we released the shark, the tag detached,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 thought this was a career-defining opportunity, and I鈥檇 messed it up.鈥� It seemed highly unlikely he鈥檇 ever get another opportunity like that.

Nineteen years later, Skomal laughs about the ordeal. To date, he鈥檚 now tagged more than 300 white sharks in the shallow waters off Cape Cod, which in recent years has seen these apex predators appear in increasingly large numbers. In a new study of the white sharks of Cape Cod, Megan Winton, a staff scientist with the non-profit research group , and Skomal estimate that 800 white sharks visited the shallow waters along the Cape’s eastern shoreline between June and October, from 2015 to 2018. This eye-popping number makes Cape Cod鈥檚 eastern shoreline arguably the largest seasonal meeting point on the planet for white sharks.

The migratory nature of white sharks makes apples-to-apples comparisons tricky, but a 2013 study of sharks off South Africa鈥攁 well-known destination for the animals鈥攑egged the estimated population at 908 individuals, but that study implied a much larger geographic range than the Cape Cod study. A 2021 estimated there to be 300 white sharks swimming off the state鈥檚 central coast, a region stretching from Bodega Bay in the north to Monterey Bay in the south, and including the Farallon Islands.

The Return of New England’s White Shark Population

White sharks likely swam off the coast of Cape Cod hundreds of years ago. The current growth of the region鈥檚 white shark population traces its roots in the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, which prohibited the killing of seals and other mammals along the coastline. Prior to that, gray seals had been hunted nearly to extinction in New England waters. When the seal population dropped, sharks likely sought food elsewhere. But the seals maintained a remnant population in Canadian waters, and by the 1990s were expanding their numbers and range southward, establishing several pupping colonies around the Cape and Islands.

These fat-rich pinnipeds are a favorite quarry of white sharks, and the mammals鈥� return meant the sharks weren鈥檛 far behind. By the late 2000s, credible reports of white sharks near Cape Cod were on the uptick. As Skomal tells it, 鈥淲e were getting more reports each summer of dead seals on the beach with wounds that could only be attributed to white sharks. In 2009, I got a call from a spotter pilot who saw white sharks off the Outer Cape,鈥� he said.

What researchers find noteworthy about the Cape Cod population is how quickly it has grown. Dr. Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach, who did not participate in this study, told me that many marine scientists were initially quite conservative about the Cape Cod shark count. 鈥淲hat I find most amazing is the speed at which the population recovered,鈥� he said. 鈥淢an, were we wrong.鈥�

Living in Balance with a Marine Predator

Marine scientists weren鈥檛 the only ones surprised鈥攔ecreational fishers, beachgoers, and water sports enthusiasts have all had to rethink their relationships with the water due to the uptick in sharks. John Murphy, a local surfer and former lifeguard, grew up on the Cape and has surfed there since the early 90s. 鈥淚 could have imagined aliens coming down from Outer Space more than I could have imagined pulling someone out of the water from a shark attack,鈥� he told me. It just wasn鈥檛 something people worried about. But that all changed. It went from 鈥渢he last thing you think about to the first thing you think about when you put on your wetsuit.鈥�

Ground zero for reported shark activity was the Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS), which spans 45 miles of coastline and hosts over a million beachgoers each year. The first reported incidence of a white shark biting a human on Cape Cod occurred in 2012 on Ballston Beach near the town of Truro, where a 50-year-old man was bitten while swimming 400 to 500 feet offshore; he survived, but his injuries required 47 stitches. In September of 2018, 61-year-old neurologist William Lytton narrowly survived a shark bite on his leg while swimming in ten feet of water near the town of Truro. Two weeks later, 26-year-old by a shark while boogie boarding at Newcomb Hollow Beach. It was the first shark-related fatality on Cape Cod since 1936.

Concerns over safety led to the creation of the Regional Shark Working Group led by Leslie Reynolds, Chief Ranger in 2012 and now Deputy Superintendent of CCNS. The group included the Division of Marine Fisheries, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, harbormasters, and local town officials. The group also sought the advice of shark experts from California, Australia, and South Africa, where large white shark populations have existed for decades.

Plans were quickly implemented to train lifeguards and beach safety personnel, install bleed kits and call boxes on the beaches, adopt beach signage and a shark flag warning system, and conduct ongoing public outreach and education. In 2016, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy launched the , which updates confirmed shark sightings, now for over 750,000 users.

The need for greater public safety also triggered a demand for a better scientific understanding of the sharks. Skomal told me, 鈥淭he question on everyone鈥檚 minds was 鈥榟ow many sharks are out there?鈥� And we couldn鈥檛 answer that question.鈥� That question provided the impetus for the population study. Skomal was already tagging white sharks but had no sustainable source of funding. The , a non-profit organization, was established in 2012 to solve that problem. Its mission is to 鈥渟upport scientific research, improve public safety, and educate the community to inspire white shark conservation.鈥�

As the shark population grew, so did the desire among charter boat captains to offer shark tours. But what kind of impact would these tours have on public safety if sharks were being attracted to boats near public beaches? That question led the working group to lobby state officials to prohibit that type of interference with the sharks. It took two years, but in 2015 the DMF issued an emergency regulation prohibiting 鈥渁ttracting or capturing white sharks, chumming, and towing of decoys鈥� within three miles of shore.

Today, there is a growing shark viewing business on Cape Cod. Private charters are offered by about ten operators, including AWSC. Cynthia Wigren, CEO of AWSC, told me, 鈥淩ather than using attractants to draw sharks close to boats, these tours use spotter planes to guide boats to the sharks, offering people an opportunity to see the sharks in a natural setting.鈥�

There have been no biting incidents reported on the Cape since 2018. Shark experts are correct to point out that the risk of a shark encounter is very low, especially when precautions are taken. But as Tony Pike, Beach Safety Director for the Town of Orleans, put it, 鈥淭he longer we don鈥檛 have an issue, the more likely we will have one. It鈥檚 just a matter of time.鈥�

Professor Jennifer Jackman of Salem State University surveyed over 1,200 residents and visitors to learn about the public鈥檚 reaction to the sharks. In a study published in 2022, she reported that 70 percent of Cape residents and 65 percent of tourists 鈥渇eel they have control in preventing an encounter with a white shark鈥� and 86 percent and 94 percent respectively 鈥渁re willing to accept some inconvenience and risk in order to have oceans where marine wildlife can thrive.鈥�

For people like John Murphy things haven鈥檛 changed that much. He鈥檚 made a few adjustments to when and where he surfs, but he鈥檚 still out there, even after three close encounters. The scariest one was on a cloudy day in November. 鈥淭he shark came up like a submarine right in front of me, facing towards me. I turned my board toward the beach and put my shoulder down preparing to get hit when the shark turned away at the last second. I took some time off after that.鈥�

When I asked him if he ever thinks about giving up surfing, the answer was no. 鈥淚t鈥檚 part of my identity,鈥� he said.

The white sharks are now a part of Cape Cod鈥檚 identity, too. Every bit as much as its beaches and lobster rolls. Thankfully, a diverse set of stakeholders鈥攎arine scientists, National Park officials, conservation organizations, local communities鈥攃ame together to embrace and protect a once-in-a-lifetime natural phenomenon.

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The beach was disorienting. There was just so much of it, spreading north and south as far as I could see: only sand, dunes, and ocean. No high-rise condos. No putt-putt courses. No boardwalk crammed with souvenir shops. It was just raw.

It was my first time in North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and I was in awe over the wild nature of the land and seascape鈥攖he exact emotion that our national park system is supposed to induce.

The park system protects many pristine beaches, long stretches of sand or secluded rocky coves just as awesome as a 14,000-foot mountain peak or 5,000-foot-deep canyon. And it鈥檚 summer, the perfect time to go to the beach. There鈥檚 no better place to do that than in a wild national park. Here are my top ten to visit.

1. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin

The sea caves of are truly stunning. Dozens of them, where Lake Superior has eaten holes in the orange and red sandstone cliffs, are scattered along the mainland of Wisconsin and the 21 islands that comprise this national lakeshore. But don鈥檛 ignore the beaches between these cliffs, which are just as spectacular. The great Meyers Beach, which is on the mainland strip of this park unit and accessible by car, is the easiest choice. But if you truly want wild sand, strike out for one of the isles that sit deeper in Lake Superior.

Several of those islands have beaches you can only reach by boat, and most are beautiful. But Lake Superior鈥檚 water temperature is notoriously cold, so my advice is to head to Julian Bay, on Stockton Island, where on sunny days a protected, shallow bay offers water temps in the 70s. The 1.5-mile-long beach wraps around the bay, giving you plenty of opportunity to find your own patch of sand with views that stretch across Lake Superior. Better yet, especially for kids, the sand 鈥渟ings鈥� when you brush it with your hand, because of the shape of the grains. It actually sounds like a seal barking.

Though you can kayak to some of the islands in this park, Stockton is 14 miles from the mainland, so consider taking a water taxi or hopping on the from Bayfield, Wisconsin ($52). The boat will dock at Presque Isle Bay. Walk the .4-mile Julian Bay Trail to Julian Bay Beach and relax. You can bring camping gear, but the ferry runs morning and afternoon service so you could just spend the day.

Logistics: There鈥檚 no entrance fee to the park. Getting around requires aquatic transportation, though.

Stay the night: Stockton has a waterfront campground with 21 sites tucked into the pines of Presque Isle Bay. ($15 a night.) Make reservations at .

2. Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia

There鈥檚 a lot of human history to be discovered on , a 36,415-acre barrier island near the Georgia-Florida border that has been both the home of a freed-slave settlement and the resort mansions of the Carnegie family. Those slaves earned their freedom by fighting for the British in the War of 1812. Meanwhile, descendants of the Carnegies still retain rights to live on the island.

The natural beauty is a mix of marsh channels, live oak forest, and wide-open beaches. There are castle-like ruins to explore and听 also plenty of wildlife to keep an eye out for鈥攁lligators dominate the interior marshes, and a herd of feral horses, descendants of a pack left behind in the late 1800s, roam the island. Almost 10,000 acres of Cumberland is federally designated wilderness. The beach is extensive, running for 17 miles along the eastern edge of the island.

Crowds are scarce because the ferry from St. Marys can only bring a maximum of 300 people over on any given day, so it鈥檚 easy to find a slice of sand to yourself if you鈥檙e willing to hike. The majority of day trippers stick to Sea Camp Beach, on the southern end of the island, less than half a mile from the ferry drop. You can rent a bike ($16 a day) and ride Grand Avenue north, or hike along the beach until you find a spot with the right amount of solitude. The waves are generally too little to surf, but perfect for swimming, reading trashy novels, and taking naps.

Logistics: Catch a from St. Marys ($40 per person). Entrance fee is $15 per person.

Stay the Night: Cumberland Island has . Sea Camp is the most developed and easiest to reach, just a half mile from the ferry dock. It has 18 sites situated in a live oak forest with plenty of shade a quarter mile from Sea Camp Beach ($22 a night). Stafford Beach is your other developed option, with 10 sites and cold showers (which is fine鈥攊t’s hot here, so you wouldn’t want a warm shower), flush toilets, and potable water. It鈥檚 a 3.5-mile hike from the ferry dock, but puts you in the middle of the island with fewer crowds and quick access to the north side of Cumberland. ($12 a night.)

3. Olympic National Park, Washington

Olympic National Park encompasses some of the most diverse terrain of any park in the country. Protecting nearly a million acres, the terrain varies from glaciated peaks to rocky beaches. There are 73 miles of coastline within the park鈥檚 boundaries, including the popular and picture-perfect Rialto and Kalaloch beaches.

But if you want a wilder experience, hike beyond these vehicle-accessed destinations and deeper into the Olympic National Park鈥檚 Wilderness Coast. Just be prepared for an arduous hike: a mix of forested paths, boulder hopping, and steep, rope-assisted trails that climb and descend tall headlands. You also have to pay attention to the tides; high tides can close out the beach.

Ozette Ranger Station, in the middle of the Wilderness Coast, is the perfect starting point. From there, you can do short, three-mile boardwalk hikes to Cape Alava or Sand Point, or begin multi-day treks 20 miles south to Rialto Beach or . If you head north,听 you鈥檒l be inundated with tidepools full of starfish, tall cliffs with sweeping views, and more sea stacks rising from the surf than you can count.

Shi Shi itself offers two miles of hard-packed sand bookended by tall cliffs and sea stacks. It鈥檚 a popular spot, so don鈥檛 expect to have it to yourself, but you won鈥檛 find a better sunset on the West Coast. The waves are good too, and people surf here, but that means lugging your board on the hike.

Logistics: There鈥檚 a $30 entrance fee to enter Olympic. If you plan to hike the Wilderness Coast, you can arrange for a shuttle with .

Stay the Night: Get a wilderness ($8 per person per night) and you can camp in one of the traditional forested campsites adjacent to the beach or pitch a tent on the sand itself. You can build a fire on the beach below the high-tide line, but may only gather driftwood, not wood from the forest. Shi Shi Beach, 15 miles from the Ozette Ranger Station, is a popular destination for backpackers.

4. Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands are a collection of three tropical keys in the Caribbean that range from the touristy (St. Thomas) to the culturally significant (St. Croix). Virgin Islands National Park protects more than 7,000 acres of the decidedly more rustic St. Johns, comprising roughly half of the island鈥檚 total footprint and offering a mix of lush, forested hiking trails and picture-perfect beaches.

Trunk Bay is the most famous, largely because of its natural beauty; the white sand forms a horseshoe around light blue water, islands rise from the sea just off the beach, and mountains frame the horizon. Yes, it鈥檚 crowded, but it鈥檚 worth it. The Underwater Snorkel Trail is also a great way to get acquainted with the unofficial sport of the Virgin Islands鈥攕taring at fish through goggles.

But don鈥檛 spend all your time at Trunk Bay. Hit a few of the park鈥檚 beaches to get a taste of the variety of terrain. Brown Bay has a small spit of flat sand that鈥檚 only accessible by boat or trail, offering more solitude than Trunk Bay. Maho Bay is known for an abundance of sea turtles thanks to its healthy seagrass beds, and Honeymoon Bay has two beaches split by a rocky point where several species of coral offer habitat for colonies of colorful fish. I recommend visiting as many beaches as you can while you鈥檙e on the island, and bring goggles and a snorkel. The park protects roughly 5,000 acres of coral reefs and seagrass beds beneath the surface of the clear water.

Logistics: There鈥檚 no entrance fee to the park, but Trunk Bay charges a $5 amenity fee.

Stay the Night: The privately run operates within the national-park boundaries, complete with its own beach. You can bring your own tent, but we say opt for one of the campground鈥檚 eco-tents, which have queen beds, fans, and shaded decks. (Two-night minimum; $165 per night.)

5. Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland

is a 32-mile-long barrier island that splits its zip codes between Maryland and Virginia, though most of the national seashore is located in Maryland. It is a wild expanse of land known for its maritime forests, salt marshes, and mellow interior bays.

The Atlantic side of the island is dominated by a primitive beach that stretches for miles between choppy surf and tall dunes. Oh, and Assateague also has a population of magnificent wild ponies. Legend has it that the equine are descendants of ponies that swam to shore from a sunken Spanish ship in the 1500s.

The national seashore is just a couple hundred miles from Washington, D.C., so it can be crowded, but the beach is gorgeous, and there鈥檚 a good chance you鈥檒l build a sand castle a couple hundred yards from a pony.

Take a break from the beach and paddle the Sinepuxent Bay, a shallow sound on the inland side of the island, where you鈥檒l have a good chance of seeing the wild ponies as they graze on the tall grass that borders the water. has boat rentals and tours (rentals start at $20, tours start at $50). is a thing on the island. In Maryland, crabbing season runs from April 1 to December 31. Only keep crabs you鈥檙e planning to eat, and only if they鈥檙e at least five inches across.

Logistics: Entrance fee is $25. Get a to explore the Over Sand Vehicle (OSV) zone ($110, valid for one year), which is 11 miles long and offers your best chance of avoiding the crowds.

Stay the night: The many camping options here range from the developed campground of 鈥攁n 800-acre state park on the same island as the national seashore with 350 campsites ($27.50 a night)鈥攖o the primitive beach camping within the Bullpen area of the OSV zone ($200 for a year). Note that you must camp in a hard-sided vehicle with an approved waste-management system. Campfires are allowed on the beach below the high-tide line.

6. Redwood National Park, California

Redwood National Park is best known for protecting some of the world鈥檚 largest trees, which can rise to more than 350 feet tall. The park also encompasses 40 miles of northern California鈥檚 coast, where sandy beaches hide beneath bluffs holding old-growth spruce forest.

Gold Bluffs Beach makes for a good introduction to the coast, with miles of gray sand flanked by orange-colored cliffs. It鈥檚 a popular beach with easy road access, so you鈥檒l need to apply for a if you鈥檙e visiting between May 15 and Sept. 15, and pay a $12 day-use fee.

Gold Bluffs isn鈥檛 your only destination in Redwood National Park. The California Coastal Trail stretches for 70 miles through the national park and adjacent public lands, connecting a number of less crowded beaches. You can visit a few gems by hiking an portion of the CCT from False Klamath Cove south to the Klamath River. The trail mostly traverses the wooded hillside above the ocean, but short side spurs lead to secluded beaches without any road access.

One of the best is Hidden Beach, where a gray-sand cove is flanked by grass-covered hills, and massive rocks jut out of the Pacific surf. A pile of driftwood has collected at the high-water mark of the beach, and small boulders are sunk into the sand. The whole scene has a misty, moody vibe that feels more Pacific Northwest than California.

Logistics: No entrance fee required, but the parking lot at Gold Bluffs has a $12 day use fee.

Stay the Night: Grab a site at which sits within Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and has 26 sites you can reserve up to six months in advance ($35 a night) with quick access to the beach below and the California Coastal Trail.

7. Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts

protects 40 miles of the coast where Massachusetts meets the Atlantic, defining the edge of New England, and is so beautiful that in the 1800s Henry David Thoreau wrote about this place: 鈥淎 man may stand there and put all America behind him.鈥� The seashore has no shortage of beaches, but Race Point, in Provincetown, offers an idyllic slice of the region.

This expanse isn鈥檛 rugged and dramatic like some of the West Coast鈥檚 beaches. Instead of tall cliffs and jagged sea stacks, you have soft sand and rolling sand dunes speckled with wispy grass. The beach itself is mellow, conducive to relaxation and the occasional nap. The sand next to the parking lot ($25 fee) in Provincetown can get crowded, but Race Point stretches for several miles around the tip of the Cape, so if you have the legs for it, keep walking until you find a quiet spot.

The thick grassland that separates the beach from the road and parking facilities gives you a more rustic vibe than a lot of more overdeveloped East Coast beaches. Spring is whale-migration season, so bring some binoculars and look for right and humpback whales cruising the channels off the coast.

Logistics: $25 entrance fee.

Stay the Night: There鈥檚 no camping within Cape Cod National Seashore, but the park has a that put you close to the park鈥檚 beaches (from $170 a night).

8. Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida and Mississippi

The beaches along the Gulf of Mexico are known for their sugar-white sand, like those found on , which protects pieces of the coast of Mississippi and Florida and islands within the Gulf. The national seashore hosts a mix of historic military forts, coastal forest, and pristine beaches.

The best sand of the lot is on Horn Island, an 8-mile-long, 1-mile-wide barrier island off the coast of Mississippi, protected as a federally-designated wilderness, and only accessible by boat. Horn is located seven miles off the coast of Mississippi, sitting in the Mississippi Sound of the Gulf of Mexico. No commercial ferries service the island, so you鈥檒l need your own boat (or to hire a private charter) to reach it.

A sandy path connects the two sides of the island. The beach on the south side, facing the Gulf, features soft sand flanked by small, grassy dunes. The interior of the island has warm lagoons and tall pine trees with tufts of green nettles at their tips, looking like giant bonsai trees. You鈥檒l find the occasional alligator on Horn, as well as nesting ospreys. Anglers wade into the shallow waters of the Gulf and cast for speckled trout and redfish, but mostly, you just soak in the deserted-island vibes.

Logistics: There鈥檚 no entrance fee to visit Horn Island, and you don鈥檛 need reservations to camp. But you do need a boat. There鈥檚 no regular ferry service to Horn, but you can find .

Stay the night: You鈥檙e allowed to on the beach here, as long as you stay off the dunes and any vegetation. There are no facilities and no drinking water, so bring everything you need on the boat. You can have a campfire below the high-tide line. No permits or reservations needed, but there is a 14-day maximum stay.

9. Channel Islands National Park, California

If you ever wondered what California was like before all the people showed up, take a 20-mile boat ride out to Channel Islands National Park, a five-island archipelago with craggy coastlines, rugged mountains, and remote coves where you鈥檒l find more sea lions and seals than suntanned bodies. Santa Cruz Island is the largest within the national park, with a total of 77 miles of shoreline, and has regular ferry service. It also has the best beaches.

Start by exploring and snorkeling in Scorpion Beach, a rocky patch of land between two cliffs with clear water and underwater kelp forests. If you want a more adventurous beach, hike four miles across the island from Scorpion Beach to Smuggler鈥檚 Cove Beach, a mix of dark sand and rock tucked into a protected cove surrounded by steep headlands. You might see some sailboats anchored off the beach, but probably won鈥檛 have to share the sand with anyone.

Regardless of the beach you choose, keep an eye out for gray, blue, and humpback whales frolicking in the water near the islands in the summer and fall. You can also sign up for a to explore the sea caves that punctuate the rocky coast ($186 per person).

Logistics: Entrance to the park is free. If you don鈥檛 have a boat, from Ventura, California. It鈥檚 a 20-mile cruise to Santa Cruz. (From $31)

Stay the Night: Santa Cruz has one developed campground, , with 31 sites and fresh water. It鈥檚 just a half-mile walk from the boat landing. You can make reservations six months in advance. ($15 per night.)

10. Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina

stretches for 70 miles, protecting a string of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina. The park is a mix of dune-flanked beaches, meandering channels, historic lighthouses, and small, thriving towns. This is the wild Outer Banks that has attracted visitors from the pirate Blackbeard, looking to lay low from the law in the 1700s, to surfers today seeking consistent East Coast barrels.

A single highway connects most of the Outer Banks with a series of bridges, with quality beaches along the entire length of this park. But Ocracoke Beach, on Ocracoke Island, is your destination, because it鈥檚 largely undeveloped, and it鈥檚 less crowded than most other beaches in the area; the island is isolated on the southern end of the national seashore. To reach it, you need your own boat or to catch a ferry ride from the mainland.

Development is centered around the harbor on the southern end of the island, complete with a lighthouse, while the rest of the spit is left mostly untouched. Ocracoke Beach is 16 miles of sand, tall dunes, and relentless surf. Bring a board, or ($25 a day), some fishing gear, and a 4WD vehicle; sections of the beach are open to offroad vehicles with a permit.

Logistics: There鈥檚 no entrance fee to the park, but you need to catch a from either Cedar Island or Hatteras Island to reach Ocracoke ($15 one way). You can get an to drive on sections of Ocracoke Beach ($50 for a 10-day permit).

Stay the Night: Ocracoke Island has a (136 sites) with gravel tent pads situated just behind the dunes, so you can hear the waves crash as you drift to sleep in your tent. ($28 per night.)

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist. He is constantly having an internal debate about whether it鈥檚 better to live at the beach or in the mountains. Right now, because it鈥檚 summer, the beach is winning.

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The Outerwear and lifestyle clothing company continues to bring its direct-to-consumer model into the brick-and-mortar reality with the scheduled opening of three new stores in 2023.

The Jackson, Wyoming-based company announced it was launching three new storefronts in California, Montana, and Massachusetts, its first in those states. These new stores will bring Stio鈥檚 total retail locations to ten.

鈥淲e started in Jackson Hole with a goal to be an authentic mountain lifestyle brand,鈥� founder and CEO Stephen Sullivan told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淥ur apparel has resonated so far beyond the Tetons, and now we鈥檙e excited to offer the brick-and-mortar experience to those across the U.S.that have shopped online with us for so many years.鈥�

The Boston, Massachusetts, store is scheduled to open Jan. 6 in the Seaport neighborhood where it will join Helly Hansen, Everlane, Lululemon, Filson, and Outdoor Voices storefronts. The South Lake Tahoe, California store is expected to open in spring 2023 at Heavenly Mountain Resort.

鈥淲hat attracted us to South Lake Tahoe is its location,鈥� said Megan Odom, director of retail at Stio. 鈥淵ou can access the lake, incredible singletrack trails, resort and backcountry skiing just minutes from our storefront.鈥�

The Bozeman, Montana, store is expected to open in late 2023, the company said.

Called Mountain Studios, these Stio stores are in addition to 58 Stio Outpost kiosks within other outdoor stores and ski shops across the country.Stio was founded in 2011 by Stephen Sullivan as an online direct-to-consumer brand. Sullivan previously founded the brand in 1997 with Brian Cousins, and in 2005. Cloudveil had more than 600 retail stores and $25 million in revenue when it was sold.

鈥淢y years with Cloudveil taught me a great deal in growth strategy, which I鈥檝e translated into Stio鈥檚 expansion plans slowly and steadily over the years,鈥� Sullivan said. 鈥淪tio is actually 4 times larger in annual sales than Cloudveil was at its height of sales.鈥�

As for goals of seeing Stio鈥檚 pinecone logo as ubiquitous on slopes and trails as other brands such as Patagonia and The North Face, Sullivan said it鈥檚 more important to him to keep Stio鈥檚 brand 鈥渢rue to its mountain roots.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 extremely proud of how successful the brand has been and how much we continue to grow,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have over 150 employees and are broadening our omni-channel approach by expanding our wholesale base, increasing our owned retail storefronts, and growing our corporate and group business.鈥�

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Massachusetts became , joining 17 other states across the country that aim to galvanize and harness the collective power of outdoor businesses.

The new office, announced yesterday by Lt. Governor Karyn Polito at a ceremony at Wachusett Mountain ski area, is within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and will work alongside state agencies, including the Department of Fish and Game, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, to enhance outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the state and support the associated economic, environmental, and quality of life benefits they bring.

What does this mean for outdoor recreationists in Massachusetts? 鈥淲hen a state like Massachusetts invests in outdoor businesses and opens an OREC office, it means new business recruitment and retention, resilient rural communities, equitable access to the outdoors, and increased public health and wellness, not to mention making states more competitive, period,鈥� said Chris Perkins, senior director at Outdoor Recreation Roundtable.

鈥淥utdoor recreation is a consistent economic driver for communities throughout the Commonwealth, creating jobs and supporting small businesses,鈥� said Lieutenant Governor Polito. 鈥淥ur world-class parks, beaches, and trails attract visitors from all across the world, and the creation of this office will promote collaboration between local communities, outdoor businesses, and the Commonwealth on expanding these opportunities even further.鈥�

According to a in Massachusetts accounted for $ 9.5 billion or 1.5% of GDP and 93,422 jobs or 2.6% of employment in the Commonwealth. This represents 24 percent growth over the previous year.

A director has not yet been hired, but the state has . The office will focus on the following efforts:

• Coordinating outdoor recreation policy;
• Identifying funding opportunities for programs and infrastructure;
• Enhancing public access and recreation infrastructure;
• Supporting the outdoor recreation economy;
• Advancing equity and access to outdoor recreation opportunities; and,
• Promoting Massachusetts as a great place to work, live, and enjoy outdoor recreation.

鈥淲ith as much participation and investment as there has been in outdoor recreation of late, and more people than ever moving to and working in places with great outdoor recreation opportunities, I predict that a number of states will be watching Massachusetts鈥� announcement today and asking themselves, 鈥渨hy can鈥檛 we be next?鈥� said Perkins.

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