31 Places to Go This Summer
From left, Michael Venera/Cavallo Point; Kevin Moloney for The New York Times; Matt Furbert for The New York Times
The Golden Gate Bridge, Monument Valley and the White Mountains.
But the summer of 2008 is starting out like a cruel joke, with air
travel increasingly a nightmare and with wildly escalating gas prices
threatening to make the
road trip all but obsolete. It’s almost enough to make you sit at home and catch up on episodes of “Gossip Girl.”
The summer vacation is still an inalienable right, however. And there is
no reason to forgo it this year. It will just take a bit of creativity —
and perhaps the willingness to stay a little closer to home this time
around — to pull it off in 2008.
Thus, here are 31 options — from river
rafting in eastern
Oregon to
biking in the
White Mountains of
New Hampshire
— for a great summer vacation. Not one involves the terrifying
conversion of dollars into euros, many can be enjoyed without ever
getting on a plane, and the road trips are ones that actually justify
filling up your tank, even if the price of gas hits $5 a gallon this
summer.
1. TEXAS HILL COUNTRY
Who needs
Europe? The Texas Hill Country, west of
Austin and north of
San Antonio,
might be the next best thing to crossing the Atlantic. The region is
lush, colorful and, unlike much of the pancake-flat state, dotted with
beautiful green hills that are evocative of
Tuscany or the south of
France. Moreover, the region is speckled with 22
wineries (
www.texaswinetrail.com) that buzz with food and
music
festivals year round. And towns like Fredericksburg offer a taste of
the Old World, with German-style biergartens and schnitzelhäuser.
2. NEW HAMPSHIRE
With 800,000 acres of rugged terrain and
biking trails, the
White Mountains of New Hampshire are sometimes called the
Moab
of the East. And while you won’t get red-rock formations or Road Runner
vistas, the White Mountains do offer their own purple majesty. The
Cherry Mountain Loop near Twin Mountain, not far from Bretton Woods,
features remote waterfalls and thick forests. The trails around North
Conway, a small, outdoorsy town near the
Maine
border where volunteer riders maintain more than 100 miles of downhill
paths, are popular. For trail information, see the New Hampshire Trails
Bureau (
www.nhtrails.org) and New England Mountain Bicycling Association (
www.nemba.org).
3. LAS VEGAS
The much-hyped efforts of Las Vegas to turn itself into a family
destination a few years ago pretty much fizzled — there’s still plenty
of sin in Sin City — but anyone looking for a pool vacation for the kids
this summer might want to consider this desert spot. The pool scenes at
any number of hotels (including recent expansions at Mandalay Bay and
the Excalibur) are fairly over-the-top, but few can rival the 15-acre
“tropical oasis” at the Flamingo Las Vegas (888-902-9929;
www.flamingolv.com),
with four pools, a water slide, several waterfalls and a subterranean
grotto that can be explored either on foot or by water. And for the
adults, there’s even a swim-up blackjack table. Weekend rates for a room
with two queen-size beds (suitable for a family of four) start about
$140 this June and July.
4. PHILADELPHIA
There are enough history excursions in the City of Brotherly Love to
fill an entire summer, including big landmarks like the National
Constitution Center (215-409-6600;
www.constitutioncenter.org),
with its interactive displays in which kids can be sworn in as
president or cast their ballots in authentic voting booths. But there’s
also plenty to do off the history track — much of it affordable for a
family weekend. For starters: the new $20 million Big Cat Falls exhibit
at the Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue; 215-243-1100;
www.philadelphiazoo.org),
where lions, tigers, baby pumas and snow leopards are on view. A quick
trolley ride from Center City can take you to one of the nation’s oldest
— and most lovely — botanical
gardens, Bartram’s Garden (54th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard; 215-729-5281;
www.bartramsgarden.org). For local flavor, it’s worth a lunch visit to John’s Roast Pork (14 East Snyder Avenue; 215-463-1951;
www.johnsroastpork.com),
where the made-to-order cheese steaks are legendary (the James Beard
Foundation declared John’s one of “America’s Classics”). The Loews
Philadelphia Hotel is well situated at 1200 Market Street (215-627-1200;
www.loewshotels.com), with occasional family packages. Rooms with two double beds start at $179.
5. A WESTERN ROAD TRIP
You could join the thousands of visitors vying for a glance of the fabled
Grand Canyon
before retiring to cafeteria lines and dorm-size rooms (surrounded by
those same throngs). Or you could opt instead to navigate a series of
mind-bendingly beautiful mesas and wild canyons in the
Capitol Reef National Park,
in almost near solitude. En route from Las Vegas, is Bryce Canyon —
shades of the Grand Canyon with a fraction of the tourists. A bit
farther, in Torrey,
Utah (population about 200), the Cafe Diablo on Main Street (435-425-3070;
www.cafediablo.net),
serves rattlesnake cakes with ancho-rosemary aioli, glazed salmon, and
margaritas at outdoor tables with views of the surrounding mountains.
The nearby Hell’s Backbone Grill in Boulder, Utah (population 1850), on
the edge of Escalante’s enormous slick-rock chasm, also serves food
that’s strikingly good (Utah North Highway 12; 435-335-7464). Along the
way, the stretch of road on Highways 89 and 12 is one of the country’s
most stunning. (Information on Capitol Reef National Park, including
camping permits:
www.nps.gov; 435-425-3791.)
6. MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.
The 55-acre Hard Rock Park (
www.hardrockpark.com),
billed as the “world’s first rock ’n’ roll theme park,” just opened in
Myrtle Beach, complete with a Led Zeppelin-themed steel roller coaster
and nightly fireworks set to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It may be an
unlikely addition to this popular resort, best known for its
golf
courses, but it’s not the only reason to visit this summer. Many of the
area’s hotels are offering deep discounts on their weekend rates,
ranging from three-bedroom suites for $225 a night to two-bedroom golf
villas starting at around $200.
7. MONTAUK, N.Y.
It’s cheaper, less crowded and arguably even prettier than
the Hamptons. And now the party scene is getting a boost, too. Montauk, the salty surfing and artists’ village at the eastern tip of
Long Island,
welcomed a new hotel this season, the Surf Lodge, created by the same
celebrity-wrangling folks who brought you the Cain nightclub in New
York’s Chelsea neighborhood. The 32-room hotel is set on tranquil Fort
Pond, and imports such Hamptons-like affectations as a mixologist, yoga
gurus and a flip-flop-friendly restaurant helmed by the former “Top
Chef” heartthrob Sam Talbot. (Surf Lodge, 183 Edgemere Street;
631-238-5190;
www.thesurflodge.com.)
8. NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
You won’t find much evidence of George Bernard Shaw at the Shaw Festival (
www.shawfest.com)
this year — just “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” and the seldom-performed
“Getting Married.” But there are still excellent theatrical offerings
this summer, including two Stephen Sondheim musicals, “A Little Night
Music” and “Follies.” But even if you never go inside a theater,
Niagara-on-the-Lake in
Ontario
has plenty to offer, including a lovely setting on Lake Ontario, a
clutch of charming B & Bs and some excellent wineries — particularly
Peller Estates (
www.peller.com),
with a restaurant featuring creative seasonal menus from its executive
chef, Jason Parsons. The historic Prince of Wales Hotel, in the center
of town (6 Picton Street; 905-468-3246), is an excellent place to park
yourself for the weekend. Summer rates start at about 290 Canadian
dollars, about the same in
United States dollars.
9. SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.
Downtown Scottsdale is turning into a desert version of
Miami’s
South Beach. No ocean of course, but plenty of late-night partying and a
buzzing hotel scene. The latest arrival is the 224-room W Scottsdale (
www.whotels.com/scottsdale), scheduled to open in August, featuring a Bliss
spa,
a 1,100-square-foot fitness center, a sprawling pool area (with 13
private cabanas) and a sushi restaurant. Rates start at $449.
10. CHESAPEAKE BAY
The calm waters of Chesapeake Bay are an idyllic setting for a summer
afternoon sail. But don’t know your mast from your helm? Then check out
the “Learn to Sail Package” being offered by the Tides Inn (
www.tidesinn.com),
a resort in Irvington, Va., set on an estuary that flows into the
Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake. Starting at $2,495 for two
people, the package includes four nights in a suite in a part of the
hotel with a private boat slip and two and a half days of expert
instruction that will enable you to earn a basic keelboat certificate.
More of a landlubber? Stay behind and hang out at the spa, where the
treatments include a lava shell massage and a Sedona clay body wrap.
11. PORTLAND, ORE.
As far as foodie havens go, Portland has been better known for its vegan
cafes and eco-hippie cooperatives than for restaurants with gastronomic
ambitions. But an emerging locavore movement has changed that. Drawn by
the city’s low rents and artsy vibe, young chefs are breaking the
culinary mold and tapping into the Northwestern bounty of local
fisheries, small meat purveyors and artisanal farms. Sample the heat at
places like Clyde Common (Southwest 10th and Stark; 503-228-3333;
www.clydecommon.com), which serves novel dishes like crispy pork belly with blood orange marmalade.
12. MONUMENT VALLEY
You’ve seen it in countless spaghetti westerns and Marlboro ads. But the
iconic red buttes and mesas of Monument Valley, in the heart of Navajo
country, offers more than just postcard-ready views of the
quintessential American West. The wind-scraped valley, which spreads
along the Utah and
Arizona
border like a rock sculpture garden, also draws horseback riders,
mountain bikers, river rafters and other outdoor enthusiasts. Sacred
Monument Tours (
www.monumentvalley.net) has horseback rides starting at about $57. Tours are also available at Goulding’s Lodge (
www.gouldings.com), currently the only lodging in the valley, at least until the View Hotel (
www.monumentvalleyview.com) opens sometime in the fall. Other services can be found through the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department (
www.navajonationparks.org).
13. HIGHWAY 101, OREGON
Oregon’s Highway 101 may be a National Scenic Byway (
www.byways.org),
but that doesn’t mean you have to drive it. This coastal highway is
also great for biking. Yes, there are some challenging uphill stretches,
but the reward is fragrant old-growth forests, misty ocean cliffs and
isolated coves that you’d miss whizzing by in a car. Plus, it’s easy to
tack on a side trip to artsy little towns like Port Orford (
www.portorford.org), the nearby historic Cape Blanco Lighthouse (
www.capeblanco.org) and the
Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, which is excellent for
bird-watching. For lodging, try the eco-friendly Wildspring Guest Habitat (866-333-9453;
www.wildspring.com), which has cedar cabins filled with
art and antiques starting at $245.
14. THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS
Although the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest can be reached by
plane or boat, traveling by ferry will make you rethink your concept of
mass transit. Although the ferries, part of the Washington State
Department of Transportation (
www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries),
are used mostly by commuters, these same ferries can be a leisurely
(and economical) way to take in the stunning beauty of this popular
tourist spot — an archipelago of more than 450 tiny islands roughly
halfway between
Seattle and
Vancouver. In particular, the route of the Illahee, the 45-minute ride between San Juan Island and
Orcas Island, has been described by a writer for the Travel section as “the most beautiful trip in the entire
Washington State ferry system.”
15.
THE BOUNDARY WATERS
Every summer, thousands of
canoe paddlers head to the small
Minnesota town of Ely to explore the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a 1.3 million-acre park that runs along the border between the United States and
Canada.
The frenzy sometimes gives Ely the feel of the Old West, with travelers
loading up on food and liquor before heading out into the great
unknown. But the sights and sounds of a boomtown are soon replaced by
the lull of a canoe gliding through water and the near-absence of any
other living soul. Among the many local outfitters is the Piragis
Northwoods Company (
www.piragis.com), which offers four-day weekend excursions over the summer, with rates starting at $695 a person.
16. QUEBEC CITY
The city’s celebration of its 400th anniversary will mean a full summer
schedule of events, including a sound and light show with
2,000-foot-long grain silos serving as projection screens for images of
the city; an exhibition of 277 pieces on loan from the Louvre at the
Musée National des Beaux-Arts (866-220-2150;
www.mnba.qc.ca); and — mais oui — a free concert by Celine Dion on Aug. 22 (418-648-2008;
www.myquebec2008.com).
17. PASO ROBLES, CALIF.
Blame it on “Sideways.” Ever since that 2004 film uncorked central
California
as a discerning wine region, the boutique vineyards and wineries in
Paso Robles have blossomed into the region’s next viticulture center.
The number of bonded wineries has tripled to 170 in recent years,
cultivating everything from cabernet sauvignon to zinfandel. Elegant
hotels like the Hotel Cheval (1021 Pine Street; 866-522-6999;
www.hotelcheval.com)
have sprouted. And so have delectable restaurants and artisanal shops
like Pasolivo Olive Oil (8530 Vineyard Drive; 805-227-0186;
www.pasolivo.com). For tasting maps, see the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance’s Web site,
www.pasowine.com.
18. BAHIA HONDA KEY, FLA.
Pristine
beaches. Crystal blue waters. Zero development. Bahia Honda Key (
www.bahiahondapark.com) might be mistaken for a chic Brazilian preserve, but this 524-acre islet in the Lower
Florida Keys, between
Key West and Marathon, is actually a state park with beautiful beaches, amazing
snorkeling
and a precious biodiversity with nurse sharks and trumpet-shaped lily
thorns. Even rarer are the prices. Admission is $3.50 for one person.
Snorkeling rentals start at $3 for a mask. And the park has three duplex
cabins, with showers and a deck, that run under $140 a night.
19. SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Cavallo Point, a retreat center devoted to environmental health and
sustainability, is opening on the grounds of the century-old Fort Baker,
in Marin County across the Golden Gate from
San Francisco.
The latest step in the Bay Area’s slow-food obsession, the complex
officially opens June 14, with rotating guest chefs, a spa, adventure
programs and an eagerly awaited restaurant. Units in the historic
section, set in former lieutenants’ and generals’ quarters, start at
$350 for a room with a view and $250 for one without a view
(888-651-2003;
www.cavallopoint.com).
20. TELLURIDE, COLO.
Sometimes called Little Switzerland, with its steep peaks, crisp streams, alpine basins and swaths of wildflowers, the
ski resort of Telluride becomes a
hiking
mecca in the summer. Guided day trips as well as technical rock climbs
can be arranged through the San Juan Outdoor School (300 South Mahoney
Drive; 970-728-4101;
www.tellurideadventures.com),
starting at $125 a person for a group of four or more. The three-day
“adventure kids’ camp” program includes climbing, hiking and outdoor
games for $325.
21. OWYHEE RIVER, OREGON
Snaking through the remote eastern desert of Oregon, the Owyhee River,
with its deep sandstone cliffs and silty desert waters, has garnered
comparisons to the Colorado River or the Salmon. But its mild white
water and lazy meanderings make it manageable for those who aren’t
experts but still want a classic river rafting adventure. An updated
list of outfitters is available from the United States Bureau of Land
Management office in Vale, Ore.; (541) 473-3144).
22. LAKE POWELL
With nearly 200 miles of clear blue water and stark red rock, Lake
Powell is a boating paradise. The lake, which straddles the Utah-Arizona
border in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, is the
second-largest artificial reservoir in the United States, after Lake
Mead. And since you’ll also need a place to stay, why not do so on a
houseboat? Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas (888-896-3829;
www.lakepowell.com)
has a large fleet that includes the 46-foot-long Voyager XL, with an
outdoor grill, stargazing cushions and enough beds to sleep eight, for
$2,415 for three days.
23. FARMINGTON, N.M.
Not far from Mesa Verde National Park, in a cliff face near the La Plata
River in New Mexico, sits a most bizarre — but intriguing — B.&B.
option. Kokopelli’s Cave is a one-bedroom cave home carved from a
65-million-year-old sandstone formation, with Southwestern-style
furniture, food-stocked kitchens, a washer and dryer — and views of the
spectacular mountain ranges of the Four Corners region. The cave was
blasted out in the 1980s by a geologist, Bruce Black, who planned to use
it as an office. Instead, Mr. Black’s son and daughter-in-law made it
their home and transformed it into a B. &B. soon after. Rates start
at $240 a night depending on the number of guests. (505-326-2461;
www.bbonline.com/nm/kokopelli).
24. MONTREAL
Whether your
iPhone is loaded with chamber music or Arcade Fire, Montreal is music to all ears this summer. The Osheaga Music and Arts Festival (
www.osheaga.com), a new showcase for avant-garde talent, is on Aug. 3 and 4. The huge Montreal Jazz Festival (
www.montrealjazzfest.com)
takes over the entire city from June 26 to July 6, with 3,000
performers including Leonard Cohen and Woody Allen (yes, that one). And
every Sunday, Piknic Électronik brings the rising stars of Montreal’s
electronic music scene to Jean Drapeau Park. The city’s revamped Web
site (
www.tourisme-montreal.org) has listings, maps and a nifty planner.
25. TANGLEWOOD, MASS.
For a little Brahms to go with your Brie, picnic under the stars at the Tanglewood Music Festival (
www.tanglewood.org), the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the pastoral
Massachusetts Berkshires.
Under the direction of James Levine, the symphony’s opera-rich season
kicks off on July 5 with a concert performance of “Les Troyens” by
Berlioz and continues with weekend-long Beethoven and Mozart festivals.
John Williams also returns to conduct the popular “Boston Pops: Film
Night at Tanglewood” on July 26, featuring selections from his latest
blockbuster with Steven Spielberg, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the
Crystal Skull.”
26. BEARTOOTH ROAD
Charles Kuralt once called it America’s most beautiful highway, 68.7
miles of high-altitude, high-adrenaline road that zigzags through the
Beartooth Mountains in
Montana and
Wyoming. He might have been right. The two-lane Beartooth All-American Road (
www.beartoothhighway.com)
climbs over 10,000 feet (Winnebago drivers: don’t bother), going from
forest to alpine tundra in an hour. Dazzling sights await around every
hairpin turn: 12,000-foot-plus mountains, waterfalls, glacial lakes,
wildflowers and the occasional mountain goat. Besides gawking, the area
offers fly-
fishing, hiking, even summer skiing. Midway along the route, you’ll find affordable rooms at Top of the World Resort (2823 U.S. 212,
Cody, Wyo.; 307-587-5368;
www.topoftheworldresort.com) starting at $55, and plenty of other options in the gateway towns of Cooke City and Red Lodge in Montana.
27. PACIFIC NORTHWEST (BY RAIL)
Amtrak’s Empire Builder delivers a greatest hits of the American landscape. Beginning in
Chicago, passing through the Great Plains and the other-worldly
Glacier National Park
and ending in Seattle or Portland, Ore., the roughly 48-hour ride is a
throwback to the golden age of train travel. Old-fashioned dining cars
serve freshly cooked meals (flat iron steak, roasted game hen) on tables
decked out in white tablecloths. The panoramic sightseeing lounge and
sleeping compartments have a certain “North by Northwest” charm. And
rangers from the
National Park
service are periodically on board to provide narrative along the route
as a part of a Trails and Rails program. Beyond the nostalgia, the
Empire Builder cars were refurbished last year. Fares and accommodations
vary; a mid-level two-berth roomette for two adults from Chicago to
Seattle, with meals and nonalcoholic drinks, can range be $760 to over
$900 (
www.amtrak.com; 800-872-7245.)
28. SUNSHINE COAST
The Sunshine Coast of
British Columbia
certainly lives up to its name. Averaging upward of 2,400 hours of
sunny skies a year, the resort area is two hours northwest of Vancouver
and is dotted with scenic restaurants, hippie cafes and arty shops.
Despite its popularity, the region remains pristine because the
coastline is largely accessible by boat only. Kayakers will find marine
life galore, including phosphorescent plankton that glow during
moonlight paddles. Sunbathers will find long stretches of sandy beaches,
lagoons and rocky tide pools. Lodging can be found near the town of
Sechelt (
www.sechelt.com). An affordable little resort called Rockwater Secret Cove (877-296-4593;
www.rockwatersecretcoveresort.com) has its own beach, with rooms starting at 119 Canadian dollars.
29. JEMEZ SPRINGS, N.M.
The tiny town of Jemez Springs (
www.jemezsprings.org), about an hour north of
Albuquerque,
is easy to miss. Except for an 1870s bathhouse in the center of town,
there’s little to tempt visitors except for several Southwestern diners,
a family-run winery and a Japanese Buddhist monastery. And that’s
precisely its charm. You can spend the day hiking and fishing in the
recently created Valles Caldera National Preserve (
www.vallescaldera.gov), an 89,000-acre preserve inside a collapsed volcano, then spend the night soaking at the Jemez Springs Bathhouse (
www.jemezspringsbathhouse.com),
which was recently restored by the town and is fed by the smelly,
steaming waters from the area’s natural hot springs. An hour soak is
$15, and massages start at $37.
30. MANITOBA
On the surface, yoga and canoeing may seem like conflicting pastimes.
Yoga involves stretching and letting your mind come to rest, while
canoeing is about using force and repetitive motion. But marrying the
two is exactly what Northern Soul Wilderness Adventures (
www.northernsoul.ca)
offers in the backwoods and glacial lakes outside Winnipeg, Manitoba.
After paddling to a clearing in the forest, students lay down their mats
and strike their yoga poses, surrounded by nothing but pine and
scurrying chipmunks. The cost of the three-day trips (July 25 to 27 and
Aug. 22 to 24) is 399 Canadian dollars. No prior canoeing or yoga
experience is necessary. Meals are, not surprisingly, organic and
vegetarian.
31. THE GLACIERS OF ALASKA
In the land of the midnight sun, perhaps no summer activity is more
otherworldly than hiking Alaska’s majestic glaciers. Several outfitters
offer guided summer excursions, including MICA Guides (800-956-6422;
www.micaguides.com;
$70 a person, plus entry fee into Glacier Park), which leads daytime
and evening treks on Matanuska Glacier, two hours northeast of
Anchorage. Midnight sun hikes on Alyeska Glacier are offered by Ascending Path (877-783-0505;
www.theascendingpath.com; $139 a person) from June 13 to July 13, while more far-flung excursions are offered by North Star Trekking (
www.glaciertrekking.com) and Above and Beyond Alaska (
www.beyondak.com).
Reporting for this article was done by Stuart Emmrich, Denny Lee, Suzanne MacNeille and Laura Marmor.
