You definitely can’t miss this café. It’s become a food destination. I dream about their open-faced fried egg and bacon sandwich. They top it with provolone cheese and Anaheim peppers, and sometimes on Sundays they’ll throw on some portobello mushrooms. If someone reached into my brain and pulled out the best sandwich I could imagine, that would be it. 4001 Judah St., (415) 661-6140, outerlandssf.com. As told to Jen Murphy. See all of Danny Hess’s favorite places in San Francisco’s Sunset District. Photos by Erin Kunkel. This story appeared in the January/February 2012 issue.

Driving into Yosemite National Park, you make your way through a narrow tunnel. When you emerge, this is the view that greets you. It was winter time, and a blizzard had just blown through. While driving into the park, I had slipped on the ice, and crashed my car. I was desperately trying to not be in a terrible, disheartened mood. This view made everything ok again, and put me in the correct frame of mind to have an amazing trip. It rescued me.

West Randolph Street in Chicago’s West Loop has become a new home to the city’s culinary talents. Stephanie Izard first drew crowds cooking dishes like roasted pig face at Girl & the Goat (pictured). She recently opened Little Goat, a retro diner, across the street. Graham Elliot Bowles keeps it simple at his casual g.e.b, where each dish has no more than three ingredients. On a more elegant note, the prix-fixe menu at Grace, from chef Curtis Duffy, features dishes such as kampachi with coconut, lime, basil, golden trout roe, and pomelo presented in a cylinder of frozen ginger water. Photo by Huge Galdones. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue.

Hard to definitely pinpoint on a map, the Wave is a gorgeous rock formation near the Arizona and Utah part of the Coyote Buttes, in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Don't rush off there and expecting to just show up and visit, this area is tightly controlled by the Bureau of Land Management and only 20 people are allowed in on a daily basis. You can apply for permits online or participate in the daily lottery to get a day pass to see these magnificent rock formations. No matter what time of year you go you will be blown away by the stunning rock and textures made by wind, water and time - the natural beauty will blow you away.

This was the end of the Hana Highway in Maui. Our guidebook told of a red sand beach, but it specifically left out information on how to get there, in an effort to keep people from spoiling it. Before our trip, I printed out some instructions from a traveller who had been there before. So, we parked our Jeep Wrangler, and had to walk through a cane field, past a Japanese cemetary, climb down a cliff to a beach, and walk along the rocks for a bit. When we turned the corner, this is what we saw. Sometimes going off the beaten path will lead to remarkable experiences. Lost!

My uncle and I stood with my tripod on the lakeshore behind our houseboat, trying desperately to capture the massive red rock wall before us. It was one of my first lessons in night photography, and it wasn't going great: there just wasn't enough light despite the starry starry sky. I tried over and over, different shutter speeds, using spotlights, nothing worked...too dark. On my last try, I set the shutter speed to a few minutes, as the shutter opened, all of a sudden a houseboat from the next cove over set off fireworks. Their fireworks lit up the entire night sky, and shone their glorious light right on my rock face, resulting in this image.

A primo sourcing grounds for picnic provisions or a casual cafe meal, Publican Quality Meats is the latest food enterprise by the never-miss restaurant team behind Avec, Publican, and Big Star. Billed as a contemporary American butcher shop, its sleek counter beckons with house-made salumi, sausages, and terrine, as well as artisan cheeses and homemade breads and pastries. Pack your basket accordingly. 825 W. Fulton Market, (312) 445-8977.

You wouldn’t know there was a store there unless you lived in the neighborhood, but the owner, Chris, has an amazing list of cheeses. I love his shop because he sells what he likes, not what people tell him is good. He’s also got an incredible selection of salumi, pasta, and very good olive oil. 3926-28 W. Sunset Blvd., (323) 644-7511. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Read about Jason Kim's Silver Lake.

Food is a highly subjective love of course, but my money on the best bowl of Asian noodles in NYC always goes to Xi'an Famous Foods. Most of their locations are small, you will wait and in the summer it won't feel worth it. However, once you dig in to your bowl of spicy broth, stewed pork/lamb/oxtail that falls apart on your fork because it's so tender and hand-ripped noodles– you will understand. This isn't like the ramen you think of when you hear 'Asian noodles'. Do yourself a favor, skip the available cans of soda and instead opt for their homemade cold jasmine tea (sweetened or unsweetened) - it perfectly cuts the spice that a coke cannot handle. There are 4 locations, including one in Queens, most of which are too busy to count on during lunch time; visit for a late lunch or early dinner and you'll be thankful. You may also find a seat!

In Los Angeles, the cliché is that people drive one block to get a soda. But there are lots of staircases hidden in the hills of L.A. In Silver Lake, I like a two-and-a-half mile loop of stairs known as the Music Box. Parts remind me of walking through a forest. It’s a workout. Access at the corner of Sunset Blvd. and Parkman Ave. As told to Heidi Mitchell. Photo by Amanda Friedman. This appeared in the October 2012 issue. Read about Jason Kim's Silver Lake.

This place is tiny, but it's one of my favorite places in my neighborhood. The menu is small so there are only a few choices, but no matter what you get, you'll be happy. Make sure to try the iced coffee. It's made with chicory, the way it's done down in New Orleans.

Hop on your bike in downtown Jackson and ride 20 absurdly scenic miles to Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park. The mountains watch over you as you pass through the National Elk Refuge. You can also stop off at the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Photo by Brad Mitchell. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue.

Tucked away in the quiet neighborhood between Inner and Outer Sunset, the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps (Moraga St. btw 15th & 16th Ave) are among the hidden treasures of San Francisco. Standing at the bottom of the stairs, you can see the intricate details of the small, beautifully placed handmade tiles forming a wave of amazing sea life and various celestial shapes extending all the way up 163 stairs, and once you hike to the top– especially on a clear day –you're privy to the most spectacular view of the city from Ocean Beach to downtown.

I discovered this Marin Headlands view of the Golden Gate Bridge on one of my very first trips to San Francisco. In my three-plus years living in the Bay Area, I still haven’t found a view to top it. My favorite time to visit is just after sunset, when most tourists are fleeing from the evening breeze and the lights from the Golden Gate are just beginning to glow. If you’re lucky, you might witness an illuminated container ship as it exits the Bay on its way to Asia. This vantage point is on the North side of the Golden Gate—for the active traveler it's a lovely green hike after a stroll across the bridge but alternately you can dive up. There's also a closer view at the base of the hill.

Cafe du Monde is a classic tourist destination that serves top quality food, a combination that's rare in any city. Even if you normally avoid tourist destinations, make an exception for this place. Don't be put off by the long lines and crowded patio, put yourself into N'Awlins time and kick back. Everything takes as long as it takes. The chickory coffee comes with or without milk (order it with), the beignets come buried in powdered sugar ("dusting" isn't a word they understand in NOLA) and the whole experience gives you a chance to sit down, take a break from the heat and eat fresh hot donuts. What's not to love?

Last September, Union Market opened as a year-round indoor food hall in Northeast Washington, D.C. The market showcases more than 40 local vendors including Neopol Smokery, Peregrine Espresso, and Righteous Cheese. Photo courtesy of Union Market. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue.

Struggle all morning and afternoon through the canyons leading to the Havasu Reservation at Havasupai to be met by some of the most gorgeous water you've ever dreamed of swimming in. Rich with lime, the water constantly changes the landscape, building new new pools and "living walls," making this an absolutely unique and refreshing swimming hole.