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In a regal redwood grove along the Big Sur coast lies a place “where nothing happens,” according to its proprietors. The highway traffic noise disappears, the filtered sunlight takes on the quality of stained glass, and the earthy smell of the forest is enough to cleanse your mind of digital and other distractions. This quiet altar of wisdom and irreverence serves as a bookstore and art hub focused on promoting the works of author Henry Miller, who lived in Big Sur between 1944 and 1962. The library hosts events throughout the year, but especially from May to October, including concerts, lectures, and book signings. The annual Big Sur International Short Film Screening Series occurs outside, in the redwood amphitheater. In the winter, the library takes on the aura of a writer’s retreat, when time stretches endlessly forward and you can spend hours browsing books, nursing a cup of coffee, and watching the light and shadows change the landscape outside the windows. Unlike a library, there’s no borrowing here, but what you walk away with may just be richer than any physical possession.

Visitors to Philadelphia should not miss out on an iconic local treat—the soft pretzel. Sure, you can find them pretty much everywhere in Philly, but the real deal is baked fresh daily. At the Reading Terminal Market, go to the place where they’ll roll and twist the dough right in front of you—Miller’s Twist—where the soft pretzels are fresh, hot, and buttery (and beyond delicious). Locals line up here daily for fresh soft pretzels and pretzel dogs (hot dogs rolled inside a pretzel bun). There are only fresh pretzels here, still warm from the oven, baked to golden perfection, and brushed with melted butter. The aroma is intoxicating. You’ll want more than one! Save room for a milkshake made with fresh local ice cream.

Henry VIII has been an island favorite for 40 years. Not surprisingly, given its namesake, the restaurant serves some typical English dishes — bangers and mash, fish and chips — but the menu also includes some of the island’s best sushi. The food comes with ocean views that are especially spectacular at sunset. “This is my local place,” Mike says. “It’s just a two-minute drive from my house. They take good care of their guests. On Saturday nights, a DJ plays old-school music and every day there’s an awesome cross section of people here: locals, visitors, and expats. It’s a good place to dance the night away, and the sushi is off the hook.”

Established in 1800, the Library of Congress is the oldest federal institution in the United States. The library was destroyed by British troops just 14 years after its conception, and Congress used Thomas Jefferson’s collection of 6,487 volumes to replace it. Today, the collection of the Library of Congress—housed across three buildings—grows by approximately 12,000 items a day and is the second largest library in the world with 164 million items and 838 miles of shelves (that’s farther than the distance from Washington, D.C. to Chicago!). The library holds the world’s largest collection of comic books and one of only three remaining Gutenberg bibles. The Library of Congress offers daily guided tours to explore its historic collection and famous Beaux-Arts architecture.—Miranda Smith

The California State Librarian talks about the most surprising things you can check out of a library, cool road trips around the state, plus the best local libraries to visit in California.

In travels across the country, contributing writer Latria Graham gains a deeper understanding of places by digging into their lesser-known stories.

A vital stretch of California’s scenic Highway 1 has reopened ahead of schedule. The newly restored route makes the ocean bluffs of Big Sur accessible to all once more. Here’s what to do when you get there.

The right trips—and places—can change your perspective. Here’s how to find them.

Libraries might be the best way to get to know a place. And they look amazing too. These are among our favorites.

The James Beard Award–winning food writer digs into his Colorado roots and the places that make him feel at home.

Dearborn Inn welcomed everyone from Orville Wright to Walt Disney—and now it’s been meticulously restored.

Whether by the beach, in the desert, or among the redwoods, these wellness stays redefine self-care

In the nation’s heartland, the Semiquincentennial inspires reflection, reinvention, and community spirit.

To experience some of America’s most exciting building designs, head to the heartland.

In the 1800s, so many residents of Martha’s Vineyard were deaf that they created their own sign language. As a deaf traveler, I took a road trip to see how visitors can experience that legacy today.