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The Grill is the only restaurant in Arizona to receive the “Award of Ultimate Distinction” from Wine Enthusiast. History, quiet service, and the most romantic dining in Tucson are all here. For the best dinner-with-a-view, ask for a table in the West Patio where you’ll have a panoramic view from the city lights to the peaks of the Santa Catalina mountains. The ranch on which The Grill is located, Hacienda del Sol, began in the 1920’s as an exclusive private girls’ school in the still-wilderness foothills above Tucson. In the 1940’s, the 34-acre estate became a guest ranch popular with the Hollywood stars of the time—Spencer Tracy, John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, and Clark Gable.

South Point on the Big Island is the most southern point in the United States. The cliffs were ancient mooring places for canoes belonging to the first settlers on the Big Island. Fishermen still use this place to cast their lines, and adventurous locals dive into the turbulent but clear waters below (not recommended for tourists who are not aware of ocean currents, as the undertow is usually quite strong and has swept many lives away in the turquoise clear waters). Several miles up the beach (toward the Hilo side of the Island) is the Green Sand Beach colored by olivine that formed as part of the volcanic eruptions long ago. It is worth hiking to (or paying for a local to drive you in their 4x4). Green Sand Beach is one of only four green beaches in the world.

The Southernmost Point buoy, at the corner of Whitehead Street and South Street, marks not only the spot for the southernmost point of the continental United States but also the distance (90 miles) to the next country, Cuba. The buoy, installed by the city in 1983, is visited by thousands of people each day. (Before the buoy, a small sign stood at the spot alongside a line of seashells for purchase.) Taking a photo in front of the buoy is imperative for a first visit to Key West, so bring a tripod, or ask a stranger to snap a few shots. Buskers play music, and street vendors sell food and goofy souvenirs and slash open coconuts to drink.

When it comes to pub crawling in Portland, Deschutes Brewing is a classy stop to regroup and recharge in the Pearl. With more than a dozen taps pouring the usual suspects along with a collection of seasonal and experimental brews made specifically for Northwest tastes, the bar has something for every beer lover. The kitchen serves fresh, sustainable fare, including vegetarian and gluten-friendly options. Try the beer-battered halibut or the smoked brisket. The steamed clams with a side of sweet potato fries will also keep you going until your next destination.

Golf and sunshine are the main magnets that draw visitors to Palm Springs, but a 10-minute ride will take you up into a snowy evergreen forest. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway climbs up to a mountain wilderness at 8,500 feet (2,590 meters). The Swiss-built tram floats over Chino Canyon and is the only rotating tram car in the Western hemisphere. From the top, look out over the irrigrated grids of Palm Springs and the other Desert Cities of the Coachella Valley, which descends to below sea level. Across to the northeast, beyond the San Andreas Fault, are the low mountains of Joshua Tree National Park. A network of hiking trails branches out from the tram chalet into the San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, which includes the highest peaks in Southern California. (Winter weekend crowds can be crazy; you’ve been warned.)

A black, awe-inspiring lava landscape is the welcome mat to our trek into Oregon’s iconic volcano reserve. The Three Sisters: Faith/North, Hope/Middle, and Charity/South are ringed by a trail network that includes a stretch on the infamous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The wilderness circumnavigation of these dramatic, dormant peaks challenges hikers to keep their eyes on the trail at every bend. The big diversion on our journey is the climb to the saddle between Middle and South sisters. The area holds a short necklace of glacial lakes and challenging access through snow and ice. Great accommodations when you need to chill that cocktail at 7,500 feet. Trails up to the saddle are well defined but not maintained or officially marked, making getting lost or disoriented par for the course. The weather in August quickly goes from blazing in the lava beds to long sleeves at altitude. One night I had every bit of clothing on inside my sleeping bag to stay warm. Lower elevations produce brilliant meadows of lupine and paintbrush this time of year. Water sources are limited, but two “springs” provide gourmet liquid bubbling out of volcanic rock. This is a moderately strenuous 48-mile walk without the difficult detour to the saddle. The east-side Green Lakes trail has a restricted burn area and is less populated, while the west side PCT portion tends to be busy. Don’t let the 5,000-foot elevation gain/loss scare you off. Every step is like walking through geologic time.

Just 30 miles from the southern gate of Zion National Park, Quail Creek State Park surrounds a 600-acre reservoir that boasts some of the warmest waters in Utah. Its consistently mild climate draws year-round tourists and day-trippers eager to boat, fish, and swim in the clear blue water. The park is also home to a spacious campground, which proves a popular alternative for Zion visitors who want to stay in a red-rock-desert setting.

This Little Burgundy mainstay is the headquarters of chefs David McMillan and Frédéric Morin, the acclaimed and enterprising minds behind an evolving blackboard menu that has been known to feature smoked meat croquettes, house-cured ham with truffles, lobster spaghetti and horse meat steaks. The duo is known to do absolutely everything in-house, even brew their own beer and distil their own absinthe. Stroll down Rue Notre-Dame, past their other restaurant, Liverpool House, to the nearby Lachine Canal after an evening at this inviting space with vintage wooden chairs, leather banquettes and a permanent air of celebration.

The 112-room Surfjack Hotel channels 1960’s Hawaii, with vintage upholstery on the headboards, reed ceilings, and midcentury modern furnishings. The onsite Swim Club, with its outdoor pool bar, hosts music events and movie nights. Don’t miss a meal at Mahina & Sun from celebrated Honolulu-born chef Ed Kenney, whose menu showcases island cuisine and ingredients, or a trip to the Olive & Oliver boutique, whose clothing and accessories line are inspired by Hawaiian culture.

Goblin Valley State Park is famous for its series of mushroom-shaped rock formations, also known as hoodoos. While there are a few established trails within the park, the namesake attraction offers three square miles of open landscape, which visitors are free to explore on their own. Beyond the Valley of Goblins, there are seven miles of easy-to-moderate mountain-biking paths, which make five separate loops in various corners of the park. Since it’s so far from any population centers, the area also offers incredible stargazing.

The Wauwinet makes the most of its coastal setting between the Atlantic Ocean and Nantucket Bay. Next to the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge, the resort has 32 rooms, plus four cottages with separate living rooms and the three-bedroom Anchorage House across from the main inn. In addition to private beach access and bikes to explore the island, guests can take out a kayak, play a game of tennis, or watch a movie in their room with hot buttered popcorn. A spa offers sea-inspired facials, massages, and body treatments. TOPPER’S restaurant is known for its Retsyo oysters, harvested only 300 yards from the restaurant, and offers transfers to and from White Elephant Hotel’s Brant Point Grill on its 21-passenger boat, Lady Wauwinet. The inn also provides regular shuttle services to the ferry and Nantucket town (about 10 miles away), and outside of peak summer season will drive guests to the village of ‘Sconset in its 1947 Woody station wagon.

Far from Juneau’s cruise crowd, this secluded oasis is popular with honeymooners—and the appeal is clear. Situated inside Tongass National Forest, its 10 rooms and suites come furnished with cozy fireplaces, while two offer a private balcony overlooking a small glacial kettle pond. The serenity extends to the inn’s rain-forest garden, dotted with a wooden footbridge, three gazebos, a sauna, and two hot tubs surrounded by lush Sitka spruce and hemlock trees. Those looking to experience local floes don’t have to venture far. It’s a mere eight-minute drive to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. Expect phenomenal views of the 13-mile-long river of ice and the lofty peaks of Southeast Alaska’s Coast Mountains, along with miles of hiking trails that meander past cascading waterfalls and salmon streams.

September 2,1935, Labor Day - a hurricane hit the Florida Keys and was the first Category 5 Hurricane to make landfall in the United States. It was devastating! It struck at night and was terrifying as was recorded by any survivors.185 mile sustained winds fed the storm.The storm surge was 18 -20'. It destroyed everything in its way. Most buildings in Islamorada were leveled. The ramshackle camps of the railway workers in Windley Key and Lower Matecumbe Key were swept away. About 200 WW I Vets at the camps were killed. Henry Flagler’s dream of a railway that would connect the Keys to the mainland died that night. The railroad was torn up and was never rebuilt. A roadway -The Overseas Highway, US 1- was constructed in its place. The Keys were accessible by the road and its bridges. Only Gilbert (1988), and Wilma (2005) have surpassed the strength of the 1935 storm. The monument at MM 82 in Islamorada was unveiled in 1937 and about 4000 persons attended the dedication. The stone crypt in front of the marker holds the victims’ ashes from the makeshift pyres after the storm. In 1995, the memorial was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places. Locals, hurricane survivors, and descendants of the victims care for the monument. I stopped to visit the site. I stood there picturing the howling winds, the wall of water and recalled the stories and photos from that September, 1935. So many lost their lives and so many survivors’ lives changed overnight.

As obvious as it may sound, what sets Sanctuary apart from any other Scottsdale resort is location. Sitting on the north side of Camelback Mountain yet minutes from downtown Scottsdale, it has a balance of desert mountain isolation and easy access that no other Scottsdale resort can match. Since Sanctuary opened in 2002, the combination has especially appealed to publicity-shy celebs (Beyoncé and Jay-Z even stayed here while on their honeymoon). The views from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the adobe casitas look out at the mountain and across Paradise Valley. The casitas have wood-block floors, glass-tiled showers, and, in many of them, oversize tubs with romantic votive candles.

Arizona’s best hotels are as varied as its landscapes. Everywhere from the Grand Canyon to downtown Phoenix to Camelback Mountain, you’ll find glamping retreats, dude ranches, spa-centric stays, historic hotels, and even boutique properties with design-forward guest rooms. Whether you’re seeking a kid-friendly spot for a family road trip or a secluded resort for a romantic getaway, you’ll find it all in the Grand Canyon State.