In my mid-20s, I moved to Ocean Beach, Southern California, specifically to learn how to surf. I spent the first six months of my tenure unemployed, so I was in the water every day, launching myself into the whitewash at Dog Beach, the most beginner-friendly break within a few miles of my apartment. I was enthralled with the surf, but I loved the town of Ocean Beach, San Diego, even more.

Back then, the small enclave was still grungy, with a downtown full of cheap breakfast joints and bars that only took cash. The bartenders looked at you funny if you wore closed-toe shoes. It was a surf town.

More than two decades later, I鈥檓 still enamored with surf towns. My home is in the mountains, four hours and 22 minutes from the closest surf break (but who鈥檚 counting?). Yet I still take surf trips regularly, as much to explore the towns by the beaches as the surf itself. I鈥檝e been fortunate enough to paddle into waves in Costa Rica, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Hawaii, and areas up and down So Cal and the Southeastern United States. I鈥檓 not a great surfer, but I bar hop and scout out the best fish tacos at a very high level.

A great surf town has quick access to waves and adventure, but also good food, good vibes, and a dedication to quality of life. Read on for what I believe to be the eight best surf towns in the U.S.

1. Hale鈥檌wa, Hawaii

Hawaii is loaded with bucket-list surf destinations, but it鈥檚 hard to beat the North Shore of Oahu, home of the world-famous beaches of Waimea Bay and Banzai Pipeline. The town of Hale鈥檌wa is the cultural hub of the North Shore, with a small downtown full of shops, food trucks, and surf instructors ready to teach tourists.

Halei鈥檞a is only an hour from the bustling cities of Honolulu and Waikiki, but it has the slower pace of a farming community. The town sits within a 20-minute drive of Waimea Bay, Banzai, and Sunset Beach, and has plenty of adjacent surf as well. Winter brings heavy conditions, with massive, glassy waves that only pros should paddle into, but the swells mellow during summer, allowing us mortals a go in this storied destination.

Patches of reef scattered throughout the area on the sandy bottom catch the swell. Start with the beginner-friendly waves at Pua鈥檈na Point, which is popular with surf instructors. The beach is small, but has plenty of shade. A double reef break offers bigger rides on the outer reef and a smaller, longboard-friendly wave closer to shore. Then try Ali鈥檌 Beach, the closest surf to town. Much like Pua鈥檈na Point, Ali鈥檌 Beach has a beginner-friendly wave close to shore and a larger, more advanced wave in deeper water.

Hale鈥檌wa proper has fewer than 5,000 permanent residents and a downtown full of sugar-plantation-era architecture framed by Oahu鈥檚 green mountains beyond. It鈥檚 a picture-perfect island town where you鈥檒l find waterfalls in the surrounding hills, and a fun and bustling live-music and food-truck scene in town. Paddleboarding the Anahulu River, beneath Hale鈥檌wa鈥檚 Rainbow Bridge, is a great way to spend some time away from the surf.

Surf Shop: , right across the street from Ali鈥檌 Beach, has rentals from soft tops to performance short boards (from $30 a day).

Surf Instruction: , a female-owned company with a full staff of women instructors, teaches lessons at Pua鈥檈na Point for the whole family (from $66).

Eat and Drink: If there鈥檚 one thing you have to eat when you鈥檙e in Hale鈥檌wa, it鈥檚 shaved ice from , a family-run business established in 1951 that still uses homemade syrup recipes. The North Shore has become a magnet for food trucks, which serve traditional Hawaiian dishes al fresco. Online reviews say the garlic butter shrimp at is the best in town. I鈥檓 dying to go check out the reports.

2. Solana Beach, California

Here鈥檚 the problem with an article about the best surf towns in the country: I could write about 20 deserving towns in California alone. Carlsbad, San Clemente, Santa Cruz鈥ll awesome. I could choose Huntington Beach, which is literally known as 鈥淪urf City U.S.A.鈥� thanks to the legends that pioneered the sport there, but the town won the rights to that title via a court battle, which doesn鈥檛 seem very surfer chill to me. (Also, the breaks are notorious for their localism.)

So I鈥檓 picking the much smaller and more easygoing Solana Beach, in San Diego County. Is there a bit of nostalgia involved because I took my first surf lesson here, 30 minutes north of my old apartment in Ocean Beach? Perhaps. But this small town has a gorgeous, cliff-lined coast and relatively friendly locals, which makes for a powerful combo in Southern California.

鈥淚t鈥檚 super laid back, almost what you imagine when listening to a Beach Boys song,鈥� says John Cavan, a 48-year-old lawyer and surfer who鈥檚 been exploring the beaches up and down the coast from Manhattan Beach outside of L.A. for more than 20 years.

The beach is flanked by tall cliffs topped by private residences, both of which help keep the crowds at bay compared to those in other popular breaks in Southern California, making Solana a top choice for surf instructors. The town offers quick access to a handful of breaks; the most obvious option is Fletcher Cove, Solana鈥檚 main beach, with plenty of parking and a sidewalk.

A beach break that picks up size during the summer makes Fletcher a popular spot for all surfers, but it鈥檚 still a great option for beginners. Another good nearby choice, Seascape, has a long sandy beach and a reef break deeper offshore that is good for intermediate to advanced surfers. Want something more aggressive? Swami鈥檚, a legendary right-hand point break, is just four miles up the street in Encinitas.

In town, the Cedros Design District is full of boutiques and restaurants, and just outside of it is a weekend farmers鈥� market based in 1940s-era Quonset huts. The legendary live-music venue has hosted a wide variety of talent, from B.B. King to Ludacris to Hayes Carl.

Surf Shop: , located just south of Swami鈥檚 on PCH 101, has been a SoCal institution since the 1960s. You can rent soft tops (from $20 a day) and performance boards (from $45 a day) along with wetsuits, snorkels, and SUPs.

Surf Instruction: For lessons, try , which offers two-hour instruction sessions ($120 per person).

Eat and Drink: has been a pillar of good pizza and craft beer since the early 1990s. The place helped establish the West Coast style of IPA and is still a master of it today.

3. Ocracoke, Outer Banks, North Carolina

The Outer Banks is a chain of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina that is absolutely full of great surf, and a dozen towns up and down the islands could qualify for this list. OB is the epicenter of surf culture on the East Coast, and the towns that line the northern section, like Kitty Hawk and Nags Head, have some of the finest breaks on the Atlantic.

But they鈥檙e also pretty crowded, which is why I鈥檓 choosing Ocracoke, a sleepy fishing village on its own island on the southern end of the Outer Banks, as my favorite surf town. I鈥檝e surfed and camped dune-side there several times over the years.

Ocracoke has under a thousand year-round residents, and you can only reach the island by boat. A can take you from Cedar Island ($15 with car) to , crossing the Pamlico Sound in just over two hours. The remoteness means crowds are minimal compared to other towns on the barrier islands, and the vibe is pretty tranquil. A small fishing village wraps around the harbor, and most of the 17-mile-long island is protected as part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, which means there are miles of undeveloped beach and dunes covered in sea oats to explore, not to mention inexpensive just inland of the breaks.

All of the surf on Ocracoke is beach break, and the sandbars are constantly shifting, so it鈥檚 hard to point you to one specific spot. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, two miles south of the village, has a guard on duty and, thanks to that added safety net, is the best place to get in the water as someone who is new to the sport. But if you鈥檙e an experienced surfer and have 4WD you can cruise the beach looking for your own personal break. The surf is best in the fall and winter, but you can find good conditions year round. You鈥檒l need a (which is free) to drive the beach, and while you鈥檙e at it, snag a permit for a , too.

Surf Shop: has rentals (from $25 a day) and lessons (from $95 per hour).

Eat and Drink: is an institution, with a shaded back porch perfect for drinking beer. has the southern staples of barbecue and fried fish along with its bivalves.

4. New Smyrna Beach, Florida

The Sunshine State has no shortage of beach towns, but New Smyrna Beach, in North Florida directly northeast of Orlando, gets the nod on this list because of the consistent quality of waves and the variety of options. Sandwiched between Daytona Beach and Cocoa Beach (childhood home of pro surfer Kelly Slater), New Smyrna Beach is blessed with long beach breaks and a river inlet with stone jetties that create what may be the most bankable surf in all of Florida. The conditions are so good, the beach is a stop in the USA Surfing鈥檚 Prime Series of competitions for rippers under 18.

As you might expect, the breaks are incredibly popular, so weekends can feel like a zoo, especially at the best wave, Ponce Inlet, where two rivers meet the Atlantic between stone jetties, adding shape and size to the swell. Ponce is a great option for advanced surfers who know how to maneuver through a lineup, but New Smyrna also has 17 miles of other beaches and waves.

鈥淵ou can drive onto the beach at Flagler Avenue and drive north on the sand until you see a spot you like,鈥� says Joshua Stallworth, a 24-year-old law student who spent his college years surfing the various breaks around New Smyrna Beach. You need a to drive on the beach ($20 per vehicle, per day).

The town is sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. Flagler Avenue is the main strip, stacked with fish shacks and surf shops, while Canal Street Historic District is a little more upscale, lined with palm trees and boutiques. New Smyrna Beach also makes for a great basecamp for exploring other beaches in the area.

Head south to , a 58,000-acre wildlife refuge with 26 miles of undeveloped sand. Playalinda Beach, inside the National Seashore, has a beginner-friendly beach break without many crowds. Canaveral is the longest stretch of undeveloped coast on the Atlantic coast of Florida, protecting wildlife such as manatee and sea turtles, as well as ancient shell mounds left by the native Temicua.

Surf Shop: is the area鈥檚 oldest, with board rentals (from $35) delivered to you at the beach, and two-hour lessons (from $109).

Eat and Drink: You can鈥檛 beat the location of , a burger bar with local Half Wall Brewing beers on tap overlooking the Atlantic. Head to for a lobster roll and wood-fired pizzas.

5. Westport, Washington

Washington鈥檚 coast might offer the most dramatic surf backdrop in the U.S., with beach and reef breaks tucked between dense green redwood forests and craggy sea stacks rising offshore from deep water. The state offers adventure surfing at its finest, with many of the best options requiring multi-mile approach hikes where you carry your board. Westport, a town of 28,000 two hours west of Seattle, is the happy exception, with two steady breaks on its outskirts. The surfing is so good, locals refer to Westport as the 鈥淪urf City of the Pacific Northwest.鈥�

The two main breaks start with the Groins, a big left-hander on the north side of Westport鈥檚 marina. This one is best for advanced surfers, not just because of the sizable wave but the powerful currents and shifting tides, which can change as much as 20 feet. The Jetty, however, in Westhaven State Park, is less daunting and has something for both beginners and advanced surfers. It鈥檚 known as the most reliable wave in Washington, thanks to the rock jetty that helps shape the swell and deliver point breaks, while the sandy bottom and frothy whitewash (that’s the foam after a wave breaks close to shore) offer a less intimidating option for learning.

鈥淭here鈥檚 always a wave in Westport,鈥� says Brian Calder, owner of Bigfoot Surf School. 鈥淓ven if the surf is too big for beginners, we can push them into the whitewater on a sandy beach so they can practice standing up in it. And we teach new surfers to respect the locals, who are usually surfing bigger waves on the outside.鈥�

The Jetty can get crowded on weekends, but it鈥檚 an expansive break with long waves, so you should be able to find a spot in the lineup. Just be aware of rip currents, which locals may use as an expressway back out to the lineup after surfing a long wave in鈥攏ot a move new surfers should ever try.

Surf Shop: was the first in Washington, opening in 1986. LOGE has a basecamp in Westport that not only has rooms, but performance boards and soft tops to rent.

Surf Instruction: has semi-private lessons (from $175 per person including the board) and will get you paddling out into the whitewash at Westhaven State Park.

Eat and Drink: Westport is a hub of commercial fishing, and you can find fisherfolk selling their catches, from albacore tuna to Dungeness crabs, right on the docks. Or you can hop over to , which has a variety of local catch as well as a fish 鈥檔鈥� chips restaurant.

6. Newport, Rhode Island

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the country, but it鈥檚 also dubbed 鈥渢he Ocean State,鈥� with more than 400 miles of coastline to brag about. Located on the edge of the state鈥檚 Aquidneck Island, Newport is positioned to make the most of that coast. Traditionally known as a hub for sailing (the harbor is full of yachts, and America鈥檚 Cup is staged here every year), the swanky town is also the epicenter of surf in New England, with very big swell showing up offshore during hurricane season in the fall.

Locals surf the town鈥檚 handful of beach breaks year round, getting the thickest wetsuits on the market for the bitter winter temps. Newport was long home to Water Brothers Surf and Skate, a cornerstone of surf culture for more than 50 years until the owner, Sid Abruzzi, closed the shop to focus on making apparel two years ago.

The northeastern edge of Aquidneck Island offers a handful of breaks, with something for all levels of surfers. Ruggles, with a rocky bottom and big, powerful storm waves, is the most famous of those breaks, attracting the biggest names in surf during hurricane season. Easton鈥檚 Beach, near downtown Newport, has beginner-friendly waves.

The town of Newport is well-known for its Gilded Age mansions, once built by America鈥檚 wealthiest families as their summer retreats, some of which you can now tour as museums. Enjoy Newport鈥檚 historic 3.5-mile Cliff Walk, showing you many of those homes.

Surf Shop: has boards and anything else you might need for the water.

Surf instruction: offers private lessons ($75 per person for one hour, includes a board).

Eat and Drink: Seafood is the name of the game in Newport, and much of it is upscale. , though, is a casual burger-and-beer bar downtown. , in neighboring Middletown, has house-made clam chowder and massive warm lobster rolls.

7. Pacific City, Oregon

Pacific City is a former fishing village of just over 1,000 full-time residents that in recent years has turned into the surf mecca of Oregon. Surfing here is as much about the scenery as the waves. The break is framed by , a sandstone headland that reaches out into the water, protecting the beach from the wind, while huge sea stacks rise just offshore. As for the wave, it鈥檚 not huge, but the shield effect results in a glassy structure over a sandy bottom that鈥檚 ideal for beginner and intermediate surfers. A popular is held at the beach every September, and it all happens steps from downtown at Pacific City Beach.

Pacific City is hella charming, even without the surfing. Fisherfolk launch dories straight from the beach and paddle beyond the break to haul in cod and salmon off the point of Cape Kiwanda. The hiking in travels through Sitka spruce forest to the top of the 246-foot tall 鈥淕reat Dune,鈥� with dramatic views of the Pacific below. In town, breweries and restaurants embrace the scenery, with outdoor beer gardens and expansive windows.

Surf Shop: , two blocks from the beach, has everything you need for cold-water surfing, with full rental packages that include wetsuits (from $75). The place also offers daily two-hour lessons (from $165 per person).

Eat and Drink: might have the best view in town, with a beer garden that unfolds directly onto the beach and a full view of Haystack Rock, the most notable sea stack in the region. Kiwanda Ale is the place鈥檚 signature easy-drinking beer, named after the home cape.

8. Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Yes, there鈥檚 surfing on the Great Lakes, whose 4,500 miles of shores are often dubbed 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Third Coast.鈥� Hardy surfers track down waves all over these inland seas, and Sheboygan, a small town on the western shore of Lake Michigan, is arguably the most surf-centric town in the Great Lakes area. Locals call it the 鈥淢alibu of the Midwest鈥� because of the laid-back vibe and access to good surf, which can be found year round, but is best in the fall and winter.

鈥淪ummer is pretty flat, but come fall and winter you can get out a couple of times a week at least,鈥� says Nathan Anderson, who grew up in the area and now works at EOS Surf Shop downtown.

The surf is dependent on the wind and gets the biggest when heavy gusts come in from the northeast or southwest. Since the best waves form in fall and winter, a thick wetsuit is necessary. The lakes are fresh water, less buoyant than salt, which means long boards are a must for most surfers.

North Beach of Deland Park is the best break in town, thanks to the jetty that helps shape the wave. The shore has a sandy bottom and can be suited to beginners on mellow days, or hard chargers when the wind and surf are up.

Beyond surfing, Sheboygan is a town of 49,000 situated between Green Bay and Milwaukee and known for its bratwurst. There鈥檚 a vibrant downtown with a good and even better food. Also cool, the city of Sheboygan places a handful of large fire rings, each about twice the size of a Solo Stove backyard pit, out for lakeside bonfires from Memorial Day through August, north of Deland Beach near North Point Park. Kohler-Andrae State Park, next door to downtown Sheboygan, has two miles of sandy beach and dunes.

Surf Shop: is the only game in town, and they鈥檝e got you covered with local knowledge, rentals (from $40 a day), and two-hour lessons ($120).

Eat and Drink: You鈥檒l find bratwurst all over town, but has been an institution since the 1950s, serving a brat burger that does the town鈥檚 reputation proud. To drink something local, check out , which has a 10,000-square-foot taproom and a Fresh Coast juicy pale ale.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist. He鈥檚 always been torn between the mountains and the beach, but currently lives in the Southern Appalachians. Construction has begun on a surf wave in the French Broad River close to his home of Asheville, North Carolina, so that could solve all of his problems.

For more by this author, see:

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

The 10 Best National Parks in Canada

The Ultimate Guide to Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway

Boating Turns Me Green. But I Couldn鈥檛 Miss a Chance to See the Channel Islands.

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Off the coast of Rhode Island, a ten-square-mile speck in the Atlantic hosts an annual treasure hunt. Each year hundreds of handblown glass fishing floats鈥攃lear balls the size of oranges鈥攁re hidden across Block Island鈥檚 picturesque beaches and walking trails. Since Eben Horton started the in 2012, the art installation has gained worldwide recognition. He and his wife, Jennifer Nauck, make the orbs at their studio in the nearby coastal town of Wakefield. Then, from June to October, a top-secret group of hiders stash the spheres. 鈥淔or a long time, he was hiding them on his own. But then people became familiar with him, and they would follow him around,鈥� says New England photographer . Keith traveled to Block Island by ferry six times this summer, tagging along with avid 鈥渙rbivores鈥� as they scoured the island for the curios. Many visitors go home empty-handed after hours of searching, but that level of sustained attention to one鈥檚 surroundings isn鈥檛 wasted, he says. The hunt encourages people to appreciate nature鈥檚 understated splendor. 鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to get lost in the island鈥檚 sweeping views. The orbs pull your attention away from that,鈥� Keith says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e spending just as much time looking at the trunk of a tree as you are looking out over the ocean bluffs.鈥�

The post This Whimsical Treasure Hunt Is All About Appreciating Nature appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

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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You could spend years exploring the 听craft and microbreweries that听New England听has to offer and still never taste all the incredible beer from the region.听Luckily,听a number of听our editors and contributors have spent decades听living, adventuring, and drinking in the Northeast.听Here are their picks for the breweries and beers you have听to experience the next time you鈥檙e in the area, from the in an unsuspecting corner of Vermont to a little-known gem on the New Hampshire coast. Consider this your pocket guide to hoppy euphoria.听

Lawson鈥檚 Finest Liquids

Waitsfield, Vermont

Although I鈥檓 partial to my hometown of Stowe鈥檚听brewery, the听, and its听classic Heady Topper IPA,听I鈥檇 be remiss if I didn鈥檛 point brew lovers听to Lawson鈥檚. This taproom has tons of indoor and outdoor seating in an idyllic small-town setting,听and听, a cult-favorite fruity听 and my brew of choice, is always flowing. Farm-to-table appetizers, pinball machines, and lawn games will keep you here awhile, because听what鈥檚 better than a lazy day of听drinking with friends? When you鈥檙e ready to leave, walk less than half a mile south听to 听for the best maple 鈥渃reemee鈥濃�攖hat鈥檚 Vermonter for soft-serve ice cream鈥攐f your life. 鈥擜bbey Gingras,听associate audience editor

Maine Beer听Company

Freeport, Maine

I first tasted听听during dinner at a New York City restaurant听last spring, a far cry from the charming coastal vibes of its home.听The brew鈥檚 name created a great deal of confusion later on when I asked听around about the听perfect beer I鈥檇 been drinking. But it鈥檚 cool鈥擫unch, after all, is an apt moniker for the Maine-based craft brewery鈥檚 imminently drinkable IPA. As someone鈥檚 day might hinge on their midday meal, this bold but balanced brew听immediately became the cornerstone of my beer-ordering habits. It鈥檚 frothy, malty, hoppy, and shot through with citrus and pine.听At 7 percent听ABV, I听recommend pairing it听with a sandwich if you鈥檙e drinking it at its designated hour, but you鈥檒l be able to find it in stores and restaurants all over the Northeast no matter the time听of day. 鈥擷ian Chiang-Waren, associate culture editor听

Narragansett Beer

Providence, Rhode Island

When I lived in Boston, I spent the summers with my girlfriend and her family at a small lake house in听central Massachusetts. On a typical day, we鈥檇 go for a morning swim and then read by the dock, and when the afternoon rolled along, someone would head to the 鈥減ackie,鈥� Massachusetts slang for liquor store,听and bring back an assortment of beer to have with dinner that night. My favorite pick听of the bunch听would听always听be听Narragansett, which is opening a new brewery and headquarters in Providence .听I remember one day when听we took a trip down to Narragansett Beach in Rhode Island听and听sipped on the namesake听 and in between sunbathing and dips in the ocean. Can you get more picturesque than that? 鈥擩eremy Rellosa, affiliate reviews editor

Trillium Brewing Company

Boston, Massachusetts

The people of Massachusetts truly hate to be outdone, and so when Vermont started getting all the craft-brewing attention, my beautiful Baked Bean State quite literally said, 鈥淗old my beer.鈥澨齏hile tons of breweries have popped up all over the state in recent years,听none can outshine the beloved听. Currently listed听as the third-best brewery in the world, according to , it听has been concocting all sorts of amazing combinations for seven years now. Grab a cannoli at in the North End, then walk a mile to the newly developed Seaport, where Trillium has set up a large but cozy taproom. After a beer and some poutine (or if you want to dive deep into the state鈥檚 coastal spirit, I suggest the lobster toast), head to the nearby听听to see one of the city鈥檚 best art听collections.听鈥擪yra Kennedy, photo editor

Throwback Brewery

North Hampton, New Hampshire

Like the New Hampshire coast itself, 听is tiny and not very听well-known, but it鈥檚 a heavenly place to visit in the summer or early fall. The brewery sources more than 70 percent听of its beer听ingredients,听like fruit and hops, locally, including from the听farm on which it鈥檚 located. Batches听are small in quantity, seasonal in availability, and experimental in flavor, and although you can find them in some stores around the region or buy them to go from the brewery, they鈥檙e best enjoyed on the farm itself. I鈥檝e spent several late afternoons in bliss on Throwback鈥檚 dog-friendly patio in scenic North Hampton, taking in a view听of goats, chickens, and donkeys (the brewery鈥檚 mascot), and relishing听the scent of听salt in the air from the nearby Atlantic. Start drinking with the听Spicy Bohemian, a pilsner dry-hopped with jalape帽os. It鈥檚 crisp, light, peppery, and spicy鈥攂ut not in an overwhelming way鈥攁nd it happens to be one of the most popular beers on tap every听year.听鈥擲vati Kirsten Narula, contributor听

Hill Farmstead

Greensboro Bend, Vermont

Since my colleague beat me to the punch in praise of Lawson鈥檚 Sip of Sunshine (which is really only to be enjoyed after you鈥檝e cooled the can in the cold water of Warren Falls听in Warren, Vermont),听I鈥檓 now听free to lavish attention on my other steadfast Vermont companion: Edward. Edward is about as perfect as a beer can be: a crisp but smooth American pale ale with just the right amount of hops and citrus. It pairs well with absolutely everything, complimenting light summer fare as well as听brightening hearty winter meals after a long day of skiing. You鈥檒l want to drink it year-round, but since it鈥檚 only available for purchase at the Northeast Kingdom brewery in northern Vermont and select restaurants in the area, you鈥檒l just have to make a trip there. Trust听us, it鈥檚 worth it. 鈥擷.颁-奥.

Tree House Brewing Company

Charlton, Massachusetts

If you find yourself in central Massachusetts,听you have to stop by Tree House Brewing鈥檚听听and experience what can only be described as听the Disneyland of beer.听Get there via mountain bike, and ride the singletrack that connects the brewery听to the abutting 86-acre听, then cool off by听sipping听the听ever popular 听IPA听on the听patio. Those听looking for a more leisurely experience can听try one of Tree House鈥檚 stouts and take a stroll through the on-site orchards, dotted with听beehives. I recommend following this pilgrimage听by driving 30 minutes northeast to Worcester and grabbing听a bite to eat at .听鈥擪.碍.

Rising Tide Brewing

Portland, Maine

This brewery holds a special place in my heart for many reasons. Not only has its听 been my companion听on numerous paddling excursions in nearby听,听but my sister is on most of the company鈥檚听wedding marketing materials. In the summer, it听opens the garage doors to a patio听with gas fireplaces and a rotating selection of food trucks. My go-to听brew听is the Ishmael鈥攁听copper ale听that听provides just enough flavor without punching you with bitterness, and at just 4.9 percent听ABV,听I can afford to have a few. If you鈥檙e looking for听an IPA, the Zephyr is an easy choice. A听fun听bonus: many of Rising Tide鈥檚听beers are named after Maine鈥檚 favorite outdoor hubs, and the brewery is a meeting ground for ski films, climate talks, and local activism.听鈥擬itch Breton,听video curator

This story was produced in partnership with 听magazine. Check out more of their Maine beer recommendations .听

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Beach trips are supposed to feel relaxing and slow-paced. Whether you鈥檙e looking to surf, dive, paddle, or just read a book in a hammock, the point is that you鈥檙e getting away听from it all. Which is why听sometimes听you need to escape the hustle and bustle of more well-known seaside destinations (we鈥檙e looking at you, Canc煤n and Waikiki) and find those beach towns that are a little sleepier.

Oak Island, North Carolina

Oak Island, one of North Carolina鈥檚 Brunswick Islands, has a laid-back vibe. With 13 miles of uncrowded beaches, there鈥檚听no need to stake out a spot at sunrise. While this area was hit by Hurricane Florence last fall, most damaged properties have since been restored. Check out听听for more than 330 rentals that include oceanfront and pet-friendly options. Rent听a kayak or stand-up paddleboard from听听and it鈥檒l be delivered to wherever you鈥檙e staying, and take the kids fishing or crabbing off the piers or to听spot butterflies in at the听.听Don鈥檛 miss climbing to the top of the Oak Island Lighthouse, but be sure to book a tour beforehand.

Willemstad, Cura莽ao

Let the crowds go to neighboring Aruba. On the Dutch Caribbean island of Cura莽ao, off the coast of Venezuela, you鈥檒l have 35 white-sand听beaches more or less to yourself. Check out the capital city of Willemstad for colorful Dutch architecture, a floating market, and a selection of local restaurants that specialize in catches of the day. Snorkel from Playa Lagun, spot flamingos on salt flats, and hike the trail to the top of 1,227-foot Mount听Christoffel within Shete Boka National Park. The听 (from $574)听has a dive center, a spa, and an infinity pool overlooking the ocean.

Narragansett, Rhode Island

If you don鈥檛 think of Rhode Island as a beach-getaway destination, think again. The vibrant seaside town of Narragansett has plenty to do and sees听fewer crowds than others on the East Coast. Cruise听along the seven-mile-long听, sign up for a surf lesson or pick up new boardshorts at听 surf shop, and enjoy听a sunset paddleboard outing听with听. Narragansett Beach is the go-to spot for surfing and sandcastles, and its boutique hotel, the听 (from $472), has 16 rooms with ocean views, a rooftop bar, and a saltwater pool.

Morro Bay, California

In between the more populous beach destinations of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Santa Barbara, you鈥檒l find the quaint, easygoing town of Morro Bay. Its听biggest landmark is 576-foot-tall Morro Rock, a state historic landmark on the waterfront that was once used as a navigational icon for seafarers. Kayak among听harbor seals and sea lions with a guide from听, or fly a kite on the shoreline. Book a room at the seaside听 (from $249), where you鈥檒l have views of Morro Bay National Estuary and easy access to the Embarcadero boardwalk.

San Pancho, Mexico

You can still get to the tequila-fueled nightlife and popular surf breaks in nearby Sayulita, but the town of San Pancho, ten听minutes north, has a quieter, off-the-radar vibe. Its official name is actually San Francisco, but everyone calls it San Pancho, a听Spanish nickname that plays off the fact that it has听become Sayulita鈥檚 cooler sibling. Take yoga classes in the plaza, hike in the jungles above town, or catch a wave without anyone dropping in on you.听 (from $74) has a wine shop and organic restaurant on-site, and the beach is just steps away.

Chebeague Island, Maine

Hop a 15-minute ferry ride from the town of Yarmouth, Maine, and you鈥檒l arrive at friendly Chebeague Island, where there鈥檚 not a ton going on鈥攚hich is exactly the point. Book the beach-getaway package at the restored 1920s-era听 (from $180) in Casco Bay and you鈥檒l get breakfast, a picnic lunch for the beach, and L.L.Bean bicycles to ride around the five-mile-long island. Lobster cookouts on the lawn overlooking the sea and bonfires near the beach are听nightly occurrences.

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Water lapping and boats bumping against the docks. The sun’s reflection shimmering and dancing across the water. The smell of warm plastic kayaks and seafood. Located in the idyllic fishing village of Wickford in the ocean state, kayaking isn’t just a hobby鈥攊t’s a lifestyle.

It’s been Jeff Shapiro’s livelihood for the last 23 years as owner of The Kayak Centre, an independent shop that prides itself on employing the resident experts of sea kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. Regardless of the month or season, the full-service shop is always open鈥攔are for New England鈥攁nd stocked with up to 120 different SKUs, from ten-foot recreational kayaks and sit-on-tops to 18-foot sea kayaks.

“If you go into Dick鈥檚 Sporting Goods, you know you鈥檙e only going to get a certain amount of product and availability,” said store manager Matt Bosgraaf, who has worked at the shop since 1998, when he was 14. “Same thing with a lot of shops that don鈥檛 concentrate just in kayaks. Because we do, it would only make sense for us to have a good selection of kayaks that are going to check off every box on somebody’s wishlist.”

Shapiro, a retired periodontist, first started kayaking with a whitewater kayaking school in the Adirondacks about 30 years ago. He explored many seas and became a certified guiding instructor. Shapiro and his then-wife used to bring trailers full of kayaks to Rhode Island to host instructional guiding for the other kayak shops in town. So when the opportunity to run his own shop presented, he took it.

“It’s just a spectacular way to be outside,” Shapiro said of being on the water. “I started as a whitewater boater, then an open-water sea kayaker, and now I’m mostly on paddleboards. As I get older, I find it’s fun, different, and great for balance and exercise.”

For two decades, the shop was located around the corner from downtown, out of view of the tourists. And the shop was successful there. But Bosgraaf said, “If you didn鈥檛 know we existed, then you were never going to find us.”

When a family-owned grocery store went out of business after 120 years, Shapiro decided to move the shop to the 5,000-square-foot showroom. “We see a lot more locals coming in,” said Rachel McCarty, soft goods and accessories buyer. “When we opened this much bigger store right in the center of town, we had people who came in who live in town and said, ‘Wow it’s so great you have a retail space now…We thought you guys just rented kayaks.'”

In and Around The Kayak Centre

The Kayak Centre is located in the historic fishing village of Wickford, which is located on a salt pond鈥攅asy access for dropping in boats.

With up to 120 SKUs, The Kayak Centre has sea kayaks and stand-up paddleboards of all sizes.

Clothing helped fill space and offered a new, but related category when The Kayak Centre moved into a bigger space almost two years ago.

As the local kayaking experts, The Kayak Centre offers rentals, classes, and guided trips.

Raven the dog likes stand-up paddleboarding too.

Around the same time, another business specializing in men’s clothing shuttered after 75 years.听With leftover space in the new building, Shapiro and his team brought in soft goods. Lifestyle products from Patagonia, Toad&Co, OluKai, Carve, Costa, Smith, and other big brands now fill the racks and give non-kayakers something to buy.

“I had people come in around Christmastime for gifts and they returned over the summer,” McCarty said. “They said, ‘Now we’re here for a kayak.’ I thought people who bought kayaks would come in and see that we had clothing, but it was really great to see it the other way around.”

A weather-reliant business naturally has its down time, yet The Kayak Centre doesn’t close its doors for cold weather. The popularity of kayak fishing in the last decade has filled in that slow time because anglers start looking for boats and accessories come mid-February. The Kayak Centre teaches classes out of a building across the street and rents from a shack on the water. It also has a location in Charlestown on听Ninigret Pond, about 21 miles south of Wickford Village.

Other than potentially expanding guided kayaking trips internationally鈥攖hey’ve taken groups to Costa Rica and the Netherlands鈥擲hapiro said he’s not sure how else to grow the business without getting too far from his core as a kayak shop. And he and the team are OK with that.

“Throughout the years, we鈥檝e expanded little by little and now we鈥檙e right where we want to be,” Bosgraaf said. “We鈥檙e not an outdoor store. We鈥檙e not gonna delve into snowshoes. We know kayaks and we know SUPs and we know them very well. We feel we are the experts in that industry, so let鈥檚 stick to what we know best and make sure everybody knows that we know that.”

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Since Utah established the country鈥檚 first state office of outdoor recreation five years ago, the idea has spread rapidly. Colorado and Washington opened offices in 2015; in 2016, three more states started offices or initiatives dedicated to promoting outdoor recreation. Last year, the number nearly doubled, bringing the total to 11.

This rush of activity indicates that state governments have come around to the idea that outdoor recreation is a significant driver of economic activity that also offers other important environmental and social benefits. Until relatively recently, most states gauged the value of federal public lands within their borders purely in terms of their viability for extractive industries like mining, logging, and oil drilling. But in recent years, thanks to a growing awareness of the consumer spending and state tax revenue associated with outdoor recreation, that attitude has begun to evolve. Now these new offices are looking to advance changes in policies to further support the sector.

While this is good news for the recreation industry, by Utah State University鈥檚 suggests these offices are in dire need of more support 听from outside the outdoor industry听if they鈥檙e going to have an enduring impact.

鈥淭he offices of outdoor recreation represent a watershed moment in the recognition of outdoor recreation being a critical component of any state鈥檚 economy, livability, and public policy,鈥� says Bob Ratcliffe, chief of conservation and outdoor recreation programs at the National Park Service (NPS), which commissioned the report. 鈥淢y interest was to have a better understanding on what ingredients are emerging from these offices, identify their areas of focus, then determine how federal agencies can better align, collaborate, and support public land policy that helps achieve those goals.鈥�

One standout finding in the report was that conversations about the outdoor recreation economy are increasingly commonplace among local, state, and federal politicians. Historically, government agencies haven鈥檛 factored in the revenue generated by activities like hiking and biking when assessing public lands. But recent efforts by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to estimate the size of the recreation economy have spurred a shift. The OIA put consumer recreation spending at , while the BEA, which didn鈥檛 count apparel and equipment manufactured overseas, put it at $373 billion.

The increased dialogue and financial analyses have created momentum for the new state offices, but the report alludes that many of them are still too small or poorly funded to be as effective as they need to be. Some have just a single staff member, in some cases assisted by college interns. Small budgets limit the work of most of the offices, though funding in Maryland, Rhode Island, and Vermont is especially anemic.

Some state legislators have been hesitant to invest much in the offices because they view them as experiments. Another challenge is the fact that compared to top-of-mind voter concerns like jobs, health care, and infrastructure, supporting recreation can seem like a very low priority to policymakers. 鈥淥utdoor recreation doesn鈥檛 generally have a lot of crises on its own,鈥� said one unnamed government employee quoted in the report. 鈥淐rises are what sometimes get money and attention.鈥�

Another political challenge to the offices comes from the fact that they can be created by governors. According to the report, this can lead to an office being seen as an extension of a political agenda, and thus a target for elimination by the next administration. The report suggests that offices will benefit by remaining independent from political parties or executives.

The good news is that outdoor recreation is something both liberals and conservatives support, though often for different reasons. The offices in more progressive states like Oregon, Vermont, and Washington focus on conservation as an end goal to increased use of public lands. Other states, like Maryland, North Carolina, and Wyoming, tend to view recreation as revenue source first, with conservation as a potential side benefit.

Despite their current limitations, some offices have already won big victories. The Utah office successfully lobbied to secure a portion of revenue from hotel and motel taxes for projects like like boat ramps and trail construction in counties and cities.

In determining the offices鈥� impact, the report stresses that states shouldn鈥檛 limit their assessments to economics and the environment. In Rhode Island, for example, the听recreation council鈥檚 primary goal was improving public health. (Rhode Island's office was a temporary test to study the feasibility and effectiveness of an recreation office,听and the results are still being examined.)听Recreation doesn鈥檛 鈥渆xist in a vacuum,鈥� as one government employee was quoted saying in the report, so their impact shouldn鈥檛 be measured in one either.

鈥淪tates that have already set up offices of outdoor recreation haven鈥檛 only seen economic benefits,鈥� says Jordan W. Smith, one of the report鈥檚 authors and an assistant professor of environment and society at Utah State University. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e also seen benefits to state transportation systems, health care, and people鈥檚 general quality of life.鈥�

While it鈥檚 clear that all the states鈥� offices need a lot more resources if they鈥檙e going to be effective, the simple fact of their creation is a testament to a new attitude about outdoor recreation and the value of public lands. 鈥淔or many years, outdoor recreation was really thought of as a byproduct of public lands,鈥� Ratcliffe says, 鈥渘ot as a resource in its own right.鈥�

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Baja to the Future

Distance: 226 miles
Days: Five
Playlist:听Calexico, Y La听Bamba, Whitney

The only reason to get off the road after dusk in this part of Baja is the presence of wandering cows. From Los Cabos International Airport, head 43 miles north to , a beach village on the Sea of Cortez, where kite- and windsurfing are powered by El Norte winds from November to March. Suss out the scene at , a colorful beachfront hotel (from $100) adjacent to , a one-stop shop for guides and gear rental. On the 65-mile drive to La Paz, stop in El Triunfo (population 321) for a mango smoothie on the palm-shaded outdoor patio of . In La Paz, settle in at (from $55), a perfect jumping-off point for trips with , which include watching whales, snorkeling among sea lions, or kayaking around Isla Esp铆ritu Santo, a Unesco Biosphere Reserve. On your way to the Pacific, stop at in Todos Santos to stock up on wax or to buy a board. Then head to (from $254), on San Pe颅drito beach, where you can indulge in surf lessons, yoga, ceviche, and a mix颅ology class. After the final 65 miles to San Jos茅 del Cabo, stop in at (from $312), an austere hotel that serves ocean-fresh sushi. 鈥擲tephanie Pearson

Tennessee Waltz

Distance:听330 miles
Days:听Three
Playlist:听The Black Keys, Valerie June, Jason Isbell

In Nashville, grab a plate of spicy fried chicken at , then drive 150 miles on I-40 to the Big South Fork, a national recreation area surrounding 80 miles of the Cumberland River and its tributaries, as well as a 600-foot gorge in the Cumberland Plateau. The brave among your group will have Class IV whitewater and steep sport and trad climbing to choose from, but everyone will dig the 4.6-mile Twin Arches Loop, which passes by a 100-foot-high sandstone arch. Stay a night or two at the Bandy Creek Campground. From there, it鈥檚 127 miles southeast to the, near the top of 6,594-foot Mount LeConte, inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park (from $145, meals included), which is best accessed via the long, flowy 6.5-mile Trillium Gap Trail. Don鈥檛 plan on electricity, but do plan on eating well, with family-style breakfast and dinner. 鈥擥raham Averill

The Greatest Plains

Distance:听900 miles
Days:听Five
Playlist:听Colter Wall, Bruce Springsteen, Nathaniel Rateliff

This journey through grasslands, river drainages, mountains, and iconic rock features still offers plenty of space for buffalo鈥攁nd humans鈥攖o roam. Start in the Badlands of North Dakota, at the Maah Daah Hey Trail, featuring 144 miles of singletrack that climbs up to 12,000 feet above the Little Missouri River. Walk, bike, or ride horseback as much as you like; campsites are spaced every 20 or so miles along the trail. Then drive 206 miles south into South Dakota, to the pioneer-style downtown of Spearfish and fuel up on an egg and cheese pastry at before riding six miles to Crow Peak, catching breathtaking views of the Black Hills at the summit. Spend the night at the , once owned by wild man (from $219). The next day, it鈥檚 an 80-mile drive to Wyoming鈥檚 Bighorn National Forest to check out the 11-mile trail to Bucking Mule Falls, where you鈥檒l find a 400-foot cascade surrounded by fields of Indian paintbrush, lupine, shooting stars, and forget-me-nots. Your next stop, the American Prairie Reserve, is over 300 miles north of Bighorn, but it鈥檚 worth the trip: the 353,000-acre area outside Malta, Montana, is the largest-scale conservation project in North America, home to resurgent populations of bison, swift foxes, and cougars. For lodging, treat yourself to a two-night stay in a safari-chic yurt at (from $2,000). 鈥擲.P.

Florida Coast-to-Coast

Distance:听484 miles
Days:听Four
Playlist:听Jimmy Buffett, Flo Rida, The Revivalists

Heading south from Tallahassee, kick things off with a night camping at St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, on the Gulf of Mex颅ico. Opt for an ($100), or snag a primitive paddle-in site in the park鈥檚 Wilderness Preserve ($5 per person). Rent a kayak from and explore the stunningly clear waters around the Cape San Blas peninsula (from $35). On your way east, make a stop near Eastpoint for provisions in Apa颅lachicola Bay. These 30 miles of shallow, oyster-breeding waters produce some of the best bivalves in the state. Harvest your own, or drop by , which has a raw bar on a deck overlooking the bay. Escape the heat in the middle of the state by tubing , a natural spring that creates a crystal clear, mile-long creek. Once you hit Cocoa Beach on the Atlantic side, set up base camp in an oceanfront suite at the low-key (from $135). The area has some of the best surfing in Florida鈥擪elly Slater learned here鈥攁nd the whole family can learn to shred with lessons from ($65 per hour). 鈥擥.A.

Surf 鈥檔鈥� Turf New England

Distance:听399
Days:听Five
Playlist:听Pixies, Vampire Weekend, Neko Case

The beaches around Newport, Rhode Island, offer surprisingly consistent swells from late summer through fall. Get a private lesson from (from $95), or pick up a board and head to Second Beach, a sandy-bottom break flanked by cliffs and stunning 19th-颅century estates. After a couple of days, drive 273 miles north to East Burke, Vermont, to mountain-bike the , a pri颅vately run cross-country system with more than 100 miles of the finest singletrack. If you need to rent a bike, grab a Santa Cruz Tallboy from ($90). Work the Jaw trail into your ride if you like bridgework ($15), and finish up at downtown. Next? Head 140 miles south on I-93 to Portland, Maine, for a guided, three-mile ($40) before exploring Casco Bay (from $65). Stay the night in the Press, located in the newly renovated ($399), feasting on salmon char siu at Union, around the corner. 鈥擥.A.

Scratch Alaska鈥檚 Surface

Distance:听387 miles
Days:听Five
Playlist:听John Luther Adams, Sigur R贸s, Explosions in the Sky

One road trip is nowhere near enough to capture the vastness of the Last Frontier, but if you act boldly, you can pull off a decent intro. Start at Anchorage鈥檚 (from $310), a block from , where the kitchen鈥檚 Kodiak Benedict pairs poached eggs with fresh Alaskan king crab cakes. Afterward, grab a mountain bike from Downtown Bicycle Rental and rack it on the Flattop Mountain Shuttle. You鈥檒l get a ride to the Glen Alps Trailhead, near the summit, before saddling up for the 16 miles back to town. Next stop: a 113-mile drive north to Talkeetna, the perfect base from which to connect with and stalk sockeye, pink, and king salmon along the Susitna River (from $190). In Talkeetna, grab a reindeer-sausage slice at before getting back on Highway 3 toward Healy, on the eastern end of Denali National Park and Preserve. It鈥檚 easy to reserve a spot at the , but bring netting: it鈥檚 mosquito season ($22). Your last stop is Fairbanks, where Arctic Outfitters offers a of Gates of the Arctic National Park (from $5,600). 鈥擶ill Egensteiner

Olympic Gold

Distance:听205 miles
Days:听Three
Playlist:听M. Ward, Fleet Foxes, Death Cab for Cutie

The 3,600-square-foot Olympic Peninsula is full of old-growth forests, rugged coastline, and jagged peaks. Start exploring it by boarding the Bainbridge Island ferry from downtown Seattle, then head north via Highway 101. In Port Angeles, a gateway town to the 876,669-acre Olympic National Park, grab coffee and a growler to go at , and break out the wet-weather gear鈥攖he region鈥檚 rainforests average 150 inches per year. No roads cut across the peninsula, but if you continue west on the highway, you can make a full loop around it. At mile marker 240, pull over to take in the Elwha River, now thriving after the 2014 decommissioning of the massive Glines Canyon Dam鈥攑art of the largest such removal in U.S. history. Anglers can fish the steelhead runs on the Sol Duc River, then warm up with a dip in the hot springs before pitching a tent at the Sol Duc Campground. After hiking temperate rainforest and alpine meadows to the Blue Glacier on 7,979-foot Mount Olympus, sleep in one of the oceanside cabins at (from $246). 鈥擜nna Callaghan

Colorado鈥檚 Fourteener Challenge

Distance:听355 miles
Days:听Seven
Playlist:听Bowerbirds, the Lumineers, Sylvan Esso

Conquering a fourteener is a Colorado rite of passage, and this weeklong trip allows you to check off five easy-to-moderate peaks, no climbing equipment or special permits required. Set out from Denver before dawn and you can summit Mount 颅Bierstadt (14,060 feet) by early afternoon, allowing for a few daylight hours afterward to enjoy the stunning scenery along U.S. 285 while driving to your next stop. Grab a burger at in Fairplay, then head for Mount Princeton Campground, a perfect home base for tackling its namesake peak (14,197 feet) the next morning. Afterward, drive an hour north to Elbert Creek Camp颅ground, which is located at the trailhead for Mount Elbert (14,433 feet), the highest peak in the Rockies. You can bag it the next morning, taking in the necessary calories at High Mountain Pies in nearby Leadville. Then scoot 30 miles to a reserved bed at the , a hostel in the small town of Minturn (from $25). Congratulations: it鈥檚 time for a rest day. Make the 15-minute drive to Vail village and let loose on the summer tubing hill. Your final peaks, Grays and Torreys (14,270 and 14,267 feet, respectively), loom on the road back to Denver. Connected by a saddle, they offer a single-day, two-for-one deal. An hour outside the city, raise a glass (or several small ones) to your feats with a whiskey flight at the recently opened in Idaho Springs. 鈥擠aliah Singer

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Good news for anyone who loves high-heart-rate recreation, brilliant scenery, and a little bit of history鈥斕齣s starting 2015 off by 听in eight different states and the District of Columbia. They include a supervolcano popular with cross-country skiers, a fossil-laden desert on the outskirts of Las Vegas, and a historic river corridor home to one of New England鈥檚 most scenic bi-state greenways.

This brings the total number of national park units to 405 and will add 250,000 acres of protected wilderness area. Before President Obama signed the defense bill on December 19, 2014 (which created the parks) the last time that the NPS expanded this much was when President Carter signed the National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978 (Carter鈥檚 act created 1,974,005 acres of protected wilderness).

While these parks are new to the National Parks Service, they have long been overseen by either public agencies or private organizations. The change will be seen in the financial muscle and higher profile the NPS brings. After 99 years, the NPS has the skill and monetary resources to make places accessible to more people. That means these once quaint parks will soon be drawing more visitors, and building an infrastructure to welcome them.

A good thing? That depends on who you ask. Opponents balk at increased entrance fees and regulations that limit activities such as camping, climbing, and hunting, but proponents praise job creation and local economic development that occur when the NPS takes over.

For some of the new national parks, the road ahead is extra-long. in Pershing Park in Washington, D.C. can鈥檛 be built until a design is chosen. in Hartford, Connecticut, is dependent upon land acquisitions.

Perhaps the longest road ahead belongs to the 听which is awaiting land acquisitions in three non-contiguous states. This park will be co-managed by the Department of Energy and established in New Mexico, Tennessee, and Washington at sites where the atomic bomb was developed.听

Highlighted here are three of the newest national parks you can go to right now and bag a quality adventure.听

Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico

Nordic Skiing, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Fly Fishing
The volcanic explosion that formed this 12-mile-wide caldera occurred more than 1.2 million years ago and was 2,000 times bigger than the 1980听Mount St. Helens eruption. While the park's name translates into 鈥渧alleys of boilers,鈥� New Mexico鈥檚 is actually a cross-country skier鈥檚 dream. Beginners have access to miles of professionally groomed trails, and advanced skiers have more than 5,000 untouched acres within Valle Grande at their disposal. But come summer, hiking and mountain biking reign supreme in this region of the Jemez Mountains. One of the area's most challenging hikes, Redondito, is a 16-mile out-and-back that offers impressive views of the volcano鈥檚 north rim. For those looking to explore beyond the Valle Grande Staging Area, shuttles run regularly and provide hikers, cyclists, and anglers access to backcountry trails and the trout-abundant San Antonio Creek.

Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Cycling, White Water Rafting, Canoeing, Kayaking
In 1790 the Blackstone River, a 640-square-mile watershed that drops more steeply and rapidly than the Colorado River, was the site of the country鈥檚 first successful water-powered cotton-spinning factory. And last month, was authorized to honor its heritage as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. By 2017, a 听running through the park will allow cyclists to ride all the way from Worcester, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island, but until then, there are almost 20 miles of greenway already in use. Park visitors can also paddle (and portage) all 46 miles of the Blackstone River. Highlights include several challenging stretches (thanks to the gradient of the river) and the Blackstone Gorge, Chocolate Mill Overlook and Class III rapids found north of Millville.

Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, Nevada

Hiking
Don鈥檛 underestimate the eroded, low-lying gullies in Nevada鈥檚 newest NPS property鈥�. Why? This 22,605-acre desert oasis a few miles north of Las Vegas was once home to ice age-era mammals including extinct camels and giant sloths. While paleontologists have been digging in the area for years, embedded trace fossils are still visible to the naked eye. It will be a few years before visitor services are set up, but plans call for miles of interpretive walking trails, excavation viewing areas, shaded structures, a visitors center, and a University of Nevada geoscience campus. The property is currently closed to motor vehicles, however it鈥檚 open to hikers who can explore unique mud ridge formations and look for (but not collect) fossils.

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