I almost didn’t go. A friend mentioned Block Island offhandedly at a barbecue last summer — something about “the Hamptons without the attitude” — and I filed it away under “places I’ll eventually forget.” But a cancelled ferry to Martha’s Vineyard in late June left me stranded at the dock in Point Judith with a … Read more
I almost didn’t go to Boise. A friend mentioned it offhand at a barbecue last summer — something about a river running through downtown and a food scene that punches way above its weight class — and I filed it under “maybe someday.” But when I started planning a Pacific Northwest road trip for June … Read more
Every year it’s the same panic. Father’s Day rolls around and suddenly you’re staring at a wall of novelty mugs and grill tool sets wondering when “World’s Best Dad” became synonymous with “settled for last-minute.” This year, I decided to break the cycle. Dad deserves better than another necktie he’ll never wear, and frankly, so … Read more
I showed up to New River Gorge with zero expectations. A friend had mentioned it offhand — something about a bridge and whitewater — and I figured I’d spend a long weekend poking around before heading somewhere more “destination-worthy.” That was three summers ago, and I’ve been back every year since. West Virginia’s newest national … Read more
I showed up in Saratoga Springs on a Tuesday afternoon in late July with zero expectations and a beat-up weekender bag that had seen better days. A friend had been telling me for years that this little upstate New York city was the crown jewel of East Coast summer travel, and I kept brushing it … Read more
I’m standing on a ridge in the Smokies when the sky splits open. No warning, no gentle drizzle to ease me into it—just a wall of water that turns the trail into a creek in about thirty seconds flat. And you know what? I’m fine. My pack’s dry, my phone’s dry, and I’m actually enjoying … Read more
I didn’t expect to fall for a place quite this hard. I rolled into Bend, Oregon on a Tuesday afternoon last June, windows down, the Deschutes River glinting through pine trees on my left, and by the time I hit downtown I was already recalculating my return trip. There’s something about this high-desert mountain town … Read more
Nobody goes to Spokane on purpose. That’s what a friend told me before I booked my ticket last July, and honestly, I almost listened to her. Seattle gets the glory, Portland gets the quirks, and Spokane gets… overlooked. Which is exactly why you should go. I spent five days in Washington’s second-largest city last summer … Read more
I almost didn’t write this article. Not because Whitefish, Montana doesn’t deserve the attention — it absolutely does — but because part of me wants to keep it quiet. This is the kind of town that makes you reconsider your entire life plan, and I’m not entirely sure I want the secret getting out. But … Read more
I rolled into Eureka Springs on a Tuesday afternoon in late May, windows down, winding through the Ozark hills on Highway 62, and by the time I pulled into town I was already recalculating my entire itinerary. I’d given myself two days. I needed five. Maybe a week. This little Victorian village tucked into the … Read more