North America

The great American experience is about so many things: bluegrass and beaches, snow-covered peaks and redwood forests, restaurant-loving cities and big open skies.

Bright Lights, Big Cities

America is the birthplace of LA, Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami, Boston and New York City – each a brimming metropolis whose name alone conjures a million different notions of culture, cuisine and entertainment. Look more closely, and the American quilt unfurls in all its surprising variety: the eclectic music scene of Austin, the easygoing charms of antebellum Savannah, the eco-consciousness of free-spirited Portland, the magnificent waterfront of San Francisco and the captivating French Quarter of jazz-loving New Orleans. Each city adds its unique style to the grand patchwork that is America.

On the Road Again

This is a country of road trips and great open skies, where 4 million miles of highways lead past red-rock deserts, below towering mountain peaks and through fertile wheat fields that roll off toward the horizon. The sun-bleached hillsides of the Great Plains, the lush rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, the sultry swamplands of the South and the scenic country lanes of New England are a few fine starting points for the great American road trip. Veer off the interstate often to discover the bucolic 'blue highways' of lore.

Food-Loving Nation

On one evening in the US, thick barbecue ribs come piping hot at a Texas roadhouse, while chefs blend organic produce with Asian accents at award-winning West Coast restaurants. Locals get their fix of bagels and lox at a century-old deli in Manhattan's Upper West Side and, several states away, plump pancakes and fried eggs disappear under the clatter of cutlery at a 1950s-style diner. Steaming plates of lobster from a Maine pier, oysters and champagne from a California wine bar, Korean tacos out of a Portland food truck – these are just a few ways to dine à la Americana.

Cultural Behemoth

The USA has made tremendous contributions to the arts. Georgia O'Keeffe's wild landscapes, Robert Rauschenberg's surreal collages, Alexander Calder's elegant mobiles and Jackson Pollock's drip paintings have entered the vernacular of 20th-century art. Chicago and New York have become veritable drawing boards for the great architects of the modern era. And from the soulful blues born in the Mississippi Delta to the bluegrass of Appalachia and Detroit's Motown sound – plus jazz, funk, hip-hop, country, and rock and roll – America has invented sounds integral to modern music.

The USA

From a megacity to a gator-filled swamp in the space of a plane ride – the East rolls out adventure from the Atlantic to the mighty Mississippi River.

Mighty Metropolises

Brimming with 8.6 million people, the megalopolis of New York is the cultural capital of the Eastern USA, offering a mind-blowing array of cuisine and entertainment. Cloud-poking Chicago, power-brokering Washington, DC, history-steeped Philadelphia and Latin-infused Miami are close on its heels. Look deeper to find the captivating European-style charms of New Orleans, and rebounding Rust Belt cities such as Detroit, Buffalo and Cincinnati, where scrappy entrepreneurs and young DIY devotees are branching out and transforming the built environments.

Backroads Wonders

The East Coast offers plenty of chances to get your beach on, from the whale-rich waters of Cape Cod to the taffy-shop-lined boardwalks of Ocean City, the towering golden sand dunes on Lake Michigan or the coral reefs of the Florida Keys. Inland, nature puts on a show in the swampy Florida Everglades, wolf-haunted Boundary Waters, mist-tipped Appalachian Mountains and New England’s forests, which blaze red, orange and yellow each autumn. Slowpoke byways unfurl throughout so you can soak up the landscapes.

Chowhounds’ Smorgasbord

Good eatin’ reaches epic proportions here: hulking steamed lobsters with melted butter in Maine’s seafood shacks, bagels and lox in Manhattan’s delis, saucy barbecue ribs in Memphis’ roadhouses, butter-smothered biscuits in North Carolina’s diners, hot-spiced gumbo in New Orleans’ cafes…and for dessert, thick slices of berry pie. Wineries can be found from northern Michigan to North Georgia, and the craft brewery scene is even more prolific. And don't forget: Atlanta gave the world Coca-Cola.

Cultural Cradle

The museums in the Eastern USA are the nation’s greatest hits – the Smithsonian, housing everything but the kitchen sink; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a city-state of treasures; and the Art Institute of Chicago, hanging impressionist artworks by the roomful. Explore the roots of blues, jazz, and rock and roll at Memphis' Sun Studio, where Elvis got his groove on; Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, for artifacts like Jimi Hendrix’ Stratocaster; and the juke joints of Clarksdale, where blues slide guitar first pierced the air. For sky-high designs, Chicago and New York City are drawing boards for the modern era’s great architects.

Eastern USA

Landscapes and legends draw adventurers to the West, where a good day includes locavore dining, vineyard wine-sipping, wildlife-watching, Native American history and outdoor adventure. Great Outdoors Western USA gives depth and beauty to the American wild. The landscapes here are stunners, from the high Rockies to the dramatic coastline, from the Great Plains' hypnotizing big-sky horizons to Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. Some of America's most iconic animals animate the wild, including grizzlies, wolves, elk and bison. Elsewhere, surfers, kayakers and beachcombers flock to sunny San Diego and the rocky, mood-filled beaches of Oregon and Washington. Red rocks, plunging gorges and prickly-pear deserts lure hikers and cyclists to the Southwest and Grand Canyon. Over in the Rockies, snowcapped peaks offer world's-best skiing and snowboarding. Grapes, Green Chiles & Going Local Fish tacos in San Diego, Sonoran dogs in Tucson, trout and bison in the Rockies, green and red chiles in New Mexico and wild salmon in the Pacific Northwest: regional specialties here are as diverse as the landscapes. One commonality? Chefs and consumers alike are focusing on fresh and locally grown food, a locavore trend that started in the West. Wine producers have embraced this eco-consciousness in an industry where Napa and Sonoma increasingly share the spotlight with Washington, Oregon and central California. And then there's the proliferation of microbreweries who understand that for people out West, small means beautiful. Urban Allure Western cities have distinct personalities. In California there's the hey-bro friendliness of San Diego, the Hollywood flash of Los Angeles and silicon-meets-bohemian in San Francisco. Further north in Seattle, cutting-edge joins homegrown, often over a cup of joe. Rootsy vibes and outdoor fun pair in Denver, while patio preening and spa pampering give Phoenix a strangely compelling spoiled vibe. Artsy, historic Santa Fe is a world unto itself. And then there's Vegas, a glitzy neon playground where you can get hitched in the Elvis Chapel, spend your honeymoon in Paris and then bet the mortgage – all in the same weekend. Hands-On History Climb a wooden ladder into a cliff dwelling, poke around the ruins of a Pony Express station, contemplate where Native American tribes drove buffalo herds over cliffs, or simply join the congregation inside a 1700s Spanish mission. What else is there to explore? Crumbling forts and trading posts. Abandoned ghost towns. Adobe pueblos. Petroglyphs etched onto boulders and cliff faces. Wander historic sites like these for up-close and evocative links to the region's rich, multilayered past. And excellent museums? Western USA has them, many of them, in abundance.

Western USA

From misty Northern California redwood forests to sun-kissed Southern California beaches, the enchanted Golden State makes Disneyland seem normal.

Natural Beauty

Don’t be fooled by its perpetually fresh outlook and adventurous attitude: California is older than it seems. Coastal bluffs and snowy peaks were created over millennia of tectonic upheavals that threatened to shake California right off the continent. After 19th-century mining, logging and oil-drilling threatened the state’s natural splendors, California’s pioneering environmentalists rescued old-growth trees, reclaimed rivers and cleaned the beaches. Thanks to the leadership of Californian conservationist John Muir and his Sierra Club, California's national and state parks continue to astound visitors today.

Fabulous Food & Drink

Without California, America's menu would be drab and predictable: the Golden State produces most of the country's fresh produce and kicks off nationwide food trends. Every time they sit down to eat, Californians take a stand on food issues: would you like that salad certified organic or spray-free, your toast with farm-to-table jam or urban-beehive honey, and your burger vegan or with humanely raised grass-fed meat? No matter what you order, it’s bound to be local and creative – and it had better be good. For a chaser, California produces over 90% of the nation’s wine-making grapes, and has twice as many breweries as any other state.

From Hollywood to Silicon Valley

Through booms and busts, California has gotten by on its wits and charm. Hollywood still makes most of the world’s movies and TV shows, and launches new talents nightly on stages statewide. But California dreams don't begin with moguls in office towers – they're invented by California's artists, adventurers and resident weirdos in their own backyards. Wild schemes that started at psychedelic music festivals and in San Jose garages have gone mainstream – perhaps you've heard of smartphones, streaming video and Burning Man? – but there are plenty of outlandish ideas here still awaiting discovery. Hang out at California galleries, cafes, bars and festivals, and you may actually see the future coming.

City Lights

California's cities hit maximum dazzle as the sun sets over the Pacific, and lights twinkle across golden hillsides. Lamps illuminate San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, the Hollywood sign glows bright as the moon over LA, and Bay Bridge lights welcome San Francisco arrivals with a wink and a shimmy. Consider this your invitation to come out and play, and join the crowds at LA's star-studded nightclubs and movie palaces, San Francisco's historic LGBT hot spots, Santa Barbara's swanky beach bars and San Diego's booming brewpubs. Tomorrow there will be neighborhoods, beaches, spas and boutiques to explore – but tonight is a night on the town like no other.

California

Canada is more than its hulking-mountain, craggy-coast good looks: it also cooks extraordinary meals, rocks cool culture and unfurls wild, moose-spotting road trips.

The Great Outdoors

The globe's second-biggest country has an endless variety of landscapes, and nature is why many visitors come. Sky-high mountains, glinting glaciers, spectral rainforests and remote beaches are all here, spread across six times zones. They're the backdrop for plenty of 'ah'-inspiring moments – and for a big cast of local characters. That's big as in polar bears, grizzly bears, whales and everyone's favorite, moose.

The terrain also makes for a fantastic playground. Whether it's snowboarding Whistler's mountains, surfing Nova Scotia's swells, wreck diving in the turquoise waters off the Bruce Peninsula or kayaking the white-frothed South Nahanni River in the Northwest Territories, adventures abound. There are gentler options, too, such as strolling Vancouver's Stanley Park and swimming off Prince Edward Island's pink-sand beaches.

Captivating Cultures

Sip a café au lait and tear into a flaky croissant at a sidewalk bistro in Montréal; slurp noodles or head to an Asian night market in the Vancouver area; explore Toronto's rich performing arts scene; join a wild-fiddling Celtic party on Cape Breton Island; and kayak between rainforest-cloaked indigenous villages on Haida Gwaii: Canada is incredibly diverse across its breadth and within its cities. You'll hear it in the music, see it in the arts and taste it in the cuisine.

Foodie Fare

Canada is a smorgasbord of local food. If you grazed from west to east across the country, you'd fill your plate with wild salmon and velvety scallops in British Columbia, poutine (French fries topped with gravy and cheese curds) in Québec, and lobster with a dab of melted butter in the Maritime provinces. Tastemakers may not tout Canadian food the way they do, say, Italian or French fare, so let's just call the distinctive seafood, piquant cheeses and fresh, seasonal fruits and veggies our little secret. Ditto for the award-winning bold reds and crisp whites produced by the country's vine-striped valleys.

Artistic Flair

The arts are an integral part of Canada's cultural landscape, from the International Fringe Theater Festival (the world's second-largest) in Edmonton to mega museums such as Ottawa's National Gallery. Montréal's Jazz Festival and Toronto's star-studded Film Festival draw global crowds. And did you know Ontario's Stratford Festival is the continent's largest classical repertory theater? Even places you might not automatically think of – say, St John's or Woody Point – put on renowned shindigs (an avant-garde 'sound symposium' and a big-name writers festival, respectively).

Canada

Palm-fringed beaches, chili-spiced cuisine, steamy jungles, teeming cities, fiesta fireworks, Frida’s angst: Mexico conjures up diverse, vivid dreams. And the reality lives up to them.

An Outdoor Life

With steaming jungles, snowcapped volcanoes, cactus-strewn deserts and 10,000km of coast strung with sandy beaches and wildlife-rich lagoons, Mexico is an endless adventure for the senses and a place where life is lived largely in the open air. Harness the pounding waves of the Pacific on a surfboard, strap on a snorkel to explore the beauty beneath the surface of the Caribbean Sea and ride the whitewater of Mexico's rivers. Or stay on dry land and hike Oaxaca's mountain cloud forests, scale the peaks of dormant volcanoes or marvel at millions of migrating Monarch butterflies.

Art & Soul of a Nation

Mexico's pre-Hispanic civilizations built some of the world’s great archaeological monuments, including Teotihuacán’s towering pyramids and the exquisite Maya temples of Palenque. The Spanish colonial era left beautiful towns full of tree-shaded plazas and richly sculpted stone churches and mansions, while modern Mexico has seen a surge of great art from the likes of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Top-class museums and galleries document the country's fascinating history and its endless creative verve. Popular culture is just as vibrant, from the underground dance clubs and street art of Mexico City to the wonderful handicrafts of the indigenous population.

A Varied Palate

Mexico's gastronomic repertoire is as diverse as the country's people and topography. Dining out is an endless adventure, whether you're sampling regional dishes, such as Yucatán's cochinita pibil (slow-cooked pork) or a vast array of moles (complex sauces, their recipes jealously guarded) in Oaxaca and Puebla, or trying the complex, artsy concoctions of world-class chefs in Mexico City. Some of Mexico's best eating is had at simple seafront palapa (thatched-roof shack) restaurants, serving achingly fresh fish and seafood, and the humble taquerías, ubiquitous all over Mexico, where tortillas are stuffed with a variety of fillings and slathered with homemade salsas.

Los Mexicanos

At the heart of your Mexican experience will be the Mexican people. A super-diverse crew, from Mexico City hipsters to the shy indigenous villagers of Chiapas, they’re renowned for their love of color and frequent fiestas, but they're also philosophical folk, to whom timetables are less important than simpatía (empathy). You'll rarely find Mexicans less than courteous. They’re more often positively charming, and know how to please guests. They might despair of ever being well governed, but they're fiercely proud of Mexico, their one-of-a-kind homeland with all its variety, tight-knit family networks, beautiful-ugly cities, deep-rooted traditions and agave-based liquors.

Mexico

With soaring peaks, vast coastline and the tallest of the world's trees, Northern California inspires all who visit to dream that much bigger. Natural Splendor Mother Nature puts on a spectacular show across Northern California. In the mighty Sierra Nevada Mountains, blue Lake Tahoe is so deep that if drained it would fill the state with 14 inches of water. Yosemite National Park is home to some of the world's highest waterfalls, and the tallest trees on the planet grow in Redwood National Park. Lassen Volcanic National Park showcases a bona fide volcano, while King's Canyon has gorges deeper than even the Grand Canyon. Across the Sierra's eastern escarpment, the mountains hang like curtains above the vast high deserts of the Great Basin. Food & Drink Expect to eat really well – this is a region at the forefront of American culinary trends. Everything grows here, from apple trees to Zinfandel grapes, and great food and wine are a collective fetish. You need not be fancy. Locals wax poetic about the humble burrito, or a platter of fresh cracked crab, plucked that day from the sea. Napa and Sonoma are the rural outposts of the Bay Area's dynamic and progressive food scene, with restaurants by celeb chefs, you-pick-'em orchards and artisanal dairy farms producing some of the highest-grade foods anywhere in the nation. Weekend Escapes Idyllic escapes are never far away here – just pick your theme. For road trips, it's hard to beat coastal drives up fog-shrouded Hwy 1 to Mendocino; or down the dramatic Pacific Coast Hwy to Big Sur, a thousand feet above the crashing surf. For history, head east to explore the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and Old West towns dating to the gold rush. For outdoor adventure, go up, up, up the mighty Sierra Nevada and hike granite domes and valleys made famous by John Muir. And for world-class art and culture, you need never leave San Francisco's city limits. Big City, Little Towns Whether it comes from the dramatic, Victorian-clad hills, the buzzing innovations of the culinary scene, or the eccentric, larger-than-life residents, there's an unmistakable energy crackling through San Francisco, beckoning visitors. Orbiting this cultural capital, Northern California's smaller cities and towns each hold their own unique appeal. There's the vibrant diversity of Oakland, the seaside elegance of Mendocino, and the sun-drenched idyll of Santa Cruz. Nevada City is the picture of a well-preserved and charming former gold-rush town, and even Sacramento, with its historic parks and agricultural bounty, will occasionally inspire a traveler to gasp with awe.

Northern California

It's easy to see why Hawaii has become synonymous with paradise. Just look at these sugary beaches, Technicolor coral reefs and volcanoes beckoning adventurous spirits.

Natural Beauty

Snapshots of these islands scattered in the cobalt blue Pacific Ocean are heavenly, without the need for any embellishment by tourist brochures. Sunrises and sunsets are so spectacular that they're cause for celebration all by themselves, such as atop Haleakalā volcano on Maui. As tropical getaways go, Hawaii couldn't be easier or more worth the trip, though be aware that visiting these Polynesian isles isn't always cheap. But whether you're dreaming of swimming in crystal waterfall pools or lazing on golden-sand beaches, you can find what you're looking for here.

Play Outside

Just as in days of old, life in Hawaii is lived outdoors. Whether it's surfing, swimming, fishing or picnicking with the ʻohana (extended family and friends), encounters with nature are infused with the traditional Hawaiian value of aloha ʻaina – love and respect for the land.

Go hiking across ancient lava flows and down fluted pali (sea cliffs). Learn to surf, the ancient Hawaiian sport of 'wave sliding,' and then snorkel or dive with giant manta rays and sea turtles. Kayak to a deserted offshore island or hop aboard a whale-watching cruise. Back on land, ride horseback with paniolo, Hawaii's cowboys.

Island Style

Floating all by itself in the middle of the Pacific, Hawaii proudly maintains its own distinct identity apart from the US mainland. Spam, shave ice, surfing, ukulele and slack key guitar music, hula, pidgin, aloha shirts, 'rubbah slippah' (flip-flops) – these are just some of the touchstones of everyday life, island style. Pretty much everything here feels easygoing, low-key and casual, bursting with genuine aloha and fun. You'll be equally welcome whether you're a globe-trotting surf bum, a beaming couple of fresh-faced honeymooners or a big, multigenerational family with rambunctious kids.

Modern Multiculturalism

Hawaii is as proud of its multicultural heritage as it is of former US President Barack Obama, who was born in Honolulu on Oʻahu. On these Hawaiian Islands, the descendants of ancient Polynesians, European explorers, American missionaries and Asian plantation immigrants mix and mingle. What's remarkable about contemporary Hawaii is that harmonious multiculturalism is the rule, not the exception. Boisterous arts and cultural festivals keep diverse community traditions alive, from Hawaiian outrigger canoe races to Japanese taiko drumming. Come here to see what the future of the USA could be.

Hawaii

Rugged. Beautiful. And fun. The Southwest is the ultimate playground, luring adventurers with red-rock canyons, Wild West legends and the kicky delights of green chile stew. The Great Outdoors Beauty and adventure are a fun-loving team in the Southwest. They crank up the rapids, unleash the singletrack, add blooms to the trail and drape a sunset across red rocks. This captivating mix of scenery and possibility draws travelers who want to rejuvenate physically, mentally and spiritually. The big draw is the Grand Canyon, a two-billion-year-old wonder that shares its geologic treasures with a healthy dose of fun. Next door in Utah and Nevada, the red rocks will nourish your soul while thrashing your bike. In New Mexico, skiing the steeps and climbing peaks never looked so good. History The Southwest wears its history on its big, sandy sleeve. A decade before the Pilgrims even landed at Plymouth Rock, Santa Fe was already a capital city – albeit in what was then another country. Dig quite a bit deeper and you’ll find the oldest ruins north of Mexico: the great houses in Chaco Canyon, the cliff houses at Mesa Verde and numerous others sites scattered throughout the Four Corners. The descendants of these early cultures now live in Pueblo villages at Hopi, Acoma, Taos and elsewhere, the oldest continuously inhabited homes in the United States. Multicultural Layers A unique multicultural mix defines the Southwest today. It blends the history and customs of the Ancestral Puebloans with the influences of the Spanish missionaries and colonists and their subsequent interactions and conflicts with the Pueblo, Navajo, Apache and, eventually, the Americans. Tribal traditions and imagery still influence art across the region. Cowboys still roam the scrubby desert, and their cultural legacy remains apparent in fashion, festivals and local attitudes. Hispanic and Mexican cultures, of course, remain an integral part of daily life, from place names, language and food, to headlines about immigration. Cuisine Green chile cheeseburgers and red chile posole in New Mexico. Sonoran dogs and huevos rancheros in Tucson. Picon punch and Chorizo and hominy stew in northern Nevada. Regional specialties are pleasingly diverse in the Southwest and sampling local fare is a big reason to get excited about an upcoming trip. Top restaurants are increasingly focused on fresh and locally grown fare – and providing a solid selection of craft brews. The ever-expanding crop of small batch breweries, distilleries and vineyards provide the perfect accompaniment to those smothered blue-corn enchiladas or the gastronomic excesses of Vegas.

The Southwest

Florida means almost anything: amusement kingdoms, Latin and Caribbean capitals, wild wetlands, artist colonies, and wild surf beaches. This vast, flat peninsula has it all.

Seaside Fantasy

Maybe there's no mystery to what makes the Florida peninsula so intoxicating. Beaches as fine and sweet as powdered sugar, warm waters, rustling mangroves: all conspire to melt our workaday selves. We come to Florida to let go – of worries and winter, of inhibitions, even of reality. Some desire a beachside getaway of swimming, seafood and sunsets. Others seek the hedonism of South Beach, spring break or Key West. Some want birding and wildlife spotting, with gators, manatees and the elusive spoonbill. Others will lose themselves within the fantasy realms of Walt Disney World® and Orlando's other theme parks.

Sexy Swamps

Within Florida's semitropical wilderness, alligators prowl the waterways, spoonbills strut through ponds, manatees winter in springs and sea turtles nest in summer. Osprey and eagles, dolphins and tarpon, coral-reef forests, oceans of saw grass: despite the best (or worst!) efforts of 21st-century humans, vast portions of Florida remain untamed. In a nation where natural beauty is often measured by topography, flat Florida is underappreciated by outdoors fanatics, but here you can paddle a kayak over the back of a sleeping Jurassic-era alligator, and meet loggerhead turtles and manatees underwater, eye to eye.

Tropical Mosaic

While many know Florida for beaches and theme parks, few understand that this is one of the most populous states in the country, a bellwether for the American experiment. And that experiment – and this state – is more diverse than ever. From rural hunters and trappers in the geographically northern, culturally Southern climes, to Jewish transplants sitting side by side with Latin arrivals from every Spanish-speaking nation in the world, it's hard to beat Florida when it comes to experiencing the human weft and weave at its most colorful and vibrant.

Culture By the Coast

Tan, tropical Florida is smarter and more culturally savvy than its appearance suggests. This state, particularly South Florida, has a reputation for attracting eccentrics and idiosyncratic types from across the US, Latin America and Europe. Many of these folks, and their descendants, have gone on to create or provide patronage for the arts, as evidenced by enormous concert spaces in Miami, a glut of museums on the Gulf Coast, and a long, literary tradition – Florida has produced more than its fair share of great American authors.

Florida

A compelling mix of adventure awaits: monuments and museums, beaches and battlefields, woods and white water. Oyster shooters and bluegrass jams bring the party.

America's Story

With museums now acknowledging the accomplishments and struggles of a diverse mix of historic players – from Native Americans to slaves to Founding Fathers – it's a compelling time to study the past in the Mid-Atlantic. Events elemental to the US political system and cultural norms took root here. Whether studying the Jamestown ruins, exploring Monticello, following the Underground Railroad or pausing beside the Bloody Lane at Antietam, this is where the story of modern America unfolded. If you time it right, you can experience history in real time by watching legislators in action from the galleries of centuries-old state houses.

Outdoor Fun

Don't let the boring moniker 'Mid-Atlantic' throw you: from Assateague Island to the Appalachian Mountains, the region is chock-full of adventures. Whether you're paddling the salt marshes of eastern Delaware, cycling past historic locks in Maryland or scrambling to a rock-covered peak in Shenandoah National Park, the best adventures have gorgeous backdrops. And we saved the best for last: you may not have time for scenery in West Virginia as you plunge over Class V rapids on what might be the wildest white water in America. Hold tight for Pillow Roooooock----ahhhh! Bam! Yeah!

Cultural Bonanza

Washington, DC, is the region's cultural anchor, home to the 19 museums comprising the Smithsonian Institution, and much, much more. For live performances, take your pick of prestigious venues: the National Theatre, the Kennedy Center and the Folger Theatre. But culture doesn't end at the I-495 loop. Art gets visionary in Baltimore, MD, while Richmond, VA, showcases everything from eclectic murals to ornate decorative eggs. To the west, traditional arts and crafts reflect individual passions and long-honed skills. Mountain music channels the past, but new acolytes are winning fans with catchy modern interpretations.

Good Eats

From biscuits and gravy for breakfast to ramen at lunch to goulash at dinner, you can travel the world in a day by planning your meals right in DC. The nation's capital dazzles with choice: chow down in a 60-year-old diner or in a hip industrial space with the chef du jour. Salty hams, jumbo peanuts and farm-to-table fare are Virginia specialties, while cracking steamed crabs and slurping oysters in Maryland is heaven for seafood lovers. Delaware's seafood shines too, and its microbreweries are champs at pub grub. Fluffy biscuits, farmers-market produce and pepperoni rolls are winners in West Virginia.

Mid-Atlantic States

Remarkable in its diversity, beauty and grandeur, Colorado delivers endless powder runs, outdoors adventures, surprisingly cosmopolitan arts and dining scenes, and 300 days of sunshine.

Rocky Mountain High

The best-known Rocky Mountain state, with the highest concentration of peaks above 14,000ft, Colorado owes its public adoration to the granite behemoths that rise abruptly, crinkled and snowcapped, out of the Great Plains. Countless hiking and biking trails climb above the treeline to wildflower-strewn meadows, while a plethora of scenic drives wend their way up hairpin turns to cross the Continental Divide. This is adventure central, with world-class skiing, biking, rafting, hiking, wildlife watching and more. While the crowds are getting bigger, head up old forest service roads to see the state at its most pristine.

Ski Country, USA

The combination of light, soft powder and frequent blue skies has made Colorado winters the stuff of legend. There are big open bowls, steep mogul runs, terrain parks, bunny slopes, wide open glades, cross-country tracks and backcountry ski huts, and groomed runs that seem to go on for miles.

After the day, Colorado's mountain towns invite you to cozy up next to the fire, revel with your friends with a few tips of the ShotSki, and rage against the dying of the light with towns that ripple with the excitement of new possibilities, fresh tracks and broad smiles.

Deserts & Canyons

While it's best known for its mountains, the desert lands of the Colorado Plateau and Southern Colorado bring a new energy and new beauty to this diverse state. There are mesas, towers and slot canyons to be explored, rivers to be run, sand dunes to be climbed, desert singletrack trails to be ridden and plenty of wide open vistas to enjoy come sunset. Much of this land still bears the imprint of the Ancestral Puebloan people, who built houses on precarious cliffs and left a cultural wake for generations to come.

Culture Dose

Colorado offers up its fair share of both high and low culture. Denver and Boulder saw the rise of performers such as the Lumineers, Tennis, Nathaniel Rateliff and more. And one of the United State's best amphitheaters, Red Rocks is found here. Boulder and Denver have experimental theater, fine arts centers, symphonies, street art and interesting foodie scenes that are evolving beyond Colorado's traditional frontiers attitude to the culinary arts. In the mountains in sophisticated enclaves such as Telluride and Aspen, you'll find world-class fine art galleries, rotating speaker series and more.