Your Go List: Our 2016 Travel Awards Winners

From the nostalgia of a trip by steam train to the sticky-sweet wings at Portland’s Pok Pok, Sunset judges have chosen a stellar lineup of things to do and places to be

Reported by Rachel Levin, Marie Salcido, Jenna Scatena, and Annie Tittiger

1 /20

Best beach town

Tofino, Vancouver Island, B.C.

Why you'll want to go:

Adventurers, take your pick: surfing, storm- and bear-watching, tidepooling, or seaweed foraging
Fifteen miles of epic beachscape, some fringed by old-growth rain forest
It’s becoming a food-tropolis known for spot prawns, chilled oysters, and line-caught-halibut sandwiches

2 /20

Best food town

Portland, OR

Bites worth the flight:

Ike’s fish-sauce wings at Pok Pok, a trifecta of sticky, sweet, and savory
The Cointreau crème brûlée doughnut for grown-ups at Blue Star Donuts
Falafel salad with basil-mint tahini from ChickPeaDX, one of more than 500 food carts in the city

3 /20

Best wine country town

Paso Robles, CA

Wine-trail detours:

The ziplines at Ancient Peaks
Out-of-the-way wineries redefining the wine festival: Rhone Rangers, Zinposium, and BlendFest on the Coast
The main square for Fish Gaucho (dinner), AndBe (closet essentials), and Brown Butter Cookie Company (immediate gratification)

4 /20

Best shopping town

Santa Fe, NM

Worth the splurge:

Patterned ponchos, shawls, and wraps woven by local artisans at Handwoven Originals
Origins’ design duos: handmade necklaces and dresses that pair with them
A perfect pair of cowboy boots—whether it be inlays or completely customized—at Back at the Ranch

5 /20

Best adventure town

Park City, UT

Climactic adventures:

Mountain biking along the Mid Mountain Trail of aspen groves at 8,000 feet
Tracking moose along the Lambs Canyon Loop of spruce and wildflowers
Bobsledding or extreme summer tubing at the 389-acre Utah Olympic Park

6 /20

Best hotel with water view

Puakea Ranch, Big Island, HI

Roosts to watch the sunset:

From the lanai of the original plantation structure, the Cowboy House
From the lava-rock swimming pool of 1940s Yoshi’s House
From the back of a horse galloping through the plantation grounds

7 /20

Best wine country hotel

Olea Hotel, Glen Ellen, CA

Reasons to sleep soundly:

Location: A century-old house on a quiet country road
Libations: 80 wineries are within reach. Also, weekly in-house tastings paired with Olea’s bites, like Italian-sausage bánh mì sliders with spicy cilantro aioli
Luxe meals: A gourmet two-course breakfast is served overlooking old oaks and olive trees

8 /20

Best mountain resort

Arrabelle, Vail Square, Vail, CO

Mountain close-ups:

Views from two rooftop hot tubs, a pool, and approximately 50 guest rooms at 8,150 feet
101-style teachings from the Nature Conservancy at the resort. Learn about wildlife, weather, plants, and topography
Backdoor access to White River National Forest and 195 conventional trails and 31 lifts across Vail Mountain

9 /20

Best desert resort

Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage, CA

Chakra portals:

Desert-plant journeys with informational signs on indigenous plants, and daily nature walks
A spa carved into the Palm Springs desert offering indoor-outdoor treatments, virgin prickly-pear juices, and cuke slices to perk up your eyes by the pool
A Saturday-night celestial viewing experience

10 /20

Best bed & breakfast

Canyon Villa, Paso Robles, CA

Relax pads:

On a terrace in the Tuscan-inspired villa that overlooks cypresses and vineyards
On the hiking trail in the nearby Los Padres National Forest
On the pillow-top mattress, Egyptian cotton–swathed bed in an airy, light-dappled suite

11 /20

Best girlfriends' getaway

Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, San Diego, CA

Foolproof bonding moments:

Besties-meet-bubbly oceanside soak spot at the spa’s outdoor hot tub
Stand-up paddleboarding on Mission Bay with the gal pals
#squadgoals: Polynesian sunset luau

12 /20

Best hotel for families

Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite, Fish Camp, CA

The lodge for the littles:

Epic all-ages hikes from the lodge, like a 2-miler to Mirror Lake
Seven restaurants that cover picky eaters, including the seasonal Summerdale BBQ and an Evening Kids Camp, so parents can drop them off and have a date
Five pools, including a kids’ pool with water guns (and one for adults only)

13 /20

Best hotel for pets

Surfsand Resort, Cannon Beach, OR

Pooch-friendly perks:

Beyond the welcome basket: Pups are greeted in the lobby with their name on a board
A warm paw wash near the beachfront path rinses off the sand after an offleash Cannon Beach run
An annual dog show with proceeds benefiting Clatsop County Animal Shelter

14 /20

Best hotel restaurant

Imperial at Hotel Lucia, Portland, OR

Dine-then-crash dishes:

Ground duck meatballs with prunes and tangy orange gremolata
Kale salad reborn with sunflower-seed brittle and a goat-cheese dressing
Fire-roasted mushrooms, meet bone marrow

15 /20

Best vineyard tasting experience

Willamette Valley Vineyards, Turner, OR

Places to tipple:

One of three scenic suites in the winery to sip from the boutique wine collection
A shaded courtyard with vineyard views and music performances
On a migratory tasting tour with wine-and-cheese pairings

16 /20

Best microbrewery or distillery

Green Flash, San Diego, CA

Sudsy glory:

Le Freak has the fruity aromatics of a Belgian with the hoppy wonder of an American IPA
Sea to Sea Lager for a sweet malt taste made to pair with the beach
Passion Fruit Kicker: This wheat malt brew is the perfect ‘cue companion

17 /20

Best outdoor music venue

Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA

Hitting the high notes:

Seats under the stars on a mild Santa Barbara evening
Acoustics that make you want to rock out
Variety and caliber of talent like reggae Rebelution, guitarist Gary Clark Jr., and Van Morrison

18 /20

Best train experience

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, CO

Reasons to rail or bust:

Historic narration of the area while traveling by steam train; some of the cars date to the Victorian era
Glass ceilings in the first-class Knight Sky and Silver Vista with attendants
Themed trips such as brew and wine trains, as well as seasonal offerings like Christmas tree–cutting itineraries

19 /20

Best luxury camping

Moab Under Canvas, Moab, UT

Why glamping is a gateway drug:

40 acres of awe: from the entrance to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks to your stoop
Beyond-the-flap views of the red rock and copper-striped desert
In-tipi breakfast and lunch; for dessert, blistered s’mores by the communal campfire

20 /20

People's choice award

Denali National Park, AK

Resplendent campgrounds:

Pitch a tent at Wonder Lake, the closest campsite to Denali
Denali’s sawtooth skyline is the backdrop at Savage River Campground
Igloo Creek’s crystal water and wooded surroundings lead to infinite trailheads