Travel Ideas: Tips, Guides & Road Trips for the Western U.S. - Sunset

The Latest From Sunset

Sixteen Great Gifts for All Types of Travelers

From must-have accessories to once-in-a-lifetime experiences, here’s how to make your favorite adventurer’s holiday a treat

November 6, 2013

November 7, 2019

Two palm trees and San Jacinto mountains in the background. The picture was taken in Palm Springs, California, in winter.

Travel

Ski June Mountain, Swim in Palm Springs, and More Cool California Winter Getaways

“Winter Wonderland” takes on different meanings in this state, where you can wake up poolside in the desert and be skiing in the mountains by sunset

November 6, 2019

Travel

These 19 Restaurants Are the Dining Institutions of the West

These are the West’s culinary roots—the classic restaurants that weave together culture, atmosphere, and the best ingredients

July 13, 2012

November 6, 2019

Hiker walking through La Quinta in Coachella Valley

Travel

Top Desert Getaways in the West for Natural Beauty, Great Food, and Cool Art

Follow wide-open roads to these endlessly warm destinations studded with under-the-radar creative communities, Native American culture, and jaw-dropping landscapes

January 9, 2013

November 5, 2019

Pack Your Bags for These Spots This Fall

Hiker taking in the fall color in Yosemite National Park

California

We Love These California Destinations in Fall for Epic Foliage, Fewer Crowds, and All the Wine

Who says California doesn't put on a spectacular fall show? These under-the-radar wine regions, colorful mountain towns, and low-key beach getaways prove the state knows how to celebrate the season

July 23, 2009

August 5, 2019

The exterior of the Denver art museum Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art

Rockies

Why Denver Is the Hottest Art City in the West Right Now

As Denver Art Museum debuts the largest Monet exhibit in the country, the city's art scene is also exploding with edgy galleries, art-centric hotels, and world-class museums

October 22, 2019

November 5, 2019

Southwest

How to Plan the Ultimate Trip to Marfa, Texas

Everything you need to know before your epic trip to West Texas’s quirkiest town

August 15, 2018

November 8, 2019

Southwest

A Slot Canyon Adventure in Zion National Park

Surreal vistas, heart-racing climbs, and one dreamy base camp. Zion is anything but ordinary

September 28, 2017

October 15, 2019

Hidden Gems in Top Destinations

Southwest

Beyond Red Rocks and Vortexes: Follow This Microbrewer’s Guide to Sedona’s Hidden Gems

Kali Gajewski, co-owner of Sedona Beer Co., dishes on her favorite places to eat, drink, and hang out in Sedona

September 17, 2019

September 26, 2019

Northwest

Discover Why This Town Is the Northwestern Art Scene’s Beating Heart

Ginger Ewing, executive director and cofounder of arts-oriented non-profit Terrain, shares her favorite places to soak up culture in Spokane

September 17, 2019

October 18, 2019

Food & Drink

The Vancouver Area Has the Best Chinese Food Outside of China—Here’s Where to Dine

Mei Lin, chef-owner of Nightshade, in Los Angeles, tells us about her favorite spots for authentic Chinese food in and around Vancouver

September 17, 2019

September 24, 2019

Food & Drink

Las Vegas’ Chinatown Has over 100 Restaurants—These Are the Very Best

Sheridan Su, chef-owner of Downtown’s Flock & Fowl, tells us the best reasons to get off the Strip and do your eating in Chinatown when you’re in Las Vegas

September 17, 2019

October 3, 2019

More Ideas

Sunset view of Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, one of the most affordable Thanksgiving getaways

Travel

See Alaska’s Northern Lights, Bask on Hawaii’s Shores, and Other Unique Ways to Spend Thanksgiving

This year, do something decidedly untraditional for the holiday. You'll be thanking your lucky stars for the bevy of natural wonders, cool towns, and stellar adventures found right in our Western backyard

October 28, 2019

November 1, 2019

Rockies

Why Denver Is the Hottest Art City in the West Right Now

As Denver Art Museum debuts the largest Monet exhibit in the country, the city's art scene is also exploding with edgy galleries, art-centric hotels, and world-class museums

October 22, 2019

November 5, 2019

Travel

9 Perfect Hotels for a Stress-Free and Warm Thanksgiving Getaway

Take away all the food, family, and football, and what is the Thanksgiving holiday, really? Four full days. We suggest you use them wisely—and warmly—at any of these resorts from Bel-Air to Scottsdale

October 7, 2011

October 22, 2019

Travel

A Wine Tasting Trip through Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California

Tour stunning wineries, cutting-edge stays, and gastronomic superstars in the West's hottest new wine region

September 11, 2017

November 5, 2019

Lake view at Kings Canyon National Park, a solid alternative to Yosemite, which suffers from overtourism in the summer

Outdoor Adventure

Overtourism Is Ruining Some of Our Favorite Places in the West—Here’s Where You Can Go Instead

As more and more people flock to the West's iconic locales, these destinations are at risk of being loved to death. Here are seven places feeling the strain and under-the-radar gems to visit instead that are just as captivating

September 26, 2019

November 5, 2019

The Dia de los Muertos altar was on Display at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Mexico. This altar is dedicated as reverence to Our Lady of Guadalupe and rememberance of deceased love ones.

Travel

For the Most Authentic Día de los Muertos Celebrations, Go to Mexico

You can partake in amazing Día de Los Muertos celebrations stateside, but there’s nothing quite like experiencing the festive tradition in its homeland

June 12, 2017

October 8, 2019

Cruise Through Hunter S. Thompson’s Vegas

Travel

The Weirdest and Most Wonderful Museums in the West

The most specific, dedicated museums in the region showcasing everything from historic wooden boats and hammers to vintage washing machines and...bananas

September 27, 2019

November 8, 2019

Lifestyle

We Shouldn’t Tell You This, But: America’s Only Legal Funeral Pyre Is in the Mountains of Colorado

For an epic end-of-life choice

October 14, 2019

October 22, 2019

Travel

Travel Back in Time at the Eeriest Ghost Towns in the West

These thirteen fascinating—and slightly spooky—ghost towns are the most well-preserved across the region

September 1, 2015

October 8, 2019

Cast of haunted house characters at Dark Harbor at the Queen Mary in Long Beach

Travel

10 of the Scariest Haunted Houses Across the West

Halloween isn’t complete without a downright terrifying haunted house. These spooky attractions are full of thrills you won't soon forget

June 7, 2017

October 22, 2019

View of Provo Tabernacle in the evening. One of the places seen during the Pedal Provo Ghost Tours

Travel

10 of the West’s Best Ghost Tours for Scary Stories and Creepy History

Whether or not you believe there are ghosts in our midst, you'll enjoy these 10 spirited tours that bank on the macabre aspects of the West's colorful history.

October 14, 2019

October 24, 2019

Autumn sunset in the vineyards. A view up a row of vines that are turning yellow and red. More rows of vines are in the background. A tree is off to the left. A darkening sky is in the background.

Wine Country

Why Late Fall Is Absolutely the Best Time to Go to Wine Country

With autumn's foliage in full effect, end-of-harvest winemaker dinners, fewer crowds and great deals on lodging and tastings, the West's wine countries are even better to visit off-season

October 14, 2019

November 8, 2019

Travel the West

Turkey for Two: Romantic Thanksgiving Getaways for Couples

The Latest From Sunset

Sixteen Great Gifts for All Types of Travelers

Ski June Mountain, Swim in Palm Springs, and More Cool California Winter Getaways

These 19 Restaurants Are the Dining Institutions of the West

Top Desert Getaways in the West for Natural Beauty, Great Food, and Cool Art

Pack Your Bags for These Spots This Fall

We Love These California Destinations in Fall for Epic Foliage, Fewer Crowds, and All the Wine

Why Denver Is the Hottest Art City in the West Right Now

How to Plan the Ultimate Trip to Marfa, Texas

A Slot Canyon Adventure in Zion National Park

Hidden Gems in Top Destinations

Beyond Red Rocks and Vortexes: Follow This Microbrewer’s Guide to Sedona’s Hidden Gems

Discover Why This Town Is the Northwestern Art Scene’s Beating Heart

The Vancouver Area Has the Best Chinese Food Outside of China—Here’s Where to Dine

Las Vegas’ Chinatown Has over 100 Restaurants—These Are the Very Best

More Ideas

See Alaska’s Northern Lights, Bask on Hawaii’s Shores, and Other Unique Ways to Spend Thanksgiving

Why Denver Is the Hottest Art City in the West Right Now

9 Perfect Hotels for a Stress-Free and Warm Thanksgiving Getaway

A Wine Tasting Trip through Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California

Overtourism Is Ruining Some of Our Favorite Places in the West—Here’s Where You Can Go Instead

For the Most Authentic Día de los Muertos Celebrations, Go to Mexico

The Weirdest and Most Wonderful Museums in the West

We Shouldn’t Tell You This, But: America’s Only Legal Funeral Pyre Is in the Mountains of Colorado

Travel Back in Time at the Eeriest Ghost Towns in the West

10 of the Scariest Haunted Houses Across the West

10 of the West’s Best Ghost Tours for Scary Stories and Creepy History

Why Late Fall Is Absolutely the Best Time to Go to Wine Country