Your Go List: Our 2016 Travel Awards Winners

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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