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This year, most of us will at some point spend an ungodly sum of money to board a flying bus, have our picture taken in front of a building and sleep in someone else’s bed for a week.
Talking about your vacation.
To help you spend it wisely (and sans the bland building photo), we put together a compendium of the 25 best destinations our editors reported on over the last year or two.
Some near (Jeeping over slick rock in Utah). Some far (Sipping rare whisky in … Taiwan?). Some spendthrift (hello, hotel literally built for a king). Some threadbare (just you, a tent, and the best sunrise in the Lower 48).
And zero pictures in front of bland buildings. Scout’s honor.
NORTH AMERICA: SMALL TOWNS
For Kayaking Through the Middle of Nowhere: Devil’s River, TX
“Because it’s buttressed by private land, you can only exit the river at certain locations or in an emergency — we passed one sign that said, ‘Keep paddling, we’re tuning our banjos.’”
For the Exhilaration of Nearly Rolling a Jeep Off a Cliff: Moab, UT
“Here, off-roading is life. And unlike those stock car commercials, that’s not an overstatement.”
For Giving Florida a Chance: Fort Myers and Sanibel, FL
“Beyond the ‘Florida Man’ reputation, there are pockets of paradise to be found in the Sunshine State. The well-trod Florida Keys were consummate tastemaker Ernest Hemingway’s favored sub-tropical hideaway, after all.”
For the Best Sunrise in the Lower 48: Badlands, SD
“There comes a time when you can comfortably admit wrongdoing in your past. And a sunrise over Badlands National Park — held against the time I couldn’t be forced out of the car on a family road trip — is one of them.”
For People Who Are Sick of the Hamptons: Catskills, NY
“It’s between these creeks and peaks that many an enterprising urbanite — from brilliant hoteliers in Hunter to apple warlocks in Andes — have flexed their creativity in recent years, giving the rest of us a very necessary opportunity to stretch our legs a few clicks north.”
For Enjoying a Bona Fide Southern Revival: El Dorado, AR
“The first thing to know about El Dorado is the locals pronounce it ‘Al Doraydo.’ The second thing is before the new $100m Murphy Arts District, there was no real reason to visit.’’
For, Uh, Your Health: The Bourbon Trail, KY
“There are more bourbon barrels than people in Kentucky, and, depending on the distillery, barrel aging accounts for between 40 and 80% of what bourbon tastes like. It’s the charred new white oak that gives the spirit its vanilla and caramel flavors. Checking out how those barrels are fashioned for aging bourbon is a must-see for any whiskey diehard.”
Read the full list at InsideHook.com.
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