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even book a stay at several guest houses on the property.

CONQUERING COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE AND MOUNT HOOD

The Historic Columbia River Highway offers scenic views along the Columbia River Gorge to the east of Portland, with the section between Bridal Veil and Ainsworth earning the nickname “Waterfall Corridor.” Normally, you can see and hike showstoppers like Latourell Falls and Multnomah Falls — one of the Pacific Northwest’s most spectacular cataracts with a 620-foot, two-step drop — along this route, but currently, this section is closed in an effort to reduce crowds and curb the spread of COVID-19 , as is access to some of the other waterfalls you’d find along the route.

The good news? On the drive out to Tamanawas Falls and Hood River’s wineries, you can still pull off Interstate 84 to get a gorgeous glimpse of some of these falls, including Multnomah. And some popular hikes in the area, like Bridal Veil Falls , remain open. Check with the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department when you’re preparing for your trip to get updates on park and road closures.

HIKE: Journey south of the interstate on Highway 35 into Mount Hood National Forest for the Tamanawas Falls Trail , a 3.3-mile moderately challenging hike 1 1/2 hours from Portland. To get there, you’ll go through what’s known as the Fruit Loop. “As you’re on your way to the waterfall, there are fruit stands and cideries everywhere,” Sawyer says. He considers the 109-foot Tamanawas Falls a “lesser-known five-star waterfall” due to its setting on the eastern slopes of Mount Hood and the enchanting mist you’ll see rising within the natural amphitheater walls at the falls’ base.

COST: $5 day pass

DRINK: Cathedral Ridge Winery in Hood River features an award-winning wine tasting menu that includes the 2018 Necessity White and 2017 Bordheauxd Red, a local favorite named in honor of the area’s windsurfers and kiteboarders (affectionately known as “boardheads”). The winery is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and COVID-19 precautions include mandatory reservations, the use of hand sanitizer and a sign-in process. Tastings are limited to 45 minutes with a limit of four people per group. Food is not served and the winery requests that guests do not bring in their own. Cathedral Ridge also offers a private virtual tasting option, allowing groups of four or less to enjoy a tasting led by a knowledgeable host. OREGON

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Tamanawas Falls Trail

TYLER ROEMER

a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a picture-perfect landscape of lakes, fumaroles, volcanoes, waterfalls, hot springs and dense forests, including the Valley of Desolation with boiling mud ponds and small geysers and the Emerald Pool, a green-hued waterfall grotto.

The Waitukubuli National Trail covers 115 miles and spans the length of Dominica, passing through coastal villages, woodland hills, rainforests, waterfalls and more. Spend the night at the five-star Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski Dominica, perched in Cabrits National Park with 151 nature-inspired guest rooms.

THE GUADELOUPE ISLANDS

A territory of France, French is the main language spoken on the Guadeloupe archipelago, which consists of several uninhabited islands and six inhabited ones. The two largest inhabited islands, Grande-Terre and BasseTerre, are connected by short bridges. On Basse-Terre, Parc National de la Guadeloupe offers hiking trails to the Chutes du Carbet waterfall and La Grande Soufrière, an active volcano.

The islands of Les Saintes feel much like a French seaside village. The wellpreserved Fort Napoleon gives visitors a 360-degree view of Les Saintes Bay, designated by UNESCO as one of the most beautiful bays in the world. At the Tendacayou Ecolodge & Spa on Basse-Terre, you can escape from technology in the resort’s treehouses, villas and ground-level bungalows, which are all television- and phone-free.

BARBUDA

Considered the sister island to Antigua, Barbuda is less developed than its larger sibling, but it’s packed with options for nature, adventure and downtime, including secluded pink and white sand beaches; the Frigate CARIBBEAN | BEACHES

The Liming resort

THE LIMING BEQUIA

Bird Sanctuary at Codrington Lagoon National Park, where more than 5,000 frigates (the world’s largest colony), gather in the mangroves; and Darby Cave, a sinkhole surrounded by vegetation that resembles a mini rainforest.

The island’s hotels endured significant damage in 2017 from Hurricane Irma, and some have not reopened, but the Barbuda Belle offers oceanfront bungalow-style accommodations and a new beach bar and grill.

SABA

Dubbed by islanders as “The Unspoiled Queen of the Caribbean,” the volcanic Saba is abundant with scenery and biodiversity. Saba National Marine Park encompasses roughly 25 dive sites with numerous coral formations, 150 species of fish and plenty of turtles and dolphins. Saba’s hot springs, where the hot water rises through vents in the sea floor, is another mustsee dive site with sculpted underwater pinnacles created by volcanic activity.

Prefer to stay on land? Trek up the roughly 1,000 stone steps to Mount Scenery, the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Post-hike, enjoy a massage at the Queen’s Gardens Resort & Spa near Windwardside, the island’s main commercial village.

ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES

The island of St. Vincent is known for its waterfalls, hikes up rainforest-covered hillsides and black sand beaches, which owe their dark hue to volcanic activity. Be sure to visit

Guadeloupe Islands

GUADELOUPE TOURISM BOARD

Wallilabou Bay, where part of the original Pirates of the Caribbean movie was filmed. St. Vincent is part of the Grenadines, and ferry service connects many of the islands and cays.

One of the closest islands from St. Vincent is Bequia, where you can overnight at The Liming resort. Spend a day at Princess Margaret Beach, which is framed by palm trees and seagrape plants and located near the town of Port Elizabeth with its colorful wooden houses. You can also take a daytrip from Bequia to the tiny one-road island of Mayreau, home to beautiful Salt Whistle Bay beach. And Canouan is a hook-shaped, pint-size island surrounded by coral reef where you can stay at the luxurious 1,200-acre seaside Mandarin Oriental.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS

These lesser-traveled Caribbean isles are also worth a trip: ANEGADA This is the only coral island in the Virgin Islands’ volcanic chain, and native pink flamingos roam the pristine sands. Visitors can enjoy surfing, snorkeling, kayaking and paddleboarding. Panama’s Bocas del Toro’s nine islands, 52 cays and thousands of inlets, all accessible by boat taxi, give travelers easy access to marine life and stunning beaches. BONAIRE Boomerang-shaped Bonaire, located off Venezuela’s coast, is a draw for scuba divers who come for the island’s reefs, the world’s first to be protected as a marine sanctuary in 1979. MARTINIQUE Part of the archipelago of the Antilles, this island is known for miles of hiking trails and is a top scuba diving destination, as well as home to the volcano Mount Pelée, which first erupted in 1902. NEVIS There are no traffic lights, retail chains or casinos to detract from Nevis’ gentle charm. Located in the West Indies near St. Kitts, this unvarnished island features coral reefs, palm-fringed beaches and freely roaming goats and green vervet monkeys.

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USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION

USA TODAY SPECIAL EDITION