Best of the West

Pack your bags and hit the road for one of these fantastic mini adventures.

BY MARIKA MALAEA

CALIFORNIA LOVE

Enjoy quirky attractions, laid-back wineries, and breathtaking views cruising Cali’s Central Coast from tiny Solvang to Big Sur.

STOP 1

Nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley 35 miles north of Santa Barbara, Solvang packs more than 20 tasting rooms into its quaint (and very walkable) downtown, built to resemble a Danish village. Stroll— or take the horse-drawn Solvang Trolley—past half-timbered buildings, windmills, and a half-scale version of Copenhagen’s famous Little Mermaid statue, stopping for Scandinavian pastries along the way. If you have time, head out of town to visit a few of the region’s more than 120 wineries for valley and vineyard views as you sip.

STOP 2

An hour’s drive north on the 101, the Dunes Center serves as a starting point to exploring the Guadalupe- Nipomo Dunes Complex, which comprises miles of sandy beaches, a National Wildlife Refuge where you can spot rare plant and animal species, Oso Flaco Lake Natural Area with its 1.5 milelong boardwalk, and several other beautiful spots to explore. Classic movie buffs should check out the exhibit of artifacts from the sets of Cecil B. DeMille’s The Ten Commandments, unearthed 60 years after the epic was filmed on the nearby dunes.

STOP 3

Another 35 miles north lies San Luis Obispo, which boasts farm-totable culinary experiences, easy access to the beach and Edna Valley wineries, and the beautifully restored 18thcentury Spanish mission, San Luis Obispo de Tolosa. Don’t miss the quirky Madonna Inn, built in 1958, with its whimsical guestrooms, luxe day spa, 45-foot manmade waterfall, and cerise-colored tennis courts. Enjoy the retro glam vibe with a meal in its gloriously gaudy steakhouse with pinkand-gold banquettes. The decadent pink champagne cake will delight sweet tooths.

STOP 4

Follow State Route 1 to San Simeon, where the magnificent Hearst Castle perches on a hill with breathtaking views of the Central Coast and Pacific Ocean. Tours take in the estate’s 68,500-square-foot Casa Grande, priceless art collections, lush gardens, 345,000-gallon Neptune Pool, and much more.

STOP 5

Finish your trip with a scenic drive up the rugged stretch of coast known as Big Sur. Take it slow as you wind along the seaside cliffs and over the iconic Bixby Bridge, an arched concrete structure that soars 260 feet above the canyon it traverses.

Designed to resemble a Danish village, Solvang offers horse-drawn trollies, windmills, and a plethora of wine-tasting opportunities.

Feast your eyes and your taste buds at the Madonna Inn's over-the-top steakhouse.

PEAK COLORADO

Old mining towns, casinos, and distilleries recall the spirit of the Wild West along the Peak to Peak Highway, which stretches from Estes Park to Black Hawk.

STOP 1

The mountain town of Estes Park is the perfect base camp for exploring Rocky Mountain National Park. Start out at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, where rangers can tell you about the local landscape and wildlife, and help you choose the perfect day trek from the park’s more than 300 miles of hiking trails.

STOP 2

Back in town, soar above the treetops on the Estes Park Aerial Tramway as it climbs 1,100 feet to the summit of Prospect Mountain. Later, hear the sometimes-spooky history of The Stanley—the Estes Park hotel that inspired Stephen King to write The Shining—on a night tour that explores some of the darker corners of the 110-year-old venue. Afterwards, steady your nerves with a flight at the nearby Elkins Colorado Whisky distillery and tasting room.

STOP 3

Continue south to Nederland, a small town that milled silver ore from nearby Caribou (now a ghost town) mines in the 1870s, and then tungsten ore during World War I—you can learn what life was like for those early miners at the town’s Mining Museum. While you’re in Nederland, don’t miss the chance to take a spin on the beautifully restored Carousel of Happiness astride one of the 56 handcarved animals that waltz along to the sound of a Wurlitzer organ.

STOP 4

Feeling lucky? Take a break in the mid-19thcentury mining town Black Hawk, where the gold rush now comes via slot machines. Home to 17 casinos—many housed in historic buildings—Colorado’s smallest city only has around 110 residents, but averages 20,000 visitors each day.

Despite its quaint appearance, tiny Black Hawk boasts 17 casinos.

Take a ghost tour at The Stanley in Estes Park—if you dare.

GORGE-OUS NORTHWEST

Follow the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Byway, stopping at waterfalls, vineyards, and even Stonehenge along the way.

STOP 1

Get a sneak peek of the fabulous views ahead of you by visiting Vista House just east of Corbett, Oregon. Perched 733 feet above the Columbia River, the stunning greysandstone structure was built as a travelers’ rest stop in 1918.

STOP 2

Head east into a stretch nicknamed “Waterfall Alley” thanks to the eight roaring cascades set along the byway. The greatest is Multnomah Falls, which plunges 620 feet. To experience its magnificence without the steep hike, follow the quarter-mile paved trail to Benson Bridge, which spans the mist 105 feet above the lower falls.

STOP 3

Before the Bonneville Dam was built in 1938, taming the rapids at this bend of the river into a placid lake, ships used a system of navigational locks to safely pass the churning waters. One of the original locktender houses today hosts the Cascade Locks Historical Museum, where you can see the Pacific Northwest’s first steam locomotive. Later, watch the sun sink into the watery horizon during a dinner cruise aboard the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler.

STOP 4

Although the Columbia Gorge wine region, which straddles the Washington and Oregon sides of the river, is just 40 miles long, it yields more than 50 grape varieties. Picturesque Hood River is home to around 25 of the famed AVA’s wineries and vineyards. Stop in to any one of them for a tasting and drink in the views as you sip some of the best wines in the Pacific Northwest.

STOP 5

At Biggs Junction, cross the river to Washington state and the Maryhill Museum of Art. The Beaux Arts-style building houses a diverse collection, including Auguste Rodin sculptures, Art Nouveau glass works, Native American crafts, more than 400 chess sets, and Russian icons donated by Queen Marie of Romania during her 1926 visit. Up the road in Goldendale, pose for selfies at Maryhill Stonehenge, a full-scale concrete replica of the prehistoric English monument, completed in 1929.

Plunging 620 feet, Multnomah Falls is the great of the eight cascade that make up "Waterfall Alley."

Vista House

Maryhill Stonehenge