At the height of the season, January through March, there are so many whales in Maui’s waters, the locals wryly call it “whale soup” — and it’s easy to take it all in.

Hawaiians consider humpbacks as kama’aina or native-born. They are revered in Polynesian culture and found in ancient petroglyphs and native Hawaiian creation stories. In Hawaiian culture, kohola signify strength, power and unity, and remind us of the spiritual connection between humans and the natural world. They are magical to watch as they socialize, sing and play just offshore.

It was early December — generally considered the start of Maui’s “whale season” — and I was bobbing about in the gentle surf of Polo Beach, which fronts Wailea’s Fairmont Kea Lani resort, where I had sequestered for a few days in an ocean-facing Kilohana suite.

Between waves, I scanned the horizon, hoping to see whales. After just a few minutes, I spotted a misty blow — a whale exhale — followed moments later by a tail fluke breaking the ocean surface with a graceful swoop and then the flap of a dark pectoral fin. I could hardly resist shouting “whale!” to the other swimmers around me, some of whom were focused on a large sea turtle swimming a few feet from us. My Wailea whale show ended with a powerful breach, an arching leap ending with a massive splash. Maui’s whale season was on.

There are numerous ways to whale watch on Maui. The most popular are by boat excursion and guided kayak tour. But landlubbers can whale watch from Maui’s south and west shore beaches and coastal trails. And for a real treat, you can book a luxurious oceanfront resort room, such the Westin Maui’s newly remodeled Hokupa’a wing, Sheraton Maui’s Moana wing, and the Fairmont Kea Lani’s Kilohana suites and villas. The lanais of these rooms provide front row seating to this remarkable nature show and are, of course, the perfect spots to sip a tropical drink and toast to mammalian living at its finest — for homo sapiens on vacation and Megaptera novaeangliae (humpback whales) on a mission alike.

Take to the water

Whale watching outfitters abound in Maui. A few favorites are listed below, but be sure to pick a reputable company for a memorable journey on the water. Your choices will include small group inflatable boats, sailing catamarans, guided double sit-on-top kayaks and large excursion boats. Some outfitters include snorkel stops and will  lower microphones into the water so you can hear whale songs, which travel long distances. (Here’s a bit of whale trivia: Whale songs travel faster underwater than through the air, and only male whales sing.)

PacWhale EcoAdventures in Lahaina and Ma’alaea offers a wide variety of boat tours that support the nonprofit Pacific Whale Foundation, a research, education and conservation enterprise. My favorite tour is a two-hour morning tour ($70 and up) with PacWhale Eco-Adventures’ certified marine naturalists out of Lahaina Harbor. In addition to gaining a better understanding about these giants of the sea, you get to see how researchers gather data. Continental breakfast is included. Children, ages 4 and under, are not allowed. Find more details at https://www.pacificwhale.org/cruises.

Lahaina’s Ultimate Whale Watch inflatable boat excursions, which specialize in small group tours (26 or less), are the best way to get photos of whales. Tours ($65 and up) are guided by a marine naturalist. (Tip: You experience more ocean motion on small boats than on larger vessels. If you’re prone to the punies, take non-drowsy motion sickness pills about an hour before the tour.) Find details at www.ultimatewhalewatch.com.

Meanwhile, Hawaiian Paddle Sports and Maui Kayak Adventures, which depart from South and West Maui, aretwo of Maui’s top paddling outfitters, offering small group, guided kayak tours ($109 per person) to see the whales from a stunning perspective and a safe distance — an adventurous and once-in-a lifetime experience. Check out the details and book a seat at www.hawaiianpaddlesports.com and https://mauikayakadventures.com/,

Seeing whales via a helicopter tour ($389 and up) costs considerably more than water-based excursions, of course, but you get a thrilling ride and unique aerial views of Maui’s humpback whales. Top choices include Blue Hawaiian Helicopters (www.bluehawaiian.com) and Air Maui Helicopter Tours (www.airmaui.com).

Spot whales from shore

For no-cost, beach-based whale watching, try the Kamaole II and III beach parks in Kihei, the Wailea-area beaches in South Maui and the Kapalua coastal trail in West Maui. A popular roadside viewpoint to watch whales is Papawai Point on the coastal road between Kahului and Lahaina.

Go deep into marine education

More than 20 species of whales and dolphins can be found in Hawaiian waters but the ones you’re likeliest to see are humpbacks and spinner dolphins. Fortunately, Maui has a number of excellent ocean education centers, each with an abundance of information and displays on Hawaii’s more elusive cetaceans.

The Maui Ocean Center/Aquarium of Hawaii in Ma’alaea offers an amazing 3-D film experience in a spherical theater. There are detailed displays on whale migration and behavior and mounted binoculars for scanning the sea, too. Learn more at www.mauioceancenter.com.

In north Kihei, the NOAA Kihei Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary offers an abundance of humpback whale information and free childrens activities. Learn more about the visitor center in Kihei and other things to do at https://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/.

And in the heart of Ka’anapali, the new, 5,000-square-foot Hawaii Wildlife Discovery Center in the Whalers Village shopping center has more than 30 exhibits focused on native marine life, the region’s whaling era and ocean conservation. Plan your visit at www.kaanapaliresort.com/whalers-village-museum.

Whale watch from your lanai

Prefer to get your cetacean appreciation in from the most comfortable spot possible — on a chaise or in an infinity pool, mai tai in hand?

In South Maui, the Wailea Beach Resort fronts the ʻAlalakeiki Channel, which separates Kahoʻolawe and Maui. Nestled between two of the island’s best beaches, the resort’s newly launched Sundeck Collection offers ground-level rooms with amazing ocean views from their 150 square-foot lanais, a seamless indoor/outdoor experience that’s ideal for casual whale watching. It’s also dreamy to watch whales from the lip of their adults-only Maluhia infinity pool too. Details: Wailea Beach Resort, 3700 Wailea Alanui Drive in Wailea; https://www.marriott.com.

Fairmont Kea Lani’s Kilohana suites offer wide, curving lanais with stunning views of Polo Beach and the Pacific. There’s no better perch in Wailea than here to watch whales and relax with mai tais and pupus with a view. Details: Fairmont Kea Lani, 4100 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea-Makena; fairmont.com/kea-lani-maui

In West Maui, the Westin Maui Resort & Spa’s Hokupa’a tower is a recently remodeled gem and offers roomy suites with panoramic ocean views. The infinity pool in The Lanai club level is perfect for drinking and whale watching too. Details: Westin Maui Resort & Spa at Ka’anapali, 2365 Ka’anapali Parkway in Lahaina; westinmaui.com.

Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa’s Moana Wing is located in the original part of the resort, dramatically perched on Pu’u Keka’a (Black Rock). These are the closest rooms to the ocean in Ka’anapali and offer superb perches for whale watching. Details: Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, 2605 Ka’anapali Parkway, Lahaina; sheratonmaui.com.

The Ka’anapali Beach Hotel is a longtime Ka’anapali resort hotel with an authentic Hawaiian vibe, newly remodeled rooms and a fabulous new restaurant, HuiHui. They offer some of the best value for premium rooms in the Ka’anapali resort. Ask for an ocean-facing premium room. Details: Ka’anapali Beach Hotel, 2525Ka’anapali Parkway in Lahaina; kbhmaui.com.

Royal Lahaina Resort is another old-school Ka’anapali hotel that features newly remodeled rooms. Ask for a remodeled room or suite overlooking the ocean in the Lahaina Kai Tower for best views. Details: Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows, 2780 Kekaa Drive in Lahaina; royallahaina.com.

Or head for another island

While not quite as crowded as Maui’s offshore whale scene, Hawaii’s other islands — especially Kauai — offer whale watching opportunities in the winter months, too. On a recent visit to Kauai, I stayed in an oceanfront room at the Grand Hyatt Kauai, where I spotted whales from my lanai as well as from Shipwreck Beach frontingthe resort.

Here are a few suggestions for places for whale watching resorts on the Garden Island:Grand Hyatt Kauai, 1571 Poipu Road in Koloa, hyatt.comWhalers Cove Resort, 2640 Puuholo Road in Koloa, whalerscoveresort.comSheraton Kauai Resort, 2440 Hoonani Road in Koloa, marriott.com

Considering he’s about to spend three weeks in Antarctica, I’m not sure who has more traveler’s envy. But my sojourn to Hawaii’s so-called “Pineapple Island” is undeniably a punch off my bucket list.

My wife and I have made dozens of trips to the state’s Big Four — Oahu, Hawaii, Maui and Kauai — plus a foray to oft-overlooked Molokai that failed spectacularly thanks to a mouse invasion. Lanai’s the last in my collect-‘em-all catalog – the smallest and least-populous of the islands folks can visit, since Kahoolawe’s an uninhabited former bombing range and tiny Niihau’s off-limits beyond the family that owns it.

Oh yes, Lanai’s in private hands, too. A decade ago, Oracle founder and chairman Larry Ellison – the planet’s seventh-richest human – bought 98 percent of it from a corporate offshoot of pineapple giant Dole.

Ellison paid 300 times the cool $1 million fruit tycoon James Dole dropped in the Roaring ’20s for the 140-square-mile rock. Dole created an enormous plantation complete with quaint company town. But by the early 1990s, production had shut down in favor of luxury golf resorts.

Three years before Ellison bought the island, the National Trust for Historic Preservation called tiny Lanai City one of America’s “most endangered historic places.”

Ellison has long been one of Silicon Valley’s most colorful, combative and controversial CEOs; one has to think he got a kick from buying the island his longtime nemesis, Bill Gates, once rented out to get married.

But locals we meet have nothing but praise.

When COVID shuttered the tourist trade that’s the island’s life blood, Ellison stopped charging merchants rent for nine months, says Kathy Carroll, whose family art gallery fronts downtown’s Dole Park. “People wouldn’t have made it otherwise,” she says.

Now Ellison, who grew up poor on Chicago’s South Side, is building badly needed affordable housing. “Well, it’s Larry’s take on affordable housing,” laughs Carroll. “Every unit has flat-screen TVs and a solar roof from Tesla.” (Ellison sits on the board of that company, which is run by fellow centibillionaire Elon Musk.)

Ellison also won plaudits for resurrecting his new hometown’s movie house. Dole commissioned the Lanai Theater in 1926, but like the pineapple industry, it went bust in the 1990s. Two years – and a $4 million renovation – after Ellison’s arrival, the bijou was reborn as the Hale Keaka (“picture house”). Offerings while we were in town included “Black Adam” (starring Polynesian superstar Dwayne Johnson) and a George Clooney-Julia Roberts romcom called, aptly enough, “Ticket to Paradise.”

Though a framed black-and-white in the lobby reveals a grubby marquee where tickets cost a buck (50 cents for kids), the cinema now resembles a Zen retreat center with smooth-planed cypress ceilings. That’s in keeping with Ellison’s well-known penchant for Japanese art and architecture.

So is his retconning of the venerable Lodge at Koele, which thanks to Ellison is now the Four Seasons Sensei. Carroll says Ellison kept paying the entire staff throughout the pandemic – enlightened self-interest, perhaps, but still far from Ellison’s less-than-charitable reputation.

Ellison owns all three hotels on the island – the Sensei, another Four Seasons overlooking the ocean 20 minutes away, and the boutique Hotel Lanai, which began life as a plantation overseer’s spread.

Thanks to Airbnb, we find a much more affordable but delightfully appointed bungalow owned by a Maui-based artist. To paraphrase Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnel, “We’re not Four Seasons material.”

Still, since we’ve come to the island for our 25th wedding anniversary, I try to make dinner reservations at the ultra-swanky Sensei by Nobu – only to learn it’s exclusively for hotel guests. Thankfully, a friend who once worked closely with Ellison pulls some strings to get us in for the big night. Call it Silicon Valley networking, island-style.

Not everything Ellison has touched on Lanai has turned to gold. In 2013, the mogul bought commuter carrier Island Air to shuttle guests to his island; three years later, he sold it amid a flood of red ink, and the buyer subsequently folded. (We flew in and out on the same tiny Mokulele Airlines prop planes we took to Molokai 10 years back. They evoke Volkswagen microbuses with ironing boards welded to the roof. Visitors also have a ferry option.)

Now Ellison is paying $5 million to lengthen the runway at minuscule Lanai Airport to accommodate more private jets. Some elected leaders grumble about widening the gap between the haves, the have-nots and the have-everythings.

Meanwhile, the state of Hawaii – which owns the 2 percent of Lanai that Ellison doesn’t – is proposing to develop an agricultural park for small farmers. One county councilman calls it “a chunk of land of our own that Larry Ellison won’t have a say in.”

But while development tussles have riven Molokai over the years, Lanai City seems to breathe the Hawaiian value of ohana (family). The rows of tin-roofed plantation cottages – some charmingly restored, others scruffily casual – evoke the architectural quaintness of Lahaina, Maui’s old whaling town, without the touristy.

As we listen to seniors greet each other in pidgin over plates of fried rice with Spam, or walk past the Lanai Youth Center, the Lanai Arts Center, the Community Health Center and Hope House hospice – all  tucked into former fieldworker cottages – I get the strong sense of a living, working community.

Or, as the matronly clerk at Hula Hut tells me while we shop for souvenirs: “We really care about each other.”

Lanai: If You Go

Getting there: Unless you’ve got the scratch for Larry Ellison’s Lanai Air private charter service (request a quote at www.lanaiair.com), plucky Mokulele Airlines is the only way to reach Lanai besides boat. Their nine-passenger Cessnas fly low enough from Honolulu or Kahului, Maui to guarantee great views – so long as you breathe deeply; https://mokuleleairlines.com. If you’re on Maui and want to check out Lanai for a day, there’s also ferry service: Make reservations, which start at $30 per person, at https://go-lanai.com.

Getting around: For short hops, like a ride into town from the airport or ferry terminal, try Lanai Taxi (808-649-8330), Rabaca’s Limo (808-559-0230) or Dela Cruz Taxi (808-649-0808).

To get around the island, you’ll likely want to rent a 4WD. Bart’s Jeep Rental comes recommended (808-649-0644), but he was booked up when we were in town. We downloaded an app called Turo (https://turo.com), billed as a cross between Airbnb and Uber, allowing locals to rent out their vehicles for a day or more.

Where to stay: If you like Larry Ellison, you’re in luck: He owns both the peaceful, art-laden Four Seasons Sensei in Lanai City and the Four Seasons Resort Lanai, with its views of Hulopo’e Bay. For good measure, Ellison more recently bought downtown’s charming and historic Hotel Lanai.

We had a tremendous stay at an Airbnb called The Artists House – a former plantation cottage that’s, yes, owned by an artist. Jordanne Perkins paints and sells stunning depictions of Lanai’s landscapes and architecture and has a gallery in Makawao, Maui; www.jordannefineart.com.

What to do: Unless you’re looking to unplug for a while or are really, really into hikes, you can take in most of Lanai’s offerings in two or three days. There are only a few roads on the island, and just 10 percent of them are paved. The Lanai Guide app — www.lanaiguideapp.org — offers suggestions, maps and some island history, but here are a few highlights.

Hulopoʻe Beach, on the island’s southern shore near the Four Seasons Resort Lanai, deserves its reputation as the island’s best. The waves are gentle, the bottom’s sandy, and there are shower facilities.

Walk 10 minutes from the beach to visit Puu Pehe (Sweetheart Rock), a formation that – according to legend – was formed when a heartbroken warrior lost his true love. Locals say the snorkeling’s good, and you can sometimes spot spinner dolphins.

On the island’s northeast shoulder, at the terminus of its only interior road, is Shipwreck Beach. It faces the channel between Maui and Molokai, and – spoiler alert – you’ll see a scuttled tanker that ran aground in the 1940s. There are no facilities, and it’s not as sheltered from the elements as Hulopoʻe. The dirt road isn’t for the faint of heart, but the vistas are lovely, and you can hunt for petroglyphs in the rocks nearby.

Polihua Beach, to the northwest, is off-limits due to road conditions, but you can drive partway to the Garden of the Gods – a cluster of natural rock formations.

If you’re traveling with kids, Lanai Adventure Park near the Four Seasons Sensei offer ziplining, obstacle courses and e-bike tours. www.lanaiadventurepark.com/

Where to eat: Most of the island’s shops and restaurants are clustered around Lanai City’s Dole Park. For breakfast, queue up at Coffee Works at 604 Ilima Ave. or enjoy “eggs n’ tings” at Blue Ginger Café at 409 Seventh Ave. Across the park, Pele’s Other Garden at 811 Houston St. is a good bet for lunch. Or go upscale and enjoy the views (and the booze) at Views, overlooking Hulopoʻe Beach. It’s the only restaurant at either Four Seasons that’s open to the hoi polloi.

Ganotisi’s, a bustling place at 408 Eighth St.run by a Filipino family, offers enormous, delicious plates of short ribs, garlic shrimp or salt-and-vinegar chicken. We enjoyed our last supper on the island at Lanai City Grill in Ellison’s Hotel Lanai, topping things off with an ungodly passionfruit tart.

“National parks are the best idea we ever had,” declared American writer and environmentalist Wallace Stegner. And like many great inventions, the park system became wildly popular.

More than 300 million people are expected to visit US national parks in 2022, a 75% increase since the 1970s. And while introducing so many to the wonders of nature is one of the primary reasons why the National Park Service was founded in 1916, it also comes with a downside.

Popular parks such as Yosemite and Zion had to impose reservation systems for just entering during the busy summer months. Yellowstone’s highways have been plagued by traffic jams as motorists slow down to view bison and other wildlife. Snagging a high season campsite at many parks is harder than winning a jackpot in Las Vegas.

But there are options for those who want to explore America’s great outdoors without the crowds. The country boasts four alternative park systems that reach across the nation and in many cases are vastly underutilized:

Bureau of Land Management National Monuments & National Conservation Areas: The BLM oversees 51 desert, prairie, forest and coastal parks in 12 states.

National Wildlife Refuges: The US Fish & Wildlife Service manages more than 560 land and water parcels that protect many iconic American species and provide incredible wildlife viewing.

National Forests: Since President Benjamin Harrison created the first federal forest reserve in 1891, the system has grown to include 439 wilderness areas, 122 wild and scenic rivers, nine monuments and more.

State Parks: More than 10,000 state parks protect and preserve a wide variety of American marvels from redwood trees and wild ponies to the Big Sur coast, Lake Tahoe and Niagara Falls.

While some alternative parks are beset by the same overcrowding and resource strains that plague the more popular national parks, many others offer a chance to get away from it all on your own rather than elbow-to-elbow with other nature seekers.

Here are some of the best:

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (Utah)

Fewer than a million people a year visit Utah’s big BLM park, and most of those don’t stray far from State Highway 12 along the monument’s northern edge or US Highway 89 in the south.

The park takes its name from the Grand Staircase plateaus that descend like giant stone steps across southern Utah and the sinuous Escalante Canyons carved by streams flowing into the Colorado River watershed.

Best known for hiking, mountain biking and canyoneering, the park also boasts hundreds of Native American archaeological sites, copious dinosaur digs and an astounding 660 species of wild bee.

Just passing through: Book an RV hookup, cabin or Airstream trailer at hipster hangout Yonder Escalante and embark on day trips to Devil’s Garden, Calf Creek Trail or Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon that are easily reached by road.

Deep dive: Join a six-day guided mountain biking journey across GSENM with Moab-based Western Spirit Cycling Adventures.

Best time: Autumn, when the weather is cooler and the canyon trees are flashing their fall colors.

More info: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

California’s Lost Coast

One of the nation’s longest underdeveloped shorelines, the Lost Coast stretches 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Mattole Beach to Shelter Cove (230 miles or 370 kilometers north of San Francisco).

A vision of what Big Sur would be like if Highway 1 had never existed, the coast and its pristine backcountry are protected within the confines of Sinkyone Wilderness State Park and the BLM’s King Range National Conservation Area.

From elephant seals and other marine mammals to bald eagles, black bears and some of California’s last wild salmon streams, the area is home to a wide range of wildlife as well as coastal redwoods and immense Douglas firs.

Just passing through: Crash at the upscale Castle Inn or mid-range Inn of the Lost Coast in Shelter Cove and hit the sand for surfing, fishing or beachcombing.

Deep dive: Hike the Lost Coast Trail, a rugged three-day backpack camping trip along the beach and cliffs.

Best time: Summer brings the best temperatures and least rain.

More info: King Range Alliance

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (Florida)

Spanning 43 miles (70 kilometers) of Florida’s Gulf Coast, the park revolves around bays and bayous flanked by coastal grasslands and forest.

Established in 1931 and one of the nation’s oldest federal wildlife refuges, St. Marks harbors a range of wild things from alligators, manatees and dolphins to bobcats, black bears, white-tailed deer and hundreds of bird species including the bald eagle and whooping crane.

The reserve is renowned for its colorful monarch butterfly migration and historic St. Marks Lighthouse, built in 1831.

Just passing through: Venture to the reserve by car from a room at the Sweet Magnolia Inn, a bed and breakfast in a vintage building that previously served as a general store, brothel, church and St. Marks City Hall.

Deep dive: With seven campsites for through hikers, St. Marks makes it easy to backpack 45 miles of the Florida National Scenic Trail that meander across the reserve.

Best time: During the Monarch Butterfly Festival at the refuge in October.

More info: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

Baxter State Park & Allagash Wilderness Waterway (Maine)

Maine’s sparsely inhabited North Woods offers a wild and rugged escape for more than 25 million people living in New England and eastern Canada. The region covers roughly 3.5 million acres — more water and woods than Yellowstone and Yosemite combined.

Baxter State Park and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway are the region’s premier parks. With only about 65,000 visitors each year — mostly in the summer months — the two state reserves deliver on getting away from it all.

Baxter boasts Maine’s highest peak, 5,269-foot (1,606 meters) Mount Katahdin, and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, while Allagash provides a 92-mile (148-kilometer) corridor of wild rivers and lakes that Henry David Thoreau extolled in an 1864 travel story about his own paddle through the North Woods.

Just passing through: Reserve a room at the rustic Big Moose Cabins or other digs in Millinocket and drive into Baxter State Park for day hikes.

Deep dive: Join a weeklong guided paddle along the Allagash Wilderness Waterway with Maine Trails Guide Service.

Best time: June to early October

More info: Baxter State Park and Allagash Wilderness Waterway

Wood-Tikchik State Park (Alaska)

With towering snowcapped peaks and a dozen large glacial lakes, pristine forest and tundra, plus grizzly bears, moose, caribou and other iconic Alaskan wildlife, Wood-Tikchik would probably be a national park if it was in any other state.

Covering 1.6 million acres, this western Alaska reserve is the nation’s largest and most remote state park. With extremely limited road access, the only ways to explore this larger-than-life landscape are via water, air or a very long overland hike.

With only two ranger stations and five remote fishing lodges scattered across the park, anyone who ventures on their own into Wood-Tikchik should be self-sufficient and experienced at wilderness survival.

Just passing through: Boating, fishing or camping at Lake Aleknagik State Recreation Site, 32 miles (52 kilometers) from Dillingham and the park’s only road access.

Deep dive: Paddling or motorboating the Wood River Lakes Water Trail through five-interconnected lakes on the park’s south side.

Best time: Summer and early fall.

More info: Wood-Tikchik State Park & Lake Aleknagik State Recreation Site

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument (Arizona)

Named for their purplish hue — caused by iron oxide and magnesium in the red sandstone — these chromatic cliffs are the focus of a large BLM park in northern Arizona.

The swirling “Wave” rock formation is so popular that visitation is limited, and there’s a lottery system for access. But the rest of the national monument is largely devoid of online influencers and selfie snappers.

Tucked amongst the cliffs are dramatic gorges such as Paria Canyon as well as other fantastic rock formations including Toadstool Hoodoos, White Pocket and the Alcove.

Just passing through: Combine Navajo culture and day hikes at Vermillion Cliffs by staying at the Shash Dine Eco Retreat near Page, Arizona.

Deep dive: A three- to five-day backpack trek down the entire length of Paria Canyon from trailheads in southern Utah.

Best time: Anytime but summer, when daytime highs often reach triple digits.

More info: Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (Washington)

Mount St. Helens was just another run-of-the-mill spectacular snowcapped peak until May 18, 1980, when the volcano blew its top in a cataclysmic eruption that released 24 megatons of thermal energy.

The eruption created a massive crater, extensive debris fields and a ghostly blanket of dead trees on Spirit Lake that highlight this Forest Service national monument. Hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and exploring the Ape Cave lava tube are the park’s main activities.

Just passing through: Drive Highway 504 to the Johnston Ridge Observatory and a short Eruption Trail through the lava landscape or Highway 99 to Windy Ridge with its views of the crater and Spirit Lake.

Deep dive: Circumnavigate the volcano over two or three days on the 30-mile (48-kilometer) Loowit Trail.

Best time: Summer and early fall.

More info: Mount St. Helens Volcanic Monument and Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument (Colorado)

The nation’s newest national monument — created by presidential decree on October 12, 2022 — features an awesome expanse of Colorado’s high country that combines outdoor recreation, military history and magnificent Rocky Mountain scenery.

Administered by the Forest Service, the park includes 20 miles (32 kilometers) of the Continental Divide Trail and the remains of Camp Hale, where the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division trained during World War II. Some of those soldiers would fuel American snow sports and create more than 60 ski resorts after the war.

The new park provides plenty of scope for backcountry skiing and snowmobiling in winter, as well as backpacking, climbing and fishing during summer.

Just passing through: The town of Leadville provides a perfect base for exploring the park’s military history and shorter hiking trails.

Deep dive: Undertake a multiday ski tour or summer trek with overnights at the park’s 10th Mountain Division Huts.

Best time: Year-round.

More info: Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument

Nā Pali Coast (Hawaii)

There’s a reason why the opening scene of the original “Jurassic Park” was filmed on the Nā Pali Coast — the north shore of Kauai Island really does look (and feel) primeval.

Crowned by thick tropical vegetation, Nā Pali’s rust-colored cliffs rise behind remote Pacific beaches. Just beyond the coast is Waimea Canyon, a 3,000-foot-deep (914 meters) gorge often called the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” Foot and boat are the primary ways to explore the largely roadless region.

Sheltered by 10 contiguous state parks, natural areas and forest reserves, Nā Pali and Waimea Canyon are a haven for many rare plants and birds — but unfortunately no dinosaurs.

Just passing through: Hop aboard a Capt. Andy’s catamaran for a sail along the coast or eyeball Waimea Canyon from vertiginous viewpoints in Kōkeʻe State Park.

Deep dive: Backpack the entire Kalalau Trail (five days).

Best time: Summer, when there’s less rain and calmer seas.

More info: Island of Kauaʻi State Parks

Salmon-Challis National Forest (Idaho)

While some areas are easy to access by road, other parts of the vast reserve require a backpack and good hiking boots. The largest federal wilderness area outside of Alaska, the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness spreads across 2.3 million acres of secluded woods, water and snowcapped peaks.

Just passing through: Drive the 25-mile (40-kilometer) Custer Motorway Adventure Road to historic sites in the 19th-century Yankee Fork Mining District.

Deep dive: Join Holiday River Expeditions for a six-day whitewater raft trip down the River of No Return (aka Middle Fork of the Salmon River).

Best time: Summer.

More info: Salmon-Challis National Forest

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HONOLULU — Waves of orange, glowing lava and smoky ash erupted Monday from the world’s largest active volcano and people living on Hawaii’s Big Island were warned to be ready should debris threaten communities.

The eruption of Mauna Loa wasn’t immediately threatening towns, but officials told residents to be ready for worse.

Many weren’t living there when Mauna Loa last erupted 38 years ago. The U.S. Geological Survey warned the roughly 200,000 people on the Big Island that an eruption “can be very dynamic, and the location and advance of lava flows can change rapidly.”

Lifelong Big Island resident Bobby Camara, who lives in Volcano Village, said everyone across the island should be alert and keep track of the eruption.

“I think everybody should be a little bit concerned,” he said. “We don’t know where the flow is going, we don’t know how long it’s going to last.”

He said he’s seen three Mauna Loa eruptions in his lifetime and knows that people need to be nimble.

The eruption began late Sunday night following a series of fairly large earthquakes, said Ken Hon, the scientist-in-charge at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

There’s been a surge of development on the Big Island in recent decades — its population has more than doubled, from 92,000 in 1980.

The biggest cities on the island are Kailua-Kona to the west of the volcano, which has about 23,000 people, and Hilo to the east, with about 45,000. Officials were most worried about several subdivisions about 30 miles to the south of the volcano, which are home to about 5,000 people.

A time-lapse video of the eruption from overnight showed lava lighting up one area, moving across it like waves on the ocean.

The U.S. Geological Survey said that the eruption had migrated to a rift zone on the volcano’s northeast flank. Rift zones are where the mountain rock is cracked and relatively weak — making it easier for magma to emerge.

An eruption from the northeast could send lava toward the county seat of Hilo or other towns in East Hawaii but it could take the lava weeks or months to reach populated areas. It’s possible the eruption may later shift to a rift zone on the southwest flank. Lava emerging from this area could reach nearby communities in hours or days.

“We don’t want to try and second-guess the volcano,” Hon said. “We have to let it actually show us what it’s going to do and then we inform people of what is happening ASAP.”

Hawaii County Civil Defense announced that it had opened shelters because it had reports of people evacuating from along the coast on their own initiative.

The average Mauna Loa eruption is not typically prolonged, lasting a couple of weeks, Hon said.

“Typically, Mauna Loa eruptions start off with the heaviest volume first,” Hon said. “After a few days, it starts to calm down a little bit.”

The USGS warned residents at risk from Mauna Loa lava flows to review their eruption preparations. Scientists had been on alert because of a recent spike in earthquakes at the summit of the volcano, which last erupted in 1984.

Portions of the Big Island were under an ashfall advisory issued by the National Weather Service in Honolulu, which said up to a quarter-inch of ash could accumulate in some areas.

Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that together make up the Big Island of Hawaii, which is the southernmost island in the Hawaiian archipelago.

Mauna Loa, rising 13,679 feet above sea level, is the much larger neighbor of Kilauea, which erupted in a residential neighborhood and destroyed 700 homes in 2018. Some of its slopes are much steeper than Kilauea’s, so lava can flow much faster when it erupts.

During a 1950 eruption, the mountain’s lava traveled 15 miles to the ocean in fewer than three hours.

Tourism is Hawaii’s economic engine but Roth predicted few problems for those on vacation during the eruption.

“It will be spectacular where it is, but the chances of it really interrupting the visitor industry — very, very slim,” he said.

For some, the eruption might cut down on some travel time, even if there is more volcanic smog caused by higher sulfur-dioxide emissions.

“But the good thing is you don’t have to drive from Kona over to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to see an eruption anymore,” Roth said. “You can just look out your window at night and you’ll be able to see Mauna Loa erupting.”

Julia Neal, owner of Pahala Plantation Cottages, said the eruption brings some relief after many preparedness meetings, and much wondering about what the volcano will do.

“It’s exciting,” she said. “It’s kind of a relief that it’s happening and we’re not waiting for it to happen.”

A few future guests from the U.S. mainland called Neal “asking me to make a prediction, which I can’t,” she said. “So I said, just stand by.”

Associated Press writers Jennifer Kelleher in Honolulu and Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, contributed to this report.

The 15 destinations run the full gamut from white sand beaches to historic splendors. Some offer an alternative to over-touristed regions — head for Italy’s coastal Maratea, they say, which lies 110 miles south of the famous and very crowded Amalfi Coast. Some offer major celebrations — Lithuania’s Vilnius is turning 700, for example. And some — including Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula — will offer new, streamlined ways to travel next year. The first phase of a $10 billion rail project, a “train through the jungle” route that will ultimately link Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Chichén Itzá, is set to open in late 2023.

Here’s a preview to tempt you. Find all 15 destinations, plus suggestions for what to see and do, at www.frommers.com/slideshows.

• The Virgin Islands
• San Sebastián and Bilbao, Spain
• Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico
• Karnataka, India
• Athens, Greece
• Oahu, Hawaii
• Maratea, Italy
• Vilnius, Lithuania 

Today, we’re hearing from a couple who have just returned from tropical shores.

Wish You Were Here

HAWAII: Alameda residents Christina and Tony Poggio celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary in Kauai last month. “One of the most memorable and challenging highlights,” Christina says, “was doing the 4-mile hike on the Kalalau trail down to Hanakapi’ai beach on the Napali coast. It’s only accessible by hiking and visible only by helicopter or boat. This was a super strenuous hike and the most difficult one we’ve done. Lots of ups and downs over rocks, tree roots and wood, but the end result when you get to the beach is well worth it — so breathtaking, it looks surreal, like a painting.”

TRAVEL TIPS: “It’s fairly hot and can be humid, so bring a lot of water. My husband and I drank about seven 16.9-ounce water bottles. There are some shady areas, but not a lot, so take advantage to rest, especially when you can catch a cool breeze. The weather is unpredictable so check the forecast. We were lucky and had a perfect day. With the tropical weather, sometimes it can rain, and it’s slippery. We brought hiking poles, which the majority of people had. I don’t think we could have done without!”

Join in the fun! Send a photo of yourself on your latest adventures — local, domestic or international — to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com. Tell us where you are, who everyone is and where they’re from, and share a travel tip or two to help fellow readers do that awesome thing, too.

Kiawe Roots is the offspring of Kauai’s Roots in Culture food truck. Last year, the family downsized this brick-and-mortar operation, moving from the site it had occupied at Poipu’s The Shops at Kukui’ula since 2018 to a 7-Eleven-adjacent space in the tiny town of Lawai. Fish Deli Bar — it excels at all three — is a reimagined version of The Local Kauai and offers some of the best seafood and sandwiches on the island. And Koloa Pizza Kitchen + Bar is just that: a fabulously reliable spot for blistered pies and cocktails.

Kiawe Roots, Lawai

Kiawe means mesquite in Hawaiian, and this chef-driven gem located six miles northeast of Poipu brings modern flair to Hawaiian and Texas-style cookouts. Inside, a wall-sized Punky Aloha mural breaks up the dining room’s neutral tones. The family-owned Kiawe Roots is tiny, with just eight to 10 tables, so be sure to snag a reservation, especially if you’re going for dinner.

Mesquite-smoked meat is the star, and the Smoked Meat Platter ($45) is perfect for two people to enjoy, with its generous helpings of succulent smoked brisket, pulled pork and pork ribs with peppered guava and habanero honey sauces. The tangy calamansi slaw makes an excellent side.

Craving cocktails and pupus? The smoked cheese pasta ($15) and fried Brussels sprouts ($14) with candied macadamia nuts and pickled beets deserve your attention, as does the lilikoi margarita ($16), which gets its kick from muddled serrano peppers.

Details: Opens at 8 a.m. on weekdays and 4 p.m. Saturdays at 2-3687 Kaumualii Highway, Lawai; www.eatatkiawe.com

Fish Bar Deli,  Kapa’a

This seafood deli, bar and fine foods market is a must-stop for the gastronomically-obsessed. Located in the heart of old Kapa’a town, it features a retail section with island-sourced spirits, sauces, chocolates — you name it — and a stylish bar churning out fresh-squeezed cocktails. The Garden Drink ($17) is a zippy house-pressed green juice spiked with Maui Ocean Organic Vodka.

Most of the sandwiches and specialties highlight sustainable seafood from the glass case and often include a ceviche or other stand-out seafood dish, like tuna belly fish and chips ($25/$31) or ahi bruschetta (market price). Fish Bar Deli is also known for elevated salads and vegan eats, including a massive Vegan Kale Caesar ($9/$17) that’s topped with toasted pepitas and nutritional yeast. It feeds two and is made with locally-grown kale.

Don’t miss the housemade bread and desserts — and a ramen pop-up from chef Aaron Matson of Do Buta Ramen on Sundays and Mondays.

Details: Open from noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday for walk-ins only at 4-1380 Kuhio Highway, Kapa’a; www.fishbardeli.com.

Koloa Pizza Kitchen + Bar, Koloa

This part of Kauai boasts a plethora of fantastic food trucks, but their hours of operation can be a bit wonky. So this modern, family-friendly pizzeria is a welcome addition to the Koloa dining scene. The hip, black and white interior is punctuated by plants, and a lush rear lanai is a perfect spot to sip an Aperol spritz or mojito made with Koloa Rum ($15).

The perfectly-blistered pies are complemented by a small selection of appetizers, including chile-dusted fried calamari ($14) and focaccia bread sticks served with spicy “devil sauce” ($10).

Details: Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (closed on Tuesdays) at 5408 Koloa Road, #4-01, Koloa; https://koloapizzakitchen.com.

Here, on this 46-acre farm in eastern Kauai, between Sleeping Giant and Mount Wai’ale’ale, the fifth generation of the Lydgate family grows the cacao and turns it into award-winning, single-estate chocolate bars. The Paris-based Cocoa of Excellence Programme, which recognizes excellence in cacao farming and premium chocolate, has twice named Lydgate Farms to its list of 50 best chocolates, first in 2017 and again in 2021. Maui Ku’ia Estate, a cacao farm nestled in the mountains of West Maui, also made the list in 2021.

Such prestige usually goes to the Valrhonas of the world. But, Hawaii is joining their leagues. It is the only state where cacao grows fruitfully — and the industry is growing. In addition to Maui Ku’ia Estate, there are cacao farms on the Big Island, including Lavaloha and Honoka’a Chocolate Co., both in Hilo.

Here in Kauai, as you drive through the winding foothills leading to Lydgate Farms, you know you’re in for something special. The humid air is heavy with aromas of soursop, longan, apple bananas and more than two dozen other exotic fruits that thrive here. The farm is home to native Hawaiian taro and hibiscus, betelnut palms and more tropical flowering plants, including the prized vanilla orchid, than we can count.

For a food and travel writer who has been to Kauai three times, seeing chocolate trees and tasting what is made from them — yes, dreamy milk and dark chocolate bars but also tea, popsicles and brewing chocolate — was a rare lesson in tropical terroir. Despite the price tag of $345 for three people, the tour and tasting was a no-brainer for my family. We’d snorkel Napali next time.

A real, working chocolate farm is not glamorous. We arrive at reception, a cottage porch that doubles as Lydgate’s retail shop, and douse ourselves in bug spray before joining the group. Our guide, Melanie, has a cheerful presence and a chemist’s knowledge of chocolate, from the branch to the bar. She has us gather around a cacao tree, a wide-branching evergreen no more than 30 feet tall, and explains its origins in the Amazon and why Kauai’s tropical climate is a perfect match.

The pods on this particular theobroma cacao vary in size and color, from yellow to maroon, and sprout from the branches and even the trunk, where they dangle like red chiles. Because pods do not ripen at the same time, harvesting is constant — every two weeks — to ensure each precious, one-pounder is plucked at its peak. Lydgate doesn’t have a facility to process the pods from its 3,000 trees, so they are sent to Manoa Chocolate on Oahu, where they are roasted and ground and returned to Lydgate.

The fermentation and drying — the major steps in developing the chemical compounds that yield chocolate’s fruity, floral, spice-laden flavors — happen here. Nothing is wasted, either. The staff turns the sweet-sour pulp into refreshing popsicles, perfect to consume after hiking across the farm, and the shells from the roasted cacao beans are turned into tea and brewing chocolate.

From there, we seek shelter under the shade of a vanilla bean tree, its vines blooming with long green tendrils. Vanilla is actually an orchid, Melanie explains, and as plants, they don’t even start producing pods until they are three years old. When they do bloom, they stay open for a very short time — just 10 to 12 hours — and must be pollinated by hand.

“It’s very labor intensive,” she says. “To grow, process, pollinate and ferment vanilla takes a year and a half.”

A bottle of imitation vanilla extract back home is devoid of this prized nectar. Rather, we learn, it is likely made from petroleum and lignin, a byproduct in the paper-making process. “Think of the smell of an old library book,” Melanie says.

We ponder this while walking deeper into the plantation, passing black bamboo and slender, red sealing-wax palms, and arrive in a clearing with benches and plastic chairs. We take our seats as Melanie passes out samples of just-harvested fruit from the farm. We taste starfruit, fleshy longan and inga, known as ice cream bean for its soft cloud of moist, creamy fruit.

Suddenly, another guide, Jake, produces a machete. As we nibble on the fiber-less, bright orange, impossibly sweet flesh of a Hayden mango, he begins hacking into a ripe cacao pod, gaining depth and cracking it open to reveal rows of white pulp-enrobed seeds that look like corn on the cob. Curious, I cracked open a seed with my teeth. The inside is bitter, and bright purple.

The only thing that could top this wonderment would be eating a ridiculous amount of chocolate. And that’s exactly what happens next. Coincidentally, the day before our tour, we stopped by the farm for a free chocolate tasting. But the experience that comes with the tour is twice as long — meaning double the chocolate buzz — and includes side-by-side comparisons to larger, premium chocolate producers. It’s an eye-opening education.

We left paradise with more than $100 in high-quality chocolate, including a remarkable, 75 percent dark chocolate bar laced with Koloa Hawaiian Rum, and it’s already gone. But the memory of tasting that bright, candy-like pulp amid an enclave of chocolate trees — that remains.

If You Go

Lydgate Farms offers weekday tours, rain or shine, at 5730 Olohena Road, Kapa’a. Tours are three hours long and cost $95 for children 7 to 12 and $125 for adults, with tastings of honey, tropical fruits and chocolate included. The farm’s chocolate shop is open from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays and offers free chocolate samples, too. For more information, and to book a tour, visit https://lydgatefarms.com.

On a recent sojourn on the idyllic island of Maui, I was hoping to hit the reset button after so many months of pandemic shutdown. I’m happy to say I returned feeling recharged and refreshed — and even a few pounds lighter. Mahalo, Maui!

Maui’s top resorts are leaning in on the wellness trend, offering everything from spa treatments and sunrise yoga on the beach to guided fitness runs on a beachfront path and outrigger canoe and stand-up paddling (SUP) sessions with Maui watermen. Of course, you don’t need resort pampering to reach nirvana. Maui offers plenty of opportunities for on-your-own mindfulness and wellness activities, each guaranteed to restore your inner glow. Here are just some of those offerings.

Sunrise yoga in Ka’anapali

There’s no better way to achieve Maui mindfulness than with a sunrise yoga session on the oceanfront lawn at the Westin Maui Resort & Spa in Ka’anapali, which serves up serene views of Molokai, Lanai and the Au’au and Pailolo channels along with the asanas.

“In yoga, they say, ‘Wake up, greet the morning and say, yes, it’s going to be a beautiful day,’” says Lysha Kamisato, one of the resort’s five yoga instructors.

Her hour-long session prompts you to breathe, meditate and practice classic yoga poses such as adho mukha svanasana (downward-facing dog) and vrksasana (tree pose). It’s free for guests, but you’ll need to reserve a spot.

“Tell yourself, this is the best day of your life,” Kamisato tells us. And it is.

The resort’s new Waterman program offers three levels of engagement aimed at enthusiastic novices and more advanced adventurers, and activities that range from a two-hour beach clean-up and conversation to paddleboarding and outrigger canoes.

You can join the on-site Ka’anapali Surf Club’s new SUP course and paddle just over a mile from North Ka’anapali Beach to the beachfront of the Westin Maui. Or take an easy-going outrigger canoeing session with local watermen to Pu’u Keka’a (or Black Rock). You’ll get a floating introduction to this ancient Polynesian mode of transportation, while learning about the Lahaina region and its importance to the native Hawaiian people and royalty.

And then there’s the Ka’anapali resort’s Heavenly Spa, where treatments start at $190. It was just the wellness ticket for my wife, who enjoyed an aptly-named Heavenly massage, complete with warm back compress and fragrant Hualani blend of pineapple and passionfruit for a combination of touch and aromatherapy.

If you’ve taken “hang loose” a little too literally during the pandemic era, Westin offers 250 “run concierges” at its hotels worldwide to help return you to fitness. I tagged along as run concierge and marathon enthusiast Brad Kukral led an easy-going, three-mile group run along the Ka’anapali beachfront path. The run is free and meets on the resort’s Beach Lawn at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but you’ll need reservations.

Details: Find more information about the Westin Maui Resort & Spa at Ka’anapali, which is located at 2365 Ka’anapali Parkway in Lahaina, at westinmaui.com.

Moana asanas

Set atop Pu’u Keka’a (Black Rock), the Moana oceanfront guest rooms of the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa offer some of most awe-inspiring seascapes in all of Ka’anapali. These luxurious rooms make you feel like you’re floating above the ocean. And Yoga at Moana lets you start your day with a self-guided yoga experience on the oceanfront lawn with complimentary yoga mats and those panoramic views. The resort also offers three guided yoga sessions: sunrise yoga, slow flow, and stretch and release.

Don’t leave the resort without treating yourself to the Spa at Black Rock’s Hawaiian “lomi lomi” (loving hands) massage, which starts at $150. The massage technique has been passed down by native Hawaiians from generation to generation and aims to engage your mind, body and spirit in deep relaxation through flowing, rhythmic strokes.

Details: Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, 2605 Kaanapali Parkway, Lahaina; sheratonmaui.com.

Polo Beach outriggers

Tucked in Maui’s splendid Wailea resort region on the island’s south shore, the Fairmont Kea Lani offers a outrigger canoe (wa’a) experience guided by a local ho’ekele (navigator). It starts with a traditional Hawaiian sunrise chant on the resort’s Polo Beach to welcome the dawn of a new day. Paddling on calm morning seas, you learn about this ancient tradition and paddling techniques and in all likelihood see honu (sea turtles) near shore. The weekday paddle is free for Kea Lani guests, but reservations are required.

The resort’s state-of-the-art Willow Stream Spa offers a full menu of locally inspired experiences — starting at $130 —  that combine Maui sourced products, oils and herbs with ancient Hawaiian tradition. The goal: to uplift your spirit and restore your mana or life energy.

Details: Fairmont Kea Lani, 4100 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea-Makena; www.fairmont.com/kea-lani-maui

Coconut stretches in Wailea

Marriott’s Wailea Beach Resort offers a wonderfully scenic sunrise yoga program overlooking the ocean, and an innovative “Coco Yoga” class based around the coconut. The fruit is used as a weight, a stretching prop and eventually, nourishment, as participants sip from their coconut at the conclusion of the session.

The resort offers a wide range of spa services, too, but its new “Awaken in Wailea” experience is an especially luxurious affair. It includes a private sunrise “lomi lomi” massage with meditative soundwave therapy produced by Tibetan singing bowls on the oceanfront, followed by a wellness-focused breakfast with locally-sourced ingredients.

Details: Wailea Beach Resort, 3700 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea; www.waileabeachresort.com

Hawaiian malama

It’s no secret that when you do good, you feel good — and the statewide Malama Hawaii program hopes to help you do just that. The program promotes beach-cleanups and other activities that give back to the islands and promote mindfulness and appreciation of Hawaii’s native culture and natural treasures. Several Maui resorts have partnered with the state to offer incentives to participate, such as a free night’s stay (with a five-night minimum booking) at the Grand Wailea, for example, if you volunteer with the Hawaii Land Trust. Find details at www.gohawaii.com/malama.

Maui mindfulness

You don’t need to stay at a lavish resort to enjoy wellness activities though. One of my favorite ways to absorb Maui’s abundant natural beauty is to simply take an early morning or evening ocean swim, a stroll on the sand or on a coastal path, taking in the extraordinary polychromatic displays of the rising and setting sun.

Park yourself by a koi pond — which can be found on the grounds of hotels across Maui, including the Sheraton Maui, Westin Maui and Kea Lani– and watch these colorful Japanese carp swirl and twirl like living paintings, a relaxing, meditative scene.

You float above a cave-riddled reef amid a rainbow of tropical fish. We found butterflyfish, parrotfish, wrasses, convict tangs, damselfish, trumpetfish and — my favorites — delicate and colorful Moorish idols and angelfish. It’s an extraordinary immersion in Maui’s underwater world.

Whatever Maui’s elixir is, it’s real, and it’s powerful. I may be back home in the Bay Area, but I’m still savoring a pleasant, lingering spirit of aloha.

Disney World, Times Square and Yellowstone National Park can be packed to the rafters with tourists. But there are plenty of other places across the United States that continue to fly beneath the travel radar.

While there are literally hundreds of locations that fit that description, here are 22 destinations — from cities and national parks to regions and even entire states — that remain refreshingly underrated despite the surge in travel this year. They’re listed geographically from the Northeast to the Pacific.

Central Massachusetts

Western Massachusetts boasts the Berkshires while the state’s eastern end is anchored by Boston and Cape Cod. So what’s in the middle? Plenty.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield is where the sport was born in 1891 as a rainy-day YMCA indoor activity, while the city’s Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum & Sculpture Garden celebrates the Springfield-born children’s author.

One-off shops, restaurants and the LGBTQ scene make Northampton worth a visit or hop across the Connecticut River and hike a portion of the New England Trail through the north woods.

Block Island, Rhode Island

Unlike the other big isles off southern New England, this offshore slice of the Ocean State has gone the extra mile to preserve its natural environment. In fact, the Nature Conservancy declared the petite isle one of a dozen “Last Great Places” in the western hemisphere.

Wildlife refuges and other nature areas protect 40% of Block Island, and residents are renowned for their fierce opposition to anything that might imperil their pristine Atlantic home.

Beaches, biking and trekking 32 miles of coastal and inland trails are the main daytime activities. After dark, the island boasts a surprisingly good food scene and laid-back bars like Captain Nick’s, Yellow Kittens and the Poor People’s Pub.

Buffalo, New York

Once a boomtown at the confluence of the Great Lakes and Erie Canal, Buffalo snoozed through much of the 20th century. As the Upstate New York metropolis slowly awakens again, people have come to realize that all that downtime helped preserve the city’s classic architecture.

Among Buffalo’s stylish structures are the Art Deco City Hall, Greek Revival Buffalo History Museum, Victorian glass houses at the botanical gardens, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s streamlined Martin House.

A renaissance of the city’s once derelict waterfront includes the Canalside shopping and entertainment district, lakeside hiking and biking trails, a naval maritime museum, and Silo City with its iconic grain elevators. Meanwhile, Niagara Falls is just up the road.

Pennsylvania Wilds

From abundant wildlife and untamed mountain streams to the old growth trees of the Forest Cathedral and Pine Creek’s gaping Mid-Atlantic version of the grand canyon, there’s still plenty of wild in north-central Pennsylvania.

One of the least populated places east of the Mississippi River, the Wilds sprawl across a vast expanse of the rugged Allegheny Plateau. In addition to Allegheny National Forest, the region harbors 29 state parks, two national wild and scenic rivers, and a world-class stargazing center at Cherry Springs, as well as human relics like the Kinzua Bridge (dubbed the “8th Wonder of the World” when it opened in 1882).

West Virginia

While West Virginia may not be “almost heaven” for everyone, it certainly is for history buffs and outdoor enthusiasts.

Harpers Ferry witnessed John Brown’s infamous 1859 raid that helped ignite the Civil War. Three years later, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson led a successful Confederate attack on the strategic Union-held town. The riverside town is also a jumping off point for the Appalachian Trail and the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Towpath.

Established in late 2020 as the nation’s newest national park, New River Gorge is renowned for whitewater sports, hiking and mountain biking, and Bridge Day BASE jumping from the humongous New River Gorge Bridge.

Durham, North Carolina

Few American cities have experienced a more dramatic turnaround over the past 15 years. From its days as a tobacco factory town, Durham has evolved into a science, art, sports and entertainment hub that revolves around a reenergized downtown and reimagined American Tobacco Campus.

The Durham Bulls — the nation’s most famous minor league baseball team — play their often-sold-out games at a spiffy little downtown stadium. At the Duke Lemur Center, visitors can walk through giant forest habitats helping to preserve some of the planet’s rarest mammals. Meanwhile, the city’s craft brewery and distillery scene is outta sight.

Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia

Georgia’s largest barrier island blends beach fun and outdoor adventure with copious wildlife and famous American families.

Although most visitors only come to Cumberland for the day — via their own boats or ferry from St. Marys on the mainland — you can also overnight at beachside campgrounds or the elegant Greyfield Inn, built in 1900 and still owned and operated by the Carnegie clan of steel renown.

Wild horses romp and sea turtles lay their eggs along the island’s 18-mile-long beach, while alligators patrol the wetlands along Cumberland Sound. JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette were married at the First African Baptist Church at Northend, a historic Africa American community founded by freed slaves.

Florida’s Forgotten Coast

Arrayed along the Gulf of Mexico between Port St. Joe and St. Marks, this unheralded slice of the Florida shore is about as authentic as it gets in the Sunshine State.

Talcum-powder-fine beaches on the St. Joseph Peninsula and St. George Island offer an uncrowded alternative to Florida’s more storied (and crowded) strands. Manatees and monarch butterflies are among the wildlife denizens of Wakulla Springs and St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

Fresh-off-the-boat shellfish and live music are the twin attractions of the St. Mark’s Stone Crab Festival (October) and Florida Seafood Festival in Apalachicola (November).

Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas

Tucked into a valley on the southeast edge of the Ouachita range, Hot Springs National Park has been popular since the 1830s when the first bathhouses appeared. But few visitors make it much farther into the highlands of west-central Arkansas.

Unlike the nearby Ozarks, which boast manmade ways to sample nature and culture, the Ouachitas are exceedingly untouristy. That makes these mountains ideal for those who like their hiking, camping and fishing with a large dose of solitude.

Magazine Mountain (the state’s highest point) is a regional hang-gliding mecca and the area also boasts gnarly mountain biking routes.

Oklahoma

A state that many people fly over and drive right through, Oklahoma is one of those underrated places you should visit sooner rather than later.

Oklahoma City flaunts a surprisingly rich and varied food scene, especially the eclectic Paseo, Plaza and Uptown 23rd neighborhoods and the Asian district.

The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and Oklahoma City National Memorial are both must-see spots. For the outdoor inclined, Riversport OKC offers whitewater rafting, tubing, ziplines and sky trails in the city center.

Oklahoma’s long stretch of Historic Route 66 is strewn with old-fashioned diners, museums and roadside oddities. Tulsa showcases local hero Woody Guthrie, the new Bob Dylan Center and classic Art Deco architecture, while Medicine Park village and the nearby Wichita Mountains offer a taste of Wild West days.

Kansas City, Missouri

Missouri’s second largest city is all about sound and flavor. A cradle of American jazz, KC boasts more than 40 venues where you can listen to live jazz, blues and other tunes and probably as many joints offering savory, slow-smoked Kansas City barbecue.

Catch a Royals game at Kauffman Stadium, compare Van Gogh and Warhol at the world-class Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, delve into history at the National World War I Museum & Memorial, the frontier-era Arabia Steamboat exhibition, or take a stroll down memory lane at Country Club Plaza (opened in 1922 as the nation’s first suburban shopping center).

Southern Illinois

Wedged between the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, the state’s southern tip still looks and feels a lot like Illinois did in the early 1800s when the infamous Trail of Tears passed this way and a youthful Abraham Lincoln was still splitting rails.

Hikers can explore the dark woods and deep canyons of Shawnee National Forest — and maybe have a Sasquatch sighting — on the 160-mile River to River Trail. Shorter hikes penetrate the primeval rocky outcrops of Giant City and Garden of the Gods.

Among the region’s manmade attractions are the Superman Museum and colossal statue in Metropolis, the Cave-in-Rock free ferry across the Ohio River, and the Full Terror Assault heavy metal music festival in September.

Lake Superior

The American half of the world’s largest freshwater lake (by surface area) stretches across northern Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, a vast expanse of water, trees, islands and wildlife that rivals anything out west.

Bookended by Duluth, Minnesota, and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, the Lake Superior region embraces Pictured Rocks and Apostle Islands national lakeshores, Isle Royale National Park with its resident wolves, moose and other creatures, and the winter sports slopes of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.

Anglers can cast for 86 fish species that inhabit the lake, while divers have scores of historic shipwrecks to explore. For those who just want to glide through, half a dozen major cruise lines include Superior in their Great Lakes itineraries.

North Park, Colorado

Thanks to the irreverent TV show, just about everyone’s heard of South Park. But did you know that there’s a North Park in Colorado?

Located around a three-hour drive northwest of Denver, the broad highland valley lies between the snowcapped peaks of the Medicine Bow Mountains and Park Range in one of the state’s least populated corners.

The Continental Divide Trail wraps around two sides of North Park while the valley’s waterways provide a pristine habitat for trout, migratory birds and lots of moose.

White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Like something created for a sci-fi movie rather than a quirk of nature, White Sands feels like visiting an alien planet. That’s how strange it is to explore the world’s largest gypsum dune field.

Visitors can hike across or sled down the bright-white dunes. If you didn’t pack your own toboggan, the visitor center gift shop sells/rents plastic discs. Overnight backpack camping is available along a sandy wilderness trail.

West Texas

In frontier days, Texas west of the Pecos River was the epitome of the Wild West. An image that was later bolstered by classic movies like “The Searchers,” “Giant” and “No Country For Old Men.”

The vast region is still sparsely populated, home to wide open spaces and a couple of the nation’s wildest national parks: Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains. Terlingua ghost town hosts a huge annual chili cookoff, Fort Davis preserves a historic US Cavalry post, while Marfa offers Hollywood history, offbeat art and the mysterious “Marfa Lights” of UFO lore.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah

The largest national monument in the Lower 48 states, Grand Staircase-Escalante (GSE) sprawls across almost 1.9 million acres of largely roadless wilderness in south-central Utah.

The park takes its name from the remote Escalante Canyons and a sequence of huge plateaus that descend like a giant staircase between Bryce Canyon and Zion. Supervised by the Bureau of Land Management, GSE offers plenty of scope for wilderness hiking, camping and mounting biking.

In addition to primitive camping, Grand Staircase-Escalante also boasts upscale glamping spots like Yonder Escalante near the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center in the town of Escalante, and Under Canvas near Lake Powell.

Tacoma, Washington

Seattle may get the lion’s share of ink (and visitors), but Tacoma can hold its own when it comes to outstanding attractions thanks to the incredible glass art of native son Dale Chihuly, one of the nation’s best classic car collections and outstanding seafood.

The great outdoors also beckons: Tacoma is closer than Seattle to Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks, as well as awesome cold-water scuba diving in the Hood Canal.

Channel Islands National Park, California

A throwback to old California, the five-island park preserves paleolithic digs, frontier-era ranches and relics of Spanish exploration.

But its forte is raw nature. Whales, dolphins, sea lions and sea otters frolic in the waters around the park, while the islands provide a terrestrial habitat for super-rare flora and fauna species like the Torrey Pine and Island Fox.

Only around 30,000 people set foot on the islands each year. For those who make the ferry crossing from Ventura Harbor, there’s scuba diving, kayaking, hiking and backpacking — often in total solitude.

San Luis Obispo, California

Poised halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on California’s scenic Highway 101, San Luis Obispo has only recently emerged as a bona fide tourism destination.

Two factors were responsible for the turnaround: the evolution of world-class wine regions in nearby Paso Robles and the Santa Ynez Valley, and the transformation of downtown SLO into a lively social and shopping hub for the 22,000 students at Cal Poly SLO university.

Craft breweries, reasonably priced restaurants and one-off boutiques are all the rage in a city that also offers a historic Spanish mission, Coastal Range hiking and biking, and the seaside at Morro Bay and Avila Beach within a short drive.

Kaʻū District, Hawaii

Likely the first place that Polynesians stepped ashore in the Hawaiian Islands more than 1,000 years ago, Kaʻū is the southern end of the big Island of Hawaii.

Virtually untouched by modern tourism, the district is celebrated for its dramatic black and green sand beaches, tropical fruit and coffee farms and popular Punalu’u Bake Shop.

Hikers and mountain bikers can explore the remote Kahuku Unit or Ka’u Desert in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, while Kealakekua Bay offers awesome kayaking, snorkeling and Hawaiian history at the district’s northwest corner.

Matanuska Valley, Alaska

Just an hour’s drive from Anchorage, this long river valley offers the sort of outdoor encounters that usually require a lot more time and effort to reach.

MICA Guides in Chickaloon features a full range of frozen adventures — including ice climbing and overnight camping on a glacier — while Alaska Helicopter Tours at Knik River Lodge offers fly-in glacier hiking, glacier lake paddleboarding and cross-glacier dogsledding.

Get up close and personal with furry Arctic beasts at the valley’s Musk Ox Farm and learn about the lives of frontier-era gold miners and their families at Independence ghost town.

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