There’s a point on any trip from Australia to New York when you wonder if it will ever end. Usually that happens as you are fanging through LAX trying to make your connection; it comes back two hours into that same connecting flight when you realise you’re trapped for another 200 minutes. Believe us when we tell you there is a better way. Jump on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Sydney or Brisbane to Honolulu then schedule a few days of sun and surf to overcome jet lag.
Head to O’ahu’s North Shore, catch a few waves at Waimea Bay, snorkel with turtles, check out the cute galleries and shops of Haleiwa and eat pounds of shrimp at the famous food trucks. Just as you’re settling in to this new existence it’s back to Daniel K Inouye International Airport for the onwards flight to New York. It’s still two almost-10-hour flights, but a stopover in paradise makes it all worthwhile. Avoiding customs at LAX is an added bonus.
The premise behind Pelican Brewing Company is a simple one: beers by the beach. It’s a winning formula, and one that the team has down pat – after all, they’ve been serving ice-cold froffs here for more than 20 years now. The location, perched on the shoreline of the Oregon coast, is phenomenal, and visitors can stroll the dunes, take a dip or go crabbing before knocking back a few craft offerings.
There’s a selection of crowd favourites – including pale ales, stouts and pilsners – available to drink year-round, but it’s the seasonal varieties that impress the most. Our top pick? The Jamaicito, a mojito-inspired lager with hibiscus, mint and lime, best enjoyed on the outdoor terrace with a plate of calamari.
The spirit of the 60s is alive and well at Timber Cove. Although the hotel’s dramatic A-frame structure has since been moved and expanded to make the most of the outlook, the owners were careful to remain true to Richard Clements Jr’s original design, built in 1963.
There are 46 rooms, each with a rustic modern vibe and features like fireplaces, Crosley record players, and local wines and coffee. It’s right on the Sonoma coastline – a 2.5-hour drive from San Francisco – so you’ve got 400 wineries to explore, as well as hiking trails, cute towns, surf beaches and heaps more. You don’t even need to leave the hotel. Hit the outdoor living room, with fire pit, pool table and ping pong, or join the guided Saturday walks.
Get a feel for what makes the East Village famous at these playful digs that hook into neighbourhood history. Music is a big feature, with each floor telling the story of an era: a wall of smashed-glass art refers to punk, old tapes decorating Alphabet Bar nod to 80s rock bands.
Rooms are compact but studded with neat touches like a green lavastone sink and clever fold-out bench space. Stock up on vinyl from nearby Stranded Records then borrow a record player from the concierge and rock out as you wind down. Hit Cathédrale and watch the ballet as chefs and service staff dance around each other in the open kitchen.
Glide across the water as you power a replica ocean-going canoe, modelled on the type used traditionally by the people of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation in North Vancouver on Canada’s southwest coast. After a traditional welcome, you’ll be given a quick rundown on the canoes before paddling the protected waters of Burrard Inlet and the fjord of Indian Arm.
Along the way, your First Nations guides will point out ancient village sites, regale the group with legends and sing a song or two. Keep your eyes peeled for local wildlife, which can include seals and bald eagles. You’ll join a maximum of 19 other guests for the Takaya Tours expeditions, ranging from two to four hours. You can also choose one that includes a guided rainforest walk.
Step back in time as you wander the cliff palaces of Colorado’s Ancestral Pueblo tribes. Mesa Verde National Park is the only national park in the USA dedicated to preserving the works of mankind. The designated UNESCO Heritage Site is home to more than 5,000 archaeological spots, including 600 cliff dwellings that date back to between 600 and 1300 CE. The dwellings provide an insight into the lives and heritage of the Ancestral Puebloan people who lived in this region for more than 700 years, and are some of the most notable and best preserved in the USA.
Guided ranger tours offer a deeper understanding of how these people lived, as well as access to get up close to the renowned cliff palaces – Balcony House, Cliff Palace and Long House – as you traverse ladders and open rock faces. You can also head out on a self-guided tour to explore some of the cultural sites at your own leisure – 12 easily accessible dwellings and overlooks can be found by driving along the Mesa Top Loop Road, with Far View House being among five villages that can be explored along a 1.2-kilometre unpaved trail.
Hiking trails in the park range from two to 12.5 kilometres, with highlights being the Point Lookout Trail traversing the top of the mesa with views of Montezuma and Mancos valleys, or the Petroglyph Point Trail, where a rugged, rocky route leads to stunning canyon vistas and ancient carvings on a huge petroglyph panel.
When it comes to Lime Out, the premise is simple: cocktails, tacos and a floating bar. Yep, the newest drinking establishment to hit the US Virgin Islands is currently adrift off the coast of St John. On one side of this lime-green speck in gin-clear waters is a swim-up bar where you can take a seat on a submerged stool or tether your inflatable unicorn.
The other side is a drive-through service for those aboard speedboats and yachts who just want their tacos and margaritas to go. Lime Out is super eco-friendly too – along with being hooked up to solar power, the bar uses metal cups and biodegradable taco containers and employs a strict no-straw policy. Could this be heaven on Earth? We reckon it’s pretty close.
Canyons and rapids, the Rocky Mountains, open pastures and alpine meadows characterise the 160 kilometres that make up northern Colorado’s Cache la Poudre Scenic Byway. And there’s no better way to see it than on a road trip.
Spend a few days before you get going at Fort Collins, Colorado’s craft beer capital and one of the first National Heritage Areas west of the Mississippi. In this charming town you’ll likely see as many bicycles as cars, plus there’s the New Belgium Brewing and Odell Brewing Co (just to name a couple of bright beer spots), Poudre Whitewater Park and a full contingent of live music venues.
From Fort Collins, buckle up for a road trip that is sure to deliver jaw-dropping views as you take US Highway 287 northwest to its intersection with Colorado Highway 14 in Bellvue. From there the highway proceeds up the rugged Cache la Poudre River Canyon. Be sure to pull over and catch a view of the Cache la Poudre’s famed whitewater rapids – they’re a must for advanced kayakers to take on. Following this designated Wild and Scenic River (the only river in Colorado with this title), you’ll experience terrain alternating between wild canyons, serene pastures and alpine meadows, with plenty of spots where you can fish for brown and rainbow trout.
Progressing uphill, Highway 14 tops out at Cameron Pass, a low forested saddle between the Rawah Wilderness and Rocky Mountain National Park. Here, take in the views of North Park’s bowl-shaped basin and some of Colorado’s curiously named mountain ranges – Medicine Bow, the Never Summer and Rabbit Ears. Continuing into North Park will bring wildlife lovers among coyotes, moose and elk, and to the old town of Walden in the centre of the park. Known as the Moose Viewing Capital of Colorado, Walden’s quaint and historic downtown is dotted with dining options.
Driving an hour further, you’ll find Steamboat Springs tucked behind Medicine Bow, a ski resort with a distinct cowboy culture that delivers adventure year-round. Home to several hot spring pools to relax in while soaking up the views, we’d say this is the perfect place to end a day on the Cache la Poudre.
This traditional indigenous steam bath promises to reboot your immune system, banish stress and purify your skin and mind. Consume a concoction of fruit juice, slather your nude body in aloe juice and creep into a dark, hot den where the stones radiate a heat so hot it snatches your breath.
Sweat through air thick with eucalyptus, mugwart and rosemary, laze on a mat of leaves and melt away the grease and grime of the daily grind. Once you’re well stewed, the temazcalera who runs the show whips branches of herbs through the air, fanning the heat, before lashing your back, then dousing your whipped hide in tea and massaging the tender flesh. Emerge pruned and squinting, as if indeed reborn. Lie swathed in a bundle of cotton sheets until the sweating subsides.
It’s one of the most stunning music venues you’ll ever see, and fans from all around the world come here to take in the surrounding landscape and catch some of their favourite acts in every genre.
During the day, Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre, located a 30-minute drive from downtown Denver, is a free city park with a number of trails – the shortest is 2.2 kilometres but there are longer ones, too – that are extremely popular with hikers and joggers. Also on site is the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, showcasing the state’s diverse musical talent, from John Denver to Phillip Bailey (of groove sensations Earth, Wind & Fire).
Some legendary musicians, including the Beatles (1964) and U2 (1983), have played shows at the amphitheatre, which is formed by two sandstone monoliths that create acoustic perfection. The world-famous venue saw its first performers way back in 1941, and today the summer concert series, from May through October, presents the best artists in jazz, rock, pop, bluegrass and more. Seeing a concert under the stars is a magical experience.
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