May / June 2009
Top Stories:
Geological Wonders
Ten dramatic sites in California, Arizona, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Idaho reveal how the surreal landscape of the West evolved.
The Lightning Field
An unusual art installation by Walter De Maria in the high desert of New Mexico draws curious art and lightning lovers.
Member Benefits: May/June 2009
Highlights include hotel savings, Vatican City, travel insurance, and an interview with travel author Patricia Schultz.
Classic Welcome Signs
Iconic beacons such as the Las Vegas Boulevard sign, the Willits Arch, the Pike Place Market neon, and the Roosevelt Arch still shine.
Roadside Attractions
In a Q&A, Doug Kirby, co-founder of roadsideamerica.com, talks about the offbeat places he's found.
Western Souvenirs
Check out honey products at the Lavender Bee Farm in Petaluma, Calif., and pick up a wine skin at the Basque Museum and Cultural Center in Boise, Idaho.
Alert Drivers
VIA readers share tips on how to stay sharp behind the wheel.
Favorite Brewpubs
Beer joints in Oregon, Nevada, California, Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho rank high with fans.
California Terra Cotta Factory
Gladding, McBean in Lincoln, Calif., offers docent tours during Feats of Clay, an annual event celebrating ceramic creations.
What's New in the West: May/June 2009
Check out the rooftop garden at San Francisco's MOMA, a Utah wildflower preserve, an Alaska antique auto museum, and more.
Hotel Modera
Portland, Ore.'s, renovated stopover near downtown features minimalist modern furnishings and works by local artists.
Idaho's Hawks and Eagles
Prime time for spotting raptors at Idaho's Snake River Canyon of Prey National Conservation Area runs from spring through June.
Native American Gallery
In a Q&A, Darrell Norman, aka Buffalo Body, talks about Lodgepole Gallery near Browning, Mont., where he promotes Blackfoot culture.
Atom Bomb Historic Site
At the Hanford B Reactor near Richland, Wash., you can tour the complex that produced fuel for the Trinity test and Fat Man.
President's Message: May/June 2009
Paula Downy discusses wildfires and the need for homes to have 100 feet of "defensible space."
Weekenders:
General Sherman Tree
Check out these interesting tidbits about the world's tallest tree, located in Sequoia National Park.
Yreka, Calif.: Weekend Escape
A former Gold Rush town near Mount Shasta touts an old-fashioned downtown.
Ogden, Utah
Historic 25th Street is lined with the Utah State Railroad Museum as well as shops and cafes.
Kemmerer, Wyo.
See prehistoric fish fossils at the Fossil Butte National Monument, attend the free Oyster Ridge Music Festival in summer, and visit the first
J.C. Penny store.
Sunol Regional Wilderness
A park near Sunol, Calif., offers hikers a bounty of wildflowers, a waterfall, and a canyon dubbed Little Yosemite.
Collins Mansion B&B
A restored Queen Anne Victorian Great Falls, Wyo., welcomes travelers.
Montana's Holland Lake
In Swan Valley, a jewel of a lake sits on the west edge of the vast Bob Marshall Wilderness.
Monument Valley Inn
The new View Hotel in the Navajo Nation's Monument Valley Tribal Park promises panoramic vistas.
Western Labyrinths
Take a meditative walk in one of these ten labyrinths found in Idaho, Utah, Oregon, Washington, California, and Nevada.
Ziplining Fun
Head for forests in Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah for a quick ride between treetops.
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