Readers secret spots of the West
We asked you to tell us where to go, and you did, divulging dozens of ideas for roads less trammeled. From the more than 100 suggestions you sent us, we whittled the list to the 12 most intriguing spots. Using your feedback, we chose the six spots that looked most promising.
Then we sent reporters to check out these places. Our scribes drove through precarious parts of the Sierra. They pampered bunnies in Utah. They roamed a military base in Northern California. And more. When all was said and done, they found six close-to-home destinations that help you put your cares aside for a time--and isn’t that what a vacation’s all about?
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Volunteers pitch in at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary near Zion National Park and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
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It was a nearly perfect day at Children’s Pool Beach in La Jolla: seals at rest in the sand, tourists gathered along the cliffs, sea gulls wheeling above.
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It’s rowdy, family-friendly recreation. For peace and quiet, pitch a tent in a campsite away from the water park.
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After a day of sun, surf and sand, it’s good to sink into an old- fashioned bed steps from Newport’s pier.
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A weekend at an Army post in Central California involves a Hearst ‘castle’ and an early Spanish mission. Snakes and dud shells: no extra charge.
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The daylong route south of Yosemite takes you to remote woods, lakes and peaks, including stops at Globe Rock and Fresno Dome, ending near Bass Lake.
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Seven centuries of travelers have left their mark on Inscription Rock, offering personal glimpses into Western history.
