From hiking a scenic forest once home to an industrial-era iron-making complex to learning the art of selecting the juiciest, most supple apples from the orchard, here are our top not-to-miss adventures in Litchfield Hills.

As our open-air Jeep headed for the turn off to Last Dollar Road, right outside of Telluride, I snuggled under thick wool blankets and breathed in the cool morning mountain air that makes summer in Colorado so amazing. Our family adventure would take us along the former mining route, an unpaved and often bumpy road that winds through valleys up into high mountain passes. Extreme heights always have me a little faint of heart, but I was eager to get going since Last Dollar Road so I could capture photos of some beautiful Colorado vistas to enjoy back home.

“What’s with the snake?” It’s a question I’m often asked at TnT, and for good reason. One of my favorite spirits, and one that’s displayed prominently on the counter of our open-air beachside taco bar, is Coyame Sotol, which has a whole rattlesnake curled up inside along with several scorpions. They’re said to give special healing powers. Here at TnT, we view “Caroline the Rattlesnake” as a cure-all, and bestower of good energy.

As Grace Hotel’s Head Chef, I’m blessed to be around so many distinctive, superbly refreshing white wines. They are the products of the island’s rich, centuries-old winemaking tradition. Crisp, minerally and bone-dry, these white wines pair wonderfully with local dishes, from the whole range of mezze spreads and refreshing salads tossed with feta or goat cheese, to lemon-accented fish and seafood dishes. Made primarily from the assyrtiko grape, which is grown on 65 percent of the ungrafted vines on the island, these wines beautifully represent their unique terroir.

Hawaiians have honed their relationship to the sea over many centuries. Daring to ride the biggest waves, sail outrigger canoes across Earth’s largest ocean, and dive into the sea’s salty depths, Hawaiian watermen and women have shown the rest of the world what is possible. Drawing upon this ancient expertise, guests are invited to paddle, pedal and perform by way of Kainalu Sports.

Fat silver fish turn figure eights beneath the surface of Lāhuipua‘a fishpond. Every now and then I catch the flash of an eel’s tail disappearing into the shadows. A slender rock wall encircles the five-acre coastal pond. It’s one of seven ancient fishponds at Mauna Lani—waters once cherished by Hawaiian kings and fishermen alike. Watching ripples spread across the surface of Lāhuipua‘a, I imagine the hands that built its wall eight hundred years ago.

When we checked-in to Hacienda AltaGracia, we knew the surprise for our kids was given away when the desk clerk confirmed our itinerary for the week. We hadn’t shared much with them about our trip, but for years they have been asking to see whales after seeing them on a nature television show.

Danny Akaka, the resort’s resident expert in Hawaiian history and culture, is in high demand. No matter how many people file into the Hale I‘ike cultural center, each one of them receives the full benefit of his beaming smile and gracious attention. Akaka is the embodiment of aloha: generous, unhurried, and brimming with love for Hawai‘i and her people. Diplomacy runs in Akaka’s genes. His father was a respected U.S. Senator, his uncle coined the phrase “aloha spirit,” and his grandmother couldn’t let a tired taro farmer pass by her house without offering refreshment and a shady place to rest.

As a Colorado native who grew up in San Diego, my need to be around and in the water is very intense. When I moved back to the mountains, becoming a certified instructor through the Professional Stand Up Paddling Association (PSUPA) was the perfect way to satiate that desire and to keep active. It’s also one of my favorite ways to spend time with my family in nature. There are so many local rivers and lakes that you can explore with a paddleboard, but it’s the pristine, snow-fed waters of the North Star Nature Preserve, just five minutes from downtown Aspen, that I love best.

To watch a first-of-a-kind moment in the life of a child is a treasured memory. On vacation with my preschool-aged grandchildren, I was vaguely aware of the vineyard located just beyond the swimming pool, but the chicken coop with actively laying hens inside surprised me and added a serendipitous educational experience for all of us.

As I slipped my feet into the whiskey, salt, and sage foot bath, I am given a shot of whiskey. If this is how all massages started, I would get them weekly. I hadn’t intended to get a massage as I rarely get them back home. However, my friends and I had been out horseback riding in the mountains the day before, and we were going hiking later in the day, so I wanted something relaxing. Going to The Lodge at Blue Sky was a reunion for my college buddies. While we have kept in touch, it has been since the last wedding that we have all gotten together with just us guys. 

When the railroad snaked its way towards Utah from both coasts, it brought people along who helped to build it and those who hoped for a new future. Three distinct cultures were present in Utah during the railroad era which helped to shape the cuisine of our region: The Chinese, the Irish and the Spanish.

Just over 30 years ago, golf was practically unheard of in Los Cabos. That all changed in 1987, when the 20-mile, sun-kissed stretch between the two towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo got its first golf course, the 9-hole Punta Sur, now known as the Course at Vidanta Los Cabos. While partially flat with modest views, it foreshadowed the future: a boom in Los Cabos golf resorts and the region’s emergence as a premier destination for golf, with more than a dozen championship courses and even more on the way.

Imagine flying above the Costa Rican jungle getting an eagle eye view. This is exactly what I experienced when on a helicopter tour over Chirripo National Park during my stay at Hacienda AltaGracia. It is hard to understand the majesty of the landscape from the ground and this gives you a wonderful opportunity to soar like a bird.

Every year I take a tropical vacation to dip my feet in the sand and search of the best beach. Once I arrived at Malliouhana, I set out to find the best beach on Anguilla.  The staff told me there are 33 beaches on the Island of Anguilla so I was ready to explore. You can go on a tour of 7 Anguilla beaches but I chose to spend a longer time at a few.

I still remember the first snap pea I picked off of its curling vine. The delicate yet bold freshness of this vegetable took on a whole new excitement because my Italian grandmother and I had nurtured these vines. We planted the barren looking seed into the sandy soil, watered it daily, and watched as the first real leaves grow into a four-foot vine filled with edible pods of sugary, crunchy peas. I was hooked.

We sat on the edge of the pool, flutes of sparkling wine in-hand and water tickling our feet. I was surrounded by my favorite group of gal pals as I turned 40 at the secluded, yet chic Solage. Our trip had been planned by my friends and I, and at 9:30pm, the exact moment of my birth hour, we toasted my 40 years and took a celebratory dip in the geothermal mineral pool while gazing up beyond the palm trees to a star-spangled sky. Once inside our poolside cabana and cozy in our spa robes, my friends serenaded me with the Happy Birthday song as I unwrapped my gifts.

My new husband and I came to Malliouhana for many reasons, but the main one was that we could go cay hopping on a traditional West Indian sailboat. Having met on a sailboat, we knew we wanted to recreate that experience on our honeymoon.

Every year we take a family summer vacation to explore somewhere new.  I was beyond excited when mom told me we were headed to Utah to ride horses and play with farm animals. 

When magenta azaleas, yellow tulips, and fragrant lilacs are in full bloom, I love to hit the trails in the verdant countryside of Washington to enjoy our local flora and its most vibrant. With more than 60 trails covering 518 miles, there is plenty of spectacular scenery to enjoy, whether hiking to the stone tower in Mount Tom State Park or enjoying a picturesque view of Lake Waramaug at the peak of Macricostas Pinnacle, one of the finest overlooks in the state.