I wasn’t introduced to the pleasures of lake life until my early 30s. Born and raised on the Jersey Shore, I was ocean obsessed. If the water didn’t have waves and leave me salt-kissed, I wasn’t interested. When I moved to Colorado 15 years ago, I was gripped by land-locked panic and started road-tripping to any body of water I...

　　In the age of Strava and Trailforks, I used to wonder why anyone would pay to join a bike tour. Why not just download the route and ride on your own? But after I took a guided bike tour around southern Arizona with Backroads in 2019, I was hooked. I loved the camaraderie of the group and the luxury of...

　　West Virginia’s famed country roads offer an open invitation. Weaving across rugged terrain and through spirited small towns to uncrowded gems and world-class outdoor adventures alike, the roads form a latticework of endless possibilities for road trip itineraries. Five customized Mountain Rides can help connect activities that range from lakeside paddling to whitewater thrills, with prime camping, biking, and fishing...

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　　If you haven’t visited yet, chances are Vail—Colorado’s quintessential mountain town—is high on your bucket list. Its walkable villages, cobblestone streets, and old-world Tyrolean alpine architecture add to its sweeping Rocky Mountain views. 　　But what keeps mountain-loving visitors coming back again and again? Unbeatable access to world-class hiking, biking, and a wide range of family-friendly outdoor adventures—all just steps from...

　　If chasing auroras lights you up, nature has an even wilder spectacle waiting for you. 　　Picture dipping your kayak paddle into inky black water, only to watch the waves ignite neon blue. Every stroke sets off an underwater light show, as if you’re slicing through liquid starlight. Fish dart below, leaving glowing trails like comets. A manatee glides silently by,...

　　This time of year, outdoor lovers in North America rejoice as the days stretch longer and longer — extending outdoor playtime a little bit each day. But true adventurers know exploration doesn’t end just because the sun goes down. When your outdoor activities go into overtime, Fenix Lighting has reliable solutions to illuminate the trail, crag, campground, or anywhere you...

　　Extreme sports offer a possibility for transformation and connection — especially for the writers of Flow. A group of athletes came together for a new anthology celebrating the diverse paths that motivated them to pursue a life of adventure. Flow: Womens Counternarratives from Rivers, Rock, and Sky collects personal essays from women examining their connections to nature, their sports, and...

　　Sweden has 267,570 islands, by some counts more than any other nation in the world. They’re so ubiquitous that the Swedish word for island is one letter: ö (pronounced “uh”). Perhaps that’s why Swedes consistently rank near the top of happiness indexes: Here, there are plenty of options to leave the world behind and surround yourself with the healing properties...

　　A smoking silver thurible swooped through the gothic arches overhead, richly scented incense pouring from its sides. Eight priests in heavy robes acted as the counterweight, controlling a rope as thick as my forearm. I shuddered to think what might happen if the cord snapped, spilling 175 pounds of heated metal and 90 pounds of coal onto the crowd below...