1,000 Places to See Before You Die

by Patricia Schultz

  WHERE TO STAY

  HALEKULANI—Today the sumptuous, intimate Halekulani (“House Befitting Heaven”) is the premier hotel on Oahu, a 5-acre oasis of elegance that first opened on Waikiki Beach in 1917. Of the 84 guest rooms, the best in the house is the expansive Vera Wang–designed suite and lanai. Treatments at SpaHalekulani are inspired by the healing traditions of Hawaii and other South Pacific islands. For the most romantic (and expensive) dining in town, visit its La Mer restaurant, which reinterprets the tenets of classic French cuisine. Downstairs, the hotel’s less formal oceanfront Orchids dining room has a legendary Sunday brunch that draws as many Hawaiian families as visitors. WHERE: Honolulu. Tel 800-367-2343 or 808-923-2311; www.halekulani.com. Cost: from $450; dinner at La Mer $95; dinner at Orchids $75, brunch $55.

  J. W. MARRIOTT IHILANI RESORT & SPA—Far removed from the tourist scene of Waikiki, this sleek, 17-story resort on Oahu’s leeward coast is part of the 640-acre Ko Olina Resort and Marina. Set on a man-made lagoon, Ihilani offers easy access to a Ted Robinson–designed 18-hole golf course and a 35,000-square-foot spa specializing in water therapies. The Paradise Cove Luau is well known and well regarded. WHERE: Ko Olina. Tel 800-626-4446 or 808-679-0079. Cost: from $545. PARADISE COVE LUAU: Cost: from $80.

  KAHALA HOTEL & RESORT—Set on a secluded beach in a Honolulu residential neighborhood, the Kahala has been attracting presidents, royalty, and celebrities since it opened in 1964. Swim in the natural lagoon that is home to six Atlantic bottlenose dolphins then book a table at Hoku, where the contemporary island cuisine and ocean views are among the best in Honolulu. Don’t miss the Kahala Spa, known for its treatment rooms opening out onto a tropical courtyard. WHERE: Honolulu. Tel 800-367-2525 or 808-739-8888; www.kahalaresort.com. Cost: from $475; 3-course prix-fixe dinner at Hoku $50.

  KE IKI BEACH BUNGALOWS—Located on Oahu’s north shore, which is world famous for its surfing, Ke Iki Bungalows is the place to live out your beach-bum fantasies. Set on 1.5 acres fronting a strand of creamy beach, these five oceanfront and six garden rooms are simple but comfortable and have full kitchens. Swimming here is best in the summer, when the waters are calm. But outdoor grills, picnic tables, and the steps-from-the-water seating make this spot a laid-back haven year-round. WHERE: 38 miles northwest of Waikiki. Tel 866-638-8229 or 808-638-8229; www.keikibeach.com. Cost: from $135.

  HOLIDAY INN WAIKIKI BEACHCOMBER—Just a shell’s toss from Waikiki Beach on Waikiki’s main street, this fresh, 23-story contemporary hotel offers surprisingly affordable rates. The completely refurbished Hawaiian-style rooms overlook lively Kalakaua Avenue, and Jimmy Buffett has been spotted at his namesake restaurant there. WHERE: Honolulu. Tel 888-465-4329; holidayinn.com. Cost: from $190.

  ROYAL HAWAIIAN—Constructed on the site of a former royal beach house in Waikiki, the “Pink Palace of the Pacific” is an institution beloved since it opened in 1927. While the historic wing is romantic, rooms in the oceanfront tower up the ante with open-air lanais perfect for admiring sunsets. Every night, the Mai-Tai Bar serves up live island music, great burgers, and its signature high-octane cocktail. Impressive (and expensive) is the hotel’s Monday-night Aha Aina Royal Celebration, a feast of food, music, and hula dancing, which serves as Waikiki’s only oceanfront dinner and show. WHERE: Waikiki. Tel 800-325-3535 or 808-923-7311; www.royal-hawaiian.com. Cost: from $350. AHA AINA: from $145.

  EATING & DRINKING

  ALAN WONG’S—It wasn’t long ago that foodies would hesitate to use “Hawaiian” and “cuisine” in the same sentence. But in the early 1990s, a band of creative local chefs combined Hawaiian ingredients with a variety of traditions to produce cross-cultural fusions—Euro-Asian and Indo-Pacific cooking. A revered figure in the world of Hawaiian regional cuisine, Alan Wong works his magic at two Honolulu hot spots: the restaurant bearing his name and its more casual branch, the Pineapple Room, inside Macy’s at the Ala Moana Center. Here he combines tastes from all the ethnic groups of Hawaii with the organic, seasonal aesthetic of California cuisine to create signature dishes such as macadamia-coconut-crusted lamb chops with Asian ratatouille. ALAN WONG’S: Honolulu. Tel 808-949-2526; www.alanwongs.com. Cost: dinner $60. THE PINEAPPLE ROOM: Honolulu. Tel 808-945-6573; www.alanwongs.com. Cost: dinner $35.

  CHEF MAVRO—Another of the original group of chefs who gave birth to Hawaiian regional cuisine, George Mavrothalassitis combines Hawaiian ingredients with influences from his native France at Chef Mavro, considered by some to serve the most sophisticated, elegant food in Honolulu. The emphasis here is on tasting menus. And instead of a wine list, every menu selection is presented with a wine pairing offered by the glass. WHERE: Honolulu. Tel 808-944-4714; www.chefmavro.com. Cost: 3-course dinner $70.

  DUKE’S CANOE CLUB—Unabashedly touristy, this Waikiki icon is named for the Father of Surfing, Duke Kahanamoku. At sunset it’s the perfect place to enjoy a cold beer or tropical drink like the Lava Flow, a piña colada with strawberry puree, while taking in one of its nightly Concerts on the Beach. Yes, the waits for dinner may be long, but no one leaves Waikiki without having been there. WHERE: Waikiki. Tel 808-922-2268; www.dukeswaikiki.com. Cost: dinner $40.

  HELENA’S HAWAIIAN FOOD—“Local food” here means an exotic mélange of influences from Japan, the Philippines, Korea, China, and the mainland, and none serves it up as authentically as hole-in-the-wall Helena’s, winner of a James Beard award. This family-owned shop in Kalihi smokes its signature pipikaula-style spareribs above the cooktop, and locals praise the cabbage for being just like Grandma used to make. With just a dozen tables, it’s always packed. WHERE: Honolulu. Tel 808-845-8044; www.helenashawaiianfood.com. Cost: lunch $12.

  ‘ONO HAWAIIAN FOODS—Another deliciously authentic representation of Hawaiian cooking is the unassuming ‘Ono Hawaiian Foods on the outskirts of Waikiki. It’s the spot to try island dishes like laulau (pork wrapped in taro leaves and steamed), lomi salmon, and sweet haupia pudding. You know it’s really Hawaiian because the combo plates come with a small cup of raw onion and ’alaea salt. WHERE: Honolulu. Tel 808-737-2275. Cost: lunch $15.

  ROY’S—One of the pioneers of Hawaiian regional cuisine, wonder chef Roy Yamaguchi has been the most spectacularly successful of them all, with a string of nearly 40 Roy’s stretching from Guam to Pebble Beach and Orlando. The original site, a hectic, fun spot in Hawaii Kai (a largely residential area of Honolulu), opened in 1988 and still serves the signature blackened island ahi with spicy soy mustard butter. Comfortingly, so do all Roy’s, including his Waikiki Beach location. THE ORIGINAL ROY’S IN HAWAII KAI: Tel 808-396-7697; www.royshawaii.com. Cost: dinner $65. ROY’S AT WAIKIKI: Tel 808-923-7697. Cost: 3-course prix-fixe dinner $40.

  Where the Great Outdoors Meets the Great Indoors

  HENRY’S FORK LODGE

  Island Park, Idaho, U.S.A.

  Idaho is one of America’s most revered fishing destinations, with 2,000 lakes, 16,000 miles of streams, and 39 species of game fish. Angling for rainbow, brook, brown, and cutthroat trout on the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River can be especially remarkable. The best fishing lodge in the area, Henry’s Fork Lodge is just minutes from the renowned waters of Railroad Ranch State Park and an easy drive to fishing spots in nearby Yellowstone National Park (see p. 909) as well as such great fly-fishing rivers as the Madison, Gallatin, and South Fork of the Snake.

  The modern, architecturally striking main house and cabins sit on an overlook where the peaks of Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons (see p. 907) dominate the horizon. Rooms are decked out with wood paneling, log beds, and fireplaces, and the dining room serves a low-key but refined dinner.

  Those less captivated by world-class flyfishing will enjoy 11,000-acre Harriman State Park 2 miles away, laced with hiking, biking, and horseback trails. As the Henry’s Fork River leaves its high valley, about 25 miles south of the lodge, it drops nearly 114 feet through rainbow-misted Upper Mesa Falls before tumbling another 65 feet over Lower Mesa Falls in a series of rushing cascades.

 
WHERE: 81 miles northwest of Idaho Falls. HENRY’S FORK LODGE: Tel 208-558-7953; www.henrysforklodge.com. Cost: from $400 per person, inclusive; dinner for nonguests $35. When: mid-May–mid-Oct. HARRIMAN STATE PARK: Tel 208-558-7368; www.idahoparks.org. BEST TIMES: Jun–mid-Jul for dry-fly fishing and warm weather; Sep for fewer crowds, wildlife viewing, fall foliage, and hungry spawning fish.

  A Pine-Forest-Enshrouded Gem

  LAKE COEUR D’ALENE

  Idaho, U.S.A.

  Idaho’s Panhandle, wedged between Washington, Montana, and Canada’s British Columbia, is an enclave of dense forests, mighty rivers, and more than 60 deep glacial lakes. The town of Coeur d’Alene, named for the American Indian tribe that has lived along the Panhandle’s waterways for millennia, stands at the head of the bewitchingly azure lake of the same name. Nestled in a glacier-dug channel between low mountains, the lake delights visitors with myriad water activities, from Chinook salmon and trout fishing to steamboat rides, water-skiing, and sunset dinner cruises.

  Landlubbers can strike out on meandering bike trails and hiking paths, including one up to Tubbs Hill, a great vantage point from which to see the lake and its 135-mile shoreline, most of which has been protected from development. The Lake Coeur d’Alene Scenic Byway, along the eastern shore, lets you drink in windshield-wide lake views. The area is also home to bald eagles and one of the nation’s largest populations of ospreys. The Coeur d’Alene Resort sprawls over 6 waterfront acres, and boasts a host of diversions. It claims one of the top resort golf courses in the U.S. with the world’s first movable, floating green, and its state-of-the-art spa offers a Northwest-themed menu. Beverly’s, the resort’s restaurant, is a bastion of innovative regional cuisine with an award-winning wine collection.

  Follow the scenic I-90 freeway east to Wallace, a well-preserved late-19th-century mining town. Its 1313 Club Historic Saloon & Grill serves the town’s best burgers and fries. Or spend the day in pleasant Sandpoint, on the edge of 43-mile-long Lake Pend Oreille (pond-duh-RAY). Nearby Schweitzer Mountain Resort remains one of the region’s best-kept secrets: its 2,900 skiable acres are uncrowded and offer magnificent lake views.

  WHERE: 33 miles east of Spokane, WA. VISITOR INFO: www.coeurdalene.org. LAKE COEUR D’ALENE SCENIC BYWAY: www.byways.org. COEUR D’ALENE RESORT: Tel 800-688-5253 or 208-765-4000; www.cdaresort.com. Cost: from $140 (off-peak), from $200 (peak); dinner $55. 1313 CLUB: Tel 208-752-9391; www.1313club.com. Cost: dinner $15. SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN RESORT: Tel 800-831-8810 or 208-265-0257; www.schweitzer.com. Cost: lift tickets $59. When: late Nov–mid-Apr. WHERE TO STAY: The slopeside Selkirk Lodge is in the heart of Schweitzer Village. Tel 877-487-4643 or 208-265-0257; www.schweitzer.com. Cost: from $155 (off-peak), from $295 (peak). BEST TIMES: Jul–Sep for best weather; late Nov–early Jan for the Coeur d’Alene Holiday Light Show.

  America’s Greatest White Water

  MIDDLE FORK OF THE SALMON RIVER

  Idaho, U.S.A.

  Idaho has over 3,100 whitewater miles—more than any other state in the continental U.S.—and the Middle Fork of the Salmon River is ranked one of the top stretches of whitewater river in the world, a holy grail for river-runners.

  The Middle Fork carves a mighty canyon through central Idaho’s 2.36 million–acre Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, the largest federally protected forest in the Lower 48 and home to bears, river otters, elk, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, and large birds of prey. The river drops some 3,000 feet in 100 miles, churning through 100 deep-rolling Class III and IV rapids and carrying you to sandy beaches for overnight camping and natural hot springs for soaking paddle-weary bones. Rafters can also enjoy superb fishing for rainbow, cutthroat, and Dolly Varden trout. Watch the canyon walls for vivid rock art, inscribed by the ancient Tukudeka people who once claimed these canyons as their homeland.

  For the ultimate float on the Middle Fork—no motor craft are allowed—book a camping expedition with Rocky Mountain River Tours. On the river since 1978, owners Dave and Sheila Mills will pamper you with a 4- to 6-day trip that includes campfire dinners featuring favorite recipes from Sheila’s popular Outdoor Dutch Oven Cookbook.

  No matter how you navigate this scenic stretch, you’ll probably wind up back in the old ranching community of Stanley, where the Sawtooth Mountains form a wall of pink granite behind spring-fed meadows and lakes within the 750,000-acre Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The nearby venerable Redfish Lake Lodge has been a recreation-oriented family favorite since 1926. Nine miles south of Stanley stands the 1,000-acre Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch, established in 1930 as an exclusive hunting lodge and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Don’t head home without taking a drive along the 162-mile Salmon River Scenic Byway, a picturesque route along the river’s upper reaches, much of it untouched since it was first explored by Lewis and Clark.

  Middle Fork rafters enjoy alpine scenery when they’re not navigating some of the country’s best white water.

  WHERE: Stanley is 130 miles north of Boise. ROCKY MOUNTAIN RIVER TOURS: Tel 208-756-4808 (summer), 208-345-2400 (winter); www.rockymountainrivertours.com. Cost: 4 days from $995, all-inclusive. When: late May–Sep. REDFISH LAKE LODGE: Tel 208-774-3536 (summer), 208-644-9096 (winter); www.redfishlake.com. Cost: from $75. When: late May–early Oct. IDAHO ROCKY MOUNTAIN RANCH: Tel 208-774-3544; www.idahorocky.com. Cost: from $300, inclusive. When: mid-Jun–mid-Sep. SALMON RIVER SCENIC BYWAY: www.idahobyways.gov. BEST TIMES: May–Jun for the spring melt and rafting thrills; Jul–Aug for good weather and great rapids; Sep for calm rapids and fly-fishing.

  A Rockies Classic

  SUN VALLEY

  Idaho, U.S.A.

  Sun Valley is America’s original ski destination and is still beloved as one of the finest ski resorts on the continent. Averell Harriman was chairman of the board of Union Pacific Railroad in 1936 when he created the resort and its centerpiece, the Sun Valley Lodge, to fill his trains during the winter. He bet rightly that the Sawtooth Mountains could stand in for the Alps for Hollywood’s A-list crowd; early visitors included Claudette Colbert and David O. Selznick.

  Since then, the 80 percent sunshine rate remains the same, though speedy lifts have replaced the world’s first alpine chairlift (price back then: 25 cents). Bald Mountain (Baldy), the main ski slope, boasts a 3,400-foot vertical drop; of its 65 runs, 42 percent are an intermediate’s dream. The resort also has its own Nordic and Snowshoe Center, with about 25 miles of groomed trails. One of the stars of the après-ski scene is the resort’s Duchin Lounge, where live music and dancing create an ambience that is simultaneously relaxed, elegant, and just plain fun. The nearby Galena Lodge, a county-operated cross-country ski center, features 35 miles of trails, an informal restaurant, and 9 miles of snowshoe trails. Summertime devotees flock to the area for hiking and mountain biking.

  The action continues a few miles down the road, in the old mining town of Ketchum, where Ernest Hemingway set up camp in 1939. He was buried here in 1961 and his memory lingers on at the unpretentious Pioneer Saloon, famous for its 32-ounce prime rib and Idaho potatoes. Papa never knew the small alpine-style Knob Hill Inn, a recently added Ketchum highlight. But he’d certainly recognize its soul-satisfying views of Sun Valley’s slopes.

  The first of its kind, Sun Valley is still one of America’s top ski resorts.

  WHERE: 150 miles east of Boise. SUN VALLEY RESORT: Tel 800-786-8259 or 208-622-4111; www.sunvalley.com. Cost: from $139 (off-peak), from $300 (peak); lift tickets $55 (off-peak), $80 (peak). When: ski season is late Nov–Apr. GALENA LODGE: Tel 208-726-4010; www.galenalodge.com. Cost: lunch $12. PIONEER SALOON: Tel 208-726-3139; www.pioneersaloon.com. Cost: dinner $35. KNOB HILL INN: Tel 208-726-8010; www.knobhillinn.com. Cost: from $195. BEST TIME: Feb–Mar for spring skiing.

  “I give you Chicago. It is American in every chitling and sparerib. It is alive from snout to tail.”—H. L. MENCKEN

  CHICAGO

  Illinois, U.S.A.

  Chicago is the quintessential American city, its s
oaring skyline on Lake Michigan a testament to its brawny roots and unbridled optimism. With its global sophistication, the “City of Big Shoulders” lives up to its reputation as a dining hotbed, a world-class center for art, and a showcase for jazz and blues.

  TOP ATTRACTIONS

  ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO—Opened in 1893, the Art Institute of Chicago is famed for its collection of French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. It also holds masterpieces from this country, such as American Gothic, by Grant Wood, and Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks. The new Modern Wing, opened in 2009 and designed by Renzo Piano, provides a new home for the museum’s 20th- and 21st-century collection—and for Terzo Piano, a sleek, all-white dining room and roof-top terrace with views of Millennium Park and the Chicago skyline. INFO: Tel 312-443-3600; www.artinstituteofchicago.org. TERZO PIANO: Tel 312-443-8650. Cost: lunch $35.

  CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE TOUR—After the Great Fire of 1871, Chicago rebuilt itself by reaching for the heavens. Steel-frame buildings rose to unprecedented heights, giving birth to a new form called the skyscraper. It’s no surprise, then, that Chicago is unparalleled as a showcase of 20th-century architecture, and the Chicago Architecture Foundation makes it easy to tour the highlights, with guided walking or bus tours and—from May through November—boat cruises down the Chicago River. For a bird’s-eye view of this city’s soaring masterpieces, visit the Skydeck of the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower and the tallest building in the U.S.), and take in the sights from the new glass-floored balconies floating 1,353 feet in the air. INFO: Tel 312-922-3432; www.architecture.org.

  The Chicago River flows by the Loop, the city’s downtown district.