National Geographic Traveler USA - 08.2019 - 09.2019

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

Bison herds roam

Antelope Island

in Utah’s Great

Salt Lake.

PUERTO RICO

OOTwo years after Hurri-

cane Maria, the Caribbean

island lures visitors with its

spectacular sights, from

San Juan’s 16th-century

Spanish fort and Rincón’s

seaglass-strewn beaches

to Fajardo’s bioluminescent

bay, best seen on a night-

time kayak tour.

STAR ISLAND

OONew Hampshire In

its 19th-century Oceanic

Hotel and stone cottages,

guests of this Unitarian

Universalist retreat island

meet for history, science,

and arts workshops. Free

time fills with communal

meals, porch sitting, and

horseshoe throwing.

SANTA CATALINA ISLAND

OOCalifornia Just an

hour’s boat ride from Long

Beach, Catalina seems a

world away with its Medi-

terranean architecture, 60

unique species of flora and

fauna (including an ador-

able five-pound fox), and

activities from parasailing

to paddleboarding.

PADRE ISLAND

OOTex a s Stretching

113 miles, Padre is the

world’s longest barrier

island. The populated

southern end is famous

for its wide white sand

beaches (and its intense

sand castle competitions).

Kiteboarding, windsurf-

ing, and paddleboarding

rank among the popular

pursuits. Other good bets:

Watch shrimp trawlers

return home through the

Brazos Santiago Pass; visit

Sea Turtle, Inc., a rescue,

rehabilitation, and release

center; ride horses on the

beach; or embrace your

inner child at Schlitterbahn

Waterpark. On summer

weekends, see fireworks

and their reflections in

Laguna Madre Bay.

OFU

OOAmerican Samoa For
a far-flung escape without
the hassle of currency
exchange, travel to this
remote island in the South
Pacific where you can
snorkel with sea turtles and
blue devils above techni-
color coral at the National
Park of American Samoa.

ST. GEORGE ISLAND

OOFlorida Lying between

the Gulf of Mexico and

Apalachicola Bay, SGI

has rejected high-rises

in favor of beach houses

with names like “M’Ocean

Granted.” Relax at the

state park, then stock up

at Dail’s Seafood Trailer and

Weber’s Little Donut Shop.

MONHEGAN ISLAND

OOMaine This lobstering

island of some 60 residents

has been a destination for

artists (Edward Hopper,

Jamie Wyeth) drawn by the

seclusion and the scenery.

Wander fir-needle paths

through Cathedral Woods

and trails that wend up to

cliffs with a view.

TYBEE ISLAND

OOGeorgia Spirited

events take place year-

round, such as May’s

20,000-person water fight.

But the island’s also a

haven for birders and

kayakers. Be sure to stop

by the Tybee Island Light

Station and Museum and

the Tybee Post Theater.

WHIDBEY ISLAND

OOWashington Along

the 55-mile stretch from

Deception Pass State Park

to Possession Sound, you’ll

find the best of town and

country. Peruse Moonraker

Books, walk the labyrinth at

the Whidbey Institute, and

watch for orcas surfacing

in Saratoga Passage.

Best for: OOutdoor Adventure OWildlife Sightings OOld-fashioned Charm OHistory and Culture