Only a handful of Europeans had ever even set eyes on these mountains before Lewis and Clark, two young infantrymen commissioned by Thomas Jefferson to explore the western land mass of the North American continent, embarked on their epic journey to the Pacific coast in 1804, and many of the mountain towns still have a distinct frontier feel. Even the swankier getaways of Jackson Hole, Aspen and others still have more than a whiff of pioneer spirit about them.

For those who crave wide open spaces and the chance to get back to nature, this is the place. From ‘dude’ ranching and fly fishing in Montana, wildlife safaris in Wyoming, wilderness rafting in Idaho, to exploring the otherworldly national parks of Utah, this the ultimate adventurer’s playground. Towns like Boulder, Durango and Bozeman have become thriving outdoor meccas and regularly vie for the crown of ‘best place to live’ in the United States.

From luxury ranches to a former brothel, we know the best places to stop along the way. The guides we work with live and breathe these places and are perfectly placed to give you the experience of a lifetime.

The post Luxury Rocky Mountains Travel appeared first on All Roads North.

Chicago is one of the great American cities with stunning architecture, a thriving art and music scene, and great museums. It is also the starting point of America’s most famous road, Route 66.

The Great Lakes, on Chicago’s doorstep boast stunning beaches, tranquil state parks and unspoilt islands, whilst further west the Badlands of Dakota are home to haunting deserts and the famous Mount Rushmore.

The Midwest is a cultural crossroads and historically attracted large numbers of Northern European migrants, Germans to eastern Missouri, Swedes and Norwegians to Wisconsin and Minnesota. The friendly, open and straightforward Midwesterner is a stereotype that still rings true in many parts.

The post Luxury American Midwest Travel appeared first on All Roads North.

The ocean is never far away here and New England’s coastline is an intoxicating mix of idyllic fishing villages, tidal marshes, and sandy beaches. It’s easy to see why the close knit trio of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are some of the most sought after holiday destinations in the country. Whether by yacht, kayak or walking the beaches at dawn with a fly rod, it’s a watery playground like no other. Inland the open wilds of The West are replaced by bucolic villages, pretty barns and white church spires. Rolling farmland intersperses the ever present woodland and winding your way through the country lanes of Vermont or Maine during the fall is a sight to behold.

The post Luxury New England Travel appeared first on All Roads North.

For history buffs the south is a fascinating journey through some of this county’s most transformative events. New England often takes the spotlight in terms of the early colonies  but Europeans settled on southern shores first and the struggle for independence was as much fought here as it was further north. The antebellum period saw huge prosperity and, with a reliance on slavery, many of the great plantation homes and grand town houses that you see today were built. The Civil War rift the country apart; southern cities were raised, a terrible death toll inflicted and by it’s end, slavery abolished.

No other part of the world can lay claim to such a rich musical heritage and you’ll never travel with a better soundtrack than you will here. Appalachian folk music, brought over by early settlers, trickled down from the Smoky Mountains to Nashville where it became country. On the other side of Tennessee, Memphis can lay claim to being the birthplace of rock n roll. Louisiana’s unique culture is in part a product of its Spanish and French settlers and has musical traditions like zydeco that are quite unlike anything else in America, and of course it has New Orleans, the cradle of jazz. The strange and magical Mississippi Delta was ground zero for the blues. And from the blues came rock n roll and everything after.

You’ll never go hungry in the south and at times it seems that food is the glue that holds everything else together. The classic dish of fried chicken, collard greens and cornbread is sometimes at its best in the most unassuming places and if you get the chance to eat at someone’s house, take it. Barbeque is all pervasive and there is a bewildering variety of techniques, rubs, and sauces, with each area swearing theirs is best. The Lowcountry coast of the Carolinas and Georgia produces some great seafood, with shrimp and oysters featuring heavily. Louisiana’s Cajun cuisine is distinct yet again, with jambalaya and gumbo leading the way.

The post Luxury American Deep South Travel appeared first on All Roads North.

New Mexico is an absolute gem, with a culture that is a fascinating mix of its Native American, Spanish and white settler past. Turquoise skies, sandstone canyons and snow capped peaks make for a stunning landscape. Driving the mountain roads around Santa Fe and Taos, with their adobe buildings, Spanish churches, rows of chilis drying in the sun and sweet smelling piñon smoke, it’s easy to forget you’re in the United States. A holiday to New Mexico is sure to surprise you.

Northern Arizona’s most famous attraction needs no introduction but there is more to this state than the Grand Canyon. With Route 66 running its width, it’s tailor-made for the quintessential American road trip. Large swathes of Arizona are part of the Navajo Nation, one of the largest tribal territories in the country. Places like Monument Valley and Canyon de Chelly are spectacular and show tantalizing traces of an ancient Puebloan culture that predates even the Navajo.

Utah can lay claim to some of the most dramatic natural scenery in America and no state can boast such a wealth of national parks and wilderness areas. Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches and Capitol Reef are all part of the geological wonder that is the Colorado Plateau but that is where most of the similarities end. Whether it’s short trails to incredible viewpoints or some serious adventure, a holiday to Utah has it all.

The post Luxury American Southwest Travel appeared first on All Roads North.

You don’t need to spend much time here to get a sense of the unique culture of the three lower forty-eight states that border the Pacific. While certainly more laid-back, unconventional and a little less brash than their East Coast cousins, don’t mistake this for a lack of get-up-and-go. From the gold rush to today’s tech boom, and countless movements in between, the West Coast has long attracted innovators, risk-takers and game-changers.

With over 1,200 miles of coastline, some of the most stunning national parks in the country and a startling variety of terrain, it’s a paradise for lovers of the great outdoors. The volcano-lined Cascades and the towering Sierra Nevada range form a mountainous backbone running the entire length of the country. The temperate climate and rich soils of the coastal regions provide the perfect ingredients for world class wineries, majestic stands of coastal redwoods and a lushness that permeates even the cities.

Be careful, a West Coast road trip may end up lasting longer than you intended…

The post Luxury US West Coast Travel appeared first on All Roads North.