Where to go in every month of the year: fall foliage, spring wildflowers, winter escapes, summer road trips and how to beat the crowds.
Wildflower season starts in the Southern California desert in late winter and ends in the high meadows of the Cascades in August. Here is the calendar, the best places and the rules that protect the blooms.
Eight towns that go all in for the holidays, from a Bavarian village in the Cascades to a Spanish colonial city wrapped in lights. Here are this season's dates, what each town is known for and how to visit without the worst crowds.
A state-by-state calendar of when fall color usually peaks, why some years run early or late, and how to read the official foliage reports so you arrive at the right time.
January is quiet almost everywhere except in the places that stay warm and the places with fresh snow. Here is where to go, what the weather is like and which dates to avoid.
Winter empties many national parks and transforms others. Here is which parks are at their best from December to March, how to see Yellowstone under snow, and which scenic roads close for the season.
February is short but packed: Carnival in New Orleans, the height of whale season in Hawaii, the deepest snow of the ski year and pleasant desert hiking. Here is where to go and which weekends to avoid.
March is the month the country starts to warm up unevenly: deserts bloom, Texas turns blue, Washington waits for its cherry trees and Florida fills with spring breakers. Here is where to go and how to time it.
Fall color moves across the country for about three months, from aspens in the Rockies in September to maples in the southern mountains in early November. These are the places most worth planning a trip around, and when each usually peaks.
Summer is peak season for most of the country's best scenery, from Glacier's high road to Alaska's long days. Here is where the weather works in your favor, what to book early and which places are simply too hot.
Winter in the US can mean a beach in Hawaii, powder in Utah, a snowcoach ride to Old Faithful or a hot spring under the northern lights. Here is how the main options compare and when each is at its best.
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