Where to Go for Your Summer Getaway
The perfect summer vacation is waiting for you! From cross-country road trips to kid-friendly scavenger hunts, this quiz will reveal your ideal bucket list-worthy travel destination – and recommend the best guidebook to make the most out of your vacation this summer.
Explore California
Explore some of California’s most exquisite landscapes with this accessible hiking guidebook featuring descriptions of the flora, fauna, and ecology hikers will discover along the trail.
See the oldest trees in the world—and the tallest. Meet earthquake-loving fish, lively island foxes, and endemic birds. Visit the saltwater homes to sea otters and a desert basin where the water is even saltier.In California’s Best Nature Walks, Charles Hood reveals the golden state’s unique ecosystems, guiding you through 32 spectacular natural areas, with advice on deciphering the terrain. All are within easy walking distance of the road. This is an essential companion for road-trippers, outdoor enthusiasts, and day hikers—no cleated boots or trekking poles necessary.
Locations include the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Olmsted Point at Yosemite National Park, Fossil Falls, Camp Roberts Rest Area along Highway 101, Scorpion Anchorage at Channel Islands National Park, Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, and more!
- Diverse Hiking Options: Whether you plan to take leisurely seaside walks or challenging journeys around the Sierras, enjoy outdoor getaways ranging from easy day hikes to multi-day backpacking trips
- Find Your Hike: Looking for something specific? Choose from strategic lists of the best hikes for breathtaking waterfalls, spring wildflowers, or hiking with your dog, plus a breakdown of the best hikes by season
- The Top Outdoor Experiences: Wander the terraces of the Ecological Staircase in Mendocino, hike up granite domes and through the high meadows of Yosemite. Hear the waves crash as you walk to a majestic tide fall in Point Reyes National Seashore. Conquer the summit of Lassen Peak, roam through vineyard-covered hills in Napa and Sonoma or look out upon Lake Tahoe’s crystal waters.
- Nearby Fun: Relax post-hike at a local brewery, savor a plate of fresh oysters or stargaze before bed at a nearby campground
- Essential Planning Details: Each hike is described in detail and marked with round-trip distance and hiking time, difficulty, terrain type, elevation gain, and access points
- Maps and Directions: Find easy-to-use maps, driving directions to each trailhead, and details on where to park
- Expert Advice: Longtime hikers Ann Marie Brown and Felicia Kemp shares their local secrets, unique tips, and honest opinions of each trail
- Tips and Tools: Advice on gear, first aid, and camping permits, plus background information on climate, landscape, and wildlife
About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can’t wait to share their favorite places with you.
Hitting the road? Check out Moon Northern California Road Trips!Iconic National Parks
Plan out your trip on some of America’s most beautiful natural wonders with this indispensable guide to the flora, fauna, geology, and hiking trails of Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.
Step out of your car and right into nature! Yellowstone and Grand Teton’s Best Nature Walks by Roddy Scheer guides you through simple hikes that feature the best of the park’s rich ecology. Each entry starts with the brief description of the hike’s level of difficulty—all are gentle to moderate and cover no more than two miles. Entries also include directions and clear descriptions of the flora, fauna, and geology you are likely to encounter along the way. Yellowstone and Grand Teton’s Best Nature Walks is a must-have guide for outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and tourists.
Are you planning a trip to one of America’s majestic national parks? The National Parks Scavenger Hunt will help you explore all 63 parks, from Acadia to Zion. A bucket list, game, and adventure all in one, this book will help adventurers of all ages learn fascinating facts about our nation’s most iconic landmarks. By reading short descriptions of each item and them finding them, parents, caregivers, and kids alike can tally points in a friendly competition and make unforgettable memories along the way. Filled with colorful illustrations to help identify spectacular flora and fauna, you will want this in hand as you visit every park.
Discover Colorado
Colorado is a hiker’s paradise. With four national parks and a dozen national monuments, recreation areas and more, adventure is at every turn. Pack a lunch, lace up your boots, and hit the trails with Moon Colorado Hiking. Inside you’ll find:
- Diverse Hiking Options: Whether you plan to hike to the crest of the Continental Divide, through thick fairytale aspen groves or to one of hundreds of iconic snow-capped peaks, enjoy outdoor getaways ranging from easy day hikes to multi-day backpacking trips
- Find Your Hike: Looking for something specific? Choose from strategic lists of the best hikes for wildflowers, waterfalls, or hiking with your dog, plus a breakdown of the best hikes by season
- The Top Outdoor Experiences: Climb the dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve or walk through golden aspen groves along Kenosha Pass. Gawk at red rock formations along the Garden of the Gods Loop or challenge yourself while you huff and puff to the top of Quandary Peak
- Nearby Fun: Spend a night under the stars at a nearby campground or sip a refreshing local brew after a day on the trail
- Essential Planning Details: Each hike is described in detail and marked with round-trip distance and hiking time, difficulty, terrain type, elevation gain, and access points
- Maps and Directions: Find easy-to-use maps, driving directions to each trailhead, and details on where to park
- Expert Advice: Seasoned hiker Joshua Berman offers experienced insights, local secrets, and honest opinions of each trail
- Tips and Tools: Advice on gear, first aid, and camping permits, plus background information on climate, landscape, and wildlife
Whether you’re a veteran or a first-time hiker, Moon’s comprehensive coverage and local expertise will have you gearing up for your next adventure.
About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can’t wait to share their favorite places with you.
Pitching a tent? Check out Moon Colorado Camping!
Go On an Adventure in Your Backyard
In the latest addition to the 50 Hikes with Kids series, educators Alison Humphreys and Wendy Gorton give your family everything you need to explore the lakes, rivers, seaside dunes, and mountain trails of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and Washington DC. Readers will find easy-to-read trail maps, intuitive directions, elevation and length details for every hike, restroom information, and places to grab a snack nearby. Plus, scavenger hunts for each trail make it fun for even the youngest trekkers to learn about local flora, fauna, and geology. Hikes include the Alapocas Run, the Calvert Cliffs, Theodore Roosevelt Island, the Blue Ridge Tunnel, Harpers Ferry, and more!
With its riversides, forests, rock ledges, gorges and prairies, the Midwest is a magnificent natural playground, and educators Sharon Dewar and Wendy Gorton are the perfect guides to introduce kids to these landscapes. In 50 Hikes with Kids Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio you will find easy-to-read trail maps, intuitive directions, elevation and length details for every hike, restroom information, and places to grab a snack nearby. Plus, scavenger hunts for each trail make it fun for even the youngest trekkers to learn about local flora, fauna, and geology. Hikes include the Leatherleaf Bog Trail in Moraine Hills State Park, the Bluffs of Beaver Bend, the Lodges Trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and more!
