A crazy boat race to Alaska, the prettiest treehouses in Oregon, a jazz fest hits Hollywood—and more!

Port Townsend, WA—starting point for the Race to Alaska.
(Photo by PTMurphus via Flickr.)

Is it just me, or was this week a long one? Now that Friday’s (finally) here, my sights are set on packing my bags and exploring the West. For inspiration: Here are our 5 favorite travel finds of the week.

Cheer on the intrepidHow would you cross more than 750 rugged miles, across mountains, sea, and (yikes) bear-filled terrain—without a motor? That’s the task facing the participants in the inaugural Race to Alaska. Follow their progress from Port Townsend, WA, to Ketchikan, AK here and get a live-action look here.

ExploreHave you seen Denver’s newly remodeled Union Square yet? It looks gorgeous, and I can’t wait to visit! Take a look.

Daydream“Foster Huntington was an up-and-comer in the New York fashion industry. Then he ditched it all and built his own personal paradise in the sky.” His story is inspiring, and those the tree houses he built in Oregon might just be my architectural ideal.

GrooveHerbie Hancock, Aloe Blacc, and more hit the Hollywood Bowl tomorrow for the 37th annual Playboy Jazz Festival. (Say hi to Hugh for me!)

DiscoverToday, The San Diego Natural History Museum unveils a new special exhibition featuring 200+ Maya artifacts, Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed. At 10,000 square feet, it’s the largest exhibition of its kind to ever tour the U.S.

Want more travel inspiration? You can find past travel roundups here, here, here, here, and here!