The Winners of Our Readers’ Choice 2019 Travel Awards

Alaska Airlines is pretty much a no-brainer in this category; they offer the most West-Coast non-stop destinations of any airline, and have a stellar track record when it comes to low airfares, on-time arrivals, and customer satisfaction. But the company is also deeply invested in the West, serving regional wine and microbrews in-flight and tapping Seattle local Luly Yang to design its flight and ground crew uniforms. Alaska also wins over our readers for its commitment to diversity (50% of the company’s board members are women, and the airline has pledged to increase its number of black female pilots by 2025) and the environment (from eliminating plastic straws to exploring sustainable alternative biofuels). Furthermore, we can't forget the renowned kindness of Alaska's crews—which our readers noted, over and over. (Worth mentioning: Readers also like Southwest Airlines.)

Readers just love right-sized, easily accessible PDX, possibly because it’s a rare airport that has strong local character. Chain shops and restaurants are there if you look, but it's easier to find outposts of beloved Oregon brands like Deschutes Brewery, Columbia Sportswear, and Powell’s City of Books. Maybe there's something about Northwestern skies? Washington’s SEA was also highly rated by our readers.

Staying at the Surfhouse is like crashing with your (charming, handsome, helpful) buddies—if those buddies happen to have a chic, 8-room pad within walking distance of some of the best surf spots in San Diego. The owners, Encinitas natives Nikki and Sander Harth, have created a hotel that goes beyond just lodging (and yoga, and surf lessons, and loaner bikes). Personal touches abound—from bar and restaurant recommendations and customized surf trips to partnerships with local non-profit surf organizations—that make every guest feel like part of the community. Also earning high reader ratings: Hotel McCoy, in Tucson.

Santa Fe is not only the art hub of the Southwest, but also—with more than 250 galleries turning out shows year-round—the third largest art market in the U.S. (after New York and Los Angeles). Visit the city and it’s easy to see why: There’s the gallery-lined Canyon Road; the Railyard District’s abundant street art and acclaimed SITE Santa Fe museum; Museum Hill’s complex of spaces dedicated to art and local history; the legacy of Georgia O’Keeffe as seen at the dedicated museum near the Plaza (above); and the immersive psychedelic art maze of Meow Wolf. And then there’s the aesthetic of Santa Fe itself, with the ubiquitous preserved adobe architecture creating a cohesive and utterly striking look.

Over the past several decades, Portland has transformed its infrastructure to be extra bike-friendly. It’s designated over 300 miles of dedicated bikeways, launched a prolific public bikeshare program, and installed a cycling-only bridge—the latter a meaningful gesture in an urban center spanning a river and linked by numerous bridges. With 7.2% of Portlanders opting to bike to work (compare that to the national average of .05% in cities!), it’s clear that locals love getting around on two wheels, as also evidenced in many bike-themed events, breweries, and cafés. Also earning praise from two-wheeled readers: San Luis Obispo.

San Diego has been a wellspring of beer innovation for decades. Toss a bottle cap anywhere in the city and you're bound to hit a tasting room, beer bar, or brewery—the area is home to upwards of 150 establishments. From the opening of its first brewpub, Karl Strauss, in 1989, the city has been a living lesson in the many waves of brewing tradition to wash over the country and into your glass. San Diego even boasts its own style of beer, the ever-popular West Coast IPA. Get to know SD’s homegrown, hoppy, citrusy brew with a glass or three of Pizza Port Brewing Co.’s Wipeout IPA or Ballast Point Brewing Co.’s Sculpin (also available in grapefruit, pineapple, and habanero, if you like your innovation extra-flavorful). Brewtown bonus: Readers tout the beer scene in Portland, too.

Fans of Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Carmel Beach don’t even mind that it’s not much of a swimming spot. It’s got white sand, surfable waves, and some of the most Instagrammed sunsets on the West Coast. Beach bonfires are allowed, and your dog can romp off leash—in short, Carmel Beach has all the beauty and laid-back vibes that California is famous for. San Diego’s Coronado Beach, another stunner, got a lot of votes, too.

From 6am to 8pm every day, the stretch of beach between Roycroft and Argonne Avenues in Long Beach, CA becomes our readers’ favorite dog park (and the only off-leash beach in L.A. County), where pups can enjoy the sand and surf with their people as long as they’re under voice control. A close second in this category was the 1000 Acre Dog Park in Troutdale, OR, which offers rivers, fields, and trails for (mostly) leashless frolicking.

On the far Northern California coast, Jed Smith, as it’s known, packs a lot of wild into 10,000 acres. It’s got an undammed, free-flowing river, a trackless core that invites childlike exploration, and seven percent of the entire world’s old-growth redwoods. Readers love experiencing this wildness based in one of four cabins operated by the park. This category's close second is Slide Rock State Park in Sedona, with its refreshing swimming areas and resident herd of boar-like Javelina.

We think everyone who works in America’s parks is deserving of an award. But Amy Grout, Montana’s Big Arm/Flathead Lake State Park , goes above and beyond. Aside from helping people discover the joy and wonder of the outdoors, she’s spent her 15 years in the State Park system instilling the idea of stewardship in the next generation of rangers and park employees, and fostering strong relationships between the parks and local communities. Grout’s take is, the more folks who care about our public lands, the longer we can ensure their existence. Her warmth, passion, and commitment are infectious, and we rest easier knowing some our most precious places are in her competent and caring hands.

Rasurado (rib-eye steak) tacos reign supreme at Tucson’s South 12th Avenue taqueria. Los Tacos Apson owner Javier Durazo first opened the nonchalant, unfussy taco shop in 2001, and now the popular restaurant draws a faithful crowd of Arizonans for its affordable (as in $3.50 or less per taco) menu and perfectly-charred texture from Durazo’s mesquite grill. Tacos also get the full treatment courtesy of the shop’s fully-stocked salsa bar, which includes everything from chopped onions and cabbage to pico de gallo and lime wedges.

Japanese restaurant staples like edamame, gyoza, and—of course—ramen are prepared with incredible attention to detail at San Diego's Tajima, where the chewy noodles are made with several different kinds of flour to ensure the right degree of springiness. There are five Tajima locations in San Diego (plus one each in Long Beach and Tijuana), so noodle lovers can get their fix across the region. Readers also love the rich bone broth at this category's close second, Kizuki, which has locations in and around Portland, Seattle, and Tacoma.

Los Angeles-born Fatburger now has scores of locations in the West and a name that would seem to be anathematic to modern diners—but Sunset readers still love the fresh beef burgers, house-made onion rings, and thick ice-cream shakes that haven’t changed much since 1952. A close second? More burgers and shakes made with quality, local ingredients at the San Francisco Bay Area’s Gott’s Roadside.

Though not strictly a sushi joint, Portland’s Nodoguro omakase restaurant topped this category because everything the restaurant serves, including fish, is fresh, delicious, and absolutely authentic. You'll need a $125 reserved ticket to gain access to this temple of Japanese cuisine; readers feel the 13-course tasting menu is worth that and then some. If you're looking for a more traditional high-end sushi experience, try runner-up Kashiba in Seattle.

A Goose Hollow favorite in the brunch-loving city of Portland, Gracie’s is beloved by locals for its classic breakfast dishes using locally-sourced PNW ingredients. Situated inside Hotel deLuxe, the restaurant is known for its German pancakes just as much as it is for its stylish interiors (think high ceilings and cozy booths to sink into). Other popular dishes at this City of Roses brunch spot include traditional omelets, Benedicts, challah French toast, and an assortment of hashes ranging from smoked salmon to seasonal vegetables. Come here hungry.

Everyone in Bozeman is familiar with Mo’Bowls, whether it’s for the truck’s signature bright red exterior or for the addictive fried macaroni and cheese balls. The five-year-old roaming restaurant, which just opened a brick and mortar space this year, offers heaping portions of mac and cheese out of its downtown Bozeman parking spot. You’ll find straightforward, classic bowls of cheesy mac, as well as over-the-top combinations like double bacon cheeseburger—macaroni with bacon, seasoned beef, onions, and tomatoes in a sharp cheddar cream sauce. Oh yeah, and it’s topped with pickles, too. There are a few more restrained options, too, like the sushi bowl pictured above. (In Los Angeles, the Kogi BBQ Taco Truck is another perennial favorite.)

Since 1948, locals and visitors alike have willingly waited in block-long lines of cars just to order burgers “animal style.” In-N-Out’s affordable, freshly flipped patties and extensive not-so-secret menu (we’ll take a Flying Dutchman and a root-beer float, please) are the stuff of fast-food lore in the West, and with good reason. There’s no chain menu more customizable, and no drive-thru experience more pleasant; you’ll wait, but you’ll be treated like royalty, as will your kids (staff has been known to hand out stickers). In-N-Out has also always paid its employees above the mandated minimum wage, which we think is pretty great.

Chevre, jam, and chile? That’s not ice cream, that’s a cheese plate in a cone—but it works. Portland-born Salt & Straw is cranking out some wacky flavors, from wasabi-raspberry to olive oil. The common denominator is that every batch is made with fresh seasonal ingredients, and our readers love them all. If you’re feeling traditional, there's always chocolate and vanilla, plus a salted caramel that’s to die for.

Voodoo Doughnut started 16 years ago in Portland, possibly the only city in the West oddball enough to have birthed pastries with names like Viscous Hibiscus, Maple Blazer Blunt, and Triple Chocolate Penetration. But now that there are locations in California, Colorado, and Texas, the rest of the West is starting to get hip to the sweet voodoo that they do so well.

You won’t find any lattes, cappuccinos, or espressos at this barista-loved spot. The San Francisco-based chain (which now has Los Angeles and San Diego locations) solely focuses on more than 20 coffee blends made from high-quality beans sourced from around the world. Coffee is brewed to order and baristas custom-mix cream and sugar straight into your cup. Fan favorites are the Mint Mojito (a sweet and creamy iced coffee topped with fresh mint) and Jacob’s Wonderbar (a dark blend with notes of chocolate and nuts). Newcomers are in good hands ordering their cup of coffee the “Philz Way”—medium sweet with cream.

Pelican Brewing Company is famous on Oregon’s northern coast for its “Beer from the Beach” and laid-back tasting rooms. Started in 1996 by three friends, the brewery’s first location in Pacific City started out as a run-down beachfront building but has since transformed into one of the most scenic breweries in the West. The back deck unfurls over the sand, providing a perfect perch for watching the mighty Pacific. And the beer? It’s just as good as the views.

The Nest perches atop downtown Seattle’s Thompson Hotel. With indoor-outdoor seating and breathtaking views of the skyline and the Sound, this lounge is the go-to spot for an elevated lounge experience (pun intended). Known for their hand-crafted cocktails and elegant bar bites, The Nest also serves a number of local wines and beers. Close second: Tope, above Portland’s Hoxton Hotel.

The Screwdriver Bar is everything a dive bar should be. Located in a dimly lit and eclectically decorated basement a couple of blocks from Seattle’s Pike Place Market, the neighborhood joint slings creative cocktails, like adult juice packs and boozy slushies, and rocks to the sound of a jukebox, with regular live music performances, too. (And if you’re on the Oregon coast, readers also cast a lot of votes for the Sportsman's Pub-n-Grub, in Pacific City.)

Smokin Gun Apothecary harkens back to an earlier time in both name and feel. Passing through a speakeasy-style doorway, visitors are transported to the 1870s, to a time “five years before the first drug laws were passed,” according to the operators. The interior looks like a saloon, with dark paneling, old-timey wallpaper, and cash registers fit for a nineteenth-century bank teller. In contrast to the historic charm, the modern era shows itself in an impressive array of newfangled cannabis goods, with recos from knowledgeable budtenders. (Readers also get good vibes from ECO Cannabis, in Oakland).

There are five popular Green Acres Nursery & Supply locations in the Sacramento area, but the Folsom, CA store gets singled out for particular praise. Readers appreciate the wide variety of plants, sourced locally when possible, as well as the selection of outdoor furniture and grills designed to make any beautiful backyard more livable. Up north, the family-owned Bauman’s Farm & Garden in Gervais, OR received almost as many votes.

Sure, when you go to a concert, you’re there to experience the music, witness a band’s stagecraft, and, if the mood strikes you, move your body. It’s a rare treat when the venue itself can also move your spirit. Red Rocks, nestled amid a stunning array of ancient rock formations visible from anywhere in the house (it’s outdoor amphitheater seating, after all), offers the ultimate visual enhancement to any act gracing the stage. And it’s not just the beautiful setting that makes Red Rocks a killer venue. Top-billed musicians play here, you can spend a full day hiking the surrounding trails, and the 10 mile-distance from Denver makes it a cinch to get to if you’re, say, flying in to cross a Red Rocks show off the ol’ bucket list (we support that).

This year marks the 46th anniversary of this eminent Western music festival, proving that you can’t get too much of a good thing. What started as a homegrown, small-town celebration has evolved into a cornerstone Colorado event drawing close to 50,000 attendees over four days, featuring a solid folk and bluegrass lineup (past acts have ranged from Béla Fleck to Mumford & Sons). The ethos is crunchy (underscored by Telluride’s hippie-leaning vibe), but that doesn’t mean it’s all dreadlocks and edibles. TBF has evolved to promote a spirit of sustainability, encouraging “Festivarians” to bring their own refillable water bottles and eating utensils, and to travel to and from by carpool. The festival itself donates leftover grub to local food banks and diverts nearly two thirds of the event's waste from being buried in landfill.

The Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta is all about celebrating the city’s close-knit food scene. The festival, which has been around since 1991, invites 90 national wineries and 75 local restaurants for five days of cooking demos, wine seminars, film viewings, and bites from popular New Mexico restaurants. And if a plate of authentic tacos al pastor isn’t enough to warrant a trip to the Southwest, the weather is: Santa Fe averages a sunny 75° in September when the festival takes place.

This Central Coast farmers’ market is a mecca for produce lovers. The weekly Thursday evening event takes place on Higuera Street between Nipomo and Osos, and features six blocks of fruit and vegetable stands, live music, and freshly-made food from local vendors. You’ll run into top SLO chefs shopping for ingredients like artichokes and fresh raspberries, as well as locals picking up flowers and organic jams. But be sure to be an upstanding farmers’ market citizen and leave your beloved pup at home.

The Portland Saturday Market (also open on Sundays) is a weekend ritual in the City of Roses. Between March and Christmas week every year, about 250 vendors regularly converge upon the Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood to sell crafts, candy, oils, soap, and more, directly to consumers in an open-air marketplace that readers can’t get enough of. If you're farther south, the venerated Rose Bowl Flea market in Pasadena, CA was a close second, and offers a similar friendly vibe along with lots of antiques and vintage threads.

A common criticism of yoga lies in its often inflated price point: Individual classes can run up to $20 a pop, and those bulk passes or subscriptions don’t typically come cheap, either. We get it; a yoga studio is a small business, and yogis gotta pay rent, too. But some studios are on a mission to make the practice as approachable as possible. Take, for example, 4th Avenue Yoga, in downtown Tucson, where every class is $5. Yep, every class. In other words, for less than the cost of a slice of hipster-approved avocado toast, you can get a full hour of asanas in a variety of styles, from vinyasa to hatha to hot yoga. The studio’s fans tout its “welcoming and warm” atmosphere; “thoughtful” and “joyful” instructors; and inarguable “best price in town!” Love Hive Yoga, in Portland also got a lot of reader love, too.

Just ten minutes from downtown Santa Fe, an oasis of outdoor hot tubs and spa suites sits serenely nestled among piñons and junipers. Inspired by Japan’s mountain hot-spring resorts, Ten Thousand Waves offers reservable private tubs, public single-sex tubs (clothing optional), and a communal co-ed tub (bottoms required), as well as bodywork and skincare treatments. The spa shares its hillside perch with Izanami, an award-winning izakaya, and Houses of the Moon, a fourteen-room ryokan (just in case you want your day spa to become a two-day spa).

Beautiful, bucolic bridges abound in the West, yes. Say what you will about these picturesque constructions, but it’s the Golden Gate that takes the cake. There’s no more iconic symbol of the optimistic, freewheeling West-Coast lifestyle than the vermillion (technically “International Orange”) beams and trusses of the Golden Gate Bridge. The famed structure conjures images of blue skies, sunshine, and leisurely road trips—and even when the reality is sitting in traffic with Karl the Fog, the magic (and visual appeal) just doesn’t diminish.

The West is full of beautiful libraries. Readers couldn’t pick a favorite single location, nominating the whole 26-branch Seattle Public Library system. (Certainly, the striking futuristic glass-and-steel Central Library, above, would win in an architecture contest.) Visitors can purchase temporary library cards, but if you just want to lay eyes on these iconic buildings (six of them are on the National Register of Historic Places), most branches are open daily and wandering through is always free. A close second in this category: The Multnomah County Central Library in Portland, noted for its own beautiful architecture.

The flagship Powell’s location in Portland's Pearl District covers an entire city block, has 2 million volumes on offer, and claims to be the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world. Fans of the store love the 500 author events that happen every year and the unabashed bibliophilia of the staff, rare in today’s big-box, Amazonian world.

If the University of Oregon Duck looks suspiciously like Donald, it’s because the school struck a handshake deal with Disney way back in the ’40s to use his likeness (who could hate that face?) for their mascot. In the decades since, he’s arrived at games on his Harley Davidson, eaten Lucky Charms on ESPN’s “Gameday,” and done pushups mid-game according to the scoreboard (that number can really add up due to how Oregon runs their defense; he once did 506 in one game). According to his official spokesperson, this mascot likes small fish, algae, and tadpoles; he dislikes stairs, flossing (both the dental regimen and the dance), and white bread (it makes him bloated). We and our readers have never met a more endearing duck.

The Kalispell-based Flathead Beacon is more than just a newspaper. The editorial staff also produces a quarterly Montana lifestyle journal and maintains a lively website, all of which, along with the weekly paper, serve to unite a far-flung Flathead Valley population. A close runner-up: Wyoming’s fiercely local (in the best way) Jackson Hole News & Guide.

Readers specifically cite this WeWork's beautiful historic building as a draw. Added bonuses are perks like bike storage, showers, a wellness room, an open-door policy for dogs, and all the coffee a Northwesterner can drink. Close proximity to Portland’s Pearl District lunch options and the famous Powell’s Books also put the WeWork US Custom House head and shoulders above other Western co-working spaces.