If your trip planning has stalled at the same three national parks, Sunset's Insider Guides series is worth a browse. The long-running collection hands the reins to locals — chefs, photographers, shop owners — who map out exactly where they eat, drink and hang out in the places they know best.
The range is broad. Recent editions cover a quirky, underrated mountain town in California, a remote Alaskan spot called King Salmon where sockeye salmon rule the calendar, and Wallace, Idaho — a tiny city that manages to pack in plenty of character per capita. There's also Pacific City on the Oregon coast, seen through the lens of a local photographer, plus weekend itineraries and day-trip tips for shorter getaways.
The guides lean into local voices rather than generic lists. Chef and restaurateur Stephanie Izard shares her dining and travel picks in one instalment, while Caroline Brown, co-owner of a record shop called Side A, walks readers through her go-to spots to eat, drink and listen. Another guide offers tips for travelling through a side of Maui still recovering from tragedy but described as every bit as welcoming as before.
Not everything is food and towns. There's practical inspiration for campers, a guide to a spot where dinosaurs once roamed, family-focused ideas that promise toddlers and parents will both stay happy, and a four-season destination that blends an artsy scene with easy access to the outdoors. A tiny island guide promises food, fun and, apparently, an impressive amount of frozen dessert.
For travellers, the value here is skip-the-research planning. Each guide distils a local's shortlist into something you can actually use over a weekend, whether that's a mountain town in California, a salmon-fishing outpost in Alaska or a quick day trip close to home. The series skews firmly Western US — California, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii — so it pairs well with a road trip or a regional flight, and the itineraries are short enough to act on without a fortnight of annual leave.
