If your ideal holiday involves getting a bit muddy rather than lying by a pool, Sunset's WildLands collection is worth a browse. It pulls together the magazine's outdoor coverage from across the Western United States into one place, and the range of activities is surprisingly broad — from treetop climbing and whitewater rafting to being pulled along on a sled behind a horse.
A few of the ideas stand out for anyone plotting a West Coast trip. There's a guide to Solvang, the Danish-style town in California's Santa Ynez Valley, which turns out to have more to offer than pastries: the piece covers nursery stops, flower fields, and horseback rides through local vineyards — a gentler kind of adventure for travellers who like plants with their wine. Elsewhere, photographer Kenan Chan shares tips on exploring the underwater kelp forests of Channel Islands National Park, one of California's least-visited and most rewarding national parks, reachable only by boat or small plane from Ventura.
Camping gets plenty of attention too. Sunset highlights bookable sites across the West through the Hipcamp platform — the private-land equivalent of Airbnb for tent and RV spots — including several in Northern California within easy reach of San Francisco that apparently fill up fast enough to warrant setting booking alerts. There's also a piece on clothing-optional hiking and soaking in nature, framed around non-sexualised nude recreation, with suggestions on where to try it if that's your thing.
For travellers who like their adventures with a side of food, the collection includes a foraging morning in California's intertidal zones with Strong Arm Farm and Delphinium Wine Company, tying together seaweed, tides and local wine. Rounding things out are practical pieces: a survival specialist's list of what to carry on a day hike, curated camping gear and gifts, eco-friendly essentials for beginner surfers, and books rooted in Western landscapes and conservation.
The collection isn't all how-to. Two profiles give it some heart: the story of how a single woman and a cougar sparked an experiment in rewilding urban America, and the tale of Kauai-based photographer Mike Coots, who survived a shark attack as a teenager and now dedicates his work to shark conservation. There's also a nautical adventure following a young, inexperienced couple as they learn to sail their way around the West, one nautical mile at a time.
Why does this matter for trip planners? Because the American West rewards travellers who book with intent. The most memorable experiences in this roundup — a Hipcamp site under redwoods, a snorkel in Channel Islands' kelp, a vineyard ride in Solvang — all need lead time or local knowledge. Sunset's WildLands works as a starting point for building a California or broader Western itinerary around activity rather than sightseeing, whether you have a weekend or a fortnight. Dates on the pieces run from 2022 through 2026, so it's a living collection rather than a one-off feature — worth revisiting before your next trip out west.
Via Sunset
