Destination: United States

The architect’s only skyscraper reopens as a hotel in Bartlesville, the emerging heart of a region infused with art and design.

Getting there From LAX, American, Continental, Southwest and United offer connecting service (change of planes) to Tulsa, 40 miles south of Bartlesville.

Sure, Ebay’s pickings are bigger, but nothing beats the thrill of the hunt at rural auctions scattered around the Lone Star State.

Every April and October, a huge antiques fair turns the town of Round Top into a shoppers’ Valhalla.

GETTING THERE: From LAX, nonstop service to Dallas/Fort Worth is available on American, Delta and United, and connecting service (change of planes) is offered on America West, Continental, Northwest and Frontier.

The heartland state’s cultural landscape is varied: literary walk, noted farm, utopian landmark, wrestling museum.

When postal worker Steve Miller proposed in 1985 to fellow council members of Riverside that the town designate itself the “future birthplace of Capt.

Go ahead. Gawk. The fabulous and varied architecture is a point of pride. For visitors, a tour is de rigueur, regardless of weather.

Part museum, part theme park, Henry Ford’s monument to American ingenuity gets a major overhaul.

Getting a taste of thoroughbreds, rolling hills and an amber whiskey that’s finding favor from coast to coast.

Bourbon sampling is much like wine tasting.

Grand and golden, South Florida’s Gilded Age hotels and mansions provide a glimpse of how the other half lived. Take a peek, or linger for a while in the lap of luxury.

GETTING THERE From LAX: Delta and US Airways offer connecting service (change of planes) to Gainesville, about 60 miles northeast of Cedar Key.

Isolated Tangier Island has little to offer tourists except a peaceful, easy feeling. Maybe that’s why going with the ebb and flow is such a cinch.

A language program revives rusty skills and brings the food, wine, music and style of France to a weekend at a beautiful retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Getting there From LAX, American and United fly nonstop to Washington Dulles International Airport.

Walk in the footsteps of Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee in the Virginia town that was the setting for the film ‘Gods and Generals.’

After they’ve done their turn on Colorado Boulevard, some of the floral spectacles get a new home in the Shenandoah Valley.

After they’ve done their turn on Colorado Boulevard, some of the floral spectacles get a new home in the Shenandoah Valley.

After years of typical downtown decline, the city is taking on a lively new look.

On the trail of eight commanders in chief who resided in this Midwestern cradle of statesmen.

Their budget was $500 each; their goal was not to feel deprived. And they find that it can be done.

Hudson Valley history, contemporary art and architecture take on a deeper hue in fall, when the landscape resembles an artist’s palette.

As respect seems to be dwindling at the Trade Center site, a poignant sonic tour may help visitors focus on the history and tragedy.

Two sleepy villages bustle for one weekend every August when they hold a huge antiques show known for its high-quality wares.

When I planned my first trip to New York City — so long ago that one of the biggest-selling guidebooks was titled “New York on $5 a Day” — I read that this was the only city besides Washington where the president could visit and most residents wouldn’t even know it.

Surprising, serene refuges soften the city’s hard-edged corners, cacophony and crowds.

Getting there From LAX to JFK, American, United and Delta have nonstop service; America West and Northwest have connecting service (with change of plane).

Washington -- by night as well as day -- is bolder and better, with some fresh revelations.

Silver streams, mossy green forest, beaches and icy peaks. Washington’s peninsula is a place of enchanting extremes.

Much of the national park’s wilderness is rugged and untamed, but its waterfalls and grandeur are accessible to the less adventurous.

One of the first travel writers to see the area said, “Ocian in view! O! the joy.”

Boulder City is an offbeat place to stay not far from Las Vegas’ casino atmosphere and Lake Mead’s outdoor recreation.

It’s a few more miles up the road, but June Mountain is a joyful family ski getaway with smaller crowds and easier runs than Mammoth.

Not planning to take any big trips in 2003 due to the economy, lack of time, terrorism fears, a looming war? A wealth of amusements awaits in our own backyard.

America’s rugged frontier history can still knock you for a loop in the eastern part of the state, a land of lore, ghosts and grandeur.

With a woodsy cabin to retire to each night, hikers find their bliss in a sprawling playground of mountain lakes and majestic scenery.

A Salmon River run offers something for the whole family, with berry picking, campfire singing, cave exploring, even pedicures.

It’s nature’s way -- but the return to life at Glacier National Park a year after the worst wildfire in three centuries still amazes. Where blazes raged, new growth flourishes.

A desire for adventure and some sturdy boots are the means to reaching incredible prehistoric petroglyphs.

Cyclists on the White Rim Trail split their attention between the twisting paths and jewel-hued formations.

After a day at the edge of wintry wilderness, skiers can nestle in the warmth of a well-tended fire at a high-end resort.

Cruising the Colorado River in a “floating condo,” a captain and crew find an oasis on a Nevada-Arizona desert lake.

The newest U.S. ski resort, tucked in the San Juan Mountains, is short on amenities but will give experts a run for their money.

The newest U.S. ski resort, tucked in the San Juan Mountains, is short on amenities but will give experts a run for their money.

GETTING THERE: From LAX, connecting service (change of planes) is available to Durango on United and America West.

Deadwood, S.D., made newly famous by the HBO series, has hitched its wagon to history. Tourists are taking notice. And they’re wild for Wild Bill.

The central Kansas town of Lindsborg unabashedly champions its heritage, with meatball sandwiches, polkas, pickled herring and a summertime festival complete with maypole.

A planned camping trip in the national park turns into a Bar Harbor hotel stay with restaurant meals. But there’s plenty of hiking and biking.