Alaska: Glacier Express

Here's a short-form alternative to the big-deal Alaska cruise. Head to Anchorage and spend the afternoon hiking Flat Top Mountain—great Chugach Mountains and skyline views."For conversation and local brews, try Darwin's Theory," says photographer Brian Adams, whose favorite shoot-the-sunset spot is Elderberry Park: "The sun goes down behind Sleeping Lady Mountain." Next morning, hop a shuttle bus to Whittier and cozy in for three nights aboard the 78-passenger Spirit of Columbia, small enough to ply narrow passages. Destination: Prince William Sound, North America's top spot for tidewater glaciers. Orcas, sea lions, and bald eagles vie for your attention as calving glaciers groan and tumble into turquoise waters.

•Logistics: Anchorage International Airport is four miles from town. Cruise West's three-night trips from $1,149, www.cruisewest.com. Lodging: Get a mountain-view room at Anchorage's Copper Whale Inn, from $85; www.copperwhale.com. Dining: Simon & Seafort's Saloon & Grill serves substantial fare, from Kobe meatloaf to lobster mac and cheese; www.simonandseaforts.com. Best link: www.alaska.net.

Oregon: Bend and the River

Tucked in a valley amid the Seven Sisters mountains, Bend is a former logging town. Many of its older buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places, but don't let the past-tense stuff fool you. This town is booming. Start the morning with a stroll through Drake Park, which weaves along the Deschutes River. Better yet, grab a tube from Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe and ride the water (a city shuttle will carry you back to your car). "The Farewell Bend trail, up in the mountains, has to be the most scenic bike route we have," says Eric Smith, owner of Bend Cyclery and 24-year resident. Breweries abound, so you can tipple seasonal microbrews, then shop the boutiques that line the city's hub: Bond Street.

•Logistics: Bend is 175 miles southeast of Portland; check flights to Redmond Municipal Airport. Lodging: McMenamins Old Saint Francis School boasts a movie hall and brewery, from $114; www.mcmenamins.com. Dining: The fare at Volo is locally sourced. Best link: www.visitbend.com.

California: Wine Country, Quietly

Sleepier than Napa—and even Sonoma—Glen Ellen still looks and feels much as it did when novelist Jack London and, later, food writer M.F.K. Fisher called it home. "Glen Ellen is a little stuck in time, in a very charming way," says Jonelle Birney Sullivan, who, with husband Rick, farms ten acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir here. Take a picnic (provision at the Village Market) to Jack London State Park: hike, see the ruins of London's Wolf House, visit the museum in the House of Happy Walls. As for the local vino, try some Zinfandel from Wellington, a deeply rich product of century-old vines. Time in a bottle.

•Logistics: Glen Ellen is less than an hour's drive north of San Francisco. Lodging: At Gaige House, Asian influences include granite soaking tubs, from $200; www.gaige.com. Dining: The Girl & the Fig, with a menu that changes daily, prepares pot roast and thin-crust pizza with equal flair; www.thegirlandthefig.com. Best link: www.sonoma-glenellenmkt.com.

Wyoming: Good and Wild

In Jackson Hole, mountains set the mood. "People talk about being 'haunted by the Tetons.' Indeed, once you have set foot here, you'll want to come back," says Jennifer Lee, coordinator of the Western Visions arts event for the National Museum of Wildlife. The museum ensures sightings of elk, moose, and more: The paintings and sculpture are worth the trip in and of themselves. But there are Tetons to trek (Signal Mountain Trail gets you to sweet heights without slews of hikers for company) and shops to browse (Beaver Creek Hat and Leather Company will get you right into Western gear). Visit in September for the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival.

•Logistics: Jackson Hole Airport is ten miles north of town. Lodging: The 1941 Wort Hotel is pure frontier Western, from the lodgepole-pine beds to the Silver Dollar Bar, from $159; www.worthotel.com. Dining: Keep it local with wild game chili and organic ale at Snake River Brewing, www.snakeriverbrewing.com. Best link: www.jacksonhole.com.