OffBeat Pathfinder Basecamp

First time in Boonville, pulled up right as a paddleboat was floating past on the Missouri River—felt like a Mark Twain hallucination except everyone had cell phones and Crocs. Main Street smells like old books and fresh biscuits. Drank Norton wine at the old train depot (which is now a bar, go ...

Blue Ridge Parkway over to Highlands in peak leaf season is PURE CHAOS. Got stuck behind a parade of RVs and a guy pulling a kayak with a Miata.


Stopped at a roadside fruit stand, ended up buying boiled peanuts and a t-shirt with a possum on it.


Best hidden waterfall: Secret Falls (but ...

There’s a reason Woodstock ends up on every “cutest small town” list, and it’s not just the maple syrup. I spent a long weekend here last October, and it’s as picture-perfect as the postcards claim—think covered bridges, steepled churches, and a downtown so charming you’ll forget you came for the ...