Wildsam

Edited by Jennifer Justus Ukiyo in Savannah, Georgia | Marley Davis Wildsam Road Trip Awards 2026 The cities and towns hungry travelers should visit this year. Here at Wildsam, we’re not physicists, but we know something about energy—how, as it concentrates, it can change the elements of a place and make all parts greater as a whole.

Out front of Cafe Nhan, a Vietnamese joint in South Philadelphia tucked between a Latin grocery and a bar ingeniously called Hennessy Ice Cold Beer, an animated man on the street is yelling and gesticulating at the driver of a charcoal Escalade. I’m angle-parked beside the truck, and my windows are up, so while I can only hear fragments of their exchange, a punctuating curse that rhymes with “other ducker” manages to penetrate the glass.

Ukiyo in Savannah, Georgia | Marley Davis The cities and towns hungry travelers should visit this year. Here at Wildsam, we’re not physicists, but we know something about energy—how as it concentrates, it can change the elements of a place and make all parts greater as a whole. As we considered our Road Trip Awards this year, “energy” led us to think more in terms of food towns, rather than individual restaurants (though we do name names, too).

Wildsam Road Trip Awards 2026 Count the stars at this night sky-friendly state park. Tucked in a northerly crook of West Virginia, just south of the Pennsylvania state line, Coopers Rock State Forest is one of the country’s most underrated naturalist destinations. The park spans nearly 13,000 acres of impressive sandstone cliffs, sweeping Cheat River Canyon views and dense hardwood forests.

Wildsam Road Trip Awards 2026 A new breed of lodging runs a little bit wild. In recent times, American lodging has embraced road-trip travelers in ways both new and reminiscent of the old. (Wildsam covered the comeback of classic motor lodges last year.) And this year, we noticed one trend in particular: New spots, tuned to nature, designed to put guests in closer touch with their surroundings.

This is the part of the Northwest where the high-desert landscapes are bathed in the glow of golden hour, and daylight lingers, leaving room for just one more adventure. One more trek into the outdoors. One more sip of wine on an open-air patio. One more moment of serenity. Central Oregon is your invitation to embrace every discovery and settle into the rhythm of the season. VISITCENTRALOREGON.COM In New Mexico, every journey is shaped by culture and adventure.

2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid Premium Plus with options shown Seeking Texas treasure, deep in the Panhandle. The badlands of Palo Duro Canyon are among Texas’s most famed sights, a spectrum of colors and light that inspire local artists and travelers alike. The Canyon is known for its geological wonder-sights, its hoodoos and cave systems. For explorers, this Texas treasure offers a chance to contemplate the deep time told of in the rock—and bask in the momentary pleasures of water and light.

Cities & Towns On a Road Trip to Tupelo, Mississippi PRESENTED BY TUPELO CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU This charming town is positively the place for your next great Southern road trip. Tupelo, Mississippi, offers exciting attractions, culinary artistry, and an upbeat live music scene that one would expect from the birthplace of the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll.

A mellow wander on the Central Coast reveals a special swath of California. Each spring, leopard sharks ride the high tide to the furthest reaches of Morro Bay, and there in the calm shallows, they mate. Every 28 hours, the tides replenish the bay’s water, carrying nutrients with them. Along the shoreline, snowy egrets perched on bright yellow feet patiently hunt for small crabs, insects, and fish that feed on the microplanktons that drift in from the open ocean.

From clean water to unforgettable outdoor experiences, National Forests and Grasslands are dynamic wild spaces. These groves and grasses produce oxygen we rely on, and provide drinking water to one-third of American households.