When planning a trip,关键字2 some people think they need to choose between chilling and thrilling; between, say, the spa and the ski slope. It’s easy to convince ourselves that we have to pick one over the other. But there are plenty of places across the country where a bit of adventure will get you to one of the most relaxing places you’ve ever found, whether that’s the center of a quiet forest or a little-known garden just a stone’s throw from a city. Here, you’ll find that discovery and tranquility aren’t opposites; they’re simply two sides of the same coin.

If you’re looking for true, deep quiet, you might find yourself trekking three miles through cedar and spruce trees into Washington’s Olympic National Park. If you’re questing for a scenic hiding spot, you may decide to scramble through an architectural zone in Nevada, towards a cave filled with ancient tools and fishing gear used thousands of years ago. And if you’ve ever dreamed of communing with wild horses in the American West, you may just have to get yourself into a kayak and paddle your way to them. In these wondrous places, the journey makes the destination all the sweeter—and more serene.