The only thing better than summer is summer vacation. Once the last chill of winter has lifted and spring starts flirting with longer, brighter days, that weather-based wanderlust begins to set in. So where to this year? Though a far-flung journey is always a thrill, this season invites us to explore the more local wonders of these United States. Perhaps it’s childhood nostalgia for packing up the family car (preferably a woodie) and hitting the open road. In these pages, not only do we remind you of three outstanding destinations—Telluride, Nashville and Laguna Beach—but we also help make packing a cinch, with exquisite pieces manufactured mostly stateside. For thinking about what to bring is certainly as much fun as thinking about where to go.

James T. Murray