(This is the start of a three-part series exploring the Utah Heritage Highway  (U.S. 89), which stretches through farmlands, quaint towns and historic sites from Fairview to Kanab. We begin at the northern end of the route in Fairview.)

Getting out of the fast lane and into the real American West is what Utah Heritage Highway 89 is all about. When you exit the Interstate, you can feel your pulse slow down and your hands lighten up on the wheel. A two-lane trip into history is straight ahead.  Along the way you’ll encounter everything from pastoral farms to white-capped mountain peaks and red rock canyons. You’ll meander through towns with names like Fountain Green and Mt. Pleasant.  And you’ll discover a pioneer culture that lives on in this region of Central Utah designated as the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area.

Although America’s national parks are prime destinations for RVers, very few national park campgrounds offer hookups. This often causes RVers to choose campsites at private campgrounds outside the park, which means driving in and out each day. This can be aggravating, especially if the park is large. It also wastes time that could have been spent inside the park.

If you’re thinking about a trip to Alaska’s Inside Passage, then you know a cruise is the most popular way to go. Yet, a cruise a few years earlier left us yearning for more. This time, we wanted more than eight hours in each port—we wanted days in each place. In planning our trip, we decided to begin in Ketchikan. We made reservations with the Alaska Marine Highway System to take the ferry to the towns of Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau and Haines. We also arranged to fly from Juneau to Gustavus and back because Gustavus is not accessible by ferry. All of the towns we visited offered campgrounds for RVs and tent campers.

(Travel Oregon, the state’s official travel guide, divides Oregon into seven tourist areas. To celebrate the Oregon Sesquicentennial, we begin a two-part series showcasing places to visit in each area. Part 1 covers the Portland Metro, Columbia River/Mount Hood, Willamette Valley and Coast regions. Next month, we’ll explore the Central, Eastern and Southern regions.)