You have three blue-sky days...

OK, that's Day 1; what about the next two days?

 

See kids, this is what happens when you listen to too much speed metal. ;D

 

Fly into PDX and winery-hop my way to the south, including - but hardly limited to - a glass of the freshest Evolution I can get in Dundee. Perhaps if it's a nice Saturday in the fall, I'd stop in McMinnville and catch a game at perennial D-III powerhouse Linfield.

Hopefully I'm not too drunk to make it to the coast that night, staying over in Lincoln City.

I wake up the next day and dip my toes in the Pacific Ocean. I make the drive south to Newport, where I take up residence at the Elizabeth Street Inn, overlooking the ocean and not far from some fine - if small - eateries. But I save my appetite for the Rogue brewery, just on the south side of Yaquina Bay.

Hopefully I'm not too drunk to get up early the next morning and continue driving south to Bandon, where I do my damndest to squeeze in 36 holes of golf.

Alas, Pacific Dunes must wait another day...

 

Wait, not three blue-grey sky days? I had my horsemen ready.

Anyway, haven't been around here enough to do everything, and there's way too much to do in the 49th state than you can do in three days....

Day 1- take a boat out and cruise the south coast. Go snorkeling and/or scuba diving (in summer, and with a warm wet suit). Hope you get to see a few whales.
Day 2- Head to the south east, where there are plenty of glaciers and hike until your heart's content.
Day 3- Head to Denali. Pray for a cloudless day so you can see the great mountain and remember your bear spray. You're better of hiking on your own than taking the crazy-ass 6 or 8 hour bus ride. If you can, do some rafting while you're there. Whitewater if you're up to it, easy rapids if you're not.
Or
Make Denali your Day 2, then head up above the Arctic Circle on Day 3. Go at the solstice so you get plenty of sunlight. Bring the bug spray!

If nature's your bag, there's plenty to go around in the Last Frontier.

 

I walk, bike and boat around Mackinac Island.
I drive into the Flatirons overlooking Boulder
I tour the Jack Daniels distillery, then knock around Lynchburg, then drive to Tullahoma or to Fayetteville, or any one of a 100 small towns that dot middle Tennessee and just watch.

 

I'd stay right where I am and have some old friends over so we could talk and drink til dawn.

 

Hawaii is a bit of a jaunt ... OK, a lot of a jaunt, but if you can make it out here, the Big Island has just about every bit of nature you could want (unless you want tundra or permafrost, in which case, take amraeder's trip). You needn't bother with Oahu or Maui as they've long since had all the Hawaii developed out of them.

Day 1: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. http://www.nps.gov/havo The park is really worth three days in itself, but spending at least one day should give you an idea of just how Hawaii got here. Walk through the lava tubes, see ancient petroglyphs, hike the Crater Rim trail if you're feeling bold and spend the night at Volcano House, Hawaii's oldest continually-operated hotel.

Alternatively, if you'd rather not spend the whole day hiking around, take one of the shorter routes and head back up to Hilo. You can take a relaxing stroll through Lili'uokalani Gardens or the Hawai Tropical Botanical Gardens, make a side trip through the Rainforest Zoo (it's free, even!) and take care of any omiyage concerns at Big Island Candies. http://www.bigislandcandies.com/ You can see spectacular waterfalls at Akaka or Pe'epe'e (the okinas are there for a reason) Falls.

Day 2: Head south on the Belt Road to Ka'u District, where you'll find Punaluu's black sand beaches and plenty of sea turtles (look, but don't touch!). You can even find green sand beaches if you're willing to do a little hiking. If you visit during the winter or spring, hang a left in Waiohinu and take South Point Road to the southernmost point in the U.S. There's a good chance you'll see humpback whales, although your rental car company may not be too happy with you after the trip. Make sure you stop at the Punaluu Bake Shop in Naalehu to load up on mango, guava and taro sweetbread and other goodies. http://www.bakeshophawaii.com/

If sea level isn't your bag, the Mauna Kea Observatory is a fantastic place to spend a sunset. You really need to sign up with a commercial tour for this one — Saddle Road is not for the faint of heart. http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/mko/visiting.htm It might wound your traveler's pride, but the view at sunset is worth it.

Day 3: Go around the north tip of the island to the Waipio Valley. There's great hiking and more gorgeous vistas and waterfalls, provided you don't mind navigating a 25 percent grade here and there. If you're the cowboy type, or even if you just want proof cowboys exist in Hawaii, stop by Parker Ranch in Kamuela. http://www.parkerranch.com/ The luncheon at the Hawaiian Vanilla Company is a good way to spend lunch. http://www.hawaiianvanilla.com/

If you absolutely, positively have to have the Hawaiian Tourist Experience™, pass on the north end of the island and visit the west side. Most of the touristy spots are located in and around Kailua-Kona (Kona for short). Keauhou or Kealakehe Bay are the best spots for scuba and snorkel enthusiasts. If you need a bit of purification (or just want a taste of Old Tyme Hawaiian culture), visit the City of Refuge, b.k.a. Pu'uhonua O Honaunau.

Arrange these stops in any order you like. You can drive around the entire island in about four hours.

 

They two keys to this, to me, are A) Unlimited funds, B) Blue sky days. So I'm doing something outdoors, and something I need a whole lot of cash for. So, first of all, I'm going skiing at The Yellowstone Club, a private, members-only ski area that I can probably leverage access to using the Esquire name. On day two, I go to YellowStone. On day three, I ski Big Sky and Moonlight Basin.

That's three perfect days in my book.

 

Hell, I'd like to spend three days tagging along with Tim Blixseth (I think that's his name), the founder that club and some other private resorts in the Bahamas.

 

Almost anything as long as the Great Lakes are involved.

 

Swimming in Lake Michigan in downtown Chicago?

Roasting marshmallows on Lake Erie?

Taking a trip in a large vessel on Lake Superior?