Like the pioneers of old, we’ll start on the East Coast and head west in search of gold, in the form of beautiful places in the US. We at the Plum Guide have already done the ground work and mined for stunning homes right across the country. Traveling across the Great Plains, the Rockies and the deserts of California, we’ve gone to check out each and every home to make sure they’re suitable for your needs. We’ll take you from the affluent seaside mansions of the Hamptons in New York across thousands of miles, past snow-capped mountain retreats to sleep beneath the stars of the Joshua Tree National Park.
The Hamptons, New York
Starting at the very edge of the East Coast, we find ourselves rubbing shoulders with the elite in The Hamptons. Stay at one of our deluxe villas in the villages on Long Island where the likes of Beyoncé, Alex Baldwin and Robert De Niro have houses. Don’t get too excited: you probably won’t be house-sharing with them. Spend the afternoon at Cooper’s Beach, explore the works of art on display in the Parrish Art Museum and knock back a few glasses of red at the Wölffer Estate Vineyard. Other top sandy strands include the East Hampton Main Beach, the Ponquogue Beach and the Meschutt Beach.
The Parrish Art Museum, The Hamptons, USA | Photo by Jeff Heatley
Silver Maple, Plum Guide home in the Hamptons
Aspen, Colorado
We’ve moved further west to reach Aspen, where the snow is somehow softer and glitzier than anywhere else on earth. Maybe that has something to do with the ski tracks left by the rich and famous. The town has four mountain peaks and several ski hubs, including the illustrious Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort. We’ve got all manner of cosy log cabins spread across these slopes. Enjoy the sweeping views across the valleys from our homes and embark on nature trails in summer. The Maroon Bells park is particularly scenic, with the bases of mountains appearing to curve the entire landscape, like at the end of Interstellar. What do you mean, you haven’t seen Interstellar? Well, the earth curves near the end. That’s not a spoiler. Anyway, there’s also the Independence Pass, the John Denver Sanctuary and the Rio Grande Trail, if you’re looking to get in touch with nature in this Colorado highlight. Make sure to visit Breckenridge, Vail and Telluride, too; these Colorado mountain towns certainly deserve a mention on a list of beautiful places in the US.
Into the Distance, Plum Guide home in Aspen
Summit County, Utah
Even further west, if you can take the westernness of it all, is Utah. We’ve got a great range of homes fit to your liking in Summit County, which adorns the northern edge of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Explore the fascinating nature trails around Summit County to find the Parowan Gap Petroglyphs: works of art carved into the rock face from prehistory. Cue jokes from your kids about your age. Ride a horse through a meadow framed by tree-filled mountains, and wander around the edges of the picturesque Echo Reservoir, on the northern side of Coalville. In winter, go skiing or snowboarding on the Park City Mountain. Gaze up at the snow-capped summits of Murdoch Peak, Iron Mountain and Quarry Mountain. You’ll find a labyrinth of reds, blues and blacks on these varied slopes.
Treasure Mountain, Plum Guide home in Utah
Joshua Tree National Park, California
Coming to the end of our trip west, it’s not just a seminal U2 album, but a real place; a desert, in fact, packed with almost as many cacti as you’ll see stars in the clear, black sky at night. Joshua Tree is one of America's most unique natural landscapes, and definitely one of the most beautiful places in the US. Note how our marvellous Plum Guide homes harmonise with the arid terrain. We have a range of home designs here, from modern and glassy to rustic gems. Walk along the nature trails in the park and spot the twisted and otherworldly Joshua Trees for which the area is named. It stands between the Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert, and is packed with hiking paths that meander between the boulders of the Hidden Valley. Explore the Cholla Cactus Garden (maybe wear long sleeves for that one), marvel at the extraordinary Keys View and take up the Barker Dam Trail.
Joshua Tree National Park California USA
Black Desert House, Plum Guide home in Joshua Tree, California
