TRAVEL
ANNAMARLISBURGARD
W
HATVISUAL
doestheword
island
conjure?
Probablyadesertedspotwithcoconutpalms
inbalmywaters.Butwiththeir incredible
diversity,America’s islandsoermuchmore
thanthat.Somemightrestatsea levelwithsugar-sand
beachesorriseup intomountainridges frompebbled
shores;othersmightbe forestedbysprucetreesor
dottedwithmoss-drapedoaksorsagebrush.Andany
numberofwalksof life— frombankers, surfersand
monkstogrizzlybears,dolphinsandpelicans— liveon
andaroundthem.
Roughly39percentofAmericans live incoastalcoun-
ties,butthebreadthof insularhistories,geographies,
cuisinesandwildlifeofthese islandsremainsunfamiliar
tomost.Herearefiveofthetensofthousandsof islands
thatshowcasethespectacularcoastaland inlandvariety.
ISLESOF
DISTINCTION
Fromcoast tocoast,writer andphotographer
ANNAMARLISBURGARD
has spenther lifeexploringAmerica’svast collectionof islands.Hereareahandful
of themostdistinctivewater-framedwonders shehasdiscovered so far.
40
AUTUMN
AA.COM CELEBRATEDLIVING
