It’s no secret to the road-tripping community that simplicity doesn’t mean boredom; it’s actually something to aspire to. And these days, with the world as it is, we could all use a little more quiet and minimalism in our lives.

Ahead of you in this mag are a bunch of great stories that emphasize the beauty of a simple and intentional life, and show us how to find it on the road.

Celeste Orr shares with us her experiences of escaping the nine-to-five grind by seeking out work on the road; Zoë Randolph realizes that traveling by air means you miss the small towns and small moments that you find when you drive cross-country; and Thomas Brentwood looks at compact travel trailers, which require you to simplify purely due to their design.

Melinda Wright shares the secrets of the perfect camp kitchen (hint: keep it simple); Miranda Moure visits an artists’ residency off the coast of the PNW that proves less is more; and we take a look at how the most simple safety measures can deliver a much more enjoyable adventure.

Also in this issue, take a road trip with a single mother, three kids and a cat; learn why putting roots down is not the only way to achieve fulfillment; and discover the beauty of chance encounters with strangers on your travels.

Prepare to get noctural with Mike Mercer’s stunning photo essay, “Good Places to Die,” which illuminates America’s starlit skies.

Exploring destinations near and far, we take a steep hike up a railway track in Hawaii, hit a college rodeo in Montana, take a nude dip in clothing-optional baths in Arizona, and find out why Taiwan is a great country for road-tripping.