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Weekend Getaways vs. Extended Vacations
Don’t have the money to spend on an extended vacation? Well, that is ok because sometimes the more you plan, the worse off you are. Have you ever noticed this?
You plan, and plan and something always seems to go wrong. And then there are the times where you are spontaneous and everything just naturally falls into place.
This is true even with vacations! Sometimes a weekend getaway can be just the right amount of time to relax or go on an adventure. Plus you can save a lot of money by going on a weekend getaway versus a week-long vacation. You save money, you have fun, and you still have time to recover afterward at home.
Planning an extended vacation is just that – a lot of planning. After all that planning and the wonderful vacation, you often times need a staycation just to recover from your vacation. Or is that just me? Not to mention the stress that will come if you spent too much money on your long vacation.
A weekend getaway takes a lot less planning and a lot less packing. You could probably get away with throwing a couple of things in a bag and just going with the flow on a weekend vacation. Plus the natural tendency on a weekend vacation is to enjoy and savor every moment because you know it is a short-lived vacation weekend getaway.
Check out 5 awesome weekend getaway destinations below.
Five Awesome Weekend Getaways
You can find anything and everything from excitement to peace and quiet and any range in between when you travel throughout the USA for a weekend escape. Check out five places you can escape to for your next weekend getaway. I have been to all except Miami Beach (someday).
White Mountains, New Hampshire
I have been to the white mountains a few times, and it is a perfect place for a weekend getaway. I drive there since its about 4 hours from where I live. I have stayed in North Conway, NH in a condo and also in a rented house, I found online with other friends.
It’s a super relaxing vacation, and there are many things to do. You can go hiking on the trails or in the mountains, drive up the mountain or just hang out over a campfire. They have many attractions! I recommend doing the zip line it was so much fun!
You can find deals here, or Groupon often has deals as well. If you are not a member of Groupon, it is free to join, and they have great travel deals. You can sign up free here via my referral link.
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a beautiful vacation spot. I went there over 10 years ago and had a great time. It’s super affordable and the falls are astonishing. You can find deals here.
Miami Beach, Florida
If your scene is combining excitement with beautiful beaches, then Miami Beach in Florida is the place to go for you. There you can enjoy the many activities of nightlife and still hit up the sand for some rest and relaxation.
The beautiful thing about Miami Beach is that the beaches are sugar white and soft, making you feel like you are actually in another country than the USA. Upscale spas, renowned shopping, swimming, surfing, kayaking, nightclubs, and entertainment are all part of what makes Miami exciting and relaxing at the same time.
Washington, DC
Washington, DC is a must-see destination for your weekend getaway in the USA. There is so much history steeped there, it may not be possible to see it all in just one weekend – but it is a great place to start.
There you can visit famous historical sites such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol, the White House, Ford’s Theatre, and the National Air and Space Museum, just to name a mere few of the attractions that await you. The Smithsonian Institute, the Washington Monument, the National Gallery of Art, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts do not even come close to an end of what there is to see and do over a weekend in Washington, DC.
I went to DC for an overnight trip and definitely needed a couple more days but it was a blast.
Las Vegas, Nevada
If you are in the mood for the most excitement that you can handle than a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada is the place for you. The excitement and adventure never end here. There is an exciting array of activities for you in Las Vegas. How about the Venetian Grand Casino and canal?
Besides being a casino, having the ultimate in nightlife and entertainment, the Venetian offers a taste of Italy right in Las Vegas. They offer gondola rides, high fashion, and shop-until-you-drop opportunities and a luxurious spa. Staying at the Venetian for a weekend is more than enough to satisfy all of your needs. You can visit a museum, eat in a trendy restaurant, or enjoy the nightclub scene.
Warning, Try not to spend too much time at the slots or tables or you may end up breaking the budget. A slot machine here or there or a quick table game for fun is fine as long as your not spending all your money. Remember its supposed to be fun not stressful.
These are just a few of the top weekend getaway destinations, but there are much more. Share your weekend getaway destinations and ideas in the comments below!
I think this is an interesting take. I rarely have the time/money to go on an extended vacation, so we’re more or less weekend travellers. The one thing that sticks out for me though is the packing/unpacking during the week. Because its the weekend, we end up scrambling Friday night/Sat morning to finish packing and then when we get home late Sunday night everything lands in the middle of the living room floor. Where it stays because we’re back to work and weeknights are crazy busy. So I think there is a stress factor there I wish I could limit. =D
When I go away on vacation for 5- 10 days, I always feel like I need to recoup lol So a quick weekend getaway is always nice, peaceful and refreshing 🙂
Love this idea! We’re actually going to be doing this this summer instead of a longer vacation. Actually DC is on our list! 🙂 NYC is a favorite weekend getaway for me.
I love this post and I was actually just thinking about this the other day. For my family of three to go on a 7 day cruise, the super sale price was around $1,500. Which is pretty great for 6 days with all food included. However, my husband and I stayed in a B&B alone overnight for just 24 hours alone and it cost less than $400 (and could have been much cheaper if we tried). The amount of relaxation we got for $400 vs what we would have gotten for $1,500 was comparable. So I’ve been thinking that we could do almost 4 mini trips… which sounds like a better deal! Sending love from SITS Comment Love!
That’s awesome! I have never stayed at a B&B but I really would love too.
Sometimes just a weekend away is all you need to recharge. We live in Houston so we have plenty of places that are within a good driving distance from us to get away to. Coming over from the SITS group – happy to have found your site.
I love weekend getaways vs full vacations. Mr. C and I have a problem being in a location for a week, we get so bored very quickly. But one time we went to DC and it was amazing! I loved it (morning sickness and all) and I would totally go there again! Dropping in from SITS Comment Love tribe 🙂
Some of my favorite vacation memories are the times we just went somewhere for a weekend! It’s definitely less stressful than planning a huge trip.
Our last “vacation” was just an extended weekend. We went to Disneyland so it was the perfect amount of time, but if we were going to the beach or something I’d want to go longer. Ah a week on the beach with no obligations. Bliss.
Great post! I do enjoy short vacations to new places (as long as travel doesn’t eat up all the fun time) so that there can be more little trips rather than one big trip in a year.
#SITSBlogging
Great advice! Long vacations can be nice, but I think more frequent short vacations can be more rejuvenating 🙂
We love Hilton Head. It’s a short trip for us and we do mostly short getaways. I used to travel tons for work so we’d just add on days at the end. I need to do Vegas because I’ve never been. You did make me think about what we’re going to do this year for vacations.
Great recommendations! I live in South Florida and sometimes we go down to the Keys for a long weekend, which is about 3 nights, 4 days. Good times! We are actually heading to North Carolina for a vacation next week. 4 nights, 5 days. This will be the longest vacation in a long time!
Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Stopping back by from SITS. Have a great week!
Have a great time! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I have to say I am way more at ease on a quick weekend away. I’m less stressed financially because I know a quick weekend away is cheaper than an extended vacation, and it is just easier to get a way! Thanks for sharing! #SITSblogging
Yes I feel the same way!
Usually our weekend getaway is Orlando and Disney. It probably helps that its only a few hours drive from here. I love weekend getaways though, so much easier and more fun to plan.
Coming by from SITS Comment Love tribe!
Every now and theny husband and I try to get away for a long weekend together. It’s always a great little escape. Thanks for linking up to #homemattersparty