Let’s Drive Away!

Last week we talked about vacation travel, with exciting ideas about up-and-coming travel destinations like Madagascar or the Pisco Provence. This week, in honor of Memorial Day, here’s a couple driving distance ideas for some of us across the country.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway | California

Obviously here in Los Angeles, Palm Springs is one of our go-to driving vacations. One big reason to go in the next week or two is that temps are still reasonable. Hot, but 90s— not the sweltering 100s that Palm Springs sees later in the summer. Golf, poolside, amazing post-modern hotels, me and my family have experienced these many times. But there’s also the Palm Springs Air Museum, Joshua Tree National Park, and incredible hiking and biking throughout the Palm Desert.

Columbia Gorge | Oregon

A couple lesser-known staycation-type of destinations from Los Angeles are Los Alamos, a destination labeled “California’s Next Great Food & Wine Destination” by Conde Naste. Los Alamos is where some celebs like Kurt Russell have opened restaurants, wineries, or bars like the Wine Saloon. And Idyllwild, an idyllic mountain and hiking destination, playfully called Mile-high Idyllwild. If long hikes and forest vistas are your thing, that’s a great place just over 100 miles from LA.

For those of you across the country, there’s a ton of hidden jems. Everyone on the east coast thinks immediately of the Hamptons, but Cape Cod is a stunning beach-side option. From pretty much anywhere in Texas, Austin comes to mind. The yearly festivals are very popular obviously, but because of those they have world-class restaurants and accommodations all year round. And then, if you are in or around Illinois, a place that doesn’t get a ton of press is Elkhorn, Wisconsin. It’s a lake, but it’s great one, and if you like boating, canoeing, fishing, or just soaking up the sun on private beaches, Elkhorn is a great drivable option.

Camp Wandawega | Wisconsin

I hope this post inspires you all to take a few days to find a driving destination near you. And, yes, Memorial Day is next week, but these are great options throughout the summer.

Here’s a few more options from Trips to Discover