Big Cities, Little Side Trips

Are you a fool for the city? Do you crave concrete under your feet? Pace yourself because even the hardiest traveler gets burnt out by the hustle and bustle of touring big towns. Anyone who’s wrangled with Los Angeles traffic or has overdone it at a Las Vegas buffet will admit that vacationing in a big town can get overwhelming. Take a quick break from the crowds and bright lights. We’ve put together eight relaxing day trips away from some of the biggest cities in the United States. So, if your urban vacation to the city has gotten too hectic, take one of these escape routes and discover where the sidewalk ends. All destinations sit well within a two-hour driving distance, so you’ll return in plenty of time for a night on the town.

Miami, Florida

Florida’s most vibrant city entices visitors with gourmet seafood, long sandy beaches, and a cultural scene that pulses with Cuban rhythms. Visitors might be tempted to hang out on the sand or in an open-air restaurant in Miami Beach, but you’ll discover several treasures in the city’s heart. Stroll the Fendi Miami Design District Boutique to experience high-end shopping amid distinctive architecture and color. In Miami’s Art Deco Historic District, neon signs illuminate sleek buildings painted in pastel hues.

STAY: At Miami Everglades RV Resort, campers relax amid avocado, mango, and palm trees within striking distance of Miami and surrounding attractions.

Escape to …Key Largo

Distance from Miami: 68 miles. South on the Overseas Highway (US Route 1).

Trade in your city duds for a bathing suit on this laid-back island. Key Largo serves up a rich menu of watersports, and the top attraction is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, a 53,000-acre expanse of Atlantic Ocean waters that preserves fragile reefs while providing a haven for diving enthusiasts. A popular diving destination is Christ of the Abyss, an 8.5-foot statue of Jesus standing in nearly 25 feet of water with arms upraised and head gazing at the surface. Further inland, paddlers can navigate miles of channels.

Los Angeles, California

America’s second-largest city is a treasure trove for movie buffs and lovers of long ocean coasts. Check out Marilyn’s handprints in the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, meet R2-D2 at the Academy Museum, or stroll the Santa Monica Pier. Ascend to new heights at Griffith Observatory, with exhibits explaining the universe and stunning views of the L.A. basin below. Hikers can take the three-mile hike from here to the Hollywood sign for even more views. Keep in mind that heavy traffic frequently congests the freeways and boulevards that run through sprawling Los Angeles. Be patient and make parking reservations wherever possible.

STAY: On the outskirts of Los Angeles, Bonelli Bluffs RV Resort & Campground has a tranquil environment with big-city thrills just minutes away.

Escape to … Leo Carrillo State Park

Distance from Los Angeles: 45 miles. Take the Pacific Coast Highway west from Los Angeles. This campground fills up fast, especially in the summer, so make advance reservations.

Leave it to Los Angeles to name the area’s most beautiful state park after an actor. While L.A. native Carrillo racked up several movie credits in the ’30s, ’40s, and ’50s, his role as a tireless conservationist resulted in his most significant legacy: a protected 1.8-mile strip of beach along with a swath of land extending deep into the Santa Monica Mountains.

Visitors here can spend a day exploring the tide pools and sea caves along the shore. During summer, clean waves regularly roll onto the sand, making it a top destination for surfers. Hikers will love the Nicholas Flat Trail to Leo Carrillo Beach Trail, which runs inland deep into the Santa Monica Mountains for stunning ocean views. This is the perfect place for a picnic away from busy L.A. Mix things up by noshing at a fine restaurant or keeping an eye out for celebrities in nearby Malibu.

Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix ranks as the fifth-largest city in the United States, and this town celebrates desert living at every turn. When visitors aren’t wetting their whistles at microbreweries and perusing artworks in Roosevelt Row, they can stroll the trails that snake through 140 acres of stunning native plants and artworks in the Desert Botanical Garden. Architecture buffs journey to nearby Scottsdale to tour Taliesin West, the innovative desert residence of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

STAY: Desert Shadows RV Resort in North Phoenix puts visitors close to some of the city’s top sporting events, golf courses, and shopping districts.

Escape to … Camp Verde

Distance from Phoenix: 92 miles. North on Interstate 17

Sitting on the banks of the Verde River, this town enjoys cooler temperatures and more plant life than the big town to the south. Cyclists and hikers will find an abundance of trails that run through the rugged countryside, and lovers of history will relish the area’s deep Native American roots. Pay a visit to Montezuma Castle National Monument, a cliff dwelling built by the Sinagua people around AD 1100, occupying 4,000 square feet and spread over five stories.

Elsewhere in town, go wine tasting at one of the local vineyards or tour the Out of Africa Wildlife Park, with animals that include zebras, rhinos, and tigers. The Verde River runs through the town for 18 miles, and its deep pools and riffles make it ideal for beginner paddlers. Fans of waterfalls will find a stunning cascade on the Waterfall Trail in the Coconino National Forest.

New York City, New York

The Big Apple lives up to the hype. The biggest city in the United States is unrivaled in terms of cultural cachet and financial clout. Visitors feel the high-powered Gotham vibe everywhere they go, whether they’re strolling Central Park or riding an elevator to the top of the Freedom Tower for unparalleled views from the One World Observatory. Take your pick of bucket-list experiences, from eating a street hot dog to taking in a Broadway revival.

STAY: On the banks of New York Harbor in New Jersey, Liberty Harbor Marina & RV Park treats guests to stunning views of NYC’s skyline. Take the ferry into town.

Escape to … Bear Mountain State Park

Distance from NYC: 57 miles. North on the Palisades Interstate Parkway to the Saw Mill River Parkway

North of Manhattan, this 5,205-acre stretch of rugged mountains rises dramatically from the west bank of the Hudson River. Follow trails to heights that exceed the tallest skyscrapers but with a lot fewer people (and uncluttered views). During the fall, the trees explode in crimson, orange, and yellow hues, making this a top Eastern Seaboard leaf-peeping spot.

Take the 3.9-mile out-and-back hike to Perkins Tower, which stands atop the namesake peak at 1,305 feet with amazing views of the river and valley below. Closer to the park headquarters, visitors enjoy shaded picnic groves, lake and river fishing access, a swimming pool, the Trailside Museums and Zoo, hiking, biking, and cross-country ski trails.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Every year, the world’s gambling capital seems to get brighter and glitzier. And while high rollers push for higher and higher stakes in over-the-top casinos, the spectacles on the street get more compelling. Check out Transfix, a new art installation that blends video, lasers, digital video, and sound into an all-encompassing experience on Las Vegas Boulevard across from the Wynn and Encore hotels. The centerpiece is artist Marco Cochrane’s R-Evolution, a 45-foot-tall sculpture of a woman that moves and pulses with light.

STAY: A short drive from the Vegas strip, Duck Creek RV Park has everything you need for a fun stay in Sin City.

Escape to … Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Distance from Las Vegas: 32 miles. West on Interstate 515 to Interstate 11 to US Route 93

Nature puts on an equally dazzling display in the form of this 248-square-mile lake created by the Hoover Dam in 1935. With 750 miles of shoreline, boaters won’t run out of vistas of rugged rock landscapes on the banks. Discover a remote cove and forget about the bright lights down the freeway. Show off your highspeed skills on a jet ski or drop a line for big catches: Anglers have recorded striped-bass hauls that exceed 40 pounds, and you might also snag rainbow trout, catfish, and sunfish.

For an overview of the lake, travelers should visit the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Visitor Center at the corner of Great Basin Highway and Lakeshore Drive. Nearby, visitors can follow the Lake Mead bike trail or pick up the trailhead for the Historic Railroad and River Mountains Loop trails.

Houston, Texas

America’s fourth-largest city manages to be cosmopolitan and earthy at the same time. H-Town is the home to the huge Johnson Space Center, renowned chefs, and major corporations housed in gleaming skyscrapers; it also hosts the famous Livestock Show and Rodeo, along with some of the quirkiest honkytonks you’ll find in the South. In the center of town, Buffalo Bayou Park attracts bikers, dog walkers, and paddlers. Choose your own adventure in a city that never fails to surprise you.

STAY: Traders Village RV Park is located adjacent to the Traders Village Weekend Flea Market, which also hosts festivals and events.

Escape to … Galveston Island

Distance from Houston: 51 miles. South on Interstate 45.

Most people know Galveston due to its miles of shoreline and famous Pleasure Pier. But Galveston also boasts historical and scientific attractions. Moody Gardens encompasses a living rainforest and a 1.5-million-gallon aquarium. Tour the town’s Victorian houses; some are rumored to be haunted.

Galveston can get crowded, but you won’t have difficulty finding stretches of sand on its 32 miles of gulf shore.

100-Milers

Oglesby, Illinois

Located about 100 miles from Chicago, Illinois, this homey small town is the perfect tonic for the bustling Windy City. Visitors relax and enjoy comfort food at the Rootbeer Stand, serving plump hot dogs and tasty floats. The biggest local attraction in this area is Starved Rock State Park, with 13 miles of trails that lead hikers through surreal rock ravines and canyons.

The most popular feature is St. Louis Falls, a tall curtain of water that plunges down a rugged cliff face. Nearby caves make this a geological wonderland. Check out the overlooks of the beautiful Illinois River. Equally awe-inspiring is Matthiessen State Park, with stunning stone cliffs and walkways that guide visitors to impressive views.

Columbus, Georgia

This town on the banks of the Chattahoochee River moves at a slower pace than “Hotlanta” some 107 miles to the north, but it still bursts with Southern culture. Travel to the past at the National Civil War Naval Museum, which preserves vessels that fought in the War Between the States. Throughout town, breweries serve up rich flavors.

For even more foam, paddlers can launch their kayaks or rafts in the frothy segment of the Chattahoochee River that runs through the heart of Columbus. Sign up with a kayaking or rafting outfitter and feel the turbulent H20 zip you downstream. Not ready for the big stuff? You can also take sedate floats on other parts of the river.