Sometimes you just need to get out of town. While longer vacations are certainly the best way to fully explore an area, it’s possible to explore someplace new without burning through all your PTO. Whether it’s a girls trip, solo exploration, or a weekend away with your honey, a long weekend can be the perfect excuse to explore someplace new. From action-packed to soothing relaxing, check out these twelve weekend getaways, and start planning your next escape!
Charleston, SC
Whether you’re a history buff, an outdoor enthusiast, or a discerning foodie, Charleston maintains an appeal for a wide breadth of visitors. A town big enough to have an enviable dining and drinking scene, but so quaint in its roots, it still maintains its idyllic beach charm. A perfect weekend destination to enjoy outdoor relaxation.
San Antonio, TX
Everything is bigger in Texas! If you’ve never been to the rodeo, this is your chance… from bull-riding to mutton-bustin’, the rodeo is a wild time. If you’re looking for a more relaxing experience, the Riverwalk makes for a gorgeous meandering exploration– with endless options enticing restaurants and bars to stop in. If you visit during the holiday season, the Riverwalk is decorated with twinkle lights, making it rather dreamy as the sun goes down. Can’t forget, San Antonio is also home of The Alamo!
Minneapolis, MN
The best time to visit Minneapolis? The fall! Within an hour’s drive from the city, you can find a myriad of scenic drives to take in the gorgeous fall foliage as it transitions to a bold array of oranges, yellows, and reds. If you enjoy hiking, the options are plentiful here with beautiful bluffs overlooking the driftless region. Apple orchards also make for charming adventures. Nothing’s delicious like a freshly picked apple!
New Orleans
New Orleans is unique with its unexpected combination of bohemian charm and old-world architecture. As the crown jewel of New Orleans, the French quarter beckons with intrigue for visitors of all ages. Whether you’re keen on enjoying beignets or Bourbon Street, you won’t leave disappointed. For football fans, a fall visit means you may be able to catch a Saints game at the Superdome!
San Francisco, CA
Home of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco has no shortage of explorations to fill a weekend. The ever-touristy but alluring Fisherman’s Wharf has something for everyone with amusement park-style rides, a chocolate lover’s paradise, and sunning sea lions. As you continue to wander, you may happen upon Chinatown and Little Italy… they’ll have you convinced you’re not in California any more.
Savannah, GA
Savannah is a delightful intersection of old-fashioned southern charm and modern, chic-yet- grassroots style. Rich in culture, this area is teeming with moving artwork and influential architecture. The cobblestone lined River Street and it’s array of vendors are iconic, but the delicious food and craft breweries continue to impress even as you wander away from the main drag. A long weekend is the perfect amount of time to take in this historic city.
Las Vegas, NV
While Las Vegas is known for its nightlife and gambling, there is so much more to do here than just drink the weekend away poolside (nothing wrong with that, if that’s the vibe you’re after though!). Hot air balloon tours over the desert are an almost surreal experience. Another nearby adventure, Zion National Park is just under three hours away, but this breathtaking show of nature is worth the drive. An escape to this pocket of the southwest will be far from boring, no matter what you are looking to do.
Nashville, TN
If live music feeds your soul, the pandemic must have been a rough drought. With live music at nearly every bar in Nashville, your heart will be happy once more. While Nashville is known for its music and bar scene, being located in ‘the south’ guarantees a wide array of options for good eats as well. If you’re looking to mix things up with a weekend of rock and roll, Nashville is just the spot.
Park City, UT
If you’re looking for a winter weekend adventure to make the most of winter sports, pack your warm layers and head to Park City, Utah. While you might expect downhill skiing and snowboarding, you can also give dog sledding, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing a try as well.
Ashville, NC
If Nashville doesn’t exactly sound like your idea for a relaxing weekend getaway, Asheville might be just what you’re looking for. A little more peace an quiet to take in nature’s scenery, with loads of hikes to explore. Some will even lead you to waterfalls… or perhaps a 60-foot natural waterslide. Looking to do some house hunting? Touring the Biltmore Estate will have you re-imaging your dream house. After a full day of exploration, the brewery and live music scene in Asheville will keep you feeling groovy all night. Asheville has some unique Airbnb and VRBO stays as well… check out all the fun tree-houses you could spend the night in!
Portland, OR
Do the outdoors make you feel alive? Visiting Portland for the weekend means you have the big city life available to you if you so desire, but practically every kind of outdoor adventure you could hope to find is within a two hour drive. The coast? An easy hour and a half drive west. Driving the same length to the east will bring you to Mt. Hood for endless winter fun. The Columbia River Gorge is less than an hour outside the city, and it’s a gorgeous place to go hiking. Portland is a perfect city to visit if you want to spend a weekend filled with new hikes.
Miami, FL
If your ideal mid-winter weekend escape is somewhere warm, head to Miami. With your toes in the sand, this beach city will have you forgetting all about the freezing temps at home. Not only does Miami deliver beach views in spades, but the cultural cornucopia guarantees a wide array of cuisines to satisfy your palette. It goes without saying there’s also loads of shopping to be done. A weekend in Miami is many things, but boring is never one of them.
A long weekend spent exploring is an invigorating way to get out of the usual bump and grind. Many of these alluring cities have moderate to large airports that help keep flight prices low. There’s someplace exciting to adventure any time of year!
All photographs contained in this blog post were taken by the sisters of Five Wandering Soles, unless otherwise noted.
written by Hannah
Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest. Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin, Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes.
