1.) Big Sur, California
From LAX: 5 hours
Set above the Pacific Coast Highway near a secluded surf beach, the comfy canvas yurts at Treebones Resort (doubles, $135–$159; 877-424-4787, www.treebonesresort.com) are a big step up from camping: redwood decks, hot water, gas-burning stoves, and panoramic views. The decompression process starts with the scenic drive from Los Angeles.
2.) Santa Barbara, California
From LAX: 90 minutes
From the chic alfresco bar atop the downtown Hotel Andalucía (doubles from $350; 877-468-3515, www.andaluciasb.com), you can sip a local pinot
blanc while scanning Santa Barbara's palm-fringed terra-cotta rooftops. Make this your luxe base camp for a full-day sea-kayak trip along a nine-mile stretch of pristine Gaviota coastline with the Santa Barbara Adventure Company ($105; 888-773-3239, www.sbadventureco.com).
Los Angeles (LAX)
From Phoenix: $139 on America West*
From Washington, D.C.: $299 on Air Tran
*Sample round-trip airfares reflect lowest price at press time.
3.) Mount Charleston, Nevada
From LAS: 1 hour
On the ten-mile Griffith Peak Trail, you can watch Vegas shimmer through heat waves thousands of feet below. The trails that crisscross 11,919-foot Mount Charleston can be 20 to 30 degrees cooler than the Strip. Campsites in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area cost $15 per night; reserve through the U.S. Forest Service (877-444-6777).
Las Vegas (LAS)
From New York: $362 on Continental
From Los Angeles: $153 on United
4.) Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
From LAS: 30 minutes
Climb the grippy sandstone at Red Rock Canyon Recreation Area with Jackson Hole Mountain Guides (full-day guided climb, $125; 702-254-0885, www.redrockjhmg.com). Then retreat to the posh new Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa (doubles, $200; 866-767-7773, www.redrocklasvegas.com), a $925 million resort on 70 acres with canyon views.
5.) Breckenridge, Colorado
From DEN: 2 hours
Don't be fooled by the gradual 2,000-foot elevation drop on the singletrack, ten-mile Peaks Trail from Breckenridge to Frisco. When you're biking at 11,000 feet, you need all the gravitational help you can get. Take the free shuttle back to town and reward yourself with the Top of the World Restaurant's grilled elk medallions at the Lodge & Spa at Breckenridge (doubles from $139; 800-736-1607, www.thelodgeatbreck.com).
Denver (DEN)
From Chicago: $203 on Frontier
From Portland, Oregon: $236 on Alaska
6.) Morrison, Colorado
From DEN: 45 minutes
The window of your lavish room at the new Arrowhead Manor B&B (doubles from $99; 888-454-5282, www.arrowheadmanor.com) opens to a sprawling view of 525-acre Meyer Ranch Park, where you can hike, bike, or ride horses on Front Range trails. Catch a concert under the stars at nearby Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater (303-697-4939, www.redrocksonline.com).
7.) Helen, Georgia
From ATL: 2 hours
Factor some vino into your hydration regimen as you ride through Georgia wine country. The two-day, guided sip-and-cycle tour with Discover Adventures ($399, all-inclusive; 866-442-2848, www.discoveradventures.com) takes you along some 80 miles of rolling country roads. Stay at the Lodge at Unicoi (800-573-9659, www.unicoilodge.com).
Atlanta (ATL)
From New York: $209 on Air Tran
From Minneapolis: $239 on Delta
8.) Everglades City, Florida
From MIA: 90 minutes
Housed in a historic bank building quirkily decorated with antiques, the Everglades Spa & Lodge (doubles from $80, including breakfast; 239-695-3151, www.banksoftheeverglades.com) is steps away from Ever- glades National Park Boat Tours (canoes, $25 per day; 239-695-2591). Paddle a four-hour loop through mangroves to Turner Lake and Chokoloskee Bay.
9.) Clayton, Georgia
From ATL: 2.5 hours
The calm first day of Southeastern Expeditions' overnight raft trip may lull you into thinking the Chattooga is tame. But you'll spend day two being pummeled by the Class III–V rapids that make this river one of the South's wildest rides. You'll stay at a private riverside campground in the Appalachian foothills (two-day trip, $255; 800-868-7238, www.southeasternexpeditions.com).
Miami (MIA)
From Philadelphia: $203 on Air Tran
From Chicago: $202 on Air Tran
10.) Key Largo, Florida
From MIA: 75 minutes
The wrasses and parrotfish of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (305-451-6322, www.pennekamppark.com) swim just offshore of the Tarpon Flats Inn and Marina (doubles from $160; 866-546-0000, www.tarponflats.com), where you can base yourself for scuba trips in Gulf Stream–warmed water. The inn's proprietors will arrange two-tank dives for $60 per person plus $25 for gear.
