Road trips don’t need to be stretched over two weeks to be epic and vacations don't have to last forever (much as we’d like them to). You can pack plenty of fun into a long weekend, making the most of federal holidays or just making your vacation days work extra hard. There are endless possibilities for short breaks and dual-stop vacations across the US.

Read on to discover a few of our favorite long-weekend US escapes...

This probably isn’t one for the height of summer (no amount of air conditioning will quell that burning southern Arizona heat). But the drive between these two cities, both of which ooze their own version of Wild West charm, is perfect in spring and fall, and still balmy in winter.

Scottsdale’s downtown streets, lined with olive trees, are home to steak restaurants and art galleries. There's also Taliesin West, former home of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Tickets are limited so it's a good idea to book in advance if you're planning on visiting.

Phoenix and the cacti-filled Desert Botanical Garden (advance reservations required) are on the way to Yuma, one of the sunniest places on Earth. There’s more to this Sonoran Desert city than the weather though.

It's packed with railroad history and is home to the fascinating Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park, a 19th-century prison that’s now a museum.

College town Wilmington blends old-fashioned Southern charm with dramatic coastal beauty – it's laced with beaches, marshes, and barrier islands.

Visitors can catch the sunrise over Wrightsville Beach, where lilac, orange, and pink swirls cast dramatic light on the pale sand, before heading inland on a trip that routes through some of the state’s most beguiling destinations.

Potential stops include Raleigh (known for its restaurants and craft breweries), garden-filled Chapel Hill and historic Winston-Salem. But the main event is the wine.

There's JOLO, whose award-winning reds include vintages made with native grapes, or Divine Llama Vineyards, which really is home to llamas – it's the largest llama farm in the Southeast. There are over 40 wineries in the Yadkin Valley, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains.

There isn’t too much driving on this trip, though it packs in more urban and natural attractions than many longer journeys. It begins in Tampa, whose downtown is a refreshing blend of local-centric bars, diverse dining, art galleries, and cool gift shops.

The Riverwalk, a raised walkway along the Hillsborough River, is a nice spot for sunset, then there's a free streetcar to Ybor City, founded by cigar magnates in 1885 and still steeped in Cuban culture. 

The drive up to Crystal River takes around two hours on the coast-hugging scenic route, passing mangroves, swamps, and wildlife preserves like Chassahowitzka. It’s all leading up to the best natural attraction of all: swimming with manatees.

Crystal River is the only place in the US where visitors can swim with the mammals in the wild, and snorkeling in the presence of these gentle, seagrass-munching giants is a humbling, surprisingly peaceful experience.

It's possible to hop on a ferry to reach P-Town (as locals, and anyone cool enough to pull it off, call Provincetown) – but a road trip is much more rewarding. The longer route combines the history and modern charms of Boston with coast-skimming roads and broad, burnished beaches.

Cape Cod curls around the bay like a flexed arm, and pretty much anywhere is a good place to stop. Favored spots include the LeCount Hollow Beach (at its best come sunset) and the cranberry bogs and pine trees of the Cape Cod Rail Trail.

Funky, dune-backed P-Town has plenty of delicious food to sample too, from laidback lobster mac ‘n’ cheese at The Canteen to fancy filet mignon with Jack Daniel's whiskey sauce at the Red Inn.

This is the ultimate escape for music lovers – or anyone who likes their road trips to come with equal doses of culture and fun. Memphis is home to Beale Street – with its fizzing neon signs, blues bars, BBQ joints, and record stores – and Graceland, former house of the King of Rock 'n' Roll.

Elvis’s mansion lives up to the hype thanks to a stylish tour that takes visitors past the Jungle Room and to the singer’s grave. 

The music pilgrimage continues on the road – on Route 61, or the "Blues Highway," to be specific. The road wiggles down through Mississippi to Clarksdale, where Morgan Freeman co-owns Ground Zero Blues Club next door to the small yet sweeping Delta Blues Museum.

It then continues on to Jackson, home to blues clubs and juke joints like Blue Front Cafe, just outside the city.

There's truly gorgeous scenery striking out in all directions from Salt Lake City. This is Utah, after all. Visitors can breathe in the hip, high-perched city’s crisp air and take in the mountain views – so perfect they look like stage backdrops – before driving south.

The road passes peaks and hiking trails, and those who take the slower, scenic route through Manti-La Sal National Forest can stop to explore aspen groves, sandstone canyons, and mountain lakes. It’s a good way to build up for setting eyes on Bryce Canyon – this jagged sprawl of red and apricot hoodoos, towering above stretches of alpine forest, is jaw-droppingly beautiful.

Galleries, markets, and Pueblo revival architecture fill New Mexico’s enchanting state capital, where centuries-old plazas and chapels sit comfortably alongside contemporary art installations and murals. Next, the aptly named High Road winds and curls through thick forest that opens up to views of the red-and-grey Jemez Mountains.

The road continues to the traditional weaving village of Chimayó and El Santuario de Chimayó, a church dating back to 1816 whose “miraculous dirt” is believed by some to have healing properties. Tour Taos Pueblo, whose 1,000-year-old adobe buildings are still occupied, before returning to Santa Fe via a different route. 

The Low Road loops back from Taos and unveils entirely different landscapes, weaving down to the banks of the Rio Grande and ducking through a narrow canyon.

The excitement of New York City’s buzzing streets and the wide-open, natural beauty of the Finger Lakes are a classic combination. Visitors can gaze at Manhattan’s gleaming skyline, and pound streets lined with brownstones and boutiques, before swapping it all for a landscape of skinny, jagged lakes, wineries, and wildlife. 

The traffic thins out and life slows to a leisurely pace at Cayuga Lake, one of 11 spindly stretches of water that make up the Finger Lakes. They’re all beautiful but Cayuga’s two dozen wineries – some of which can be accessed via boat or kayak – make it stand out.

An 86-mile road skims the lake’s edge and passes parks, villages with art studios, and Montezuma Wildlife Refuge, home to bald eagles and waterfowl.

It's easy to motor between these two Texas Hill County cities in just over an hour. And, from Austin’s hip nightlife, music scene, and beloved BBQ joints to the restaurants and art that flank San Antonio’s Riverwalk, there’s plenty to keep visitors occupied. But adding in Fredericksburg really completes the triangle.

The German-settled town of Fredericksburg, surrounded by wineries, combines proud heritage with modern twists on its past, from food to art. Visitors can also take a detour to hike up the huge granite boulders of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area (it's a good idea to book in advance for weekends and holidays).

Then loop down to San Antonio, where disused brewery Pearl is the place to hang out. The micro-district, just off the Riverwalk, has boutiques, a food hall, restaurants, and a hotel in buildings once dedicated to brewing beer. 

There are only around 40 miles between these two coastal beauties, but most visitors choose to take their time, meandering down roads that skim past bays, beaches, and breakwaters. Portland itself is wonderfully walkable, with a lovely stretch of bars and restaurants tucked along the cobbled streets of the Old Port by the waterfront.

There's also a rich art scene, including works by Warhol and Monet at the Portland Museum of Art.

Drivers can stop at Cape Elizabeth to see the lighthouse and walk out onto the craggy rocks, stroll on the sandy beaches of Kennebunkport, and hike around the salt marshes of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge.

In Ogunquit, the lobstermen of Perkins Cove pull in their catch, then deliver sweet seafood to the town’s shacks and waterside restaurants. 

Cities don’t come much more stylish than Chicago. Public art installations, including the famous Cloud Gate sculpture or "The Bean,” have become as integral to the landscape as the Art Deco skyscrapers, water views and deep-dish pizza.

This route loops around a corner of vast Lake Michigan, en route to Ann Arbor, which has been stealing some of the spotlight from Detroit recently. The University of Michigan Museum of Art, which has a collection covering everything from African architecture to Picasso, is not to be missed.

Like many university cities, Ann Arbor's food scene is drawing attention too. There's everything from trendy brunch spots to classics like Zingerman’s Deli, which typically also runs food tours. 

Savannah wears its Southern charm like its majestic oak trees wear soft Spanish moss – with pure, old-fashioned elegance. Georgian mansions line the streets, brewpubs and art galleries take up old cotton warehouses by the waterfront, and cemeteries are filled with sculptures, tall mausoleums, and yet more oaks.

Jekyll Island, an easy, scenic drive along a coastline laced with beaches, marshes, and barrier islands, packs up the same charm and elegance and takes it to the seaside. One of Georgia’s Golden Isles, it’s accessible by car but feels cut off from the rest of the world.

Windswept oaks and tangles of driftwood form a backdrop to soft-sand beaches, while trails wind into the woods.

From beautiful people strutting on South Beach to free-range roosters strutting on Duval Street, Miami and Key West are both the same – and eons apart.

Both cities share a free spirit and a strong sense of fun but, while Miami wears its character like a slick designer jacket, Key West wears just whatever it feels like at any particular moment. In other words, it’s weird and proud of it.

Driving on the Overseas Highway, which soars over the water, is alone worth the trip. Visitors can stop at Islamorada, Bahia Honda State Park, and Marathon’s adorable and thought-provoking Turtle Hospital before arriving in quirky Key West.

Here, there's a colorful buoy which marks the southernmost point in the continental US.

The George Parks Highway, or Parks Highway, joins Anchorage and Fairbanks, slicing through 323 miles of wilderness, rivers, and lakes, with sightings of North America’s tallest peak, Denali, along the way. Anchorage is the glorious starting point, with its galleries, museums, and live music scene. 

The highway follows the eastern edge of Denali National Park before cutting across a corner of the vast wilderness, which sprawls over six million acres. The park’s alpine forest and mountain slopes are home to curly-horned Dall’s sheep, wolves, grizzlies, and black bears.

Fairbanks’ forested riverbanks and downtown offer further adventure. Visit in summer for the midnight sun, or from August to April for a chance to see the sky swirl with the Northern Lights. 

Now check out America's best RV trips for the summer