Plan a national park tour

Why we love it: Because the three-day weekend just isn’t enough. And for about $20 per park, your money goes a long way: fresh air, protected land, and sublime landscapes included.

Our favorite route: The “Tour de Southwest” in northern Arizona and southern Utah, with four national parks, two national monuments, and a tribal park within 600 miles.

Fly into Phoenix, head northeast to the Petrified Forest, then north to Canyon de Chelly and Monument Valley, west to the Grand Canyon, then north again to Grand Staircase–Escalante, Bryce, and Zion. You can fly home from Las Vegas or loop back to your Phoenix starting point.

Where to stay: Don’t miss La Posada in Winslow, Arizona (from $99), and El Tovar in Grand Canyon National Park (from $174; grandcanyonlodges.com).