I prefer a road trip to a plane trip any day. I realize that, living in Chandler Arizona as I do, road trips to destinations on the East Coast are a bit more ambitious than the amount of vacation time that I have available. But there are plenty of weekend trips that can be made in the comfort and convenience of my very own vehicle, with Arizona as the jumping-off point. We’ve refined road tripping to an art form. And now, gentle readers, I am going to divulge my secret destinations to you.

They’re really not all that secretive.

A view from Highway 25 between Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

Chandler Arizona to Santa Fe New Mexico: 8 hrs 16 min, 473 miles

An eight-hour-and-change drive is an easy jaunt for us – especially when we’ve been known to drive for sixteen hours straight to get to a particular destination. Santa Fe is a lovely destination for a long weekend. I have my eye on a luxurious stay at the Bishop’s Lodge Resort and Spa, doing some shopping and dining in the historic downtown area, and maybe get in some skiing if we happen to visit in the winter.

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I can’t really afford a trip around the world. Hell, I can’t even afford a trip to Las Vegas. However, I can justify anything if I spin it enough, like turning my Las Vegas vacation into a tour around the world. Yes, around the world. It’s easy. Many of the popular Las Vegas casinos have themes based on other popular vacation destinations, which makes it feel like many trips in one!

I’m sticking to this story.

Here are just a few examples:

• The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino offers the romance of Italy, complete with gondola rides through their shop-lined Grand Canal. The elegant Ventian features restaurants by Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse and Thomas Keller and the entertainment of the popular Blue Man Group.
  

  The Venetian

• Want to experience the magic of Paris in the desert? Paris Las Vegas is the place for you. This Las Vegas casino takes classic French style and puts it on a grand Vegas scale. If you’re looking for the ultimate in Parisian experiences, check out the new Red Rooms with their marble bathrooms and “sensual accommodations.” Also, Manilow — it can’t get any more “Las Vegas vacation” than a Barry Manilow show.

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A stargazer silhouetted against the night sky.

I live in the suburbs, where the city lights block out all but the most determinedly bright stars and celestial objects. A few nights ago the sky was particularly clear, and my husband and I stood in our front yard finding satellites and identifying planets. That got me to thinking about how significant stargazing used to be for me, in my home town in Maine. I’ve never seen stars so bright, since I moved away. I’ve really stopped looking up as much as I used to – a fact which I hope to rectify in the very near future.

Here are a handful of excellent locations from which to gaze at the stars.

1. Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada. Rent a houseboat for a week, and spend your evenings floating along, laying on a blanket or lounge chair on the roof, and gazing up at the unrestricted view, free from the dampening of city lights.

2. Haleakala National Park, Maui. The summit of Haleakala Mountain is the highest point on Maui and brings you above the cloud level and close to the night sky. The clear air has been washed clean by Pacific winds and rain, and the unrestricted view is glorious.

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What are the top New Year's Eve travel destinations in the USA?

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and the entire world will be celebrating with fireworks and oversized clocks counting down the last few minutes of 2009. Where will you find the best New Year’s Eve parties and most unique celebrations in the United States? Check out these top New Year’s Eve travel destinations in America.

Top 5 New Year’s Eve Travel Destinations in America

Fireworks at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

5.  Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a great place for families to celebrate New Year’s Eve together.  The amusement parks will be packed, but Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios are each sure to give you your money’s worth in terms of fireworks displays and celebratory parades.  Do, however, consider spending the night in a very nearby hotel if you want to avoid spending the first several hours of 2010 sitting in traffic.

Floats in the Rose Bowl Parade

4.  Los Angeles, California

What makes Los Angeles stand out as one of the top New Year’s Eve travel destinations is not the celebrity residents, but rather the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade that coincides with college football’s Rose Bowl.  The parade comes complete with floats made of roses, marching bands and a celebrity Grand Marshal that leads the way.  After the parade, you’ll find an over the top party at hundreds of world class nightclubs all over Los Angeles, and of course, a spectacular fireworks display at midnight.

New Year's Eve On Bourbon Street

3.  New Orleans, Louisiana

You’ll find the New Orleans locals heading to Frenchmen Street for New Year’s Eve, but Bourbon Street is sure to be overflowing with partying tourists.   No matter where you get started, you’ll want to be at Jackson Square by midnight to see the ball drop.  This year, the Sugar Bowl teams (Florida Gators and Cincinnati Bearcats), alumni and students will also be in New Orleans for New Year’s Eve, which is sure to add to New Orleans’s infamous party atmosphere.  Expect dancing in the streets, impromptu brass bands parading through, eccentric costumes, and tailgate style madness.

Las Vegas, Nevada

2.  Las Vegas, Nevada

It’s no surprise that Las Vegas is a top New Year’s Eve Travel Destinations.  Sin City is notorious for knowing how to throw a good party, and New Year’s is no exception.  The strip is pedestrianized for one giant outdoor party, complete with fireworks, sound and light shows.  Of course every casino, nightclub and hotel in Las Vegas will be offering specials and over the top parties of their own.  And who knows – maybe you’ll ring in the New Year with a jackpot win!

Times Square - a New Year's Eve tradition

1.  New York City, New York

Of course, the most famous New Year’s Eve event in the world is the celebration in New York City’s Times Square.  Dick Clark’s big ball drop is watched by a million people in the flesh, and a billion more on television.  Yes, that means you’ll have to fight an unbelievable crowd, but star-studded musical performances, pyrotechnics and the sheer notoriety of the event put New Year’s Even in Times Square on many “must do once in your life” lists.

Photo credit: Bob Jagendorf, d4rr3ll, erinbrace, Gary J Wood, eyeliam, Paul Mannix on Flickr