Fun can be packed into a weekend vacation when properly planned. Find a destination that’s within driving distance. If you must fly, pick a location that won’t require much time in an airplane. Your goal should be to spend as much time as possible at your destination to get in as many activities as possible. Avoid trips that will require sightseeing. Instead, find an activity that you and your group can enjoy that won’t take you too far from your hotel.
For gamblers, trips to the casinos make for an entertaining weekend. Go anywhere from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut to Atlantic City or the legendary Las Vegas Strip. Casino resorts offer up the best gambling, fine dining, and plenty of entertainment. See a show before you hit the blackjack tables or hit up any of the nightlife that the area has to offer when your eyes are glazing over at the slot machines.
Foxwoods Resort Casino
350 Trolley Line Boulevard
P. O. Box 3777
Mashantucket, CT 06338-3777
800-369-9663
foxwoods.com
Ski trips can provide an interactive weekend for groups or a relaxing solo vacation. Seasoned vets and newbies alike can enjoy the slopes. Ski resorts offer many amenities for patrons, and during off-peak weeks you can save a few bucks on a lift package. If you're looking to escape the U.S. for a few days, travel to scenic Mont Tremblant Resort in Canada and enjoy its specially designed 30-acre snow park--or just hit the slopes.
Mont Tremblant
Station Mont-Tremblant
1000, Chemin des Voyageurs
Mont-Tremblant, Quebec
Canada, J8E 1T1
866-356-2233
tremblant.ca
Visit the Poconos for a whitewater rafting experience. Whitewater rafters use an inflatable raft to navigate through a body of after proper training. Enjoy the thrill of a journey on the Delaware River. This can be a fun-filled weekend adventure for families with kids, or with a group of friends.
For outdoorsy folk, camping makes for a good weekend trip. Enjoy activities like hiking, mountain biking, and photographing wildlife. Camping is a weekend experience that you can enjoy close to home or in a national park you’ve been dying to visit. One of the cheaper options on the list, camping allows you to cook your own food while you rough it for a few days and get in touch with Mother Nature.
Enjoy a beach vacation for the weekend. Visit the Florida Keys and hop on a day adventure cruise. Some possibilities are snorkeling, jet skiing, fishing and a banana boat adventure. Banana boats are a child friendly activity which involve an inflatable boat that is towed around in the water. They are a similar experience to tubing and they're considered safer than water skiing. If you are looking for a more luxurious weekend adventure, travel to the Bahamas and stay at the Atlantis Resort to enjoy its many amenities. If you live within driving distance of other popular beaches (such as South Beach, the Jersey Shore, Myrtle Beach or Santa Monica Beach) stay at a resort on the beach or in nearby lodging and spend your weekend sunbathing and barbecuing.
Atlantis Resort
1 Casino Drive
Paradise Island
Bahamas
242-363-3000
atlantis.com
Consider a road trip over the weekend. This is especially rewarding during the fall months when the changing seasons provide striking scenery. Pick a location a few hours from your home and stay in a bed and breakfast overnight. This is an oppotunity for couples to spend minimally and just want to enjoy one another’s company, and for families looking to spend quality time together. A goofier road trip can include some quirky landmarks and tourist attractions like “the World’s Biggest Ball of Twine”--a hobby turned town landmark on Highway 24 in Cawker City, Kansas.
