6 of the top road trips in the US and where to stay along the way

Just a few hours' drive from the dense city blocks of Manhattan you'll find the serene natural beauty of upstate New York's Hudson Valley.

Ideal for both day tripping or a weekend trip, there are plenty of small-but-happening towns like Hudson, Beacon, and New Paltz that make for charming bases to start and end a couple of days of hiking, boutique browsing, and antique hunting.

An hour and a half from the city and within an hour's drive of most Hudson Valley destinations, is the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world, the mile-long Walkway Over the Hudson. Take a stroll and follow with ample hiking trails that will suit most, from a 3-mile loop around the grounds of the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park to a challenging 3.5-hour hike to Anthony's Nose further south in Peekskill, where you'll be rewarded with spectacular views of the Hudson River.

The town of Hudson is long beloved by city-dwellers for its antiquing, galleries, and live music scene, and Kingston is hot on its heels courting the hipster set with a vibrant arts district and great dining scene.

Where to stay: For a true getaway, book a spa escape at the French-manor inspired Mirbeau Inn & Spa in Rhinebeck, 20 minutes from Kingston. The treatments are indulgent, and rooms offer great amenities like fireplaces and cozy bathrobes for real pampering. Rates start at $334 for a King-sized room.

City-dwellers looking for a nature break, but don't want to totally escape urban comforts, should head east along the Ohio Scenic Byway, a route that can be picked up in Madison, Indiana, about four and a half hours south of Chicago.

The byway stretches through around 300 miles of southern Indiana's hills and along the Ohio River. The land includes acreage called the "Long Reach" that was once surveyed by George Washington (you can find his campsites from 1770 marked out along it).

Four hours from Madison is the Wayne National Forest, which comes into view once you get closer to the Appalachian foothills. It's a great place to pull off for a late afternoon of hiking, horseback riding, or mountain biking.

Take a night or two to camp (here are all the essentials you'll need) and then head into Cincinnati for a day and night of exploring the city's downtown, which has vibrant dining and the family-friendly Cincinnati Museum of Art, filled with 67,000 works. Even with a slow start to the day (for some extra time exploring the city), you'll be back in Chicago around dinner — it's only a four-and-a-half-hour drive home.

Where to stay: Throw your tent in the car. There's plenty of camping in Wayne National Forest and the outdoors setting will be a nice contrast to your second night's stay in Cincinnati where your top option is 21c Museum Hotel, an innovative boutique gem that doubles as a contemporary art museum. Deluxe Queen rooms start at $304 and feature art woven into the rooms, alongside an impressive art gallery, rooftop bar, and on-site spa for a massage after all that hiking.

Our weekend road trip from Denver follows some of the Rockies' tallest peaks.

Drive about two-and-a-half hours south to the historic town of Twin Lakes, where you can refresh with a late lunch at the Twin Lakes Inn and Saloon (est. 1879) and browse works at the Shooting Star Gallery. Or, take a stroll around the twin lakes themselves where two glacial lakes reflect the Rockies off their surfaces.

Leadville is the next stop. About a 30-minute drive from Twin Lakes, this Victorian mining town is the highest incorporated city in North America. It's a great base for summer hiking (there's also an ADA-accessible 11.6-mile paved pathway) and winter snow sports. Or, take a scenic train ride, or check out museums like the National Mining Museum and Hall of Fame.

For a twist on the day's more rustic activities, hike, ski, or snowshoe a mile into the backcountry for a fine-dining experience at the Tennessee Cookhouse. The next day, head toward Independence Pass, with a high point of 12,095 feet. Open during summer only, it connects the area with posh Aspen.

Where to stay: After your backcountry dinner your first night, head back to Leadville for a historic sleep at The Delaware, the last Victorian "grand hotel" that still remains from Leadville's boomtown heyday. Today, it's also partly a gallery and museum.

Rooms start at $95 for a Standard Room with a Queen-sized bed. The next night, take in the spectacular mountain views from one of The Gant's rustic condos, which start at $345 for a Standard Room with rustic touches like wooden ceilings and cozy fireplaces.

One of the most beautiful drives in Washington is an easy weekend road trip from Seattle. The Cascade Loop is a 440-mile stretch taking you through the full range of Washington's best scenery, beginning just 28 miles north of the city.

Most of the route passes through Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, which is one of the most-visited national forests in the country, and offers beautiful meadows and forests to stretch your legs. Once it reopens, it will be a beautiful place to hike as a stopover en route to Leavenworth, which lies just on the eastern edge of the adjacent Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

Prepare yourself for a scenery shock upon pulling into town. Bavarian architecture lines the main street and the Cascades look perfectly Alpine in the background. Is it actually German? Nope. In the '60s, after the railroad left town and the economy plummeted, the local government decided to use what the mountain backdrop gave them and Disney-fy it to draw tourists.

After a night of Wienerschnitzel, drive the next day through orchard country (and absolutely pull over at a roadside apple stand if they're in season), then bear north to arrive at the glacier-fed Lake Chelan. There, you can take in the scenery on a boat tour or stop at one of the nearby wineries. From Lake Chelan, enjoy an afternoon of pretty driving until you reach your final destination, Whidbey Island.

After descending from the mountain peaks, discover this calm island where the towns of Coupeville and Langley are postcard-perfect. Take time to savor them, as well as the Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens, with four miles of walking paths. If you can manage it, we also highly recommend a hike through Deception Pass, about an hour north of Whidbey. The views of the surrounding water are truly spectacular.

Where to stay: In Leavenworth, check into the Sleeping Lady Resort just outside of town with an on-site spa and sauna, gourmet meals sourced from the on-site garden, and access to hiking, skiing, and biking. Rooms at the family-friendly hotel start at $225 for a Triple Room, with one Full-sized and one Twin.

On Whidbey Island, the Wild Iris Inn is a romantic getaway for two. Rooms, which start at $157 for a Standard Queen, boast views of the Cascades from rooms and cozy touches like robes. Or upgrade to a Deluxe King with a fireplace and corner whirlpool tub.

Napa or Sonoma might be more synonymous with California wine country, but the vineyards of San Luis have plenty of bounties to offer, too with lush wine regions in Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande.

The area's 30 wineries are a little more under-the-radar and generally less crowded than you'll find upstate, which also adds to their appeal. Plus, these wineries are all located an average of about five miles away from the coast, a setting that imparts the wines with vibrant characteristics, and makes for a beautiful drive between cellars.

San Luis itself has plenty to merit an evening or two, but budget a couple of hours for a tour of Hearst Castle in nearby San Simeon once it reopens (don't miss its over-the-top Gothic Library). If you don't know where to start, we suggest breaking it into two days, staying the night in San Luis Obispo, and taking one of two "tasting trails" each day.

Where to stay: Catch a quirky 40 winks at The Madonna Inn, a historic inn renowned for its eccentrically kitschy, whimsical accents, including a hot pink tennis court and 110 uniquely themed rooms, including the "Caveman" room made of solid rock.

From Atlanta, drive three and a half hours to Savannah, your starting point for a road trip along Georgia's coast. The stunning Forsyth Park makes for a great place to have a picnic and the charming town is oozing charismatic Southern charm.

The next morning, meander along the coast, passing salt marshes, rivers, and small towns before stopping for a late lunch in Darien. Order seafood of course: you'll see shrimp boats in the harbor as you stroll through the town, which was founded by Scottish Highlanders in the 18th century. For a historical stop, check out the slightly oddly shaped Fort King George, which was the southern outpost for the British Empire in the early 18th century.

Continue on to Jekyll Island, one of the so-called "Golden Isles" off the coast of Georgia. It's a great destination for nature-lovers, and you'll want to get a good night's sleep to take it all in the next day — ideally at the Jekyll Island Club Resort.

The third day of this trip is all about the island. Begin with a brief stop at Mosaic, the newly-renovated Jekyll Island museum, for background about the day's adventures, then rent bicycles to cruise through the island's various ecosystems that include ancient maritime forests, salt marshes, and miles of beaches. Nature lovers shouldn't miss the Georgia Sea Turtle Center in the afternoon (like Mosaic, open at limited capacity), and history fans can visit St. Mary's Submarine Museum by ferry on a nearby island, which is the fifth-largest in the country of its kind.

Where to stay: Perry Lane Hotel is luxe pick in Savannah's city center, with free bike rentals to check out the city, and breakfast included with some bookings. The design is based on a (fictional) back-story of a worldly traveler who returned to the city laden with curios, and rooms start at $206.

Jekyll Island Club Resort was once the preferred crash pad of vacationing Kennedy and Vanderbilt families. Now, the Club Resort hosts guests year-round on its massive property complete with a pool, a croquet lawn, and two on-site restaurants. Most hotels on the island are capping occupancy at 75%, so book well ahead.