10 scenic getaways across the US that are within a 1- to 4-hour drive from major cities — and the best hotel to book for each

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• Once we can safely travel again, avoiding the airport and choosing road trips close to home may be the optimal first choice for many planning post-COVID 19 vacations.
• To come up with ideas, we compiled 10 destinations, and top hotels for each, located within a one-to-four-hour drive from major US cities.
• These locations feature wide-open spaces, fresh air, gorgeous scenery, and an abundance of personal space in support of social distancing. All hotels are highly rated, with desirable amenities, and starting prices ranging from $127 to $459 per night.
• Read all Business Insider hotel reviews here.

A note from your Insider Reviews travel editor: Coronavirus has interrupted travel on a global scale forcing travelers to cancel and reassess plans in the coming weeks and months. We understand that right now is a challenging time to plan travel. But when this time passes and things return to normal, we know you'll be eager to explore the world again.

Whenever that happens for you, and we know it will, we hope our travel content helps you make informed, useful, and inspiring choices on the best places and hotels to book. So whether you use our reviews now, bookmark them for the future, or simply need an escape from the news, we'll continue to share the world with you. In the meantime, we encourage all travelers to stay safe, follow guidelines from the CDC website, and take precautions.

Exotic vacations to far-flung destinations may be on your bucket list but chances are, once we are able to travel again, a safari to Namibia or a scuba diving expedition in the Maldives may be placed on the back burner for some time.

But that doesn't mean we're not still craving a change of scenery. Once it's safe to travel, most Americans will likely be interested in road trips over crowded airplane cabins. Fortunately, many hassle-free getaways are close to home and located within easy drives of major US cities. And fear not, if you don't have a car, we spoke to several experts to determine if rental cars are safe to drive (hint: they largely are).

As such, we rounded up 10 intriguing and driveable getaway destinations, with top hotels for each, all located within a one-to-four-hour drive from cities across the country such as New York, LA, Denver, Houston, and more.

Our selections trade densely populated city centers for wide-open spaces, fresh air, and gorgeous scenery to offer an abundance of personal space that will make it easy to maintain social distancing. All hotels are highly rated, with desirable outdoor amenities and starting prices ranging from $127 to $459 per night, plus one luxe, all-inclusive option.

From a coastal escape in Big Sur to Aspen's rugged mountains, and exploring Virginia's lush wine country, these places and hotels come with perks such as hiking and biking trails, swimming pools, and private balconies.

We advise booking at least a few weeks or months out and consulting cancelation policies, as we continue to monitor changing situations around the novel coronavirus, and to ensure properties reopen as scheduled. And, as always, follow guidance from the CDC and WHO and use your best judgment when it comes to effective social distancing to truly ensure your safety.