International travel can be exciting, but it often comes with long flights, passport requirements, currency exchanges, language barriers, jet lag, customs lines, and expensive international phone plans.  Fortunately, American travelers do not have to leave the country to enjoy beautiful scenery, comfortable weather, and memorable vacations.  The key is choosing the right U.S.  destination for each season.  Here are my choices:

Spring: Charleston, South Carolina

Spring is one of the best times to visit Charleston.  Temperatures are generally comfortable, flowers are blooming, and the summer humidity has not yet reached its peak. And most importantly, the “dog-days” have not arrived.  These are the dates between mid-July and the end of August when the cicadas seem to explode.  There are times when you cannot even talk outside because they are so loud.

Visitors can walk along the historic streets, tour colorful homes, explore plantations and gardens, watch the “Lightning Bugs” or enjoy fresh seafood near the waterfront.  Charleston provides history, culture, and Southern hospitality without the need to fly across the Atlantic to visit an old European city.

Summer: San Diego, California

Many popular destinations become extremely hot during the summer, but San Diego usually offers a more comfortable coastal climate.  The city is known for its beaches, attractions, restaurants, and relaxed atmosphere.  I just returned from a long weekend there and found the atmosphere, weather, and people absolutely perfect.  It also seems like the City has made some effort to clean up the homeless population downtown.  (The homeless are still there and why not.  The weather is perfect year-round so sleeping on the sidewalks is much more bearable than say, Minneapolis or Chicago.  They just don’t have all the tents set up on the sidewalks anymore)

Families can visit the San Diego Zoo, explore Balboa Park, explore the many maritime museums, spend a day on Coronado Island, or simply relax beside the Pacific Ocean.  Compared with an overseas beach vacation, San Diego eliminates concerns about long flights, foreign currency, international driving rules, unfamiliar medical systems, and lengthy customs procedures.

Fall: New England

Few travel experiences compare with seeing the fall colors of New England.  Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts offer scenic highways, covered bridges, historic towns, apple orchards, and brilliant autumn foliage.  I have to admit, both times I have been to New England has been in the spring when it was still cold, but everything I have read or seen about it, makes this the ideal destination in the fall.  Try flying to a major hub, such as Boston and then rent a car.  (We made a loop from Boston, through New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.)  A fall road trip allows travelers to move at their own pace without worrying about international train schedules, baggage restrictions on foreign airlines, or navigating unfamiliar transportation systems.  Stop at a roadside café, visit a small town, or change your route whenever you see something interesting.

Winter: Scottsdale, Arizona

When much of the country is dealing with snow and freezing temperatures, Scottsdale offers sunshine and mild winter weather.  Visitors can enjoy golf, hiking, desert scenery, outdoor dining, shopping, and luxury resorts.  I was in the Phoenix area for major league baseball’s spring training and the weather was perfect.  Not too hot yet not cold at all.

Scottsdale provides the feeling of a warm-weather escape without the complications of traveling to Mexico, the Caribbean, or another international destination.  There are no passport delays, customs forms, foreign transaction fees, or questions about whether your health insurance will be accepted.

The Advantages of Traveling Within the United States

While nothing compares to foreign travel (seeing buildings built 1000’s of years ago versus 250 years ago), but it frequently requires more planning.  International travelers may face overnight flights, missed connections, entry requirements, language differences, unfamiliar laws, and unexpected fees.  A problem with a rental car, hotel reservation, or medical emergency can become much more difficult when it happens in another country.

Domestic travel is often simpler.  You can use the same currency, keep your regular phone service, communicate easily, and travel without passing through immigration or customs.  Driving vacations, especially, allow you to pack more freely and adjust your plans when the weather changes.

From Charleston’s spring gardens to San Diego’s summer beaches, New England’s autumn colors, and Scottsdale’s winter sunshine, the United States offers outstanding destinations in every season.  Sometimes the perfect vacation is not across an ocean.  It may be waiting just a short flight, or a scenic drive, away.