Best Long-Weekend Trips From the US West Coast: 8 Short-Haul Escapes
Desert and canyon short-haul
Sedona, Scottsdale, and Phoenix are three distinct short-haul options in a 90-minute flight radius. Sedona is the hiking-and-scenery pick with red-rock canyons, well-marked trails, and small-town restaurants at $800 to $2,000 per person for four nights. Scottsdale is the resort-and-spa pick ($900 to $2,500 per person) with golf courses, high-end hotels, and desert day trips. Phoenix is the sports and events pick ($600 to $1,500 per person); baseball spring training in February and March, and Super Bowl host rotation make it a seasonal destination.
Wine and food weekends
Napa Valley is the signature US food-and-wine short-haul for anyone within easy flight range of San Francisco. A four-night Napa trip runs $1,500 to $3,800 per person. San Francisco itself is a parallel pick for travelers who want city energy plus food; four nights in San Francisco (not Napa) runs $1,000 to $2,500 per person. Both pair well into a longer week if time allows.
Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon combo
Las Vegas is the single most-connected US short-haul destination from the West Coast; flights are under 90 minutes from LA, Portland, or Seattle. Four nights runs $700 to $2,500 per person depending heavily on which days of the week you go (midweek is often 40 to 60 percent cheaper than weekends). Pair Vegas with a one-day Grand Canyon South Rim or West Rim trip to add scenery to the trip; two-night and three-night versions of this combo work well.
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