Fall is my favorite time of year to daydream about hitting the road. The air gets crisp, the walks get crunchy, and suddenly I'm ready to romanticize my life like I'm in a travel montage. There's something about this season that makes me feel like I wandered into a book where the pages smell like coffee and a dive into a leaf pile. Inspired by my fall fantasies, I'm sharing three of my dream trips that hit totally different moods: the mountain adventure of Franconia Notch, the cozy creativity of Asheville, and the golden magic of Taos.

If you’re like me, you love a good mini getaway. Two to four days of escaping your routine, eating food you didn’t have to cook, and sleeping in a room that you didn't have to clean. Bliss. But let’s be honest: short trips are magical until you check your bank account and realize your “quick little escape” somehow cost the equivalent of a month’s rent. Planning them with a realistic budget in mind is the difference between returning refreshed or returning with a strong desire to sell plasma for cash.

Sometimes you plan a trip so thoroughly that you can practically see yourself there. Then it gets cancelled, and you’re left with an eerily detailed map of what would have been. That’s what happened here: I was supposed to be in Albany, NY for work, and I had tacked on a three-day mini-getaway to hit some dream spots in Upstate New York and across the border in Niagara Falls. Spoiler: the work trip got cancelled, which meant the getaway disappeared too. But because I can’t waste a good itinerary, I’m sharing it here.

Welcome to the final installment of my New England road trip series! If you’ve been following along, you know this adventure has already taken me through New Hampshire, Providence, Rhode Island, (Part 1) and into the woods and waters of Rhode Island and Connecticut (Part 2). Part 3 is where the trip winds down. This last leg was all about Mystic mornings and road trip reflections, so let’s jump in. Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT, United States Albany, NY, United States The Mini Getaway Guide participates in affiliate marketing programs.

Mini getaways should feel refreshing, not wallet-emptying. Over the years, I’ve built a go-to toolkit of strategies, apps, and insider tricks that keep short escapes within reach. Here’s the sweet spot where spontaneity meets frugal fun. Timing Is Everything: Off Days & Shoulder Seasons Here’s the simplest trick that saves big: travel on weekdays and during shoulder seasons. Flights are often cheaper midweek and hotels frequently offer sweet discounts outside peak tourist times. Bonus: you avoid the crowds and feel like you’ve discovered a destination, not just survived it. A few-day shift can mean double-digit savings and a quieter, more personal escape.

Day two of my New England fall road trip picked up right where Part 1 left off. After a full first day of exploring, I set out again, this time starting with coffee (as all good days should) and ending with a lantern-lit ghost tour in Mystic. In between, I managed to fit in a boat ride, a vegan feast, a local specialty drink, and a quiet seashell beach that felt like it was waiting just for me. Here’s how the day unfolded: Providence, RI, United States North Kingstown, RI, United States…

Ah, fall road trips. The air is crisp, the coffee is strong, and your playlist is somehow 87% Fleetwood Mac. If you’ve been daydreaming about colorful leaves, cozy cafés, and little weekend adventures, this is the first post in a series recapping a mini New England road trip I took last year. Think of it as inspiration (and maybe a tiny nudge) for planning your own fall getaway: forests to hike, quirky stops to explore, and cozy evenings in small cities that make you feel like you’ve escaped for longer than a weekend.

Not every trip makes it off the “planned” list and into real life. Sometimes they stay in the category of beautiful daydreams, complete with hotel confirmations that never get used and way too many tabs open on Google Maps. This Seattle-to-Portland road trip was one of those. I had the flights booked, the hotels lined up, and even my snack strategy mapped out (because road trip snacks are half the point). Then life happened, and the trip didn’t. But here’s the thing: I actually loved planning this one. So instead of keeping it in a dusty corner of my brain, I’m sharing the full itinerary here.

When I’m heading out on a 2–5 day trip, whether that’s a quick flight or a weekend road trip, these are the things I almost always pack. They’ve been tested in cramped airplane seats, questionable hotel rooms, and on sidewalks that were definitely not as “walkable” as Google Maps promised. If you like being comfortable, organized, and ready for anything, this list is for you. The Mini Getaway Guide participates in affiliate marketing programs. This means that when you click on certain links and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Let’s set the scene: I dropped my laptop. Not in a “whoops, it slipped a little” kind of way. More like a full, cartoon-style crash landing that ended with a dramatic black screen and me Googling “can I fix this myself” from my phone while silently panicking. Spoiler: I could not. Rather than wallow in tech despair (okay, I briefly wallowed), I decided I needed a reset. Something to soothe my nerves while a team of digital surgeons attempted to extract my data from the wreckage. But since I hadn’t planned any trips and was about to spend a small fortune replacing my silicon soulmate, I went for the budget-friendly option: a staycation.

I got my first taste of flying solo when I was 17. My friends had already left for a spring break trip, but I had an obligation that meant I couldn’t leave the same day. So I did what felt incredibly brave at the time: I got on a plane by myself to meet them a couple of days later. I felt so grown-up navigating the airport on my own, even though I did have to ask a kind fellow traveler to keep me from falling asleep and missing my layover connection in Cincinnati.

Kansas City has been on my weekend getaway radar for a while, and it delivered. In just two days, we managed to squeeze in tacos, cocktails, live music, some quality thrift digging, and more than one road trip dance party. It was the kind of visit that didn’t feel rushed but still made the most of every hour, which is pretty much the sweet spot for any mini getaway. The Road to KC Kansas City is just a few hours from my hometown of St. Louis, which makes it a perfect mini escape, especially when you’re craving something different but not…

Short trips are supposed to be easy, right? A quick 2–4 day getaway shouldn’t require a suitcase you have to sit on to zip. And yet, I used to end up packing multiple pairs of shoes, a “just in case” outfit I never wore, and zero pajamas. (How? Every. Time.) After one too many weekends spent hauling around a bag filled with everything except what I actually needed, I finally came up with a system that works: packing with a purpose and a little personality. Here’s how I keep it simple without feeling underprepared, plus a free checklist if you’re the type who likes to follow along!

I didn’t go to Detroit just for the food. But after this trip, I kind of wish I had. From iconic square pizza to unique coffee brews to meticulously crafted cocktails, Detroit delivered big flavor. Here's everything I ate and drank (and what I’d go back for in a heartbeat). Meals That Hit the Spot Buddy's Pizza You can’t go to Detroit and skip the pizza, especially not the square kind. Legend has it Detroit-style pan pizza owes its shape to steel automotive pans, because apparently in mid-century Detroit, car parts beat cookware any day.

I spent two days in Detroit soaking up music history, beautiful architecture, and the kind of small surprises that make a trip memorable. From Motown to towering lobbies to quiet trails, this one hit all the right notes.

Planning a short trip should feel exciting. I’ve tried a lot of tools that promise to make travel planning easier. Some were helpful. Some were...ambitious. Over time, I’ve found a few tools that make planning my mini getaways easier, smoother, and sometimes even fun. If planning travel ever feels overwhelming, maybe one of these will be a helpful nudge in the right direction.

I'm not trying to bash any city, but every time I told someone I was going to Tulsa, their first question was "Why?" Uh, rude, guys. Well, here's the real answer. I'm trying to go to every state in the U.S. I'd never been to Oklahoma and $49 tickets popped up on Southwest Airlines (not sponsored). So off to Tulsa I flew with one carry on and one friend in tow.

As I've developed The Mini Getaway Guide philosophy for travel, I've tried to keep in mind that I need my short trips to be restorative, not a harried attempt to speed run through a city to see everything in three days' time. I love slow mornings, getting ready at my own pace, and feeling like my trip has been cultivated to my personal tastes.

Welcome to The Mini Getaway Guide! I think a lot of people might question why I’ve decided to focus this blog on short trips instead of traditional vacations. I work in a helping profession, …