; A WORTHWHILE DETOUR:
Christmas, Florida
Despite the name, the main
attraction here is gator
watching: several airboat
companies can whisk you
through the Everglades.
Distance:
92 miles
Time:
1 hour
40 minutes
Milwaukee
the bike that Elvis bought
just days before releasing
“Heartbreak Hotel”). The
city also boasts such sights
as the 15th-century St.
Joan of Arc Chapel, which
was shipped to the United
States from France in 1927
(and donated to Marquette
University in ’ 64), and the
Tripoli Shrine (
headquarters for the Milwaukee
Shriners), which looks like
a mini Taj Mahal.
; GET-THERE GUIDE:
Harley-Davidson Museum
(877-436-8738;
h-dmuseum.com)
St. Joan of Arc Chapel
( marquette.edu/chapel)
Tripoli Shrine (414-933-
4700; tripolishrine.com)
; A WORTH WHILE DETOUR:
Galena, Illinois
Okay, Galena is over 160
miles from Chicago, but it’s
packed with pubs, cafés,
galleries—and well-pre-
served historic buildings.
You can still experience its
old-time flavor at Matt’s Saloon or Jersey Lilly Saloon.
Distance:
110 miles
Time:
2 hours
Jerome
Phoenix
; THE TRIP: Phoenix is a
great jumping-off point
for day trips. Low-cost air
service from Southwest
and Mesa Air is one reason,
and Phoenix’s central-Arizona location is the other, putting the city within
driving distance of several
one-tank destinations. You
know about Sedona, but
don’t overlook the mile-high town of Jerome. This
former copper-mining locale is a haven for painters,
potters, furniture makers,
and jewelers. On the first
Saturday of every month,
the town sponsors an evening Art Walk that takes
you to 30 galleries and
studios (or, you can grab an
Art Walk map and take a
stroll on your own). A
good starting point is the
Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery, which showcases the works of more
than 30 local artists.
; GE T-THERE GUIDE:
Art Walk Map ( jerome
artwalk.com/artwalk_
map.pdf )
Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery (928-639-4276;
jeromeartistscoop.com)
; A WORTH WHILE DETOUR:
Prescott , Arizona
Prescott is an unusual mix
of Old West and Victorian
architecture. Don’t miss
Whiskey Row, once the
local red-light district.
Distance:
129 miles
Time:
2 hours
25 minutes
Los Olivos
Chicago
Los
Angeles
; THE TRIP: Unless you’re
a big Laverne & Shirley
fan, Milwaukee probably
doesn’t top your list of
must-see places. But Chicago’s overlooked neighbor
has plenty of attractions.
The Harley-Davidson
Museum is a must (see
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
; THE TRIP: A tiny town
packed with tasting rooms,
boutiques, and restaurants,
Los Olivos is in the heart of
Santa Barbara’s wine region.
The Los Olivos Grocery is
one of the few places selling Sea Smoke pinot noirs,
one of the area’s top wines,
as well as artisanal cheeses
and olive oil. Mattei’s Tavern has been serving customers since it was built as
a stagecoach stop in 1886.
; GET-THERE GUIDE:
Santa Barbara Wine
Country (santabarbara
. winecountry.com)
Los Olivos Grocery
(805-688-5115;
losolivosgrocery.com)
Mattei’s Tavern (805-688-
4820; matteistavern.com)
; A WORTH WHILE DE TOUR:
Ojai, California
The Ojai-Ventura Interna-
tional Film Festival attracts
major celebs—without the
chaos of Sundance. ;
GAVIN HELLIER/GETTY IMAGES
Peter Greenberg is AARP THE
MAGAZINE’s travel expert and
the author of Tough Times,
Great Travels (Rodale, 2009).
