5 Quick Winter Getaways

Many people, including myself, find themselves with a lot of airline frequent flyer miles on several different airlines. I don't have enough for a grand tour of Europe or an exotic Asian journey, but I do have enough for two tickets for my wife and I to fly anywhere in the U.S for a long weekend getaway.

It got me thinking about five possible long weekend getaways here in the United States, places we could get to within a few hours and be able to really maximize our limited time.

Las Vegas
The secret to a low-priced Vegas vacation is going mid-week, Sunday-Thursday, and not over a holiday. We like to stay at the low-key Four Seasons Las Vegas, which is actually located on the 35th-39th floors of the Mandalay Bay Resort. The Four Seasons is non-gaming, meaning there's no casino or slot machines, only quiet luxury. When you want gambling, the Mandalay Bay is only an escalator or elevator ride away. The resort offers free car service and just makes a nice, calm alternative to the crazy world of Las Vegas. Rates begin at $179 per night, mid-week.

Four Seasons Las Vegas
3960 Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV
fourseasons.com

Key West
I think Key West, Florida is America's secret tropical paradise. We've been going there for almost 50 years and there's another whole world, away from the crazy bars on Duval Street, parties and street festivals. We love the Casa Marina, now a Waldorf-Astoria Resort. We've stayed there frequently when it was the Marriott and are looking forward to a return visit. The grand hotel opened in 1920 and retains its classic charm. Rooms start at $189 per night, which compares to other hotels on Key West. We like to stay in the historic old building, be careful, there are some "newer" rooms on the side wings of the hotel that are comparatively quite shabby and overlook a parking lot.

Casa Marina
1500 Reynolds St. Key West, FL
casamarinaresort.com

New York City
To make New York an affordable trip, we like to spend most of our time walking around and having little bites in small, out of the way restaurants, as big meals in fancy places can be expensive here. We fly into Newark Airport and take the Olympia Trails bus into Manhattan. It's $27 per person, round-trip and the buses have a special lane on the expressway and tunnel to make the journey reasonably fast, even during rush hour.

We stay at and recommend the Washington Square Hotel because it puts us in the center of the action in Greenwich Village. The hotel is a bit dodgy to walk to at night, but the location is very central. Rooms are reasonable and the hotel is offering a $110 rate for their 110th year anniversary. Normal rates are from about $160-$230, depending on how fancy a room you select. We find it offers the best value for money in Manhattan.

Washington Square Hotel
103 Waverly Place NY, NY
washingtonsquarehotel.com

Miami Beach
If you're a party animal and like the club scene, Miami Beach is a wild city that has transformed from a city of old people like me, to a city that now feels like a European capital. The beaches remain some of the most beautiful in America and the weather (and ocean temperature) stays warm all year long.

When we go with the grandkids, we like to stay at the Penguin Hotel, right on Ocean Drive in the heart of Miami Beach. This art deco structure is very well designed and the service is what you find at a Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons, it's that good. Rates are good too, ocean-view rooms are about $175, much more during holidays and peak winter season.

Penguin Hotel
1418 Ocean Drive Miami Beach, FL
penguinhotel.com

Grand Canyon
To me, the Grand Canyon is a very peaceful, spiritual place and one of our family's favorite places to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. There is something very special about the Grand Canyon and it really can't be explained by words or even photographs, it needs to be experienced in person. We like going in the winter, when it's less crowded and the snow seems to add to the magic.

For a serious visit, we recommend the Discover the Grand Canyon, Learning and Lodging Adventure. The package includes two full days of guided hiking and touring by Grand Canyon staff, along with books and reading materials. Two nights lodging, two breakfasts, two box lunches and one dinner are also included, along with gift shop coupons. It's great for families, but kids must be at least 10 years. Travelers must arrive on a Sunday to do the trip. Off-season, from November 6, 2011 through February 26, 2012, the cost for one adult is $380, two adults are $630, kids 10-16 are $229, and an additional adult is $275.

You can follow travel writer Ted Sherman on twitter, @travel4seniors and check out his blog, travel4seniors.com

More from this contributor:

5 Unusual New York City Holiday Experiences
Four Incredible Dream Hotel Suites Around the World
Macau Travel Guide