AARP Hearing Center
![The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway takes visitors more than 8,500 feet above the desert floor to the hiking trails of the Mount San Jacinto State Park The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway takes visitors more than 8,500 feet above the desert floor to the hiking trails of the Mount San Jacinto State Park](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarpe/en/home/travel/vacation-ideas/road-trips/info-2021/spring-day-trips/_jcr_content/root/container_main/container_body_main/container_body1/container_body_cf/container_image/articlecontentfragment/cfimage.coreimg.50.932.jpeg/content/dam/aarp/travel/destinations/2022/03/1140-palm-springs-aerial-tramway.jpg)
If you live in or are visiting any of these great cities, you may want to get out of town for a quick adventure. Consider these fun and unique day-trip possibilities, within an easy drive of New York; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Santa Fe; Austin and Atlanta.
![visitors enjoying governors island visitors enjoying governors island](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarpe/en/home/travel/vacation-ideas/road-trips/info-2021/spring-day-trips/_jcr_content/root/container_main/container_body_main/container_body1/container_body_cf/body_one_cf_one/par1/articlecontentfragmeImage1/cfimage.coreimg.50.932.jpeg/content/dam/aarp/travel/trips/2021/02/1140-travel-governers-island.jpg)
When in New York City …
Visit one of the Big Apple's most overlooked islands
In a city brimming with attractions, many of them pricey, one of the most exceptional is just a $3 ferry ride away (or free, if you’re 65 or older): Governors Island, a 172-acre former military base that's 800 yards off southern Manhattan. For New Yorkers, it has become a sanctuary in the middle of New York Harbor, with 7 miles of car-free bike paths, green lawns perfect for picnicking and even a grove full of hammocks. To visit the island, hop on the ferry leaving from the Battery Maritime Building, at the tip of lower Manhattan (the ferry leaves every 30 minutes, from 7 a.m. until 4:14 p.m.; you can also get there with NYC Ferry from both lower Manhattan and Red Hook in Brooklyn ). Rent a bike when you arrive, and ride to the far end of the island, exploring as you go. Make sure to stop at the Hills, a high point, with sweeping views of the island and the surrounding harbor. —Ryan KroghEditor's note: This article was published on February 15, 2021. It's been updated to reflect new information.
![member card Image Alt Attribute](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/experience-fragments/uxdia-folder-structure/en/features/membership/inline-membership-promo/default/master5/_jcr_content/root/responsivegrid/container_copy/container/articleimage.coreimg.75.1140.png/content/dam/uxdia/membership-card-d-and-t.png)
LIMITED TIME OFFER: Labor Day Sale!
Join AARP for just $9 per year with a 5-year membership and get a FREE Gift!
![shenandoah national parks luray caverns shenandoah national parks luray caverns](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarpe/en/home/travel/vacation-ideas/road-trips/info-2021/spring-day-trips/_jcr_content/root/container_main/container_body_main/container_body1/container_body_cf/body_one_cf_one/par4/articlecontentfragme/cfimage.coreimg.50.932.jpeg/content/dam/aarp/travel/trips/2021/02/1140-travel-luray-caverns.jpg)
When in Washington, D.C. …
Discover the underworld
In the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains — two hours west of Washington, near Virginia's Shenandoah National Park — sits Luray Caverns, a spectacular cave system well worth the trek from our nation's capital. It's known for its stunning, multihued limestone formations and the vast Cathedral Room, where an automated organ produces concert-pitch notes via rubber-tipped plungers tapping stalactites — an otherworldly experience. Other highlights on the 1.25-mile self-guided walk (all paved) through more than a dozen chambers include Dream Lake, which at first appears to be a pool filled with upward-reaching stalagmites but is actually a reflection of the stalactite-covered ceiling, and the impressive Giant's Hall — 164 feet below the surface — which boasts a pillar-type formation that soars to 47 feet. It's chilly, so bring a light jacket, and wear comfortable walking shoes. Auto buffs should leave time to visit the vintage-car museum next door, included with caverns admission. —Kitty Bean Yancey
More on travel
Try a Glamping Getaway in California Wine Country
'Roughing it' can be luxurious when your base is a well-stocked rented Airstream
Save-or-Splurge Vacation Ideas for 2022
Where to travel next — for golf, beaches or city fun — for different budgets
Why You Should Consider Slow Travel for Your Next Trip
Traveling deeply rather than widely brings special pleasures — and fewer hassles
Recommended for You