{"id":85747,"date":"2026-03-27T14:48:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T21:48:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flyphotoprod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=85747"},"modified":"2026-03-30T10:48:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T17:48:30","slug":"best-weekend-trips-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flyphotoprod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/best-weekend-trips-us\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Weekend Trips in the US According to a Second-Home Expert"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Best Weekend Trips in the US<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What if the best weekend trips in the US weren\u2019t just trips at all, but places you could actually call yours? A home by the lake. A cabin in the desert. A cottage by the sea that pays for itself while you\u2019re back in the city, dreaming about your next long weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three years ago, Katie Cline did something most people thought was backwards: she bought her second home before her first. Living in New York City had made buying a primary home feel impossible, so instead of waiting, she purchased a vacation home three and a half hours north near Lake George. When she\u2019s not there, it doubles as a short-term rental, covering its costs, building equity, and turning a profit. She\u2019s since bought two more vacation homes. Both pay for themselves. What started as a personal experiment has become Katie\u2019s life\u2019s work. She\u2019s now an award-winning hospitality expert and the host of Second Home First<\/a>, a podcast and business built around helping others replicate what she stumbled into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Flytographer<\/a>, we\u2019ve been capturing memories in the places that travellers love since 2013, connecting people with trusted local photographers in 350+ destinations worldwide. We\u2019ve captured over six million memories for 100,000+ travellers who wanted more than a phone snap. Below, Katie shares her picks for the best weekend destinations in the US, specifically the kind of places where buying a vacation home might be the smartest decision you ever make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jump in<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Katie\u2019s Approach to Choosing a Second Home<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Cape Cod, Massachusetts:<\/strong> Best for Classic New England Charm<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Montauk, New York:<\/strong> Best for Laid-Back East Coast Weekends<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Napa Valley, California:<\/strong> Best for Wine Country Weekends<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Cannon Beach, Oregon:<\/strong> Best for Pacific Coast Scenery<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Lake Tahoe, California: <\/strong>Best for Year-Round Escapes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Park City, Utah:<\/strong> Best for Ski Weekends and Summer Adventures<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Sarasota, Florida:<\/strong> Best for Beach Culture and City Life<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Sedona, Arizona:<\/strong> Best for Red Rock Landscapes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Joshua Tree, California: <\/strong>Best for Desert Escapes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Santa Fe Foothills, New Mexico:<\/strong> Best for Year-Round Culture<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"Family<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Photo: Ashley in Lake Tahoe for Flytographer. <\/strong><\/a>Camrie and family capture memories on a trip to Lake Tahoe with a family photoshoot.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Katie\u2019s Approach to Choosing a Second Home<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The first question Katie is almost always asked is: where should I buy? Her answer is disarmingly simple. Choose a place you already love. A place that ranks among your favourite weekend trips, not because someone told you to go, but because you keep going back. A place where you can picture years of holidays, long weekends, and ordinary days with the people who matter most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The financial logic follows from the emotional one, not the other way around. A place you love is a place you\u2019ll return to, rent well, and take care of. Start there, and the rest tends to work itself out. \ud83d\udc9b<\/p>\n\n\n\n