Whether your perfect summer escape includes sunset sails, mountain breezes, campfire s’mores or all of the aforementioned, you don’t need to travel far to make it happen.

In fact, this summertime magic can be found within a few hours’ drive of big cities like San Francisco, Chicago and Boston. From Cape Cod to the shores of the Columbia River, these hotels beckon with oysters on the deck, hikes through wine country and glamping on the coast. And with each being located within quick driving distance of a major U.S. city, not only are they magical places to call home for a few days, but they’re delightfully convenient, too.

Read on for the 10 city-adjacent points hotels to book for a hassle-free summer getaway, no airport required. Because, as Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald famously sang, summertime is about living easy.

Related: The best US glamping resorts for an outdoorsy summer getaway

Alila Ventana Big Sur

This romantic Big Sur resort offers a taste of Northern California at its very best. Picture rustic-chic cabin suites with towering ceilings and hot tubs, hikes through breathtaking coastal scenery and alfresco meals complete with hyper-local wines.

Located three hours from San Francisco, Alila Ventana invites you to “choose your own adventure” against the backdrop of ancient redwoods. This theme starts with where you stay, which could be a fireplace suite, an ocean view villa or a glamping tent under the stars. And during the day, guests can choose from an impressive roster of activities. These range from lively (falconry, axe-throwing, cold-plunging) to utterly relaxing (unwinding at the infinity pool).

And speaking of unwinding, the on-site Spa Alia is a destination in itself, with open-air cabanas and immersive treatments like Reiki healing and craniosacral therapy. As another plus, Alila Ventana is all-inclusive (with some exclusions, such as alcohol), which makes the experience that much more seamless.

Rates at Alila Ventana Big Sur start at $2,200 or 90,000 World of Hyatt points per night for double occupancy, including all meals and various activities.

Under Canvas Columbia River Gorge

With its safari-style tents and stellar settings across the country, Under Canvas has perfected the art of glamping. This summer marks the brand’s debut in the Pacific Northwest, among the lush forests, shimmering waterfalls and cascading rapids of Washington’s Columbia River Gorge — and, no surprise, the property was featured on our list of the most exciting hotel openings of the year.

A 90-minute drive from Portland, Oregon — and just under four hours from Seattle, for those who want to make a road trip of it — Under Canvas is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Guided by the on-site experience coordinator, guests spend their days hiking, biking, kayaking and white water rafting, or sipping their way through local wineries and breweries. (This region is known for its wine- and beer-tasting scene.)

Evenings bring live music and seasonal cuisine by the fire pit before guests retire to their tent accommodations. These glamping tents are expectedly cozy, with king-size beds, gas fireplaces and private bathrooms (each with a shower and flushing toilet, to be exact).

Rates at Under Canvas Columbia River Gorge start at $249 or 22,125 World of Hyatt points per night. Please note that this resort is seasonal: The 2025 dates are May 29 to Oct. 27.

Paws Up, Montana

Ask anyone who’s been to Montana and they’ll tell you: The majestic mountains and open skies have to be seen to be believed. And this classic ranch resort gives guests a front-row seat to the magic of summer in Montana.

Located on a sweeping estate consisting of ranch, forest and river, Paws Up is just 30 minutes from Missoula, Montana, and within a four-hour drive of larger cities like Bozeman, Montana and Spokane, Washington. The resort offers a range of accommodations, including cabins, ranch homes and glamping tents, making it ideal for families and groups. Meanwhile, the adults-only sister resort, The Green O, offers utterly dreamy treehouses with floor-to-ceiling windows.

But the real reason to stay at Paws Up is the experiences, which will satisfy your inner adrenaline junkie, nature lover and cowboy. There are classic activities like horseback riding and fly-fishing, along with high-intensity pursuits like all-terrain-vehicle tours, ropes course challenges and cattle drives. Evenings bring sophisticated cuisine at the resort’s several restaurants, which feature locally sourced ingredients, menus inspired by the surrounding wilds and, of course, fireside s’mores.

Rates at Paws Up are all-inclusive and priced by accommodation type (such as a one-bedroom home) and start at $2,588 per night. Rates include all meals and a daily selection of alcoholic beverages, as well as round-trip airport transfers. This property is available to book using Chase Ultimate Rewards points through The Edit by Chase Travel℠.

AutoCamp Cape Cod

Another top-notch glamping experience is found at Autocamp, which brings a retro vibe to your summer getaway. Located just two hours from Boston, AutoCamp Cape Cod offers classic Airstream accommodations that are decked out in a midcentury style without feeling kitschy.

In addition to the Airstreams, guests can choose between plush cabins and cozy glamping tents, all of which are equipped with kitchenettes, TVs and air conditioning (and heating, for those chilly Cape mornings). Most accommodations have private bathrooms, though some have shared facilities.

AutoCamp enjoys a prime location in Cape Cod’s Falmouth, providing easy access to the beaches of Buzzards Bay and the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard for day trips. There are also opportunities for kayaking, biking and wine tasting nearby. On property, AutoCamp curates a lovely summertime atmosphere with live music by the campfire, pop-up oyster tastings and stargazing with a local astronomer (with a NASA-grade telescope, no less). For meals, guests can visit the general store for provisions and grill kits, and there’s an on-site restaurant with a delicious (albeit limited) menu.

Rates at AutoCamp Cape Cod start at $200 or 70,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee

With its picture-perfect setting between lake and forest, this Ritz-Carlton resort feels worlds away from city life, but it’s just a 90-minute drive from Atlanta. And for the road-trippers, the Georgia resort is under four hours from several cities, including Birmingham, Alabama; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Greenville and Columbia, South Carolina.

Guests come to The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds for the setting, but stay for the amenities. There are five (yes, five) golf courses, all offering dramatic scenery and design by the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tom Fazio. There are a 30,000-square-foot spa (CBD-infused body wraps, anyone?) and a tennis center, as well as fishing, boating and water sports on the lake. And the accommodations are ultraplush, with amenities like private patios and Asprey bath products.

Little ones spend time at the resort’s clubhouse, where activities like tent-building and scavenger hunts are offered. Meanwhile, parents can relax by the adults-only infinity pool or, in the evening, savor filet mignon and bourbon pairings at the elegant steakhouse.

Rates at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee start at $670 or 56,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

White Barn Inn

Seaside cottages, sails through the harbor, lobsters on the deck … there is nothing quite like a New England summer. And 90 minutes from Boston, the White Barn Inn serves up coastal elegance on a silver platter.

Located in the town of Kennebunkport, Maine — which offers plenty of eateries, shops and galleries to explore — the hotel has more than 150 years of history. As a result, it’s filled with antique touches like gingham upholstery, oil paintings and fireside reading nooks. The cottage-core theme continues in the rooms and suites, but the design is anything but stuffy (think: elegant four-poster beds, private balconies and soaking tubs). Alternatively, guests can book one of the resort’s private cottages that offer proximity to the peaceful outdoor pool.

Guests of the White Barn Inn spend their days exploring the coast via boat trips, lighthouse tours, hiking, fishing and canoeing. On the property, slower-speed activities like spa rituals and cooking classes beckon. And at the restaurant, guests are treated to elevated Maine cuisine paired with vino from the 7,000-plus-bottle wine cellar.

Rates at the White Barn Inn start at $945 per night. This property is available to book using Chase Ultimate Rewards points through The Edit by Chase Travel. It is also available to book using the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts platform.

Related: A beginners guide to visiting Acadia National Park

Miraval Austin

To escape the Texas heat, follow the cool breeze to this wellness resort in the Hill Country. Miraval Austin is located 30 minutes from Austin, but San Antonio, Houston and Dallas are all within a three-hour drive.

There’s a lot to love about Miraval, starting with its immersive wellness program. Structured around specific themes (or intentions), the experiences range from floating meditation and aerial yoga to beekeeping, ropes course challenges and — it would seem — everything in between. There’s also plenty to do beyond the spa: Guests can explore the surrounding landscape on foot, by bike or via kayak, or they can simply lounge by the infinity pool overlooking the rolling hills. And at mealtime, guests are treated to ultrafresh seasonal cuisine complete with sustainable wine courtesy of the resort’s sommelier.

To make the Miraval experience feel effortless, a number of all-inclusive packages are offered. These include meals and select wellness activities, as well as a nightly credit to be applied to spa treatments.

Rates at Miraval Austin start at $940 or 40,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort

With its pristine setting and oceanview suites, this St. Regis resort makes a strong case for Florida as a summer destination (even for the most skeptical). The hotel opened in 2024 and brought a heavy dose of luxury to the Gulf Coast — specifically, Longboat Key, which is just over an hour’s drive from Tampa and under three hours from Orlando. A summer getaway here offers all the elegance but at significantly lower rates, including a number of packages through Marriott Bonvoy.

Related: A 500,000-gallon snorkeling lagoon and Champagne at the press of a button: A review of the new St. Regis Longboat Key Resort

Set on an 18-acre beachfront estate, the St. Regis is a true tropical playground. You’ll find a white sand beach, a lazy river, a snorkeling lagoon and an adults-only Cabana club in partnership with Vilebrequin. (Here, everything from the butler uniform to the cocktails is inspired by the brand.) Guests also have a 20,000-square-foot spa, elevated dining and butler service at their disposal.

Another plus: The St. Regis Longboat Key is very family-friendly, with a clubhouse, wildlife education and activities for little ones up to teenagers.

Rates at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort start at $730 or 82,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Troutbeck

This countryside resort is one of the best in New York’s Hudson Valley, where rolling hills and cultural riches are found just two hours from New York City.

Located on a 250-acre estate in the town of Amenia, Troutbeck has attracted artists and dignitaries for centuries — among them Henry David Thoreau and Theodore Roosevelt. This fact comes as no surprise, as the setting is nothing short of idyllic (picture stone cottages, walled gardens and a footbridge over a babbling brook). Inside, Troutbeck’s vintage charm is on full display with original wood paneling, velvet armchairs and roaring fireplaces.

Troutbeck is all about unwinding in style, whether it’s cocktails by the outdoor pool or yoga in the sun-soaked barn. Many guests come to Troutbeck for the wellness offerings, which range from astrology readings and sound baths to forest bathing and botany facials. And at mealtime, hyperlocal cuisine takes center stage thanks to chef Vincent Gilberti, who is a Hudson Valley local.

Rates at Troutbeck start at $550 per night. This hotel is available to book using the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts platform.

Inn at Bay Harbor, Autograph Collection

For Midwesterners, summer is synonymous with Lake Michigan — and this waterfront resort in Michigan is the perfect place to experience lake life. The Inn at Bay Harbor is a longer drive (four hours from Detroit and over five from Chicago) compared to other properties on this list, but the private beach and lake view accommodations make it worth the trip.

Located on peaceful Little Traverse Bay, the Inn at Bay Harbor offers amenities aplenty, starting with its sprawling setting. There are a sandy beach dotted with red-and-white striped cabanas, golf courses, lawn games and an outdoor pool, all within the property’s manicured grounds. Factor in the serene spa and waterfront dining, and it’s easy to see why guests may happily spend all their time at the resort.

The surrounding area offers tons to do as well, from vineyard-hopping through Michigan’s lush wine country to e-biking along lakefront trails. The resort’s variety of accommodations are another plus: These range from standard rooms to private cottages that sleep up to eight.

Rates at the Inn at Bay Harbor, Autograph Collection start at $494 per night. Points rates for this property are not currently available on Marriott’s website.

Related reading:

Loyalty programs are huge moneymakers for airlines and hotel companies because they support multiple revenue streams. One of these revenue streams is selling airline miles and hotel points directly to travelers.

Programs can get an immediate cash injection by selling points and miles as travelers prepay for future travel. However, as a traveler, keep in mind that it generally only makes sense to purchase points and miles when a discount or bonus offer is available.

This roundup of points and miles sales walks you through some of the best current offers on airline miles and hotel points, including some that may be targeted.

But first, when does it make sense to buy points and miles?

Should you buy points and miles?

There are a couple of things to consider before taking advantage of points and miles sales.

First, buying points and miles only makes sense for certain travelers and at certain times. It’s generally a much better deal to earn them for “free” through welcome bonuses tied to travel rewards credit cards.

However, buying them during good promotions can make sense for those who have tapped out their credit card options and can get high value from their rewards. It can also make sense when you need more points to lock in a specific redemption.

We generally only recommend buying points or miles if you have an immediate use in mind. In that case, the purchase might save you thousands of dollars. However, we don’t recommend stockpiling your loyalty rewards, as programs frequently undergo unexpected devaluations.

With that, here are some current promotions for buying points and miles.

Related: What are points and miles worth? TPG’s current valuations

Promotions for buying airline points and miles

American Airlines AAdvantage

• Current promotion: 10% to 40% discount
• Purchase rate: As low as 2.25 cents per mile
• TPG June 2025 valuation: 1.5 cents per mile
• End date: Unknown
• Buy AAdvantage miles

American Airlines AAdvantage is offering up to a 40% discount on miles, depending on how many you buy. You must purchase at least 6,000 miles to get the lowest 10% discount, and you’ll get the maximum discount of 40% when you buy 151,000 miles or more, dropping the price to 2.25 cents per mile. This is significantly higher than TPG’s current valuation of American miles, but buying American miles for specific high-end awards could still make sense.

Avianca LifeMiles

• Current promotion: Up to 155% bonus miles
• Purchase rate: As low as 1.3 cents per mile
• TPG June 2025 valuation: 1.4 cents per mile
• End date: June 14
• Buy Avianca LifeMiles

Avianca LifeMiles has one of the best offers on buying miles right now, but you’ll need to act fast. You’ll get between 135% and 155% bonus miles when you purchase at least 1,000 miles by June 14. The highest bonus, which requires buying at least 51,000 miles (before the bonus), lowers the price to 1.3 cents per mile — not a bad deal compared to TPG’s valuation of 1.4 cents per mile.

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards (targeted)

• Current promotion: 50% discount
• Purchase rate: As low as 1.5 cents per point
• TPG June 2025 valuation: 1.3 cents per point
• End date: July 22
• Buy Rapid Rewards points

Southwest is offering summer savings on Rapid Rewards points. These offers may vary, but we’ve seen a 50% discount when you buy at least 7,000 points. The sale price of 1.5 cents per point is still above TPG’s current valuation of 1.3 cents, so purchasing points will only make sense if you’re planning a redemption soon.

United Airlines MileagePlus (targeted)

• Current promotion: Up to 100% bonus miles
• Purchase rate: As low as 1.88 cents per mile
• TPG June 2025 valuation: 1.35 cents per mile
• End date: June 29
• Buy MileagePlus miles

United MileagePlus’ latest sale is targeted, so your offer may be different. The best offer we’ve seen is a 100% bonus when you purchase at least 45,000 miles. You’ll pay 1.88 cents per mile after taxes; this essentially halves the cost per mile — though it’s still well over our valuation. Therefore, we wouldn’t recommend purchasing additional miles unless you have a specific redemption in mind and want to top off your account balance.

Promotions for buying hotel points

Choice Privileges

• Current promotion: Up to 30% off
• Purchase rate: As low as 0.72 cents per point
• TPG June 2025 valuation: 0.6 cents per point
• End date: June 20
• Buy Choice Privileges points

For a limited time, Choice Privileges members can get a discount of 25% when they purchase at least 8,000 points and 30% when they purchase 18,000 or more. The maximum discount lowers the price to 0.72 cents per point — still higher than TPG’s estimate, so we wouldn’t recommend stocking up on Choice points right now.

Hilton Honors (targeted)

• Current promotion: Up to 100% bonus points
• Purchase rate: As low as 0.5 cents per point
• TPG June 2025 valuation: 0.5 cents per point
• End date: July 24
• Buy Hilton Honors points

This promotion from Hilton Honors is targeted, but the best we’ve seen is a 100% bonus on purchases of 5,000 points or more. You’ll pay only 0.5 cents per point with this bonus, in line with TPG’s valuations, so it could be a good idea to buy the points you’ll need for your next redemption. For instance, you could purchase the 110,000 points needed for a night at the Grand Wailea Maui, A Waldorf Astoria Resort for only $550 during this promotion — a great deal considering cash rates start around $900.

IHG One Rewards

• Current promotion: 100% bonus points
• Purchase rate: 0.5 cents per point
• TPG June 2025 valuation: 0.5 cents per point
• End date: June 13
• Buy IHG One Rewards points

IHG One Rewards’ latest promotion is a good deal, but it’s only available for a couple more days. You can get 100% bonus points when you buy at least 11,000 points. This brings the point cost down to 0.5 cents per point — right on par with our valuations, so it might be worth considering. Check out our guide on how you can redeem IHG points for maximum value.

Marriott Bonvoy

• Current promotion: 30% bonus points
• Purchase rate: As low as 0.96 cents per point
• TPG June 2025 valuation: 0.7 cents per point
• End date: July 16
• Buy Marriott Bonvoy points

With Marriott Bonvoy’s current bonus, you can score 30% extra points when you buy 2,000 points or more. You’ll still pay over 0.9 cents apiece, much higher than our postdevaluation estimate of Marriott points, so we wouldn’t advise purchasing points in most circumstances.

World of Hyatt

• Current promotion: 20% bonus points
• Purchase rate: 2.2 cents per point
• TPG June 2025 valuation: 1.7 cents per point
• End date: July 21
• Buy World of Hyatt points

World of Hyatt is offering 20% bonus points on purchases of at least 3,000 points. This drops the price to 2.2 cents per point — nothing spectacular compared to our current valuation. We’d only recommend taking advantage of this promotion if you need a few extra points to complete your next redemption.

Which credit card should you use to buy points and miles?

Most of these promotions are processed through Points.com rather than directly by the hotel or airline, so you won’t earn bonus rewards with most travel rewards cards. You’ll want to use an everyday spending card that offers a solid return on nonbonus spending.

The main exception to this rule is American Airlines. This airline reportedly codes mileage purchases as airfare, so you may want to use a credit card that earns bonus miles on airfare for the highest return when buying AAdvantage miles.

Or, if you’re working toward a minimum spending requirement to earn a welcome bonus on a new card, using that card may be the way to go.

Remember that you could incur foreign transaction fees on some cards when buying points or miles from a program abroad. So, you may want to use one of the following cards:

Bottom line

Buying points and miles isn’t always a good idea, but it can make sense in some situations — especially if you can take advantage of a promotion. In most cases, it’s best to have a specific redemption in mind and confirm award availability before considering paying for points and miles.