The old-fashioned road trip looks better than ever as households cut back on extravagant vacations in the midst of the recession. According to a recent poll by the Associated Press, nearly one-third of Americans have canceled at least one trip this year due to financial concerns. Fortunately, there are cheap trips for travelers in every region.

Spectacular thoroughfares crisscross the U.S., from the sparse scrubland of New Mexico’s Turquoise Trail to the rocky Blue Ridge Parkway in the Appalachians. Even residents of New York City can plan an escape on Connecticut’s bucolic Merritt Parkway.

Start in Asheville, N.C., and drive through the mountains all the way to Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia just west of Washington, D.C., Skyline Drive is the highlight of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Kellie Pelletier of Kayak.com recommends taking a hike in the mountains and visiting nearby Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson.

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