Many travel destinations around the country have been hard-hit by the sagging economy, so some hotels and recreational areas have packages to try to entice Americans "out of hibernation."

Hotels were only about two-thirds full, on average, in the second quarter this year, according to Smith Travel Research. Expedia says hotels in many popular destinations are dropping prices as a result, including those in Las Vegas, Orlando, San Diego, Hawaii and Myrtle Beach, S.C.. Well, that's all well and good but many people still can't afford to fly that far or drive that far right now. There is a solution because hotels in places like southern Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee are dropping their rates and there are plenty of tour packages available.

The fall season is usually defined as September through November. The kids are back in school and most families are staying home, so you won't have to battle crowds. So now is the ideal time to head to hot locales that were too expensive -- or too busy -- in the summer. Forget the economic crisis and stop pulling your hair out. We all still need a vacation. Try something just a little different and maybe much closer to home. You might like it and have some change in your pocket when you get home.

Southern Indiana

Why would anyone consider going to such an area that has so little to offer? Well, think again. Southern Indiana is located on the northern fringe of the Appalachian highlands. There are hills, hollers, creeks, rock outcrops and caves that offer beauty and enticing recreational opportunities. There are two of the most exotic resort hotels with rich histories and both newly restored in a tiny little village called, French Lick in the heart of the hill country. Within a short drive there are places to hike in rocky forests, rock climb, see caves and ride a train into the back country of southern Indiana, and recreate in and around two lakes. The hotels offer beauty, history, a casino, spas, swimming pool, golf course and restaurants for your in house pleasures. Distances: From Indianapolis, about two hours. From Louisville - 1/2 hour and from Fort Wayne about 5 hours.

Harrison - Crawford Caves. Historic Hotels and Backroads

If history and ghost towns are your interest, then head to Harrison and Crawford Counties where the first state capital of Corydon is located and where you can visit several original historic structures and the only Civil War battlefield located in Indiana. Follow the trail of Confederate General, John Hunt Morgan as he crossed the Ohio at Brandenburg, Kentucky and visit the "old town" where ghostly reminders stand in defiance of floods and tornadoes along the river front on the Kentucky side. Emerge back into Indiana and check out another ghost town at Mauckport after crossing the bridge and then head back to visit Squire Boone Caverns. (Squire Boone was the brother of the famed frontiersman, Daniel Boone. Squire was allegedly being chased by Shawnee Indians and found the cave to take refuge from his pursuers. He fell in love with the area, built a home in the rocky outcrop and brought his family to join him in the area.) There is a working grist mill, shops and a wonderful tour of the cave and lots of history here.

There are campgrounds, bed and breakfasts, horse back riding, nature parks and lots of scenery to enjoy from a drive on the backroads in Harrison and Crawford Counties. The winding hilly roads can offer a glimpse of a very different way of life. Real log cabins, old iron bridges, quiet country rivers and spectacular scenes of nature, wild and wonderful all dot the landscape along with farms and hillside homes. Wyandotte Cave, located about 16 miles west of Corydon on scenic SR 62 offers tourists a look at one of Indiana's most spectacular cave systems. There is a history of pre-historic Indians using the cave for gathering flint for tool making and a continued use by the endangered Indiana bats.

Marengo Cave offers cave tours, special kids activities, camping, and nearby Cave Country Canoes offers canoe rental and kayaking down the scenic Blue River.

Gas is a factor in everything we do these days, and traveling out west by car or by plane to visit real ghost towns may be the plan but the cash just isn't going to stretch that far so try something new, try visiting some ghostly towns deep in southern Indiana.

West Virginia - New River Gorge

If southern Indiana still isn't enough of a challenge and you already live in the small towns outside of Indianapolis or Cincinnati or even St Louis and you really need those mountain scenes and rough and ready outdoor activities, come on home, to West Virginia. It is only 6 hours from Indianapolis to Fayetteville, West Virginia, and under 5 hours from Cincinnati and 8.5 hours from St. Louis. Ok, that sounds like a lot, but think about it, take a long weekend - leave work early Thursday and fill the tank, drive through the night... let's see $4 a gallon x 20 gallon tank = $80 and if you get 30 miles to the gallon x 20 gallons= 600 miles per tank. Well, even St. Louis is a one tank trip. Expedia and Orbit have hotel discounts and rental car discounts listed on their travel website for West Virginia and hotels in Beckley and Fayetteville. Believe me, I know from experience that what you have ahead is worth the trip and no mountain scene in Colorado is more beckoning than the rich lush forested mountains that surround Charleston, Beckley and the New River Gorge.

There is skiing, snow boarding, and all the winter sports that are offered in Aspen, but why wait until winter to have fun and enjoy outdoor recreation? The New River Gorge and the Gauley River are famous for their rapids and white water rafting. Hold on, don't panic, if you are not about to set off on a rugged adventure without getting your feet wet first, (no pun intended), don't worry there is a trip for you too. There are bird watching excursions from a raft on the Upper New that are far from gut wrenching, teeth grinding, hold on to your cookies rapid travel. There are "duckies" that are one person raft/kayaks that you can paddle around in on your own to get a feel of the water and a few minor bubbles in the river. You can graduate up the ranks to more and more challenging rides and there are as many outfitters as there are rapids in the region to get you going in whatever category you fit.

If the river is only part of your goal then take a drive down to the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, get a glimpse of history of the formation of the river, coal mining, railroading and the settlement of the gorge region. Then get a map, get packed and go to the edge of the parking lot and turn right heading down into the gorge where the real fun begins. There are narrow, hairpin turns, so be prepared for some unusual roads. The vistas are worth it. There are pull off areas to view the famous New River Gorge Bridge, and the rocky formations all around. There are places to pull over and park, to begin hiking into the gorge on trails that will take you to places such as the ghostly Kaymoor Mine. Yes, 800 steps down, you will find many decaying buildings, equipment, and signs that until about 45 years ago, this was an active coal mine operation. If you can make it back to the top, continue on across the bridge (the Fayette Station bridge) newly restored which was the only way across the gorge until the big New River Bridge was built in the 1970's. Then take a break in Fayetteville and enjoy the shops, the restaurants and get ready for more adventures.

West Virginia has the largest ATV trail system in the United States and one of the largest off-highway vehicle trail systems in the world. The award-winning Hatfield-McCoy Trails, open 365 days a year, offers something for every skill level. Trails range from the scenic mountain views of Pinnacle Creek, to the tight and twisting trails of Dingess Rum. Many trails connect to West Virginia's "ATV friendly towns" where visitors can grab a bite to eat and experience true Southern hospitality. This is a must do activity for the whole family.

Many outfitters in the region offer rock climbing, repelling, rafting, sell and rent equipment, camping, cabin rentals, swimming, and other resort activities on their own grounds and they take tours out into designated areas of the gorge on horse trails, ATV trails and just about anything including Zip Lines, rope courses and caving. There is such an array of outdoor recreation found in this one region that it is difficult to include everything no matter how much you write about it.

If seeing the mountains on back country mountain roads is your thing, then this is the place for you. I discovered a fantastic mountain road back in 1999 when I was there with my full size 4x4 pickup. The McKendree-Thurmond Road is a narrow, one-lane road that winds up and through the mountains taking you to places where the edge is inches from your wheels and the mountain rises up on the other side. It is two-way so be aware that you may have to find a place to pull over to allow an on-coming vehicle to pass. Thurmond is a restored ghost town that once served as a railroad station and coal mining town. The museum is open limited hours but the drive and the picture taking opportunities are well worth a trip to the town. Along this route are true mountain scenes and a place called Thayer with one remaining house still standing, although vine covered and very dilapidated condition. It is a real photo op. The whole experience of waterfalls, narrow back roads, outdoor recreation in the region makes this trip exciting and challenging for city folks and suburbanites.

Beckley, just down the road has a coal mine museum ride that will take you into a real coal mine that once produced tons of coal for sale and will allow you to experience what it must have been like for those coal miners working deep in the earth. Nearby is the Tamarack Art Center. This art center is where West Virginia's artisans shine. Their skills are on display and for sale in this unique setting. There is woodworking, paintings, crafts, weaving, culinary arts, and so much more for anyone who wants a taste of West Virginia to take with them.

The road to Fayetteville from I-77/64 is through Hawk's Nest State Park. This overlook has a vista that is absolutely spectacular. It also offers a tram ride down from the top of the rim of the gorge to the bottom where you can hop a fast ride down river. The jet boat ride is the only way you can travel back up the river and view the gorge bridge and rapids up ahead. It is fast and fantastic. Along the way, there are fishing shacks literally hanging out over the edge of the river. The $25 trip is a little expensive, but well worth it. It is just another way to enjoy your journey to the New River.

Kentucky's Blue Grass and Blue Licks

Kentucky has plenty to offer anyone coming down from Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Cincinnati or Louisville. This is a short journey to the land of Daniel Boone, Horses, Blue Grass and Blue Licks, Mountains, Coal Mines, huge rivers and man-made lakes. You don't have to go far out of Lexington to get into the country and experience the flavor of what it means to be in horse country.

The Blue Grass region is less than 20 miles from the Kentucky River, frontier history, rugged outposts and beautiful hills and mountain vistas. Kentucky is an Iroquois word which means "canelands" or "Prairie grass." It shows that the Iroquois had a vested interest in this region very early on and that interest was continued when the Shawnee poised themselves to be the only Native people to have had permanent villages and campsites in what is now Kentucky during the historic frontier era of the Mid-18th century. Kentucky is dotted with prehistoric mounds, archaeological sites that predate white settlers of the later 18th century. So why did Kentucky and West Virginia remain nearly void of Indian villages while Indian attacks in these regions was up exponentially compared to northern states such as Ohio and Indiana?

This region has a rich and complex history. The Iroquois laid claim to much of the Ohio Valley in the 17th century and challenged the Cherokee for this same region. The Cherokee had huge numbers that pushed back against the Iroquois and later the Shawnee. The region remained in limbo. The spoken and unspoken agreement was to keep everyone out of the area except to hunt and camp temporarily including all white settlers. The settlers poured into the region from Virginia right along the Warrors Path, Wilderness Road and Buffalo Trails used by the Indians. They were literally asking for trouble.

Shawnee, Miami, and others who had permanent settlements north of the Ohio continued to pursue their interests in the region and determined to drive all intruders back including Daniel Boone and his people who settled near Blue Licks on the Kentucky River at first Boonesboro and then Boone's Station. The region is dotted with forts, stations and settlements that were burned, attacked and forced into ghostly reminders of fatal attempts to cross the mountains. Once the Revolutionary War was settled, the Indians were forced to pull back to their locations north and west of the Ohio River and settlers poured into the region in ernest and began building towns and cities.

Simon Kenton was one of those early frontiersman, turned settler when he built cabins and founded a little community called Washington, just a few miles south of Maysville, Kentucky. Irish immigrants arrived and built stone walls along narrow country roads and taught slaves the skills needed to continue the practice. Today, as you drive through Blue Grass country on the back roads, you will see many remains of these walls or fences made of carefully placed stones with no mortar. These are the entry ways to miles and miles of expansive meadows and rolling hills that house the famous horses that run the races. Some of these are open to the public for special events or tours. Kentucky Horse Park has a number of museums and special events that are open especially for the public. There are loads of hotels and golf courses in the Lexington area that afford those that are here to gaze at rather than adventure into outdoor beauties.

The path on the east side of Lexington is also lined with these "slave fences," old restored taverns and an occasional sign that makes you chuckle, such as, "Horse Blanket Cleaning and Repair, Pick up and Delivery Available." Who knew I could get my horse blanket repaired?

One of the most fascinating stops along the route to Boonesborough on the Athens-Boonesboro Road was Hall's On the River. It sits literally overhanging the Kentucky River Gorge and has balcony dining where you can see the opposite side of the rocky gorge with hiking trails heading up--way up, to the top of the hill. Besides having unique cheese sauces, soups and mouth watering steaks and burgers, it has a unique history in the region. It was originally founded as "Holder's Tavern" in 1783. John Holder was a close friend of Daniel Boone's and among the rescue party that saved Boone's daughter, Jemima and the Calloway girls from their Shawnee captors in 1776. John Holder later married, Fanny Calloway, one of the young girl's taken out of their canoe on the Kentucky River, just a few miles away from Hall's. The story doesn't stop there. In 1779, when Boonesborough was being attacked by Shawnee, they set fire to some flax just outside the gates. John Holder bravely decided to go outside the gates and try to extinguish the blaze before it get out of hand.

Hall's On the River, Winchester Kentucky on the Athens-Boonesboro Road

Now, John Holder was well known for his extreme use of curse words and now was not going to be the time for him to change. He uttered every conceivable curse word in his thundering voice so that not only did the Indians hear but everyone inside the fort heard him too. When he finally made his way back inside amidst musket balls whizzing past and landing in the wood stockade, he continued his colorful array of descriptive profanity while panting, trying to catch his breath. His mother-in-law, the irrepressible Mrs. Calloway, scolded him for his crass language, saying, "It would be more becoming to pray than to swear." John Holder snapped back, "I've no time to pray-dammit," It was a moment well remembered by many.

Blue Licks - Now a Battlefield Memorial State Resort Park was near the last Shawnee Village Eskippakithiki, (actually located on the Lower Blue Licks east of Boonesboro.) The state park is on the upper Blue Licks where the Shawnee defeated the Americans under Daniel Boone, one of the last battles of the Revolutionary War Era. The fight for Kentucky and to drive the settlers out continued for some time after this. The battle here was fought in 1782.

Given the gas prices, the shaky economy and life's everyday problems, everyone needs a break. These trips are just a taste of adventure, beauty, nature and a way to make a vacation out of perhaps a region that you had not thought of as a hot vacation spot. It may not be the Rockies but the Appalachian frontier has its own treasured worth. While you might catch "gold" fever going west, you might get "Almost Heaven in West Virginia." Happy Trails.

For more information on travel to the back country go to www.backcountrytraveler.com

But this adventure can lead to a disaster if you are not well-prepared. The following is a basic list of precautions every solo backpacker should know.

Double check your pack. Make sure you have all the necessary supplies: food, first-aid kit, extra clothes, etc.

Inform local authorities and your friends of the area you intend to hike. Tell them also your expected date of return.

Bring a cellphone. You'll never know when an accident can occur and you might need to call for help.

Make sure your compass is working and that you have the latest map of the area.

Pack as light as possible. You'll be going alone and there would be no one to help you carry the load should you come upon a misfortune.

If you're planning to spend the night outdoor, make sure your tent is in tip-top shape. Carry a can or bottle of insect repellent to protect you from the nasties.

Above all, make sure that you are capable for such an endeavor. If you haven't tried backpacking for miles, go only as far as necessary. If it's your first time in the area, conduct a reconnaissance a day or two before your actual hike. Familiarize yourself first with the terrain.

To sit around a campfire and watch the orange glow and the smell of pine as the wood crackles underneath a clear star filled sky is the ultimate in relaxation.

Whether you are going on your first camping trip or your 100th the Internet has made it possible to do a lot of research on where you are going before you get there. I have been on many camping trips and have been to dozes on different campgrounds, but although I have my favorites I am always looking for something new.

The feel of being at a different campground is exciting. It is like being en explorer as you head off in the wilderness. Ok maybe I am exaggerating a bit but you get the point.

To find new places what I like to do is check out a few different websites where others have already camped. Previous campers get a chance to rate different campgrounds and write in what they thought was good or bad about the place. It is about as honest of a review system that you are going to get. You will read anything from “the campground was a disaster” to “it was the best campground ever” and everything in between. You'll need to read the reviews and decide for yourself which are reviews that have some value and which are made by disgruntled people who find fault in everything they do in life. You know what I mean.

A couple good sites that I check out are RVParkReviews, CampgroundReport and RVBuddy. I just want you to keep in mind that I have no affiliation to any of these sites whatsoever other than I frequent them from time to time to read some reviews.

Each has their own means of letting others review campgrounds and RV parks from around the country. It has been a while since I camped outside of the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware area, but if the opportunity of camping in another state ever arises I know I can go to one of these sites, select the state I will be camping in, narrow it down to the exact area I want to go to and read the reviews.

These websites make it nice to read real people's opinion of different campgrounds and what they have to offer. I also recommend that if you have done a lot of camping or are going to do a lot of camping you also should participate in reviewing the places you have been. It is only right that if you are going to use these sites for your gain you should help others out as well.

So I raise my Coleman Thermos Mug, filled with *cough* Coffee *cough*, and wish you and your family a great camping trip. Cheers!

1. Hosts

   You ask, they serve. Isn't it a nice break to not have to go and fetch some apple juice yourself? And to have your meals delivered right to you, without having to move at all. Can't complain.

2. Entertainment

   Music, movies, games, radio, television shows and dramas. There's something for everyone when you're flying long-haul. You can watch a recent blockbuster, before listening to some calm, relaxing music, followed by an episode of your favourite drama.

3. Neighbours

   If the people sitting next to you are wide awake, and if you are too, perhaps a little conversation wouldn't hurt. You never know, you may find that you're sitting next to the most interesting person in the world!

4. View

   Looking out at the clouds... aren't they pretty? You can just imagine a city up there, with creatures light enough to stand on the clouds... or maybe it's just me who can imagine that. Anyhow, the view is often spectacular, and you can't miss the city and country views during takeoff and landing.

5. Food

   Although it may not always be great, there's always at least 1 item of food that's delicious, no matter how your appetite is. And best of all, it's made and served straight to you! 6. Relax: Flying long-haul is the perfect time to relax and ponder things over. All you have to do is sit down, and think. (You can also even listen to music on demand while you do this)

6. Travelling

   Last, but certainly not least, you're travelling! You have a new location to enjoy once you land. Often this is something to look forward to, after the long (and fun!) flight.