Carefree, Arizona

Why: The rainy season is ending in Arizona, and jacket weather has passed. What better time to lounge by the pool among giant red rocks, sip prickly pear margaritas, and indulge in a Turquoise Wrap at the Golden Door Spa.

How: A three-hour nonstop flight to Phoenix (roundtrip fares were less than $300 at press time) and a forty-five-minute drive north to Carefree.

Stay: The Boulders Resort (34631 N. Tom Darlington Dr., 800-553-1717) is as good as the desert gets. Walking paths weave around the sprawling 1,300-acre resort, connecting guests to the main lodge and private casitas. Rates run around $699 a night in the high season, although spa packages and specials are often found online.

Eat: This area is a mecca for Mexican restaurants and steak houses but the resort’s Latilla is a four-diamond oasis. With a rustic ceiling and semicircular dining room, it offers a romantic backdrop for contemporary cuisine.

Pack: Golf clubs, for the two championship courses, which are best played early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the sun dances among the rocks.

P.S.: Book spa treatments and tee times well before you arrive, as both are always in high demand.