In this summer of economic discontent, near may be better than far, close to home better than the ends of the earth. So we offer 10 top-notch spots only a tank of gas away, or less, in the hope that they deliver adventure and escape, or at least a chance to soak in the sweet smells of the season.
Cinematic journeys Travel fantastic distances at local festivals, where indy efforts and international fare can transport you for an hour or two at a time. In Waterville, Maine, home to an opera house and the Railroad Square Cinema, the Maine International Film Festival runs July 10-19. In Rhode Island, venues across the state host films for the Rhode Island International Film Festival, which runs Aug. 4-9. www.miff.org, www.film-festival.org.
Starlight for a ceiling Catch more movies in open air at the Wellfleet Drive-In, out at the end of the Cape. There's a double feature every night in stereo sound, and such tandems as "Monsters vs. Aliens" and "Fast & Furious." Campers must park in back - the place opened in 1957, after all, when people drove up mostly in cars, even if they had bigger fins than now. And remember: no horns. Route 6, Wellfleet, www.wellfleetcinemas.com.
Land's end Don't want to drive all that way just to see a movie? Then wake up, grab a towel, and head to the Cape Cod National Seashore. Forty miles of beaches stretch from Provincetown to Chatham, with white sand, rolling dunes, and stoic lighthouses along the way. Salt Pond Visitors Center, Route 6 and Nauset Road, Eastham. 508-255-3421. www.nps.gov/caco.
Humble heights At the inland end of Massachusetts, Mount Greylock rises to the commonwealth's highest point. Hike, bike, or drive 3,491 feet above sea level to a summit that can be sun-swept or lost in fog. Look west, into New York, or only as far as the surrounding forest, where black bears, bobcats, warblers, and the red-spotted purple butterfly find homes. New curators hope to reopen the Bascom Lodge, the historic mountaintop building closed for two seasons, later this summer. Visitors center, 30 Rockwell Road, Lanesborough. 413-499-4262. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/mtGreylock/index.htm.
Two if by river If a simple plunk around the pond is not enough paddling, then head north to the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, an ever-expanding network that connects waterways in the Eastern United States and Canada. The water moves swiftly and sometimes hardly at all, depending on where you are. So pick a piece or two of the 740-mile route that links 22 rivers and 56 lakes and ponds, then float through forest or past urban shores. Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Waitsfield, Vt. 802-496-2285. www.northernforestcanoetrail.org.
A shore sip The coast of southern New England isn't home to the arid earth of Rioja, or the terroir depth of Burgundy. But for wine lovers, a growing vineyard route offers a chance to taste the fruits of local grapes, from chardonnay to cabernet franc. Eight wineries are part of the Coastal Wine Trail of Southeastern New England, which reaches from Langworthy Farm Vineyards, in Westerly, R.I., out to the far end of Cape Cod, and Truro Vineyards. Organizers suggest two to three days to make the journey. www.coastalwinetrail.com.
Seaport eateries Don't like your food so closely paired with wine? Then head to Portsmouth, N.H., where you can quaff an English-style bitter, a West Coast IPA, or Russian-style stout at Portsmouth Brewery, then walk among the brick buildings of the harbor town toward any of dozens of restaurants. Two of note: Jumpin' Jay's Fish Café, for haddock piccata or fisherman's stew, or The Black Trumpet, for the peppered veal chop or the chile-rubbed filet. www.portsmouthnh.com/dining.
Connecticut collection The artistry is found on the walls at the New Britain Museum of American Art. Summer exhibitions feature paintings by William Trost Richards, Aaron Draper Shattuck, and Milton Avery, and photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe, Edward Steichen, and others. Curious for more? The permanent collection includes more than 5,000 items, and the museum's new steel, stone, and glass wing is a work of art itself. New Britain Museum of American Art, 56 Lexington St., New Britain. 860-229-0257. www.nbmaa.org.
Outdoor inspiration For more than a decade, the fires conceived by Barnaby Evans have been burning in the three rivers of downtown Providence on summer Saturday evenings. The works, which are lighted at sunset and blaze past midnight, are a destination in themselves. But they also spark a range of events, such as concerts at Sovereign Plaza featuring world beats, including salsa on Aug. 8. www.waterfire.org.
That's more like it Get lost in the trees at Gifford Woods State Park. There are four one-room cabins for rent. Short hikes can hook up with the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail, or rise to the heights of Killington and Pico peaks. But stroll only a short way to one of the last remaining old growth stands in the state, where sugar maple, beech, yellow birch, white ash, and hemlock tower above wildflowers. Gifford Woods State Park, 34 Gifford Woods, Killington, Vt. 802-775-5354. www.vtstateparks.com/htm/gifford.cfm.
Tom Haines can be reached at thomaswhaines@hotmail.com. 
