Weekend Getaways

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a relatively unknown national treasure located on the northwest corner of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, earned the title of "Most Beautiful Place in America," according to Good Morning America.

Bed and breakfasts promise the warmth and comfort of home for those on the road. But, how many of us are cozily welcomed home with a glass of wine by the fire or awoken by the smell of coffee and freshly baked scones every day?

"Island retreat" isn't the first thing that comes to the minds of visitors heading to Hong Kong. It's more like: massive, ultra-busy and urban – all of which are accurate. But, Hong Kong also offers a large array of diverse, out-of-city retreats many don't even consider. The island of Cheung Chau is one such place.

With summer in full swing, weekend warriors are looking for ways to get outdoors and beat the crowds – a difficult task for the earthbound, but no sweat at all for the more ambitiously amphibious.

America is blessed with such an incredible diversity of cities that travelers sometimes fall into the trap of taking towns at face value – seeing only the museums and sites along the most well-worn tourist trails. Aside from offering a chance to give back, "voluntourism" presents service-minded travelers with an opportunity to really get to know a town, to move past talking about the weather and have an earnest heart to heart.