After a long week, sometimes a short getaway is in order. However, deciding which destination to travel to can be tough when you only have a weekend to spend. To help you choose the right trip, U. S. News considered factors like accessibility, affordability and entertainment options, as well as reader votes, to determine which cities offer the best setting for a weekend away.

Visitors can reach New York City by train, plane or automobile, so weekend getaways are easy. Plus, abundant attractions indoors (like museums and Broadway shows) make unpredictable weather no problem. For history, take the ferry to Ellis Island or the Statue of Liberty.

Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods and abundance of can’t-miss sights make it a great weekend vacation, spot. On warmer days, take a photo of yourself in front of “The Bean” and go aboard an architecture river cruise. Meanwhile, museums like the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum are wonderful places to escape winter s biting temperatures.

Cross Lake Ontario to our northern neighbor for an urban escape. It’s hard to see all of Toronto in just a few days, but first- timers can hit the high points, such as the CN Tower, the St. Lawrence Market and the Hockey Hall of Fame. Save an evening to explore the Distillery District.

Not only is America’s capital full of free attractions, but many of them are concentrated on the National Mall, making it easy to see the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and other highlights in just a few days. While visiting, don’t miss out on the popular weekend brunch scene -just remember to make reservations in advance.

Recently, China has announced the list of the first five national parks. Each of them is divided into two parts — the core protection area and the general control area. In the core protection area, only research and surveillance (监视) in science are allowed. And the general control area is open to the public, allowing travel activities such as camping and hiking. In the future, national parks are expected to be natural classrooms. People can learn about different kinds of animals and plants through eco-friendly travel activities.

Three River-Source National Park on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the largest national park in China. Because it is home to the sources of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers, people call it “China’s water tower”.

Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park is in Heilongjiang and Jilin Provinces. It covers an area of 14,100 square kilometers. It is our country’s biggest and only place for wild Siberian tigers and Amur leopards to live in.

Wuyi Mountain National Park in Fujian Province is a UNESCO natural and cultural heritage site. The forest makes up over 96 percent of the park. The park is the paradise of birds, kingdom of snakes and world of insects. You can also see the Danxia landform there.

Giant Panda National Park connects panda habitats in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu Provinces. Inside the park are more than 1,600 wild giant pandas. They make up over 70 percent of the pandas in China.

Hainan Tropical Rain forest National Park is the largest tropical forest in China. There are more than 400 kinds of plants that can only be found in Hainan.

Bioluminescence (生物荧光) is to California as the Aurora Borealis is to the Arctic. These events occur when single-celled organisms, known as dinoflagellates (甲藻), suddenly give off a kind of light after being disturbed. They’re most common in spring and into summer, especially during years with a combination of good rains and warm weather. Here are a few tips to help you witness bioluminescence:

Monitor Social Media

The first reports of a bioluminescence event are likely to show upon Instagram and Twitter, which are easily searchable. You can also setup a warning on Google that will round up news coverage.

Check With Aquariums

Such institutions as the Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey might post updates on their websites or social media feeds, especially if bioluminescence is happening locally.

Find a Dark Location

If bioluminescence is ongoing, try to find a stretch of coast that’s as far away from light as possible. Get out before the moon rises for the best conditions and some experts also suggest that two hours after sunset is a good bet Give your eyes time to adjust and use your flashlight’s red light, which will keep your vision adjusted to the darkness.

Track Hotspots

The best displays can vary from night tonight, so check again on social media for updates. The environmental website Treehugger named San Diego one of the world’s eight best places to see bioluminescence. Meanwhile, north of San Francisco at Point Reyes National Seashore, To males Bay is a dependable spot for bioluminescence and you can go out on guided trips with Blue Waters Kayaking.