IAH
Anywhere from Houston
Houston has a straight shot to Mexico and the Caribbean, and the Gulf beaches are a drive when you would rather not fly.
These are places with enough of a reason to leave George Bush, not a thin list of every airport code we know. Prices are not shown here because a fare without a live source would be a guess.
Cancún
A beach reset with meals included, close enough for a long weekend from much of the East and Midwest.
December through April for drier days. Summer is hotter, cheaper, and still very swimmable.
Cabo San Lucas
A West-Coast-friendly beach trip, often nonstop from California and the Southwest.
November through May. Late summer is hotter and more humid, with the chance of a storm.
Destin
Clear water and a kitchen, which is the whole brief for a lot of families.
May, early June, and September. Spring break and July are the crowded, expensive weeks.
New Orleans
A city with a point of view, reachable from most of the South in a short hop or a drive.
February through May, and late fall. Summer is a steam bath with excellent food.
Denver and the Rockies
Mountains without committing to a resort town price on night one.
June through September for high trails. December through March if the wish is actually about snow.
Orlando
Theme parks, warm water, and a flight that is nonstop from a lot of US cities.
Late January through early May, and again in November, when the parks are cooler and slightly quieter.