When you consider that American travelers’ backyard extends from the Arctic to the tropics, one begins to appreciate how fortunate they really are. Everywhere, inns, hotels and resorts are constantly opening or reinventing themselves. Sophisticated spas and world-class cuisine now come virtually standard. As exciting as it is to board a jet headed somewhere distant and foreign, it can be wonderfully refreshing to exit a plane after just two to four hours and head right out of the airport, with no immigration or customs formalities required.