Weekend road trips from Toronto to the USA are an obvious way to explore our southerly neighbour without committing to major travel plans or shelling out a ton of money. Fortunately, our city lies in close proximity to many cool destinations in New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. From rust belt cities on the rise to stunning natural wonders, American adventures are just a few hours away.

Here are the top weekend road trips to the USA from Toronto.

Pittsburgh
Depending on traffic, Pittsburgh should take about five (and change) hours to drive to. Once you get there, you can admire its multiple lush landscape and elevation changes via theDuquesne Incline,multiple bridges, visit theAndy Warhol Museum(or one of theCarnegie museums and galleries), have brunch in theStrip District, and sample what is one of thebest craft beer scenes around.

Lake Placid
Site of the1980 Winter Olympics,Lake Placidstill bears the mark of this momentous occasion, but that's not the main reason to go here. It's the absolutely gorgeous landscape that's worth immersing yourself in. This is an amazing region for cyclists and hikers or merely those who like quaint inns and a rugged rural landscape. Make sure to drive upMt. Whitefacefor a spectacular view.

Buffalo
Buffalo is on the way back. This rust belt citywas shelled out in the in 1970sand it's taken a long time to recover, but there's tons of life in the city right now, fromstart-up breweriesto a burgeoningrestaurantandbar sceneand arevitalized waterfront. The architecture andshoppinghave always been there, but now there's reason to spend a few days exploring a city in the process of renewal.

The Finger Lakes
TheFinger Lakesare what you'd get if you blended the Niagara region with Muskoka: a beautiful landscape but with the addedpleasure of wineriesand a more established food scene. There are loads ofB&Bs spread around the area, as well as historic inns, and lakefront properties. As a longstanding tourist destination, there are alsonumerous museumsand scenic lookouts to explore.

Detroit
Like Buffalo, the Motor City is also gettingcool again, but given the depths to which it descended, the vibe is completely different here as aDIY entrepreneurial spiritas reanimated the city. Yes theindustrial ruinsare fascinating, but its the people who have committed to bringing Detroit back who have ushered infood,art, andmusicscenes worth checking out.

Cleveland
TheRock & Roll Hall of Fameturned 50 this year, so you might as well visit it to celebrate its golden birthday. Beyond this musical pilgrimage, you can eat your heart out at theWest Side Market, visit theotherGreat Lakes Brewing Company,tailgate at Muni parking lotbefore a Browns game, or visit the surprisingly greatCleveland Museum of Art.

Toronto (Ohio)
Did you know thatthere's another Toronto? Located just west of Pittsburgh, this picturesque city onthe Ohio River是终极destination for Toronto nerds and can be tacked on to other trips in this direction or be considered a part of a winder exploration of the Ohio Valley, which has a scenic ruggedness andintriguing historygiven its industrial past.

Did we miss a cool US destination within driving distance of Toronto? Let us know in the comments.

Photo byJim Fotia.