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There's no better way to see America than its vast network of highways and byways. Now that gasoline prices have been drifting lower for the past month and analysts predict that gas prices will continue to decline, this is a great time to hit the road for a quick weekend escape.

However, many drivers have their own concerns about traveling this summer, according to a Harris poll commissioned by Ford. One third of drivers surveyed worry most about the cost of gas as a major deterrent for leaving town, while 23 percent say traffic is the most stressful part of getting away for the weekend.  And yet another 17 percent find that the other drivers on the road give them the most anxiety.

Worries aside, a weekend on the road can be a great escape.

With the help of Lonely Planet travel editor Robert Reid and best selling author Julie Morgenstern, we’ve devised the 10 best (and most stress-free) weekend road trip getaways.  From rugged coastline mountains to the peaks of Colorado’s Flat Irons, these routes show the best parts of America.

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