Higher airfare and broader economic concerns have pushed many travelers to rethink long-haul trips this summer.

The big picture: The Iran war has sent oil prices soaring, causing airlines to cut flights and raise fares while drivers pay more at the pump.

• Flight and hotel bookings have already dipped, Virginia Tech professor Mahmood Khan previously told Axios. "People are very hesitant to make long-term bookings."

Still, nearly three-quarters (73%) of Americans say they plan to take a summer vacation this year, up from 66% last year, per a new survey from transportation company Enterprise Mobility.

💭 My thought bubble: Since my summer travel budget is leaning more "road trip" than "Euro getaway," I've been brainstorming Colorado escapes that don't require airfare, checked bags or a toddler meltdown at the Denver airport.

• Luckily, we live in a ridiculously stunning state, and Travel + Leisure recently rounded up its 20 best places to visit in Colorado.

🚘 Full disclosure: My picks aren't exactly around the corner from the Springs, but if you're looking to cash in some PTO days without boarding a plane, they're all worth your time.

For a family adventure: Rattlesnake Canyon Arches

(Drive time from the Springs: Roughly 5.5 hours)

If you've always wanted to see arches but haven't made the trek to Utah, this western Colorado spot might scratch the itch.

• Bonus: There's no national park entrance fee.

For "a sacred place": Mesa Verde National Park

(Drive time: Roughly 7 hours)

Mesa Verde is one of those places that ends up on people's "someday" lists. The southwestern Colorado park preserves the cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Pueblo people and is both a UNESCO World Heritage site and an International Dark Sky Park, per T+L.

For a missed history lesson: Amache National Historic Site

(Drive time: Roughly 3 hours)

Set on the eastern Plains, this is one of the state's most important historic sites — and one that remains surprisingly under the radar. Amache tells the story of more than 10,000 Japanese Americans who were incarcerated there during World War II.

For a "wait, this is Colorado?" getaway: Crestone

(Drive time: Roughly 3 hours)

Tucked in the San Luis Valley, Crestone has a population of about 150 people and a reputation for spirituality and quirkiness. T+L highlights its off-grid homes, meditation centers and sites like the Crestone Mountain Zen Center.

The bottom line: If airfare is making you wince this summer, Colorado is doing its best to remind us that some of the most interesting destinations are just a tank of gas away.

The 62nd annual Pikes Peak Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show is this weekend. Proceeds go toward local undergraduate scholarships in Earth science-related fields. (Colorado Springs Gazette 🔑)

• 📍 Norris Penrose Event Center
• 🗓 Today–tomorrow, 10am-6pm, Sunday, 10am–4pm
• 🤑 $5/day; $8 for multiple days

📋 Residents at Harbor House, a sober living home in the Springs, were given 90 days' notice to secure alternative housing. Though the organization isn't closing, its facility is being repurposed to serve families in recovery. (KKTV)

🔫 Authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for information after 138 firearms worth more than $100,000 were stolen from a trailer in Colorado Springs belonging to a federally licensed gun dealer en route to a gun show. (KRDO)

↗️ Tourism ticked up slightly last year, with 25.6 million visitors and 11.2 million overnight stays in the Pikes Peak region, per a new travel report. Visitor spending increased 0.5%. (Colorado Springs Gazette 🔑)

🚒 The Cimarron Hills Fire Department added a new fire engine to its fleet this week. The rig is expected to boost the department's wildland firefighting capabilities. (KKTV)

Mayor Mobolade declared yesterday the "official kickoff of rodeo season" in the Springs.

State of play: While the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo doesn't ride into town until mid-July, the June calendar is freckled with ways to dust off your boots and get in the western spirit.

• Family Exploration Day — Tomorrow, 10am–2pm, Penrose Heritage Museum
• Western Street Breakfast — June 17, 5:30am–9am, Downtown
• Lil' Cowboys & Cowgirls Round Up — June 17, 7:45am, Downtown
• Guns & Hoses City Slicker Ranch Rodeo — June 27, Norris Penrose Event Center