A cheap summer getaway is still within reach, even with just weeks to go before Labor Day. Cruise lines, hotels and tourism groups are cutting prices and adding promotions to handle consumers spending and travel cutbacks.

Hotel rates fell over the summer from an average $140 a night near Memorial Day to a current $130, says Genevieve Shaw Brown, a spokeswoman for booking site Travelocity. It s a small change, but one that indicates more properties are offering bigger deals as summer comes to a close.

The catch: Travelers best shot at finding a last-minute bargain requires looking within easy driving distance. Airlines have offered fewer deals this summer, with most of the current fare sales on fall travel, says Anne Banas, the executive editor for advice site SmarterTravel.com.

Consider these five destinations:

1) Phoenix

It s definitely hot, no doubt about that, Brown says. But travelers willing to brave the 90-plus average temperatures -- or settle for days spent indoors at a spa followed by twilight rounds of golf -- can easily save 50% to 75% on the area s five-star resorts, she says. The five-star Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix has August rates that start at $99 a night (plus a $28 daily fee for access to the spa, golf course and other amenities) for a standard room with a king-size bed. By the fall, the cheapest rooms start at $269.

2) Virginia

Check the state and city tourism sites for areas within driving distance, Banas says. Many are hoping to spike tourism with special packages. She likes some of the options Virginia is promoting, including 30% off a one- or two-night stay (bumps up to 40% off a stay of three nights or more) at the Lexington George Washington Inn in Williamsburg through Sept. 1. Rates at the hotel -- convenient to Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Colonial Williamsburg -- regularly start at $150.

3) New Hampshire

Traffic to New Hampshire and Vermont picks up when fall foliage changes, and stays high through the winter skiing season. Late summer is shoulder season for these areas, which means plenty of deals, says Jamie Samuels, a spokeswoman for deal site Travelzoo. There s also no shortage of opportunities for hiking and other outdoor activities, she says. The four-star Omni Bretton Arms at Mount Washington in Bretton Woods, N.H., has cut rates from $229 to $119 (plus a $20 daily resort fee) for Sunday through Thursday stays. Book rooms by July 30 for travel by Nov. 30.

4) Local-port cruises

Travelers who live within easy driving distance of a major cruise port can take advantage of last-minute pricing on summer sailings. Many cruise lines are offering extra shipboard credit or free upgrades, and may even have bonus deals for residents of the state where the cruise originates, Brown says. Royal Caribbean, for example, is offering California residents rates of $489 and up (instead of $577 and up) for its August seven-night sailings to the Mexican Riviera.

5) Myrtle Beach

For a peak summertime destination, there have been just incredible deals, says Samuels. Late-summer demand hasn t been as high as expected, as even hotels on the beach are cutting rates. Book rooms by July 26 for travel by Sept. 30, and the Palmetto Shores Oceanfront Resort offers rooms for as little as $59 a night, a 60% discount.