6 Patriotic Summer Trips for Less

With more Americans putting their money away in savings accounts, it seems like a fitting time to remember that you don’t have to spend a lot to honor your country – even while on vacation.

Many hotels near patriotic sites have rolled back their prices to draw out tourists who might be setting aside less money for leisure in the midst of the recession. As the American wallet tightened, these businesses did not have much choice. Consumer confidence took a step back in June and remains at a level economists consider unhealthy -- and while Americans are spending, their dollars are not necessarily going toward travel. AAA predicts nearly 2% fewer Americans will travel over the July 4 weekend, and a Mintel survey of vacationers’ habits conducted earlier this month found that 60% of respondents chose to drive their own cars rather than fly during their last vacation.

With cities desperate to attract tourists, patriotic-minded travelers can find a host of deals in cities with rich histories and notable attractions. Already-struggling hotels have incentive to pull in more travelers over the long weekend. Those deals, coupled with inexpensive historical sites, can add up to road trips that won’t break the bank, especially with gas prices down sharply from a year ago. Travelers can find deals at sites that stretch across the country, from the East Coast to the Rocky Mountains and from New England down to the Mid-Atlantic states.

SmartMoney.com talked to historians and travel experts to find deals on all-American attractions. Check out six historic -- and economical -- cities to visit this summer: