Fuel costs are enough to make you abandon the car on the side of the road. So do just that. Maroon yourself on an island where vehicles are banned. Several small islands in the United States don't permit cars, making visitors and residents use other modes of transportation, including bicycles, horse-drawn carriages and golf carts.
-- Elissa Leibowitz Poma
· Bald Head Island, N.C.
Perfect for : Families wanting beaches untouched by little more than loggerhead turtles.
What's there: A few miles off the southeast coast of North Carolina, the 14-mile-long barrier island mostly is a protected maritime forest and salt marsh. The island has stellar bird watching and alligator spotting, and nature enthusiasts walk the beaches at night in search of loggerheads. There's a golf course, croquet greens, pools and a handful of restaurants and shops.
Getting there/around: The ferry from Southport, N.C., is 20 minutes. Cost is $15 round trip unless included with your house rental; reservations suggested, 910-457-5003. Once on the island, zip around in an electric golf cart.
Where to stay: About 150 condos, cottages and houses are rented through Bald Head Island Ltd., the partnership that owns the island. Rentals include temporary membership at two clubs and at least one electric cart. Rates from $243 a night (minimum stays required in summer). Info: 800-432-7368, http://www.baldheadisland.com/ .
Don't miss: An ascent of Old Baldy, the island's only beacon and North Carolina's oldest (1817).
Info: 800-515-1038, http://www.baldheadisland.com/ .
· Catalina Island, Calif.
Perfect for: Fans of Old Hollywood looking for a classic California experience sans smog.
What's there: Catalina is 22 miles west of Los Angeles in the Pacific, making it a paparazzi -free getaway for celebs -- and regular folks, too. The Mediterranean-style town of Avalon has played host to the famous for decades. For the less star-struck, the island's waters are a great place to snorkel and scuba dive.
