1. Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix is home to premium entertainment venues, a world-class art museum and plenty of outdoor attractions, making it the ideal vacation spot for seniors. While you're in town, visit the Phoenix Art Museum, which has more than 20,000 objects across multiple collections. Don't miss Flower Garden, a colorful landscape by American painter Louis Ritman, or Flowering Arches, Giverny by famous Impressionist Claude Monet.

After your museum visit, play a round of golf or visit the Desert Botanical Garden, the site of the Sonoran Desert Nature Trail. Finish the day with dinner at The Capital Grille or Wren & Wolf.

2. Key West, Florida

Key West has a tropical climate, making it one of the best places to beat the winter doldrums. Even if you're not a beach bum, the city has plenty to see and do, including Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservancy, The Hemingway Home and Museum and Dry Tortugas National Park. You can even visit the southernmost point in the United States.

Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the best birding sites on the East Coast, so keep an eye out for yellow-billed cuckoos, ruby-throated hummingbirds and peregrine falcons. If you're feeling adventurous, try snorkeling at nearby Fort Jefferson. Just be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen during your visit.

3. Branson, Missouri

Over the years, Branson has morphed into a miniature version of Las Vegas, dazzling visitors with murder mystery dinners, musical revues and some of the best food east of the Mississippi. While you're there, be sure to visit Dolly Parton's Stampede, a variety show featuring live animals, special effects and a four-course meal.

If you'd rather spend a little time outdoors, head to Table Rock State Park, which has picnic sites and plenty of fishing spots. Before you leave Branson, dine at Farmhouse Restaurant or grab a milkshake at Mel's Hard Luck Diner.

4. Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

When it comes to live entertainment, Pigeon Forge is a can't-miss destination. Dozens of attractions sit on Pigeon Forge Parkway, the town's main thoroughfare. If you're hungry, book tickets to the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show, which features performers leaping, swinging and diving around the stage. Admission includes all-you-can-eat helpings of fried chicken, BBQ pork, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, homemade bread and corn on the cob, plus unlimited soft drinks, tea or coffee.

Pigeon Forge is also home to The Comedy Barn, Paula Deen's Lumberjack Feud and the Pirates Voyage Dinner Show. If you want to work off all that Southern food, head to Professor Hacker's Lost Treasure Golf or Jurassic Tymes Mini Golf.

5. Santa Fe, New Mexico

Located in the Land of Enchantment (New Mexico), Santa Fe is a top destination for art enthusiasts. Georgia O'Keeffe once called it home, so it's one of the best places to visit if you want to get a glimpse of her colorful paintings. If O'Keeffe isn't your favorite artist, visit the New Mexico Museum of Art to view works by Catherine Carter Critcher, Bert Geer Phillips and Marsden Hartley.

Loretto Chapel, home of the "miraculous staircase," is also worth a visit. While constructing the chapel, carpenters said it would be impossible to build a staircase leading to the choir loft. After the Sisters of the Chapel prayed, a man showed up looking for work. Just a few months later, Loretto Chapel had a new staircase, and the man had disappeared. No one knows who he was, and he never took payment for his work.

6. Washington, D.C.

Pack your most comfortable pair of shoes and head to the nation's capital for a tour of some of the most important sites in American history. You'll burn plenty of calories while walking to the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial and the Washington Monument, among other attractions.

Washington, D.C., is also home to the Smithsonian complex, a network of museums filled with objects from all over the world. Stop by the National Gallery of Art to view portraits of prominent Americans, or head to the National Museum of American History to see the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen The Star-Spangled Banner.

7. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

If you're looking for a low-key vacation, look no further than Carmel-by-the-Sea, a charming beach city in California. Take a drive along the coast, visit Point Lobos State Natural Reserve or walk along Carmel River State Beach.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is also the perfect place to explore your creative side. The picturesque coast has inspired hundreds of artists, and there's no reason you can't be one of them. If you'd rather view works of art than paint them, check out one of the city's world-renowned art galleries.