This August, catch a last minute flight to the Nassau Bahamas from Chicago for $277 from US Airways.

Flights are available most weeks, and the cheapest flights are Monday through Wednesday.

Flights are between four and seven hours and they have a quick layover in Charlotte.

Once in Nassau, most people head straight to the beach or the casino, but you can also do some bird watching or go to one of their museums. Bahamas.com is a good source for information.