The ease and restorative power of a mini vacation should never be underestimated. We all dream of going on a vacation, but a two-week vacation can be expensive, take a lot of planning and may not be possible due to time constraints.
Enter the three-day “vacation” getaway. It can be just the reset you need and offers six health benefits you may not have thought about. Here are three destinations that can have a positive impact even when you stay for just a weekend or mid-week escape.
1. A Weekend Away Can Improve Mental Health
Studies have shown that just a three-day break away from your day-to-day routine and primary residence can reduce your stress levels, boost your creativity, and lower your worry levels.
Try a weekend in Santa Fe, NM! Santa Fe is the perfect place to reset, revive and rejuvenate your soul, your creative spirit, and calm those frayed nerves. There is a serenity that exists in this high desert community, one that exudes an energy, a deep grounded connection to the earth. From the simplicity of the landscape to the vastness of the sky, you will have a chance to live slowly and in the present for a few days.
Things to do that nurture you soul and stimulate your creative spirit:
Take the hour drive northwest of Santa Fe Georgia O’Keefe’s Abiquiú home and studio. You’ll arrive at the Welcome Center in Abiquiú where you’ll check in and wait for your shuttle. Once you’re on your way to the 19th century styled adobe hacienda, you’re tour starts on the shuttle as your docent guide begins sharing history and stories about this special place O’Keefe called her home for 35 years.
The home is a collection of rooms arranged around a common open space, or plazuela.
Wandering through the grounds, the home and her studio, all basically exactly as she left it, you feel a sense of serenity as you gaze out at the expansive mountain views that she awoke to each
day and that inspired her art. Your soul is replenished with the spiritual nature of a place where she was just a part of a greater human story that has unfolded in this valley over thousands of years.
Tickets for the 2024 Tour Season are now available. The season runs from March to November. Tickets are available at: okeefemuseum.org
Plan to have breakfast or lunch when you visit at Café Abiquiú & Terrace located next door. The atmosphere and food are great. If you have a bit of extra time, I highly recommend visiting the Bosshard Gallery located just across the street from O’Keefe’s residence in the quaint historic district. This is one of the most interesting galleries, and personally staffed by John Bosshard, an interesting curator of art and artifacts from Asia and the Americas.
2. Quick Trips Can Improve Your Physical Health
Your physical health is just as important as your mental well-being. Studies have shown that vacations actually reduce your chances of being diagnosed with heart disease. This is partially due to short getaway trips often involve physical activity, everything from walking, biking, hiking or swimming.
A warm-weather mini-break, especially when you are tired of the cold, blustery weather of the winter months is an escape to a quaint, quiet village in Florida called Venice. Known for its long stretch of sandy beaches including the famed Caspersen Beach, where shark teeth are often found, multi-use trails that hug the intracoastal in Venetian Waterway Park and its charming main street filled with locally owned restaurants and shops.
A few days in Venice is the perfect destination to enjoy sun, sand and sea air! Stay at the historic Banyan House. This getaway retreat is located a few blocks to the historic downtown and is convenient to the local beaches. Staying at the Banyan House is like stepping back into old Florida, with tropical gardens, gathering spaces, tranquil sitting areas, this residence is steeped in local history and lore. With a nod to the past, the Inn offers comfortable accommodation, bikes, beach gear, a pool and even a game room to enjoy a round of billiards before heading off to bed.
The community offers great beaches, biking paths and a variety of restaurants. For a stunning view stop at Sharky’s on the Pier. The downtown area offers a variety of restaurant choices, we enjoyed eating al fresco at Trattoria da Mino. My husband is from Italy, so he is not easy to please in the Italian restaurant arena. He enjoyed the causal dining experience with the authentic rustic cuisine offered. Check it out when you’re in Venice and tell them, Franco sent you.
3. Mini Vacations Help Lower Your Stress Levels
Sometimes you just need to disconnect to connect with your inner self, lower stress and reset your mind, body and spirit. Taking a break from the digital world helps your brain recuperate from constantly processing information on a screen, phone, or for that matter anything electronic.
Getting back to nature is a great solution. But what if your idea of relaxing isn’t van life, camping or staying in a rustic cabin or lodge. Try spending a few days in a historic inn perched in a breathtaking natural environment. You could find this type of accommodation anywhere; you could opt for a unique Airbnb or you could find yourself in a quaint small town nestled by a picturesque river.
My suggestion try northern California. For breathtaking views of the rugged Mendocino coastline, sited on 37 unspoiled acres with walking trails and a lodge styled restaurant serving up excellent local fare and wines, the Heritage House is the perfect getaway retreat. The location and accommodations are enchanting, the setting allows your mind and body to rebalance and find harmony.
An easy three-day itinerary starts with a flight into the Santa Rosa airport, renting a car and then taking a leisurely coastal drive to the resort. With each winding turn your eyes gaze out to captivating ocean views with roads flanked with majestic trees and a sense that you are seeing a glimpse of an untouched coastline rare to find in other parts of California.
Arriving at Heritage House embodies everything you’d imagine, especially if you ever saw the movie Same Time Next Year starring Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn. Merging the beauty of the original architectural elements with modern design aesthetic and amenities, our suite served up unobstructed ocean views, and lived like our own little cottage complete with a large deck where we sipped coffee and tea on while sitting on Adirondack chairs. The woodland trails are framed with cypress and eucalyptus trees, there’s a cliffside staircase that leads you to a rocky beach and the meandering gardens are ablaze with flowers.
There is so much to fill your visit from strolling the historic hamlet named Mendocino overlooking the steel-blue Pacific Ocean which in my opinion is the closest thing to a New England village in California. The walkable town is populated with charming saltbox cottages and Victorian residences adorned with roses and picket fences. There are local eateries, artisan shops and galleries to browse. Again, I am recommending an Italian restaurant. Again, Franco approved menu and the owner is a Juventus fan (my husband's soccer team) which made this delightful restaurant nestled in a historic cottage in the heart of downtown Mendocino a treat. Luna Trattoria serves up northern Italian recipes that have been passed down for generations. The menu includes homemade pasta, bread and deserts made daily.
Journey just 15 minutes north to Fort Bragg and wander Glass Beach, then stop at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. As you make your way back to the Santa Rosa airport, wind through the towering Red Wood Forest, make a stop or two at a few wineries. We enjoyed Brashley Winery with its unique art and stunning grounds.
A mini vacation is easy to plan, affordable, and if taken a few times a year will have a positive influence on your mental and physical health.