November 3, 2006

Your Big Break

Mini-Vacation Roundup

Time flies even when you’re not having fun. To wit: the sixteen months, twelve days, and four hours you’ve logged since your last vacation. Since a trek across Europe isn’t on the horizon, here are six quick getaways, all within driving distance.

Gimme a Lake
Get secluded at Lake Austin Spa Resort (1705 South Quinlan Park Road, Austin; 800-847-5637), an award-winning destination nestled deep in the Hill Country. Overnight visitors get fitness (yoga, dance, kayaking), demos (tarot, poker, cooking), and deliciously healthy meals from exec chef Terry Conlan. Go soon: Off-season rates for inclusive packages are way down.

Relax, Don’t Do It
You may be just off your daily commute on Central, but work will be the last thing on your mind at Hotel Palomar (5300 East Mockingbird Lane, across from Mockingbird Station; 214-520-7969). The recently opened, 198-room hotel has earth tones, geometric patterns, and oversize everything, making for a fun, comfy stay. Want something more out of the way? SMU country’s Hotel Lumen (6101 Hillcrest Avenue, Highland Park; 214-219-2400) has only 52 rooms where Hillcrest-facing guests can experience a whole new type of mood lighting.

Bygone with the Wind
Modernity melts away at Azalea Plantation (1400 Robinwood Drive, Fort Worth; 800-687-3529), a Tara-like B&B whose very Southern environs offer a dose of the past. Rooms with names like Magnolia, Rose of Sharon, and An Evening in Paris overlook a Dixie meadow complete with gazebo and yard swing. But modern conveniences like wireless Internet, Jacuzzi tubs, and a breakfast buffet ensure you never go hungry again.

Rock the Chaska
Or commune with history at the Chaska House (716 West Main Street, Waxahachie; 800-931-3390). Built in 1900, the National Register home doubles as a luxury B&B decked out in Victorian style. Request one of two Hemingway’s Retreat Guest Cottages, and you’ll be treated to private living quarters (with hardwood floors, antiques, and a dining room) modeled after Papa H’s Key West home.

See? You’re already counting the hours.