Taking a couple of weeks off for a vacation is nearly impossible for the overworked professional, and yet it’s these poor souls who generally need it the most. Traveling to exotic, remote destinations in Africa, India, or Latin America requires a good chunk of PTO accrual and the rare ability to clear a busy work schedule; plus, it quite often means you can’t be reached by phone or e-mail. But none of that should stop you from embarking on what the travel and leisure industry is calling the “mini-vacation,” a brief respite that can be found close to home. In fact, taking a handful of short excursions throughout the year is saving many relaxation-hungry folks from burnout. And San Franciscans are particularly lucky, as there’s no need to stray too far from the city to find a little R&R—an inspired world of quiet beaches, private luxury lodging, and unspoiled wilderness exists less than five hours away.

In a day
Within an hour, restless urbanites can find themselves in a deluxe resort overlooking the sea or a charming wine country spa where they can rejuvenate in an afternoon. You won’t be alone, however, if you feel tempted to extend your getaway and stay the night. These resorts are luring overworked businesspeople with lavish, all-inclusive properties close enough to San Francisco to allow for a well-deserved vacation between long workdays and an almost-nonexistent weekend.

Many people who only have time to venture to the outskirts of San Francisco are opting for wellness packages offered at world-class hotels and resorts like historic MacArthur Place, a popular wine country estate within walking distance of Sonoma’s town plaza and numerous vineyards where beautiful wineries pour the region’s finest. The elegant full-service spa affords every indulgence, including a unique style of treatment based on fruits, flowers, herbs, vegetables, and other earthly elements. Guests also have the option of recuperating with treatments in the comfort of their hotel room. Two new garden cottages, for example, treat guests to the ultimate spa experience with in-room 40-jet hydrotherapy tubs and private outdoor patios featuring Japanese teahouses with two-person teak wine tubs.

If you have the time, you can venture over to Napa Valley in about 30 minutes by car. Wine aficionados from near and far who seek a slice of the good life also come to Napa for the ultimate wine country experience. Like neighboring Sonoma, the region has dozens of wineries and spas, as well as quintessential activities like hot-air ballooning above rolling hills and miles of vineyards and winemaking tours at such world-class wineries as Sterling and Robert Mondavi. Visitors who frequent the area (or dream of returning again and again) will want to check out the newest residential addition to the Carneros Inn, the Orchard. Located in the heart of the estate, the private-residence community offers a unique approach to resort living—the opportunity to own a wine country retreat in close proximity to San Francisco. Surrounded by an earthy farmland

environment, each two-bedroom cottage is fully furnished and features stainless steel appliances, cherry wood floors, wood-burning fireplaces, and an outdoor spa tub and shower stall. Residents have exclusive access to the resort’s facilities, including the award-winning spa and the infinity pool overlooking the valley.

Opulent seaside resorts like the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay—perched on a bluff 45 minutes south of San Francisco on the San Mateo County coast—are also spa sanctuaries for weekend warriors eager to maximize their free time. Those who can’t afford to take a whole day off can spend an afternoon at the lavish spa facilities, as one needn’t splurge on a room to enjoy the spa or the ocean-view golf courses. And a handful of urban dwellers have been known to play hooky during the week (the room rates are cheaper), rejuvenating in the toasty Romanesque mineral bath before and after a massage or facial. After purging the body of toxins, many spagoers make a day of it, grabbing a bite to eat at the widely praised restaurant Navio.

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In two days
Mini-vacationers in search of a slightly longer break can whisk themselves away to Carmel Valley in under two and a half hours. This lush, pastoral river valley is nestled into the rolling Santa Luca mountain range, a region the locals commonly refer to as the sunny side of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Active types find peace on the golf courses, wandering the acres of trails on horseback, sampling the region’s wines, and browsing the town’s art galleries and boutiques. Those who prefer to lie low will have little trouble relaxing, whether they’re winding down at a spa or enjoying a picnic of farm-fresh goodies somewhere in nature.

Grazing horses, manicured golfing greens, and sprawling ranch houses create an upscale country-life aura, and Bernardus Lodge—a quaint French-inspired resort that welcomes visitors with a full-service spa, an award-winning restaurant, and its own vineyard—goes with the territory. Guests are greeted with a glass of wine and then escorted to their rooms. With Frette sheets and down comforters, fireplaces, two-person bathtubs, and complimentary beverages and snacks, you may be tempted to stay in, but food and winelovers won’t want to miss the resort’s restaurant, Marinus. Enhanced by 1,850 selections by wine director Mark Jensen, the acclaimed California-natural menu reflects chef Cal Stamenov’s fondness for seafood, naturally farmed meats, and organic herbs and vegetables. The following day can be spent playing a round of bocce ball on the resort’s manicured lawn and soaking in the open-air, 101-degree warming pool after indulging in spa treatments.

If you grow anxious in quiet settings, it could be time for a lively weekend of Vegas fun, which attracts city folk weary of the nine-to-five life with flash, fame, and fantasy. Before booking

your hotel, it’s best to decide whether you’d prefer to stay on the Strip—a bustling four-mile boulevard where the city’s most extravagant hotels and casinos can be found—or in a less-rowdy property a short distance away. Offering a calmer setting and great deals, downtown Vegas is the perfect option for travelers looking for a nice room with easy access to the action that’s also far enough away to guarantee you some peace. Fine establishments like the Las Vegas Hilton—which has an impressive marble lobby and quality furnishings—offer luxury at a decent price. The property is only a 5- to 10-minute Monorail ride from the main drag, but with an on-site cabaret–style nightclub boasting an entertainment schedule led by Barry Manilow, a newly renovated casino featuring a VIP lounge, and a full-service spa, there are plenty of reasons to stay put.

While fun seekers come to the desert towns of the Palm Springs area for the casinos, more folks check in for the healing nature of the hot mineral waters found at many luxury resorts. In fact, a record number of people are turning to spas for quick remedies, whiling away their weekends in locations that specialize in health-focused programs. And airline companies such as Alaskan and American are making it easier for groups of friends, couples, families, and even golf enthusiasts to simply pack their bags and go by offering specialized vacation packages.

The package deals include airfare and a variety of lodging options throughout the desert’s eight cities, from gorgeous spa properties to privately owned inns and family-style hotels. Jet-setters are pampered by upscale resorts like the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort and Spa, located in the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains. The glamorous rooms, seven pools, and med spa with on-site physician attract tourists from all over the world, as well as a stylish local crowd. Serious golf and tennis players will find their every need attended to at La Quinta Resort and Club, as the complex is renowned for its five championship golf courses. Once a health ranch and hideaway for luminaries like Clark Gable and Greta Garbo, in the early ’30s, the original hacienda at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains has grown into a swanky, 800-unit Mission-style complex with 35 treatment rooms.

If you plan on vacationing with the whole family or are simply craving total privacy, you may want to consider renting a home. Select a Property, a Sonoma-based management company, offers five-star vacation rentals in prime locations throughout the world, including the Palms Springs area. The Las Palmas Hacienda, for example, is a 4,000-square-foot, 1930s Spanish-style home located in a beautifully landscaped gated community. And the Cielo, a slightly larger Spanish-style home located in the Las Palmas neighborhood, is a gated property sitting on one acre with stunning views of the San Jacinto Mountains.

Gambling does lure people to Reno—a small town with a big-city feel just two hours from San Francisco—but cards and slot machines are only part of the action. It’s the outdoor sports during the summer and winter months and its proximity to Lake Tahoe that give this younger, more rustic sister of Vegas fresh allure.

The world’s largest casino when it was built in 1978, the Summit Hotel at the Grand Sierra Resort is located in the heart of the city, only minutes away from golf courses, 18 ski resorts, hiking, fishing, and water sports in general. Boasting 825 luxury suites—each with spectacular mountain or city views—the property offers guests everything from lively nightlife featuring entertainers like Dolly Parton, Jamie Fox, and the Goo Goo Dolls to soothing spa packages and even comprehensive wedding services, including planners and an on-site chapel.

On your way to or from Lake Tahoe or Reno, pay San Francisco’s less-frenzied neighbor Sacramento a visit, even if just for a few hours, time enough to ride in a horse-drawn carriage through Old Sacramento or visit the California Museum for History, Women, and the Arts. The museum re-creates the ambience of William Randolph Hearst’s palatial estate for its exhibition Treasures from Hearst Castle, which opened April 13. On view are 40 art objects, many of which have not left the grounds since their acquisition. Museumgoers pass through ornate doors that once hung in the lavish theater, admire the original alabaster lamps of the terraces, and touch the tiles cast from the original molds designed by architect Julia Morgan.

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In a long weekend
With Catalina Island and Los Angeles right there, Long Beach is a popular destination for people looking for a tranquil beachfront setting as well as the buzz of city life. Crooning gondoliers paddle authentic Venetian gondolas, whooshing giddy couples through picturesque canals while they sip champagne. Every spring, nearly 200,000 race fans slip away to witness the Long Beach Grand Prix, the nation’s biggest street race, which boasts a star-studded cast of participants including Jason Priestley and Paul Newman. And joggers and bikers converge every October for the 26-mile International City Bank Marathon, which winds around Rainbow Harbor, passes the historic cruise ship the Queen Mary, and travels along a beachfront bike path.

The Queen Mary is not only a luxury liner from long ago; it’s also a hotel, featuring a beautifully carved interior, three onboard restaurants, and a British-style shopping arcade. Adjacent to the ship is the dome that once housed Howard Hughes’s gigantic airplane, the Spruce Goose. Today the structure doubles as a soundstage for movies such as Stargate, Batman Forever, and The Haunting.

Just 22 miles off the coast of Long Beach, Catalina is an hour away by ferry. Many people see the sights on golf carts—there is a 10-year-long waitlist to bring a car on the island—or by boat. Santa Catalina Island Company Discovery Tours offers “flying” fish tours aboard small vessels.

Take a leisurely road trip roughly five hours north of San Francisco (or fly directly to Medford) and arrive in enchanting, villagelike Ashland. Located just across the California border in southern Oregon, this little arts town offers plenty of things to do. Boutique family wineries, classy cocktail bars

and upscale restaurants, charming inns and hotels, and a Tony-winning Shakespeare festival from February to October keep travelers busy for days. To be within walking distance of the main events, stay at the historic Winchester Inn and Restaurant. Once a sanitarium and low-rent apartments inhabited by students and actors, the inn was eventually transformed by a young couple into what is now a widely applauded property consisting of four Victorian-style buildings, a restaurant, and award-winning tiered gardens. Or there’s the refurbished, early 1920s–era bed-and-breakfast Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, which began as a boardinghouse for railway workers, loggers, and later Shakespeare fans. Stay in the B&B or venture across the street to the garden cottages decorated with period furnishings. With names like Will’s Study, Mother Mary, and Judith, each detached cottage has a private porch–style entrance, a kitchenette, and a hot tub.

Experience the region’s wineries—from Weisinger’s in Ashland to Eden Vale Winery in Medford, you can taste fine Gewürztraminers and cabernet sauvignons. Inside the Weisinger’s tasting room there’s a glass-encased beehive where the bees produce the winery’s estate honey. Just 15 miles north in the gold rush town of Jacksonville, you can boogie down at dozens of summer jazz, blues, folk, classical, world, and pop concerts at the Britt Festivals amid the majestic ponderosa pines and native madrones on photographer Peter Britt’s estate.

Southern Oregon offers numerous scenic country roads that lead to mountain lakes, rivers, and the state’s outback region. From Britt, the drive to Crater Lake—made famous by its deep blue color and water clarity—takes about an hour and a half. You have the choice of staying in either the historic lodge or one of the cabins or campgrounds at Mazama Village. The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway takes nature enthusiasts to a prime viewing spot for bald eagles. This road extends 140 miles, all the way to Lassen Volcanic National Park in California, but the Oregon segment alone offers plenty to absorb in a day. Follow the Redwood Highway to Grants Pass and the legendary Rogue and Umpqua rivers, where you can pass the hours white-water rafting or fishing.

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RESOURCES
Garden Spa at MacArthur Place, 707-938-2929, macarthurplace.com
The Orchard, 888-400-9831, theorchardatcarneros.com
Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, 650-712-7000, ritzcarlton.com/hmb
Bernardus Lodge, 888-648-9463, bernardus.com
Las Vegas Hilton, 888-732-7117, lvhilton.com
Select a Property, 866-734-7838, 707-939-0357, selectaproperty.com
Summit Hotel at the Grand Sierra Resort, 800-501-2651, grandsierraresort.com
California Museum for History, Women, and the Arts, 916-653-1771, californiamuseum.org
Long Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800-452-7829, visitlongbeach.com
Travel Oregon, traveloregon.com

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