The Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island

 In these days of the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to find time to get away for a mental health vacation. Most importantly, the destination should be COVID conscious, provide some much needed pampering while also offering access to nature and outdoor adventures that calm the spirit. This is my latest for Forbes on the Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island. 

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Nature-Based Adventures in Rhode Island

Many travelers associated Rhode Island solely with summer fun and, especially, with a visit to Block Island. But there’s so much more to experience in this the smallest state in the U.S. With hundreds of miles of coastline and myriad state parks in the interior, Rhode Island is a year-round delight. Here are some photos from my most recent travels there. 

After the skies cleared one stormy morning in Weekapaug, Rhode Island, I strolled along the waterfront and found the silence to be stunning and comforting.

Solitary hiking along the DuVal Trail system in Rhode Island gave me an opportunity to feel an intimate connection with nature, whether it’s the enchanting tree tunnels, the colorful thickets of mountain laurel, or the fields of glacial boulders that are clustered in the shade of black oak and white pine trees.

 

At the Weekapaug Inn in Westerly, RHode Island, I had numerous opportunities to connect with nature, including kayaking on this placid salt water pond. 

As I strolled along the barrier beach steps away from the Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island, I was enwrapped by a sense of the serene and the scenic.

While roaming along the coastline of Rhode Island’s Weekapaug area, I explored the wee lanes that wiggled through the serene neighborhood.

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A Luxe, Activity-Laden Resort in Rhode Island

After months of sheltering at home, most people in the Northeast are craving a getaway that safe. Ideally — at least for me — that means staying at a resort with myriad outdoor activities where it’s easy to socially distance with your partner, family or by yourself; where you don’t have to forsake delectable cuisine and fine wines; where you can order a multi-course picnic served on your private deck overlooking a pond; where you can put your pandemic worries on hold as you luxuriate in a jacuzzi tub in your two-story contemporary villa. The 3,500-acre Preserve Sporting Club and Residences in Rhode Island is just a short drive from New York City. This is my latest for Forbes on The Preserve Sporting Club and Residences.

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Nature-Centered Girlfriend Getaways Near New York City

As a woman, maintaining a tight bond with my girlfriends is a priority. But, sometimes our everyday lives are so frenzied with the needs of kids, partners,and colleagues that email, texting and video chats have taken the place of face-to-face sharing. Instead of attempting to schedule and reschedule Sunday brunch with your best friends only to find that electronic devices are still too tempting a distraction, why not plan a girlfriend getaway oh-so-close to New York City?

No, this isn't all about endless shopping sprees or consuming large quantities of alcohol. Sure, you'll be putting your usual responsibilities on the back burner, but you'll be focusing on activities that will nurture your body, mind and spirit. To me that means sipping fine wines, sampling exquisite cuisine, relishing a therapeutic massage and, tree hugger that I am, embracing nature-focused activities.

My favorite spots in the Northeast that are ideal for a girlfriend getaway include St. Michaels, RI, Litchfield Hills, CT, Finger Lakes Region, NY, New Hope, PA and Newport, RI. The farthest away is the Finger Lakes Region, the closest is New Hope. But each offers abundant opportunities to reconnect with the women that brighten your life.

I recently wrote an article on girlfriend getaways for offMetro, the online travel guide for native New Yorkers or visitors to the Big Apple alike.

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