Between a vacation and stay-cation is a mini-cation – a short vacation with a minimum of packing and mileage. It’s a chance to get away from computers, cleaning, cooking, kids or whatever constitutes your daily scene and upgrade your routine. Instead of hosting a dinner and dealing with sleepover arrangements, mini-cations offer a low-stress, high-fun way to connect with out-of-town friends and family. Many hotels offer dining with a great weekend brunch (often an all-you-can-eat buffet) for hotel guests and locals. A buffet brunch (like the one at the Nassau Marriott) is an easy way to celebrate special occasions – without a huge price tag or the need to negotiate special diets and different sized appetites. Tables can usually be re-arranged for singles, couples, and large groups . Away from urban centers, there is ample parking for overnight and dining guests – a big plus for car-owners and buses. Another plus is swimming – many hotels feature pools (outdoor and/or indoor). If you didn’t drop off the kids, you can always drop them in the pool. Mer-folks – like Ariel (the little mermaid) and me – love an all-season dip. We can swim, dry off, and dine in style without going out into the cold – just wrap up in a robe or towel and change for dinner. What happens to that towel? No problem! One lovely perk of mini-cations is that someone else picks up the towels, scrubs the tub, and makes the bed! As for local activities, most hotels are located near museums, movie-plexes, and theatres plus shopping – upscale, downscale, and everything in-between. (One clothing store was so upscale, all I could afford was a christening gown – and how often does a Jewish girl wear that?) As a mer-lady (without fish scales), I settled for a swim cap – for my next mini-cation! Creative Living: Give Yourself a Break: You may not have the time or cash for a major vacation, but a weekend, overnight, or day-cation treat can recharge your batteries and enlarge your point of view!   (Editor/Photographer: Jay Berman)

Susan (“Dr. Sue”) Horowitz, Ph.D.

Book: “Queens of Comedy” (Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller, and more!) www.smashwords.com/books/view/219367 Musical: “SssWitch”: www.ssswitch.net  www.YouTube.com/drsuecomedian https://www.youtube.com/feed/my_videos