CNY Business Journal (1996+): Get away without going away

The meaning of time off has changed. For many, vacation used to mean two weeks when the factory was shut down, the family piled in the station wagon, and everyone headed to the mountains or the beach.

Survey after survey finds that for most Americans, vacations have gotten shorter. A 2003 survey from travel Web site Hotwire.com and pollsters Harris Interactive found that 40 percent of those polled planned no traditional vacation of a week or more. But 85 percent planned on long, weekend getaways.

The trend is so clear that a new word has been coined. If it's too short to be a vacation, but longer than a weekend you can call it a "breakcation," according to Ambassador, the in-flight magazine for Indiana-based ATA Airlines.

Saving time and saving money are two reasons for choosing a shorter break, according to those surveyed by the Hotwire, Harris poll. So why not just give up the vacation completely and save all that time and money? Well, according to another Harris poll - this one done with Expedia 65 percent of respondents "say they come back feeling rested, rejuvenated, and reconnected with family and friends after vacation."

One way to accomplish the goals of vacation while holding down the costs in terms of time and money is to take a few days off and spend it at a nearby getaway spot.

There are myriad choices within Central New York. Here are just a few.

Geneva On the Lake has carved a special place in the region's travel market. Owned by the Audi family, the same people who revived Stickley Furniture, Geneva On the Lake is a 10-acre resort modeled on an Italian manor.

The main building, built in the second decade of the 20th century, has been a private residence, monastery, and, since 1981, an inn. The formal gardens and setting on Seneca Lake make this a particularly attractive spot for those who enjoy visiting the outdoors.

The facilities include a 70-foot swimming pool, tennis courts, a health club, and, in season, sailboats.

The Lodge at Turning Stone is one way to take part in the region's fastest-growing attraction. From its humble beginnings, Turning Stone has been expanded by the Oneida Nation into one of the premiere gambling venues in the Northeast.

But gambling is just one activity available at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino. The facility includes an auditonuni that draws national musical acts such as Bob Dylan and Tim McGraw, as well as comedians such as Sinbad and Jackie Mason.

Those who golf can be forgiven if they never notice Turning Stone has a casino. The resort's three courses are among the region's finest.

The Shenendoah Goff Club features Scottish-style links play with tees allowing play from 5,185 yards to 7,129 yards.

The Kaluhyat Goff Club, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., plays as long as 7,200 yards and includes six lakes.

The Atunyote Goff Club, about 2 1/2 miles from Turning Stone, was designed by Tom Fazio and includes a 13-acre lake and a small waterfall. The course plays as long as 7,300 yards.

The Lodge sits next to the Kaluhyat and Shenendoah courses. It features 98 suites, each with a balcony. It offers, says an Oneida Nation spokesperson, "a whole new level of luxury."

The Brewster Inn on the shores of Cazenovia Lake was built as a summer home for one of the co-founders of Standard Oil. The dark wood building is impressive, as are the perioddecorated rooms. The Brewster is a short stroll from the village of Cazenovia.

Another quiet getaway can be had on the shores of the Erie Canal at the River Edge Mansion Bed & Breakfast in Pennellville. The 1818 Greek Revival mansion sits on the canal at County Route 10, welcoming visitors who come by car and by boat. With three guestrooms, the River Edge offers a particularly intimate option for those taking a break.

Mirbeau Inn & Spa sits on 12 parklike acres in Skaneateles. The resort, opened in 2000, is designed to be reminiscent of a French country estate. Young as it is, Mirbeau has already earned a fourstar rating from Mobil and four diamonds from the American Automobile Association.

Mirbeau has 34 rooms, 16 of which are located in the four cottages around the main building; all rooms have fireplaces and views of the "Monet Pond Gardens."

Mirbeau is a walk or short drive from the center of the village of Skaneateles, and Skaneateles Lake. The village's many shops and restaurants have made it increasingly popular as a tourist destination.

For those seeking a more urban get-away, hotels in Syracuse proper now offer updated and upgraded accommodations. The trend began with Hawthorn Suites, situated at Armory Square, and has spread to the east side of the city where the Marx Hotel has brought an urban-chic look to the former Holiday Inn. Just blocks away, The Genesee Grande Hotel has enlarged and improved what was once called The Genesee Inn.