The Great Escape: You Don't Always Need a Long Weekend Far, Far Away

As much as a weekend getaway to the Wine Country or the coast beckons, sometimes it's hard for parents to get away for two or three days. Yeah, a sign of our crazy times. It seems especially true if you've got kids involved in sports or other activities that take place on Saturdays and Sundays. How are parents supposed to find an entire weekend to get away alone? 

And, in these still challenging economic times, some of us are on tight budgets. That's true in our household: Right now, we don't really want to fork over the money it would take to drive or fly a long distance or for several days of food and lodging.

That's where the concept of the "staycation" comes in. You and your significant other need to get away, have some time to chill. Even a night away can break the routine.

So, that's what my husband and I did. We didn't tour sites or scenery in a faraway place, as lovely as that sounds. That trip is for another time.

We just wanted some time to be alone together, to talk, read books, be lazy. We also wanted to get out of our house — again, to break the routine — and to pretend, just for a night, that we didn't have a child, as adorable as our 12-year-old son can be. 

We had done this sort of quick getaway when our son was younger. After a mid-afternoon Saturday soccer game, we left him with family and checked into the Lafayette Park Hotel and Spa for the night. 

This time, we checked into the hotel at the Renaissance ClubSport in Walnut Creek. And, no, a night there won't break your recession-era budget. Rooms on a Saturday night range from $129 to $169, with breakfast for two included. 

Many know the Renaissance ClubSport as a fitness club. But it also has a hotel, and it takes its page from the boutique-hotel stylebook. The lobby and guest rooms feature hip, contemporary décor, and each of the 175 guest rooms combine that sleek, modern look with warmth and comfort.

Our room had a comfortable king bed with a thick, fluffy comforter. (The suites have oversized spa baths.)  It also had the amenities of modern life — including free high-speed Internet -- that I had to discipline myself to stay away from as much as possible. 

Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, my husband and I left our cozy, quiet room to go to the fitness center, which has a spacious second-floor workout area and a huge selection of cardio and weight-training equipment, an expanded stretching area, and core stability and flexibility training tools.

After our workouts, we went to the pool and swam a few laps.  The weekend we went, the weather was sunny and warm, so we lay on the chaise in the shade of an umbrella, and talked and read.

We didn't indulge in a massage or facial at the club's R Spa—though there were some tempting selections, including a de-stress massage and a couples massage. 

Next time.

We had all our meals at the Renaissance's c-blue Wet Bar & Bistro, which features indoor dining and outdoor seating at tables and sofas that overlook the bocce court. 

Because this is a health-oriented facility, the California cuisine has a healthy focus. Fifteen items on the menu had 485 calories or less. But it's not all so good for you. There are desserts, too, including a mouth-watering brownie sundae with vanilla bean gelato and a pour-your-own cup of chocolate sauce. 

Another nearby destination I'm tempted to check out is the Claremont Hotel Club and Spa in the Berkeley hills. Here's what a friend of San Leandro Patch had to stay about her Claremont getaway:

After getting divorced and really feeling the reality of single motherhood, I needed a weekend away from the dishes, laundry, kids running through the house and all of work that never seems to be completed. I also am a small business owner and just needed some time to myself. My boss is really a task master!

After searching through Priceline I was able to pay for this retreat for little more than it would cost to stay at a motel. The Claremont was just the ticket for a solo retreat.  

The beds are big and fluffy, the chocolates perfect. Dinner at the restaurant felt exotic and luxurious. A hot bath without children running in and out of the bathroom. I slept like a baby; it was the first solid night's sleep in months (years?).

I woke up, went for a swim, sat in the hot tub and got lovely spa treatments—a facial and massage—just enough to slough off years of strain and start it all over again. I think I'll do this quarterly!

Other tempting staycation destinations include: The San Leandro Marina Inn, The Purple Orchid Inn Resort and Spa in Livermore's Wine Country; and the Rose Hotel in downtown Pleasanton.