Getaway Guide To An Elegant Mom Weekend

I know what you're thinking. Mother's Day is on the near horizon. She deserves something really special - maybe a weekend getaway to elegance. And, that tax refund is just crying out to be spent. Where to go? How about these dazzling spots?-- Jay Lloyd

MOHONK MOUNTAIN HOUSE

1000 Mountain Rest Rd.
New Paltz, NY 12561
www.mohonk.com/

A Victorian facade - more a castle than a sprawling mansion rests atop a cliff overlooking a shimmering crystal lake. It's restful, while at the same time, active. Mom can be pampered in a spa or challenged on numerous hiking trails. A special Mothers day weekend package at the Mohonk Mountain House offers afternoon tea or a brisk bit of tennis and a canter on scenic trails. Mom will have the pleasure of seeing the men in her life dressed for dinner while gazing at the stunning vista of the Hudson River Valley and Catskill Mountains. The New York State location is a 3 to 4 hour drive from the Delaware Valley.

A NEW YORK CITY SPLURGE

There are few spots for a weekend visit that can provide the glamour of Broadway, the elegance of opera at the Met or the sheers dynamism of Central Park. It's all just 90 miles away in a small patch of New York City, surrounding the park. There are 3 hotels that Mary and I regularly haunt, all on the west side, that offer a perfect setting for a classic celebration. The tony Lucerne Hotel with its own French bistro, Nice Matin at 79th and Amsterdam Avenue is just a few blocks from the park and a 10 minute stroll to the Lincoln Center. The classic New York fixture is surrounded by restaurants, lounges, shopping and museums. After the show, make it a nightcap and dessert at Nice Matin.

An ideal choice for a night at the opera is the Empire Hotel - the perfect spot to camp for a performance just across the street at Lincoln Center. On Saturday, May 7th there's a matinee performance of Mozart's Serail and a nighttime presentation of Elektra. Sheer elegance is dining at the Grand Tier Restaurant, just a stroll from your seats. Our last visit involved small plates at the Empire's Ed's Chowder House before the curtain and dinner after the opera.

A third option at equal walking distance to the Lincoln Center and the Broadway theater district is the newly refurbished Park Central Hotel at 57th and 7th Avenue. It's just 2 blocks from Central Park and a chance to treat mom to the glamour of a carriage ride through the iconic New York landmark.

CHESAPEAKE BAY HYATT REGENCY

100 Heron Blvd
Cambridge, MD 21613
chesapeakebay.regency.hyatt.com

If mom is a golfer, spa seeker or nature lover, she'll be at home and surrounded by rustic luxury at Cambridge on the Maryland Eastern Shore. The Chesapeake Bay Hyatt here is a total resort on the banks of the Choptank River. The region is a seafood Mecca and a boaters delight. Power boaters find a snug harbor here to spend a night ashore at the hotel, dining on local fare and playing a round on the manicured course. And if mom can't bear to leave her pup, arrangements can be made for a pet friendly room, complete with a welcome dog treat basket. The resort can be reached within a 3 hour drive of home.

CONGRESS HALL HOTEL

200 Congress Place
Cape May, NJ 08204
caperesorts.com/hotels/capemay/congresshall/

This beachfront Victorian Hotel has welcomed Presidents and celebrities. Believe me, mom will be enchanted. The Congress Hall Hotel celebrates its bicentennial this year. But it looks a good bit different that it did in 1816, thanks to a complete rebuild following the great Cape May fire that took out much of shore resort in 1878. But it retains the traditional elegance that launched this southern New Jersey landmark. Mom will love the nearby boutique shopping, a tour of the Victorian homes and strolling the beach. She'll find a restaurant that fits the occasion in Congress Hall or within a few blocks. Our weekends here usually include a cocktail stop at the hotel's popular Brown Room and then dinner, a few blocks away at the Merion Inn, Mad Batter or Oyster Bay. For music, it's the Merion Inn, if mom is partial to standard and jazz piano.

For Mothers Day weekend, a getaway to elegance and luxury is just a few hours and that tax refund away.

Enjoy!