Three Cities Worth A Quick Getaway

Intense, exciting and to the point: never underestimate the value of a quickie. Why leave your appetite for adventure unsatisfied because you're short on time? A weekend is longer than you think. Whether you're craving high altitudes or low-down fun, here are three dreamy destinations that will take you worlds away—sans passport—and leave you positively breathless.

Austin, Texas You won't need to pack anything fancier than jeans for a jaunt to Austin—but you'd be wise to grab your largest pair so you can indulge in the city's renowned BBQ and Tex-Mex cuisine. With almost 200 live music venues, the hip town also boasts a diverse music scene—so don’t plan on catching up on your beauty sleep. Instead, sweat off last night's extra margarita while sunning yourself on the banks of beautiful Town Lake. And at sunset, stop in at the Four Seasons Hotel bar for an oddly romantic Austin ritual: watching the bats take flight over the lake. (Direct flights from Cincinnati, Atlanta, and Salt Lake City clock in at about two hours. For more information, go to austintexas.org.)

Jackson Hole, Wyoming Swap views of your cubicle for vistas of green in this mountain resort town. For thrill-seeking couples still raring to go after tackling the world-class slopes, there's also fly-fishing, rafting, biking, golf, and horseback riding. For a tamer experience, hike the trails of the Teton Range, or simply amble through the picturesque town, which is filled with galleries and cozy craft stores. Come nightfall, get in the mood with the eight minute mountainside gondola ride up to the new Bridger restaurant, where executive chef David Kratky's menu is as breathtaking as the scenery. Finally, call it aday at the Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa, an inn as luxe as its name is not. If the day's action has tuckered you out, get pampered at the Snake River Lodge & Spa, home to the state’s largest health resort. (Nonstop flights from Denver and Salt Lake City will get you there in less than two hours. For more information, go to jacksonhole.com.)

Portland, Maine Leave Boston and its beans behind for a succulent lobster dinner and a pint of a local microbrew beer in Portland's charming Old Port. The meticulously restored nineteenth century village with cobblestone streets has beautiful views of Casco Bay. Culturelovers will relish the city's first-rate symphony, an opera company, a ballet troupe, and several museums, while beachcombers can bundle up for breathtaking cliff-side walks. Take the chill off in the hot tub at the romantic Portland Regency Hotel & Spa, a former armory in the heart of the Old Port. (Direct flights from New York City, Washington, D.C., and Detroit run about two hours. For more information, go to usa.visitmaine.com.)