$ense & $ensibility Monday: Getaways

Around this time of year, I find I get a little bit of cabin fever. So when I first heard Kimberly was having the Tranquilista book launch in February, I jumped at the chance to book some cheap train tickets to Washington, DC and have a nice weekend getaway.

I went to Georgetown, so I'm lucky to have many good friends who live in DC and it's always great to take a weekend away there and crash on someone's extra bed (or couch). I always enjoy reconnecting with my friends and walking around one of my favorite cities. Visits to DC inspire me to reflect on how far I've come since I first moved there and what I want from my life. Of course, this trip I ended up getting snowed in for two additional days by the Snowpocalypse, but hey! that gave me two extra days with my friends (the funny thing is that I purposely splurged a little on train tickets instead of bus tickets, thinking that if the weather were bad I'd still be able to take the train home. Yeah, not so much...).

Sometimes getting away for a day or two (or even two hours) can be just the thing to help us reconnect with ourselves. It doesn't have to be far - a new neighborhood or even a new coffee shop can renew your spirit. If you can find affordable tickets to a place you've always wanted to visit, why not try to fit in a day or a weekend away? Or go for a drive around a neighboring town to find new places to explore. Just try not to get snowed in if you can't work from your laptop!

I’m currently planning a mid-week getaway to a nearby neighborhood that I haven’t yet spent much time exploring. I'm also planning a trip back to Washington for the Cherry Blossom Festival, when I hopefully won't get snowed in! What places can you get away to on the cheap that will help renew your mind, body, and spirit?

Katharine Albritton is an art market specialist and writer. Read her art market blog and follow her on twitter.