Long weekend

If you want more than a weekend outing but don’t have a full week to spend, here are some of the best spots for a three- to four-day getaway from Atlanta that you can fly or drive to. You’ll also have to get on a boat to reach some destinations, which only adds to their allure.

Photo: The High Line has many spots offering one-of-a-kind vistas of New York City. Contributed by NYCGO/Marley White

New York City

If you’ve never been to the Big Apple, or maybe it’s been a while since your last trip, some newer attractions now stand to rival such iconic ones like Central Park, the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. Visit the High Line to experience the best of new New York. This linear public park built atop an abandoned elevated rail platform on the west side of Manhattan opened its first section in 2009, the final one in 2014. It’s similar to Atlanta’s Beltline concept: take an unused space where trains used to run and turn it into a public space. The High Line is much shorter than the Beltline, but in the air, running for 1.5 miles between Gansevoort Street and West 34th Street sporting long unseen views of the skyline, the Hudson River and the city streets below. Like the Beltline, this revitalization project has spurred growth in the surrounding neighborhoods with businesses opening up and residents settling down, all wanting to be near the popular pathway in the sky.

The new One World Trade Center building (aka “Freedom Tower”) and the adjacent 9/11 Memorial and Museum are two more new New York attractions that have already become iconic. The building is the tallest in the Western Hemisphere, crowned by the city’s newest skyscraper observatory, One World Observatory ($32 adults; $26 kids. 285 Fulton St., New York. 1-844-696-1776, oneworldobservatory.com), with three levels topping out at the 102nd floor. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum (memorial free to visit; museum, $24 adults; $15 kids. 180 Greenwich St., New York. 212-312-8800, www.911memorial.org) has two reflecting pools in the footprint of the former Twin Towers, with the pools fed by waterfalls on all sides. It’s a somber, quiet place for peaceful reflection. Visitors enter the museum at ground level and descend the ramp to the foundation level, passing the “Survivors’ Stairs” and the remaining structural remnants of the towers along the way. The main galleries showcase numerous exhibitions covering all aspects of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, as well as the 1993 bombing.

Photo: A beach bungalow at Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort in Long Island, Bahamas. Contributed by Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort

Long Island, Bahamas

Named for its 80-mile length and narrow width, Long Island straddles the Tropic of Cancer a little over 400 miles southeast of the mainland U.S. The island is part of the lesser-visited Bahamian chain known as the Out Islands and widely regarded as one of the most scenic islands in all the Bahamas. You won’t find behemoth, all-inclusive resorts or cruise ship ports here. Travelers to Long Island come for the dramatic contrast in scenery between its coastlines, a relaxed pace of life and the famed bone fishing flats and dive spots.

The west side of the island faces the Caribbean with crescent-shaped, white sand beaches and tranquil, clear azure waters, while the eastern side on the Atlantic contains a rocky shoreline with soaring cliffs and pounding surf. Dean’s Blue Hole, said to be the deepest saltwater blue hole in the world, draws snorkelers and divers to Long Island from around the globe.

Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort (rates start at $235; 1327 Beach Drive, Stella Maris. 1-800-663-7090, www.capesantamaria.com) on the north end of the island sits on the calm, Caribbean side of the island, with bungalows and villas facing a wide, flat beach. Sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing expeditions are all available at the resort.

From Atlanta, the quickest way to get to Long Island is to fly into Nassau, then take a quick island-hopping flight on Southern Air Charter ($113-$127; 242-323-7217, www.southernaircharter.com) to the Stella Maris airport.

Dry Tortugas, Fla.

Fly into Key West International Airport, then take a ride on a high-speed ferry 70 miles into the Gulf of Mexico to reach Garden Key. The tiny island looks and feels like a tropical paradise on the edge of the world, but it’s on U.S. soil.

Garden Key is part of Dry Tortugas National Park, one of the more remote spots in the U.S. The national park consists of a chain of small, uninhabited islands and lots of open water. It was purportedly one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite fishing spots. Anglers still charter boats there, but since most of the park is now a protected underwater sanctuary, strict regulations are in place concerning fishing.

Garden Key is home to Fort Jefferson, built in the mid-19th century to protect American interests in the Straits of Florida. On initial approach, the fort’s massive red brick walls are a surreal sight in the open ocean. The ferry docks at the fort, which is flanked by beaches and palm trees. There’s a small, primitive campground next to the beach. This is one of the most idyllic (and affordable) camping spots in all the Keys. Campers have the island to themselves after the day trippers head back to Key West on the ferry, but you’ll need to bring your own food and water because no services of any kind exist on the island. Colorful coral reef abounds in the turquoise waters, making Garden Key a prime snorkeling spot. And the stargazing is spectacular in this remote spot far from civilization.
Yankee Freedom III high-speed ferry: $175 round trip, national park admission is included in this price, as are a picnic lunch and snorkel gear. 100 Grinnell St., Key West. 1-800-634-0939, www.drytortugas.com.

Garden Key campground: $15 a night, cash or check only, pay after you arrive on the island. 305-242-7700, www.nps.gov/drto.

Photo: View from the porch of one of the ten cottages at The Cottages on Charleston Harbor in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Contributed by Blake Guthrie

The Cottages on Charleston Harbor

Charleston, S.C., is a water town, a historic port city filled with accommodations claiming “harbor view,” but few places can claim a harbor-front locale like the Cottages on Charleston Harbor (rates start at $309; 16 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant. 1-866-901-2688, www.thecottagesoncharlestonharbor.com). Perched at the water’s edge of Patriots Point across the harbor from downtown, the 10 luxury coastal cottages, two of which welcome pets, have large screened-in porches with rope hammocks and views of the Charleston skyline, Fort Sumter in the distance and all the ships entering and leaving the port. The Cottages make a great base of operations for exploring the Charleston/Mount Pleasant area, and each one is large enough to accommodate an entire family. You can walk or ride a bike (provided free to guests) to nearby restaurants and Patriots Point attractions like the USS Yorktown at the Naval and Maritime Museum, the Fort Sumter ferry and the Charleston Harbor Marina. From the marina, you can take a water taxi across the harbor to explore historic downtown Charleston. It’s possible to never get back in your car after arriving at your cottage and still experience the best of Charleston.

Photo: Beach access point crossing over the dunes at Neptune Beach in Jacksonville. Contributed by Blake Guthrie

Jacksonville’s beaches

There are closer beaches to Atlanta than the ones in Jacksonville, but they aren’t part of a big city and all the perks that go with that, such as a dynamic and varied culinary scene. Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach are all within the city limits of Jacksonville, with Ponte Vedra Beach adjacent to the south. These are the closest good surfing beaches to Atlanta. If you’ve never surfed before, Jax Surf and Paddle (222 First St., Neptune Beach. 904-435-7873, jacksonvillesurfandpaddle.com) is a good place to start. Every spring and summer, the shop conducts its popular surf camp for kids ages 6-16. But “any age, any stage” is their motto concerning lessons.

Within walking distance of the surf shop, One Ocean Resort (rates start at $199; 1 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach. 904-249-7402, www.oneoceanresort.com) has drawn the likes of John Grisham, a frequent guest at the hotel. One of the suites is named after the best-selling author, who comes to the area for inspiration and spring baseball.

Go beyond the beach to explore the city’s burgeoning culinary and craft beer scene. Recommended spots are Maple Street Biscuits (under $10; 410 Third St. N., Jacksonville Beach; 904-853-5688, maplestreetbiscuits.com) for a hearty breakfast two blocks from the beach to start the day; Moxie Kitchen (entrees start at $14; 4972 Big Island Drive, Jacksonville. 904-998-9744, moxiefl.com) for lunch, dinner or happy hour with artfully crafted cocktails; Black Sheep (entrees start at $12; 1534 Oak St., Jacksonville; 904-380-3091, blacksheep5points.com) downtown for dinner with a rooftop sunset view; and Aardwolf Brewing Company (1461 Hendricks Ave., Jacksonville. 904-301-0755, www.aardwolfbrewing.com) for sampling the impressive lineup of beers in the taproom.

Photo: Soldier Field during the NFL divisional playoff football game between the Chicago Bears and the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011. Kiichiro Sato/AP

Chicago sports

“Da Bears.” Sports fans make pilgrimages to Chicago to see the city’s legendary professional sports teams play in storied venues. Soldier Field (tours $15; 1410 S. Museum Campus Drive, Chicago. 312-235-7000, www.soldierfield.net), home of the Chicago Bears, is the oldest stadium on the NFL roster. The stadium on the shore of Lake Michigan opened in 1924 and has undergone a massive renovation in recent years, but it retains the iconic columned and cathedral-like Greek Revival facade. It’s located in a park known as Museum Campus, where you’ll find some of Chicago’s best cultural attractions yards away from the stadium, including the Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium.

Wrigley Field (tours $25; 1060 W. Addison St., Chicago. 1-800-843-2827, cubs.mlb.com/chc/ballpark), home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs, opened in 1914, making it the second-oldest active MLB ballpark behind Boston’s Fenway Park. Fans relish the old-time elements of Wrigley, from the ivy-covered outfield walls to a hand-turned scoreboard still in use above the center field stands. The ballpark was the last MLB stadium to add night lights, holding out until 1988. Change comes slowly to “The Friendly Confines,” as Wrigley is known, but it does come. Last spring, an LED video board was added over left field, a change longtime fans are still getting used to. The next change die-hard fans are hoping for is a World Series title, since the Cubs haven’t won one since 1908, before Wrigley Field existed. No sports-centered trip to the Windy City would be complete without a visit to the Chicago Sports Museum ($6 admission; 835 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago. 312-202-0500, www.harrycarays.com/chicago-sports-museum) in Water Tower Place on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.

Photo: At Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe, Jameson Elder sings while Michael Castro (left) and Heather Morgan listen. Photo by Nancy Kruh

Nashville’s famous music venues

Nashville is less than four hours from Atlanta. You can leave in midafternoon and be in some of the world’s most renowned music venues by showtime that evening. Chief among them is the Ryman Auditorium (116 Fifth Ave. N., Nashville. 615-889-3060, ryman.com). Hallowed ground for music lovers, the Ryman is known as “the Mother Church of Country Music.” Indeed, it was built as a church in the late 1890s and later served as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. The Opry still stages annual shows at the Ryman, which also has become one of Nashville’s favorite concert venues beyond country. Popular acts from many genres perform there on a regular basis, keeping time on the same stage boards where the likes of Elvis Presley, Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn first made their mark in music.

The Bluebird Cafe (4104 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville. 615-383-1461, bluebirdcafe.com) holds only about a hundred people, but the tiny club in an aging suburban strip mall looms large in the music world. Taylor Swift and Garth Brooks were discovered there, along with a slew of other singers and songwriters. No matter what night of the week you show up, hitmakers and future stars will be performing inches away from your seat in this intimate venue.
Stay at Gaylord Opryland Resort (rates start at $225; 2800 Opryland Drive, Nashville. 615-889-1000, www.marriott.com) for the full Nashville experience, with the Grand Ole Opry House right next door and the family-friendly Opry performances (tickets start at $35) occurring every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday.

Photo: Low-rise buildings line the walkway by Isla Mujeres' sea wall. Laurence Iliff/Dallas Morning News/MCT

Isla Mujeres, Mexico

If Florida’s Garden Key sounds enticing but you can’t stand the thought of primitive camping with no services or signs of civilization, consider Isla Mujeres off Mexico’s Yucatan coast. It’s an 8-mile ferry ride from Cancun but seems a world away from that resort city’s high-rises and Vegas-like lifestyle. On Isla Mujeres, the pace is slower, the vibe low-key, with plenty of smaller hotels, resorts and non-glitzy restaurants to choose from. It’s a place where people get around on mopeds and golf carts. Playa Norte, at the northern end of the island, is famous for its sunsets, crushed coral beach and shallow, crystal-clear turquoise water. Punta Sur, at the southern tip, feels like land’s end, a rocky cape with waves crashing beneath a lighthouse, Mayan ruins and a large sculpture garden.

Don’t miss: Tortugranja — Isla Mujeres Turtle Farm (30 pesos, or around $1.60; Carretera Sac Bajo, Km. 5, Isla Mujeres), a sea turtle hatchery that offers tours for an up-close look at the important conservation work done to protect this endangered species.
General tourism info can be found at www.isla-mujeres.net.

Photo: Formed by sandstone erosion, Mesa Arch lies at the heart of the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park. Contributed by Frank Jensen

Moab, Utah

Mecca for mountain bikers is Moab in the red rock canyonlands of southern Utah. This former desert outpost town turned hip enclave for outdoorsy types is less than a four-hour drive from Salt Lake International Airport (daily nonstop flights from Atlanta available on Delta Air Lines). Bikers come for adventures on the famed Slickrock Trail, and a slew of others, running through the Mars-looking sandstone landscape. If you’re not a mountain biker, Moab is still worth a trip for its many other outdoor adventures like river rafting, canyoneering and backcountry camping. Stunning scenery awaits at every turn, including at nearby Arches and Canyonlands national parks. But Dead Horse Point State Park rivals both with its view from an overlook of a giant horseshoe bend in the Colorado River surrounded by canyon walls.

The town is full of places to rent bikes. Chile Pepper Bike Shop (702 S. Main St., Moab. 435-259-4688, chilebikes.com) has every kind of bike imaginable, from high-end MTB and road bikes to townie cruisers.

Moab Area Travel Council: 1-800-635-6622, www.discovermoab.com.

A spring storm darkens the skies and makes travel more difficult in Canyonlands, which is near Moab and Arches National Park. Brad Branan/Sacramento Bee/TNS

Photo: View from the fairway of the main lodge building at Primland resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia. Contributed by Blake Guthrie

Primland Resort, Va.

There’s nothing quite like Primland (2000 Busted Rock Road, Meadows of Dan, Va. 1-866-960-7746, primland.com) anywhere in the Southeast. At this resort and outdoor retreat on top of a high plateau in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia, you can sleep in a luxurious treehouse (rates start at $425) with a mountain view. You can also take a tour of the universe at the resort’s own observatory, which is disguised as a grain silo and staffed with an astronomer. Primland covers 12,000 acres, approximately the size of Bermuda, and is located 90 minutes from Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C. But you needn’t worry about navigating the winding country and mountain roads to get there — a resort shuttle provides transportation to and from the airport.

If staying in a treehouse isn’t your style, there’s also a lodge with ultra-modern rooms (rates start at $276), two restaurants, a lounge and a full-service spa on site. And then there’s the golf course. Award-winning golf writer James Dodson calls the Highland Course at Primland “the most rewarding modern course I’ve seen.” Dodson, who has played many of the world’s most renowned courses, touts the golfing at Primland for its “deep immersion in nature,” saying, “it’s a course not designed to sell fairway homes, but for the pure experience of golf. Aesthetically and athletically, it doesn’t disappoint.”