After the rush of the holidays dies down, a tough stretch of winter settles in. All that excitement from merriment and travel no longer masks the reality of short days and cold nights.
OK, I know I shouldn't be complaining about winter in San Francisco, where I live - we rarely endure a day below 50 degrees, and we don't have to deal with snowstorms. But there's still something about the winter mindset, the overall mood, that can get me down. The summer promises possibility, adventure, travel. And the winter, post-holidays, just promises . . . gritting your teeth and getting through it.
But this year, I tried something new to combat that gloom: a "micro-cation." Typically seen as a trip that's fewer than four days, micro-cations can be a low-commitment way to break up the monotony of winter, spark joy, and even reset your wellness.
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Kaitlyn Rosati is a solo travel expert and author of No Man Nomad.
As Kaitlyn Rosati, a travel expert and blogger, puts it: "A micro-cation, whether somewhere as far as a jump across the pond to Europe or finally visiting that small log cabin you've had saved on Airbnb that's a two-hour drive away, is a great way to experience something new and get a nice change of scenery. . . . One of the biggest excuses people have is that they don't have 'time' to travel. But for me, I'd rather spend three days in Italy than three days at home."
My Experience Taking a Wellness-Focused "Micro-cation"
While I'd gladly take any chance to visit Italy, part of why I love living in California is that there's so much to explore. Whether you're romping around a major city like Los Angeles or soaking up nature in a place like Yosemite, some of the world's best sights are right at our fingertips. Santa Barbara might be lesser-known, but it's a gorgeous, quintessentially Californian destination - a perfect place to take my wellness-focused micro-cation.
This micro-cation was truly small in scale (as they should be): just two nights and three days, in a city that is only about 300 miles from San Francisco. I'd only ever driven through Santa Barbara, a trip that can take upwards of five hours. This time, my partner and I opted to fly, which felt much less stressful. When we arrived in the palm tree-lined, sunny city after our short 45-minute flight, we were ready to spend the first afternoon exploring.
We immediately headed to our hotel, the Kimpton Canary, which is located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. Where you're staying is often the priciest part of any vacation, so I often look for deals and credit card points to reap travel benefits. For this micro-cation, my partner and I were hosted by Chase IHG One Rewards Consumer Credit Cards. During the trip, we learned just how far points can go: cardmembers earn IHG One Rewards on every purchase, and can use those points to unlock access to more than 6,800 hotels across IHG properties like the Kimpton Canary. As of Jan. 22, new Chase IHG One Premier and Traveler credit cardmembers who are approved have access to earning even more bonus points and perks.
We loved that the quaint, well-appointed hotel was so central; we walked directly out our door and into Santa Barbara's bustling downtown area, which is chock full of shops, restaurants, cafes. I was also immediately taken with the city's architecture: everything is Spanish-style and white-washed, the perfect setting for an escape. Its natural beauty is breathtaking, too, with long stretches of white beaches and grand mountains that jut up behind the city.
After meandering and getting into vacation mode, we met up with friends at one of their favorite wine bars, Lieu Dit, and then took a leisurely stroll down to the pier, watching the sun melt like sorbet into the Pacific Ocean. We had a casual, delicious dinner at Finch and Fork, the restaurant in the hotel, and went to bed early so we could make the most of our full day there.
And make the most of it we did. The next day was a mix of both adventure and relaxation - a perfect combo, in my opinion, for any micro-cation. We started the day off on the hotel rooftop, where we did an intimate, outdoor yoga class. Afterwards, I headed to Float Luxury Spa, about a five-minute walk from the hotel, for an indeed luxurious, 80-minute massage. After drifting off in bliss, I browsed the Santa Barbara Farmers Market, where stall after stall offered plump winter citrus, bright greens, and local honey. I love to feel like a local while traveling, and the bustling market was great for resident-watching, too.
Next, we borrowed bikes from the hotel and headed to Hendry's Beach, a slightly-farther-away locale. I will say, we were huffing and puffing up Santa Barbara's hills on the 30-minute bike ride, but we loved getting the chance to be active and see more of the city. We ate a sun-drenched lunch on the beach and then huffed and puffed back to our hotel, where we took a much-needed shower before ending the night at Loquita, a tapas restaurant our friends recommended. This is where insider knowledge and research come in handy: having one or two nice meals planned out really does make a micro-cation feel like an indulgence.
On Sunday, we did a quick jog along the beach before packing up, heading back to the airport, and getting home before dinnertime. It was a quick trip, yes, but I arrived back home feeling refreshed, at peace, and like I had really gotten out of my usual drab winter routine.
Takeaways For Planning a Micro-cation
The most important thing I learned about micro-cations is that choosing somewhere novel and enchanting - but not overwhelming - is key. While there were a handful of things my partner and I wanted to check out while we visited Santa Barbara, nothing felt absolutely pressing, and we left enough time in our itinerary to wander around and really just relax. That was the whole point, after all.
Where you stay is also crucial: Kimpton Canary ended up being the perfect landing spot for us, as it was within walking or biking distance to most of what we wanted to see. And a balance of relaxation and exploration will make your days feel fuller. I'd recommend prioritizing one or two "big" activities per day that allow you to really get a feel for the place or try something new.
I will say, Santa Barbara is a paradise in the winter simply because it is 70 degrees, sunny, and beautiful. But even if you're taking a micro-cation in a colder climate, think about what you can get out of the travel that you don't currently have at home. Maybe you try a new winter activity (cross-country skiing, for example, is pretty easy to pick up as a beginner), or maybe you spend the whole weekend holed up in a cozy cabin with a book.
Rosati says during this time of year, she enjoys visiting small towns in upstate New York, "despite the frigid temperatures." That's also because, she adds, "one of the biggest logistical benefits of choosing to visit places in January is you can usually get better hotel deals since it's low season for a lot of places."
"Outside of that," she continues, "you'd be surprised by how much you can see in a two- or three-day trip, and for me, it's quite literally a break from burnout."
Agree: micro-cations are all about giving you a little reprieve from it all.
Lena Felton (she/her) is a senior director of special projects at PS, where she oversees sponsored packages, tentpole projects, and editorial partnerships. Previously, she was an editor at The Washington Post, where she led a team covering issues of gender and identity. She has been working in journalism since 2017, during which time her focus has been feature writing and editing and elevating historically underrepresented voices. Lena has worked for The Atlantic, InStyle, So It Goes, and more.
