The word "getaway" can mean anything from a Caribbean cruise to a week at a spa. For some people it can include total relaxation and pampering, for others it’s an action-packed "what's next?" kind of time.

A getaway for me means options. If I want to be still (though that is really hard to do) and just relax, that's what I'll do. Or if I want to be outside and more active, then that's what I'll do. I need choices. A condominium that I can rent for a couple of nights or a long weekend – that's my starting place.

If that sounds like you, then here's your spot…just 90 minutes away from Baltimore. Picture a completely furnished retreat in the mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania. This is not one of your rustic roughing-it places; this one has granite countertops, two LCD televisions with cable, and wireless access in the nearby lodge. A private pool, tennis courts, and spa are available of your enjoyment. During the winter, you can ski from and to your door. When the land is green instead of white, you are five minutes from the four-star Whitetail Golf Resort.

But as they say, that's not all. This condo getaway has a feature that no other can offer – original photographic artwork by world-renowned nature photographer, Alma Schuster-Nugent. Her exquisite photos adorn walls throughout, and help bring the beautiful outdoors inside.

I have no stake in having this condo rented other than satisfaction. The owner, John Vargo, is a young man beginning to invest in real estate who also happens to be my personal trainer. I'm really proud of John and want to see him successful with this property.

So next time you need a getaway from the mid-Atlantic madness, think "Only 90 minutes from Baltimore…."

  www.HomeRome.com