Sometimes we get away from home simply to do nothing. There’s something seductive about spending time relaxing and getting to know yourself again. This 377-year-old waterman’s town at the mouth of the Delaware River fills the bill. Check in here for a long weekend that can be as busy (there are options) or carefree as you desire. You’ll find two new boutique hotels, enough shops to fill an afternoon, plenty of good food, and waterfronts to inspire your musings.

Blue Hues
Tucked between the main street and the bay, Hotel Blue provides contemporary, Euro-style accommodations for adults. From the lobby’s cream-and-indigo leather sofa to the rooftop pool and fireplace, the 16-room inn exudes cool.

As you check in, grab an espresso or latte to take up to your room. We like the posh spread of the junior suites best. Each offers a tile fireplace, two flat-screened TVs, fancy stereos, Frette robes, original local art, a small refrigerator, and a clear ice bucket akin to a lava lamp that changes hues from ruby to sapphire to gold. The most surprising splash of color lights up the huge bath--transparent double sinks have blue lights strung underneath them. It’s easy to become transfixed by the in-room light show. All the rooms sport queen-size beds topped with a beach ball pillow, ideal for napping with the window open to cool breezes. www.hotelblue.info or 1-800-935-1145. Rates: from $215.