Obamas Head to N.C. Resort & Spa for Weekend Getaway

Updated 3:30 p.m. ET

Looking for a weekend getaway, President & Mrs. Obama are spending the weekend at a North Carolina resort and spa.

And since they're leaving daughters Malia and Sasha home with grandma, it could be a romantic weekend to boost.

Even if you live in the White House, or more to the point, especially if you live in the White House, an occasional getaway breaks the life-in-a-fishbowl pressures & tedium.

The Obama's have not taken all that much of what the rest of us might call "vacation" since they moved into the White House 15 months ago.

A CBS News log of the president's time away from the White House shows they've taken four holiday trips from the White House:

• a long weekend back home in Chicago in February '09
• a few days out west in August '09 during which the president went
• fly-fishing in Montana & took the family to see Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon
• eight days on Martha's Vineyard at the end of August '09
• and a week and a half in Hawaii over last Christmas and New Year's

Their time away totals all or part of 26 days, not including 13 visits to Camp David totaling all or part of 30 days.

During the same period of time, President George W. Bush had made 11 visits to his Texas ranch spanning all or part of 78 days. He also visited Camp David 32 times spanning all or part of 99 days.

What every president learns is that there really is no vacation from their job. The burdens and responsibilities of their office follow them wherever they go, in addition to a small army of security, communications and other support personnel.

But a change of venue can serve to refresh a president, even those who say they love the job and even the bad days are good.

Like their predecessors, the Obamas can never truly get away from it all, but they can revel in some new surroundings

Mr. Obama is no stranger to the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville. It served as his headquarters to prepare for his campaign debate against Sen. John McCain in October '08.

It boasts golf, world class cuisine and terrific scenery. And if you leave the kids at home, there are other attributes to recommend the place.

The Inn's website says the cost of a weekend package for two starts at $617, but availability is "very limited."

The Inn also boasts that it has served as host to 10 U.S. presidents over the years. And the Obamas can take an audio guided history tour to find out how their predecessors spent their time at the place.

A desire for local cuisine was in evidence on their arrival in Asheville. First thing on landing, the Obamas headed for "12 Bones Smokehouse," a BBQ place the president first visited as a candidate in 2008.

Having doffed his suit jacket and tie, Mr Obama and the First Lady stood on line like any other customer and waited to order "two rib plates."

A spokesman later elaborated, saying that aside from ribs, the Obamas' order included greens, baked beans, corn pudding, macaroni & cheese and corn bread. "All washed down with a couple of sweet teas," said Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton.

Not quite what Mrs. Obama would recommend on her "Let's Move" fight youth obesity diet.