Say "yes" to travel for grownups.
You've done Disney World and Legoland—and all the other hotspots your kids begged to visit. Let's face it: You're ready for a little adult time. Send the kiddos elsewhere, pack your bags and choose your next adventure in an adult-friendly destination.
Photo courtesy of Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.
Grand Traverse Resort and Spa awaits, with a blend of recreation and relaxation. Start with a couple's massage at the newly remodeled Spa Grand Traverse, one of the top 100 spas in America. When you're loosened up, tee off at one of the resort's championship golf courses set amid natural woodlands and wetlands, with glorious views of Grand Traverse Bay. Ease into evening at the 17-story Aerie Restaurant & Lounge, where you can take in a meal with local flair and a dazzling Northern Michigan sunset while savoring your favorite beverage. Spend a weekend or a week: visiting area wineries, revisiting the spa, or unwinding at the private beach club.
Photo courtesy of Le Monastère des Augustines.
With cobblestone streets, fortified walls, old-world architecture and a funicular, Québec City, Québec, has a distinctly Parisian feel. Take respite at the 17th-century Le Monastère des Augustines, part of the historic Hôtel-Dieu de Québec monastery in the heart of Old Québec. The tranquil space offers authentic and contemporary accommodations, healthy cuisine, meditation and yoga, regenerative spa treatments, and other wellness-oriented activities. Enjoy quiet strolls by the St. Lawrence River, marvel at historic Château Frontenac and the Citadel, and indulge in traditional Québécois fare. (Bonjour, poutine!)
Paradise beckons at Galley Bay Resort Antigua, an all-inclusive, adults-only island escape in the West Indies. Described as "refined yet unpretentious," the 56-acre private resort features a sunset-facing beach, a tropical bird sanctuary, a spa, beach- and lagoon-side rooms, and several open-air restaurants. Enjoy sailing, kayaking, sunbathing, tennis, billiards, croquet, bicycling and lagoon fishing—and take yoga classes, hike to Fort Barrington, attend a Caribbean cooking demo and watch a silent movie on the beach.
Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa in northern New Mexico is known for healing mineral waters and sacred history—and is one of Travel + Leisure's Top 10 Domestic Destination Spas. Soak in any of the 13 pools and springs, including a mud pool; recharge with restorative body therapies; and retire to a luxury suite, cozy cottage or on-site campground. You can also hike or bike the 1,100-acre property that abuts thousands of acres of national forest and public land, discover the area's bird and wildlife population, and sample Southwestern and global cuisine at the venue's restaurants and wine bar.
Photo courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com
Grand Rapids' one-time rival for the Beer City, USA title offers a completely different take on an ale-infused getaway. Hop over to Asheville, North Carolina, a destination favored in 2018 by Forbes, National Geographic and CNN, for a thriving food, music and arts scene, plus plenty of outdoor recreation. Take a trolley around downtown, drive the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, tour the historic Biltmore, trek the Mt. Pisgah Trail or spend the day grazing in "Foodtopia." Accommodations abound, from hotels to B&Bs to cabins—and even vintage camper rentals at Junebug Retro Resort!
If you desire romance, consider a Viking River Cruise along the Danube—the river whose alluring beauty has inspired artists and musicians. Longships have fewer passengers, creating a quieter ride and greater intimacy than larger cruise ships; their slim profile allows them to easily navigate narrower waterways. The Danube Waltz and Romantic Danube itineraries include stops in Budapest, known for art nouveau architecture; Vienna, with its famous opera house and museum square; and Passau, a charming, picturesque city where the Danube meets the Inn and Ilz rivers.
Photo courtesy of Sonoma County Tourism.
Adult theme parks? Is that a thing? Some say Sonoma, California, is at least the equivalent. Along with 400+ wineries, this more laid-back alternative to Napa offers gourmet cuisine, expansive state parks and redwood forests, spas and wellness centers, and the ever-beckoning Pacific Ocean. Boutique hotels, quaint coastline inns, and vacation rentals are your home away from home, as you taste and tour your way across the county. Whether you crave nightlife or quiet time, make this this wine-country destination your next grownup's vacation.
Written by Allison Kay Banister, contributing writer for West Michigan Woman.
Main photo courtesy of Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa.
