9 Unforgettable Spring Break Trips for Grown-ups
The best destinations for adults
There's no reason why college kids should have all the fun on spring break. Here's how to get away without the kids in tow but still avoid the masses of young adults partying at all hours.
Our editors pick their 9 top destination for grown-ups for an unforgettable spring break experience. You'll surely find something that appeals, whether a trip to wine country, or heading overseas to Tokyo or Monte Carlo, or visiting a remote Caribbean resort.
Silverado Country Club, Napa, California
Heading to wine country is appropriate any time of the year, but especially during spring break. Relax and indulge in a few spa treatments, wine tastings and delicious meals among the vineyards. One of our favorite spots is the Silverado Country Club with its pop-up Thomas Keller Ad Lib restaurant that will be in place until October.
Silverado is situated in the heart of the valley, surrounded by vineyards, and it features two championship golf courses, 13 tennis courts, two restaurants and ten swimming pools. It's quite spread out so no matter where you are on the property it still feels quite intimate.
As nice as the property is, you'll definitely want to get out and explore and that's Silverado's real strength. It's an ideal home base for exploring everything the valley has to offer. It's just far enough out of town that you're literally amongst the vineyards, with several tasting rooms within walking distance, but close enough that you can easily come into the town of Napa to get dinner and do some shopping. It's truly a California landmark experience.
Finger Lakes Wine Country, New York
And for a wine experience on the other side of the country, visit the Finger Lakes Wine Country region in New York. It was recently named one of the 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations by Wine Enthusiast. The Finger Lakes Wine Country is an affordable destination and is an unparalleled alternative to locations crowded with college-aged kids during spring break. Pictured at left is the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel.
Hotel Chinzanso, Tokyo, Japan
One of the best parts of being an adult is you aren't financially limited to domestic spring break trips. How about going overseas to this one-of-a-kind luxury urban resort in Tokyo? It's a former residence of Japan's Prince Aritomo Yamagata, and it is known for its unique heritage. Consider an authentic Japanese tea ceremony, or luxuriate in the spa, which is the largest in Tokyo and includes real “onsen,” Japanese hot spring. The word Chinzanso means “villa on a mountain of camellias” and that's appropriate for this scenic spot, with abundant camellias and a huge variety of other botanical beauties on a Tokyo hillside. The property is known for its majestic Japanese botanical garden, a massive green oasis in the middle of Tokyo, and spring is the best time to view the garden and the cherry trees in full blossom.
The Pearl, Rosemary Beach, Florida
Named a “Best New Hotel in the World” and the “#1 Best Hotel in Florida” in the 2014 Condé Nast Traveler Reader's Choice Survey, in addition to a top spot on Southern Living's “The South's Best New Hotels of 2015” list, The Pearl is an intimate, 55-room boutique hotel on the Gulf Coast. There's a day spa and an adults-only pool. Each guestroom also features a private balcony with views of the Gulf of Mexico or the quaint beachside town that has helped pioneer the New Urbanism walkable cities movement.
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is the only AAA Five Diamond Resort in Puerto Rico and it was also named for the third consecutive year to the Condé Nast Traveler's Hot & Gold List. Embrace the romantic setting of a Caribbean coconut plantation nestled between a lush national forest and the sparkling sea at one of the most luxurious Puerto Rico resorts. This hotel is one of the most outstanding luxury properties in the Caribbean.
Food Foraging in Asheville, North Carolina
Go on a Wild Food Adventure with Alan Muskat in Asheville, N.C. Muskat said, “We are the only u-pick, 'forage-to-table' tour company in North America. We take go-getters 'off the eaten path,' gathering wild mushrooms, plants, and other extreme cuisine. At the end our woodland shopping spree, we cook up a sampling for a wild food 'pick-nic.' The rest, participants take back to one of the area's top restaurants, where the chef prepares their 'catch of the day.'”
Wild Food Adventures has appeared on Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern and in Travel+Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler and USA Today. The tours have been ranked one of five best gift experiences by Southern Living and one of Fodor's ten best food experiences in the world.
Mustique Island, Caribbean
Mustique, a 1,400 acre private island among St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is an amazing Caribbean destination for travelers seeking tranquility versus the bustle of commercialized resorts full of spring breakers, yet still offers plenty of activities. Adults can enjoy the privacy of their own villa (the island features over 75 to choose from), or the legendary house party atmosphere at The Cotton House boutique hotel. Island guests gather together for gastronomic dinners, cocktail parties, beach barbeques, drinks and dancing at Basil’s Bar and more.
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer is a legendary resort in the principality of Monaco, is the ultimate spring break playground for grown-ups. The resort manages luxury holdings that are truly unique in the world - from some of the most celebrated luxury hotels and iconic casinos (i.e. the famous Casino de Monte-Carlo) to exceptional gourmet restaurants and inimitable nightclubs and lounge bars.
Set along the stunning French Rivera, Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer’s exceptional properties include the luxurious Hotel Hermitage and the lively Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel. Don’t miss a spa day at the resort’s iconic Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, which just received a multi-million renovation and offers treatments based on ultra-innovative technologies. Another not-to-miss activity is a day spent at Monte-Carlo Beach Club which reopens for the season in April, where you can spend your day lounging in private cabana or water sporting along the Riviera.
The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, Georgia
Nestled along 6,000 acres of inspiring gardens and preserved forest land, The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens is the perfect destination to experience both adventure and relaxation. The 150-room hotel is home to extensive meeting spaces, an award-winning spa, delicious southern-style fare and cocktails at Piedmont Grille and Ironwood Lounge as well as activities and attractions fit for the ideal adult getaway. Activities within the gardens include treetop zip lining adventures, visits to the world-renown butterfly garden and enchanting flower gardens, hiking, kayaking, biking or basking in the sun on Robin Lake Beach. After a day of fun, unwind at the award-winning, Spa Prunifolia named after the Prunifolia azalea flower indigenous to the region. The design of The Spa mimics the tranquil landscape of the surrounding area of gently sloping terrain dotted with towering oaks, fragrant magnolias, evergreen pines and flowering dogwoods.
