With the new year underway, it’s time for a fresh start. Forget all your worries, and say hello to a new relaxed you. One of our Travelocity Gnational Gnomads, Ava Roxanne Stritt of Spa Travel Gal, share her picks for the best idyllic destinations to unplug in 2018. Get ready to kick back and find your bliss!
To get you on your way even before you leave for your trip, initiate a “social media detox” and delete Facebook from your phone. Turn off extra stimulation and enjoy some silence when you’re driving, cooking or eating. Go for a calm walk in nature. Reduce that cortisol and increase those deep, slow breaths. Book a getaway where you can completely unplug and unwind. With Travelocity’s Customer First Guarantee, you definitely have nothing to worry about.
Whether it’s for the new year or for a new you, it’s healthy to truly disconnect from the demands of daily life. Here’s where to go to get away; you won’t even want to pull out your smartphone, except to snap a few photos of the beauty. Ultimately, these destinations are about being in the present moment and doing what makes you feel content.
Best Destinations to Unplug and Unwind
For Hikers: Tucson, Arizona
JW Marriott Starr Pass offers hikers multiple trails. Photo Credit: Ava Roxanne Stritt of Spa Travel Gal
Stay at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Tucson if you want to blend luxury with nature. In addition to beautiful rooms with private balconies, this resort also has an Arnold Palmer Golf Course, amazing mountain views and a relaxing spa. Those mountain views mean plenty of options for exploring outdoors. In fact, the Marriott has nearby hiking trails that wind through the hills and nearby desert. After your hike, float along the lazy river in the pool. Talk about unwinding.
The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain offers various hiking trails and amazing views to relax and unwind. Photo Credit: Ava Roxanne Stritt of Spa Travel Gal
For another type of luxury, book your nights at the The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain, also in Tucson. This five-star resort is perched in the Tortolita Mountains, which are rich with wildlife and desert plants, including the rare Saguaro cacti. This resort is great for hiking year-round, because the area boasts more than 350 days of sunshine every year.
After a day of hiking enjoy the views at Salud, where JW Marriott offers a nightly complimentary traditional festive Tequila Toast! Photo Credit: Ava Roxanne Stritt
Be sure to get out early to view some of the wildlife that enjoys early morning activity just like you. Javelinas are frequently spotted in this area. Enjoy viewing them, but give them their space.
For Golf Lovers: Augusta, Georgia
If the serene stretch of a green golf course helps ground you, stay at Champions Retreat in Augusta, Georgia. This luxurious resort pairs golf with spectacular nature views, the perfect combo of relaxing yet active retreat.
An early morning yoga class by a warm fire at Champions Retreat in Augusta. Photo Credit: Ava Roxanne Stritt of Spa Travel Gal
After hitting balls, erase all of the work with an early morning yoga class by a warm fire pit or a relaxing massage in a cottage spa created just for you. In fact, the views here are a treat for your eyes and mind. Mother Nature is so beautiful to look at that you will forget all about that series you’ve been binge-watching on Netflix.
The waters of the Savannah and Little Rivers are a great place to unwind. Photo Credit: Ava Roxanne Stritt
For History Buffs: Boston, Massachusetts
If you love history, head to Boston. It’s one of the oldest cities in the United States, so everywhere you turn, there’s another monument, site or lesson come to life. The best place to stay in Boston is the Mandarin Oriental Boston, due to its ideal location in Back Bay. It’s located in the heart of the city on Boylston Street.
This Travelocity Gnational Gnomad found the Mandarin Oriental the most conveniently located hotel in the city! Photo Credit: Ava Roxanne Stritt of Spa Travel Gal
Not to mention, this hotel boasts both AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five-Star awards for both the hotel and the spa. The spa allowed me to refresh myself after discovering the city on foot. After a visit there, I was ready for another brisk walk to the Boston Commons.
While in Boston, stroll down Newburg Street and historic Marlborough Street or literally any street in the city and find history. Walk through the Public Garden (the first botanical garden in the nation), Cambridge and Harvard’s quad, Boston Common’s Massachusetts State House (built in 1798), the historic Boston Public Library (where you can find first editions of Shakespeare, as well as famous murals), the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Boston Marathon finish line and Copley Square.
Be sure to not miss the amazing historical architecture in almost any hotel. Looking up all day will allow you to be amazed with historical grandeur!
For Mountain Lovers: Asheville, North Carolina
The Omni Grove Park Inn offers mountain views and an underground spa. Photo Credit: Ava Roxanne Stritt of Spa Travel Gal
If the mountains are calling you, head to Asheville, North Carolina, where you can retreat to The Omni Grove Park Inn. This spa resort has an outdoor center right on site. The Nantahala Outdoor Center claims to be the nation’s biggest outdoor recreation company, offering more than 120 different outdoor activities (from guided hikes to zip-lining) to more than 1 million visitors every year.
This spa makes you feel like you have unplugged inside a mountain. Photo Credit: Ava Roxanne Stritt of Spa Travel Gal
The resort is just five miles away from the famous Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile scenic route that winds through vistas and historic sites. And then there’s the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with its waterfalls, wildlife and hiking trails, just about 30 miles away. This park is the most visited national park in the nation. Other nearby outdoor adventures: Chimney Rock State Park and the Linville Caverns.
After immersing yourself in the mountains, refresh at the subterranean spa, with rock walls, tunnels and arches. This spa is considered one of the world’s best resort spas.
For Yogis: Palm Springs, California
If you are seeking some alone time, but you also want relaxing community connection with some professional guidance, sign up for some peaceful yoga classes at the Miramonte Indian Wells in Palm Springs. This isn’t a full-on, hard-core hot yoga sweat fest. Some yoga festivals can be less than relaxing, with schedules, crowded yoga halls, super challenging moves and major stimulation.
The classes here are designed to help you connect with your body, find space between breaths and explore your personal yoga journey, on your own schedule and without being too aggressive. You can book a private yoga session if you seek individual attention and more solitude.
All wellness classes are included in your stay at the boutique-style resort, with sweeping views of the mountains. After your yoga class, solidify the zen with a spa treatment. The Miramonte claims to be a “unique desert oasis,” and it delivers that promise.
Ready to relax? Go ahead, indulge yourself and book your blissful escape!
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