For the second article in the new Getaway Guide series, T asked readers who hadn't yet resolved to their summer travel plans to explain their dream trip (but setting a realistic budget that doesn't include airfares). After consulting with a few travel experts, I came up with some suggestions. Below are the answers to some of the most interesting queries we received, and you can read the first response here to increase your travel ideas.
“My husband and I are in their early 30s. I work in technology, he works in finance. We don't have children. We love adventure. We live in Manhattan, so whenever we go on vacation, we always look for nature. Good hotel. – Susanna, New York City. Budget: $10,000
Mild summer weather, beautiful hotels, and the scenery that most Manhattanite looks like a vy hope (talk from experience), I go to southwest England. I asked Kate Maxwell, a writer living in London. There, she was recommended by travelers on a generous budget and sketched what appears to be the ideal itinerary. Starting in Somerset, a country county that is about two hours' drive from Heathrow Airport, it has become a decadent 42-room hotel with acres of gardens (approximately $1,100 per summer night). You will then drive about 40 miles southwest to Dorset's Jurassic Coast, running on the particularly dramatic English Channel, staying at the new Luma Farm and Retreat, featuring 17 rooms, two pools and the so-called wellness burn. The hotel is set in one of the most beautiful places in the UK, says Maxwell (“ripples and sea views”). Room rates include breakfast, lunch and a “outstanding” 3-course dinner (approximately $860 per summer night).
About 60 more miles Southwest is Dartmoor National Park where you can spend the day bike, canoeing and horse riding. And finally, head to Cornwall, a lovely wild peninsula at the tip of the southwest of England. It is lined with sandy beaches, surf breaks and cute seaside villages, and although it gets crowded in the summer, it also means a lively scene in many charming pubs and restaurants. Take a look at Maxwell's insider Cornwall guide (as well as outdoor activities and outdoor activities). It's worth considering another hotel.
“I'm a retired chef in my early 60s. I've traveled both the US coast and Italy. I recently think I'll find a place I can go for a couple of weeks to be creative, social and social in a relaxed natural environment. – Mark, Fishkill, New York. Budget: $3,000
When he texted John Shepherd, a New York-based ceramicist and lighting designer friend, to ask where he was going to set backwards in his dream artwork, he answered immediately: Anderson Ranch. The Arts Center in Snowmass, Colorado, is located on five acres of land in Rocky Mountain, about eight miles from Aspen. Co-founded in the 1960s by potter Paul Selner and other artists who took over the former working farm, he began offering several classes by putting ki in a lamb shed. Today, the center holds approximately 130 workshops each summer. From ceramics to prints and paintings, and for all skill levels, it is a variety of fields. Students are encouraged to stay on campus or at Stonebridge Inn. It is within walking distance (tuition fees for the 5-day workshop start at around $1,200, excluding accommodation).
Located in Kashima, Maine, Haystack Mountain School of Craft is another long-standing, highly-rated creative retreat that welcomes beginners and veteran artists. You will need to apply for admission, but there are still some spots this summer. In particular, there is a new 4-day beginner-only program starting at $800 per person, not including accommodation. Most participants will stay on campus and share dorm rooms. On the weekend, staff will attend students' outdoor lobster dinners.
If you want to combine your classes with sightseeing, there is also Thread Caravan, a travel agency based in Oaxaca, Mexico. This thread caravan offers approximately 20 guided travel to 11 countries per year. Future options include a textile-themed itinerary in Peru in July. This includes ceramic trips in Morocco starting at around $3,400 per person in a shared room and starting at $3,200 in September. Prices include all meals, accommodation, guides and ingredients.
“Gorgeous, fun, community-friendly, but difficult for six out of six out of ten. Not very altitude. I'm interested in exploring later. I love traveling with my husband and my college kids. – Leonora, Austin, Texas. Budget: $5,000-$15,000
One of the simplified and most efficient ways to do a collaborative multi-day hike is to use small group tour operators such as country walkers and backroads. The latter has travel specifically designed for families traveling with children in their teens or 20s. This includes six-day Italian dolomite (starting at $4,500 per person) hat trekking ($4,500 per person). The itinerary begins and ends in the German-speaking Skyroll region of Italy. This should be a good choice for your wish list as it is full of bikes and hiking trails (and thermal bass too).
For something a little predictable, adventure journalist Brigid Mander proposes a shed-to-hat system developed by the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) in particular. Some of the network's most popular hikes will begin in the mountain village village (about 4,000 feet above sea level) over the Oarlands dalene Valley in Westland, western Norway, and end three days later in the fjord side town of Fulham. (Pro tip: Going towards the end of summer means you're less likely to slip through the thaw.) Like Geiterygghytta, a fully staffed cabin along the route costs around $115 per night for four sleeping rooms and shared buses. You can then drive to other towns and fjords, visit trains and ferries, and tackle other trails. If you want to help plan your entire itinerary, try Upnorway, an Oslo-based travel agency. For multiple hikes (alpine) close to home, Mander recommends studying the highly detailed website of the 10th Mountain Division Huts Association, which maintains 38 backcountry lodges in the Colorado Rockies, and recommends routes (average elevation 10,000-11,000 feet) and guide services.
“I am a lawyer and have lived in the Toristart area for about 12 years. I came from central Texas. Usually I prefer to visit cities on vacation because I'm interested in art and culture. It makes me arrogance, but I'm still relaxing for a week.” – Lloyd, Newark, New Jersey. Budget: $2,000
Athens may not be the most relaxed place in Greece, but like all the vast capitals, it is filled with quiet and few tourist pockets, including the Kipseli district, with cafés. Don't miss the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, which housed the Greek National Opera and the Greek National Library and helped transform Piraeus, a nearby port city, into a modern art hub. For a modest priced yet memorable hotel, try the playful new Okpa with the rooftop overlooking the Acropolis. You can also book a shared dorm room for around $50 per night (a tip from food and travel writer Katie Chang).
After a full adoration of visiting the Parthenon and the National Archaeological Museum and enjoying an outdoor concert, head to Shiros on Cyrodes (a two-hour ride from Piraeus), a cultural destination in itself, which is a ridiculous beach and refined. Regular hotel booking sites have hotels and guesthouses in Shiro that cost less than $200 per night, but if your budget allows, you might appreciate the art-filled hotel Aristide (indoor rates are around $435, starting at least 3 nights in July).
Wouldn't this help you travel to Europe this summer? For other culturally rich destinations around the world, from Portland, Maine to Sri Lanka and Colombo, take a look at T's Flocking to Series.
