Sherman's Travel

Many come to Santa Fe for the mouthwatering New Mexican cuisine, Southwestern art scene, or rich Native American and Latino culture. But with such wide-open spaces surrounding the city, it’d be a shame to visit without getting in a little outdoor adventure as well. Read more

Say you’re looking to get away this spring and you know exactly what you want: Southwestern ambiance, gorgeous scenery, amazing sunsets, and fabulous food. Trouble is, two terrific places – Sedona, AZ, and Santa Fe, NM (that’s Encantado Resort just outside Santa Fe to the left) – fit the bill. You need help deciding which to visit and I’m here to offer advice. I’ve visited both spots twice and totally love them . . . but for very different reasons. So, here’s my point-by-point comparison:

Overall Vibe

Sedona: New Age – you will be seeped in all things holistic and wellness-oriented as the city’s location on so-called energy vortexes (said to promote mind/body healing) has attracted a throng of crystal-toting, aura-reading healers and massage therapists, who can rub you the right way (or wrong) depending on your appreciation for or aversion to touchy-feely stuff. It’s all good, so just go with the energy flow. Read more

Valentine’s Day is a popular time for hotels to offer packages with champagne and romance concierges (you know, to help your hopeless partner plan a romantic evening out), but it’s not as easy to find packages that include spa treatments and massages. Luckily, we’ve done the searching for you, and we’ve found some great budget options as well as some luxurious extravagances. For both a romantic and relaxing February 14 (or thereabouts), try out these hotels and spas, from East Coast to West.

The Budget Picks:

The Westin Beach Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Sunsets on the beach are already dreamy, but the Westin Beach Resort & Spa is taking the swoon factor a few steps further with its “Rekindle Romance” package. It starts at only $319/night and is available for stays from February 10-15. What do you get? The package includes breakfast in bed, a visit to Shula’s on the Beach (for dinner, the Chef’s Tasting Menu, and wine!), champagne and strawberry turndown, and the Heavenly Healing couple’s spa treatment at the Heavenly Spa.

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Everyone loves to travel during the summer – including families with cranky babies, manic preschoolers, and brooding teens. And when it’s just the two of you on a relaxing and romantic getaway, the last thing you want is to choose two chaises on the beach or near the pool and have the moment ruined when a family straight out of National Lampoon’s Vacation plops down right next to you.

So, here are some tips for how to out-maneuver those omnipresent family groups – and with multi-generational travel all the rage, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are all too often along for the ride, too – and truly enjoy some adult time (such as the daybeds at the adult-only pool area at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Hawaii’s Big Island, shown at left).

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Spring is a great time for a romantic getaway – either to Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, or the West Coast – so here are four tips to help you maximize your enjoyment of the destination, and each other, while away à deux:

Avoid kids and conferences: Nothing wrecks a romantic mood more than screaming kids – but loud, badge-wearing conference-goers are a close second. The best way to avoid both is to book a smaller resort, preferably one where children under 16 are either not allowed or discouraged.

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Ah, October – when the air begins to chill, the leaves begin to fall and the ghosts come out to play. Even if you don’t believe in them, restless spirits are top of mind as we approach the most haunted of holidays, Halloween. So if you want a late October getaway, complete with a possible apparition, check out these 10 otherwise historic and romantic hotels that do not hide the fact that at least a few of their guests refuse to check out.

1. The Don CeSar, A Loews Hotel, St. Petersburg, FL This “Pink Palace” was built in 1928 by Thomas Rowe for his lost love Lucinda (who died after her father forbid her to marry Rowe) and the ghost of a man in a suit and panama hat, accompanied by a woman with dark hair, is said to wander the second, fifth and sixth floors, from $254/night.

2. Equinox Resort & Spa, Manchester, VT More than 200 years of history make this luxury resort (shown above, courtesy of Equinox Resort & Spa), comprised of 17 structures in six architectural styles, a hotbed for the suite hereafter. Newly renovated, the property is reportedly roamed by ghosts that include Mary Todd Lincoln and her son, who had been frequent guests, from $159/night.

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Craving a last-minute spring getaway for two and not sure where to go? Consider these six destinations, each of which basks in the glow of April’s longer days, warmer temperatures and air of hope and renewal.

Paris
April in Paris is a cliché, you say? So what? When spring arrives, the City of Light is both appealing and affordable (many four-star hotels can be had for under $350 a night). The French adore Easter—chocolate shops and patisseries overflow with all things gooey and yummy—and the legions of London plane trees that line the city’s streets drip with pale green buds. Stay at: One of the city’s five Radisson Hotels—romantic Radisson Blu Le Dokhan’s Hotel being the top pick (from $342).

Washington, DC
Our nation’s capital is at its most alluring in early April, when 3,000 cherry trees, a gift from the city of Tokyo, create a pale pink floral cumulous cloud all around the Tidal Basin. With humidity still at bay, walking the city is a breeze—from the marble monuments framed by fluttering cherry blossoms to the cafes and shops of atmospheric Georgetown. Stay at: One of seven Kimpton Hotels in DC, ranging from affordable, New-Age-themed Topaz Hotel (from $259) to luxurious, newly renovated Hotel Monaco (from $449).

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