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After returning from a major trip (in Kelsey’s case – sunny Mallorca! More on that soon), we can’t help but start dreaming about the next getaway, big or small. Quick domestic trips are ideal for a weekend break, birthday celebration, special milestone, or finally checking out that spot you’ve had your eye on. With two months left of summer, there is still time to book a quick weekend trip. Below are a few standout destinations and resorts we would personally choose and highly recommend!
Coastal Maine
New Englanders willingly wait for hours to get inside the namesake barn at White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection. There they find one of the best restaurants in the region, a rustic, lofty space known for its nine-course tasting menus of ultraseasonal, local-centric food. Those who stay longer find states of grace with a Kennebunk River stone massage in the spa, then get comfy in one of the landmark inn’s 27 warmly updated rooms. Spend an afternoon antiquing in Kennebunkport Village, or grab one of the house bicycles (or pair of snowshoes) and explore the 66 wooded acres on well-tended trails.
LKC Travel Tip: Book the Cora Houseboat – providing a one-of-a-kind accommodation on the Kennebunk coast, where the rustic luxury of White Barn Inn and waterfront living converge.
Napa
It’s easy to see why wine lovers flock to Meadowood Napa Valley. The 250-acre estate offers 36 rustic, yet refined suites and rooms, cuisine that celebrates the region’s flavors and agricultural heritage, and an award-winning spa with treatments and rituals that make you feel at one with nature. Plus, endless opportunities to treat your inner oenophile, from tasting classes at the onsite Wine Center to the hundreds of vineyards just beyond the hotel’s front door.
LKC Travel Tip: Book the Hill House, an expansive one-bedroom retreat with 1,754-square-feet of living space and two furnished terraces – complete with fire pits and an alfresco soaking tub.
Wyoming
We both have an affinity for the West and are dying to stay at Brush Creek Ranch, a luxury dude ranch situated on 30,000 acres of Rocky Mountain wilderness in Saratoga, Wyoming. Located in the heart of Wyoming’s famed Platte River Valley, between the Sierra Madre Mountain range and stunning Medicine Bow National Forest, Brush Creek Ranch is an all-inclusive resort, exclusively designed for discerning travelers, ambitious adventurers, and family luxury dude ranch vacations. Guests can choose from a range of activities, including horseback riding, cattle drives, fly-fishing, and hiking the 12,000-foot Medicine Bow Peak. Accommodations include 44 luxurious cabins and lodge rooms, with open-hearth fireplaces and plush amenities. Additionally, families can spread out in restored 19th-century log cabins with decks, full kitchens, and expansive views.
LKC Travel Tip: Stay in the upscale Magee Homestead, exclusively for adults ages 21 and older.
St. Michaels, Maryland
For our DC-based clients, St. Michaels, Maryland offers one of the quickest and most scenic escapes to water. The Inn at Perry Cabin, a charming manor house resort and spa, sits in beautiful gardens that reach down to the gentle waters of Maryland’s Eastern shore. Steeped in history, this colonial mansion is the perfect rural retreat. Relaxation is the Inn’s top priority for guests: lounge in the fabulous Spa at Perry Cabin, float in the infinity pool, or savor seafood in the gastronomic restaurant. Stroll into St. Michaels to discover intriguing antiques shops or set out to sea on a yacht or heritage craft. This intimate retreat offers just 78 guest rooms, all with turned-wood New England beds, stacked with pillows and lighted by lamps. Each evening, your turndown service includes freshly baked cookies – a delightful way to end the day.
LKC Travel Tip: Make time to experience sailing on the Chesapeake by chartering one of the inn’s luxurious Alerion yachts for a private sail.
California Coast
High above the cliffs of Big Sur, you’ll find a luxurious, romantic escape: Post Ranch Inn, known for its award-winning organic architecture. Choose one of the 40 secluded guest rooms, suites, and private houses that blend rustic elegance and comfort with ocean and mountain views. Each room features a wood-burning fireplace, private deck, and complimentary minibar. Enjoy activities like morning yoga, rejuvenating spa treatments, swimming in the heated pool, and ocean-view basking pools, hiking, and nightly stargazing. The celebrated Sierra Mar restaurant, recipient of Wine Spectator’s Grand Award, serves organic seasonal fare.
LKC Travel Tip: For the ultimate romantic getaway – book an Upper Pacific Suite with jaw dropping panoramic views of the ocean. and you will be able to sip champagne in your deck soaking tub.
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is one of our favorite New England destinations and is a quick short flight for our East Coast clients. Ocean House is a historic Rhode Island luxury hotel that offers year-round, uncompromising service, beachfront location and world-class amenities. The hotel features 49 newly remodeled guest rooms and 19 Signature Suites, reigning over 13 bluff-top acres and a private white-sand beach with dedicated cabana service. Plenty of daily resort activities are offered including a full culinary education program, championship croquet with a resident professional, spa and wellness programs and seasonal evening harbor cruises. The Watch Hill area is also home to an array of theaters and museums, tours to local historical sites, local vineyard tastings, as well as a myriad of outdoor activities, including surfing, fly-fishing and deep-sea fishing, and private golf and tennis lessons.
LKC Travel Tip: If your stay includes a Friday in the summer, don’t miss the New England lobster boil on the beach, complete with a live band.
