New Year's Resolution Trips

New Year's Resolution Trips


Looking to start 2011 on the right foot? Here are some trips to get you motivated.

By Katrina Brown Hunt, Colleen Clark
To keep a New Year's resolution from becoming more than a joke, some say you need to start with a plan of action—and what better plan of action than to plan a trip? When you take your resolution on a vacation, you can immerse yourself in your new mind-set, whether your goal is to eat better, quit smoking, or overcome a fear.

Cantabria, Spain

Resolution: Eat Better

What to Do: Fall in love with fish and veggies again. The Greeks and Italians have long taken credit for having the most heart-healthy diets, but a recent study found that tapas-loving Spaniards—especially in coastal Cantabria—are doing the best job of embracing the produce-heavy Mediterranean diet. Locals reportedly consume 40 percent more veggies, five times the olive oil, and twice as much fish as their European neighbors. Two renowned restaurants in the province’s capital, Santander, showcase the cuisine’s blend of seafood and fresh countryside ingredients: El Serbal, which sports a Michelin star, and Zacarias, helmed by a local celebrity cookbook author.

Where to Stay: The palatial Hotel Real was built in 1917 to house the then-king’s entourage, and it still has a royal vibe—plus, it’s close to the beaches of El Sardinero.

Costa Rica

Resolution: Exercise More

What to Do: Why jog around a track when you could be among invitingly lush surroundings with temperatures in the seventies? The peninsula has countless hikes through its nature preserves, up to waterfalls, or along beaches, all to help you get in the habit of at least walking every day. Outfitters like Backroads offer trips that swing through this area with hiking, biking, kayaking, or horseback riding, all at your fitness level.

Where to Stay: Get inspired at the Lapa Rios Ecolodge, where you can sleep in a plushly appointed bungalow and hike through the neighboring, trail-rich nature preserve.

Maui

Resolution: Help Green the Earth

What to Do: Okay, so you took a giant, fuel-eating plane to get here (at least you shared it with other people), but you’re in a place where you can become a hands-on environmental steward. The Hawaii Nature Center offers “Volun-tourism” projects where you can, say, help restore wetlands (808/244-6500; www.hawaiinaturecenter.org), while the Sierra Club offers one “volunteer vacation,” among others, where you can help stabilize an archaeological site while also taking time to snorkel and watch whales (415/977-5500; http://www.sierraclub.org/).

Where to Stay: The Fairmont Kea Lani is pretty green for a big brand hotel: it recycles 80 percent of its laundry wastewater and also participates in local programs to clean beaches, protect local turtles, and restore the island’s taro plant population.

Caicos

Resolution: Work Less, Play More

What to Do: East of Cuba in the Caribbean, this group of islands solidly removes you from the office—and there’s plenty to remind you of life beyond the BlackBerry. Kite surfing—where you ride on a board, pulled by a motor-propelled kite—is a local favorite here, thanks to the accommodating winds. If you still crave the thrill of closing a deal, do a conch-diving cruise, where you can free-dive to score your conch, then have it barbecued ashore.

Where to Stay: The Grace Bay Club gives you a serene setting for kicking back post-playtime: there are spa-treatment tents and daybeds along the beach.
Vermont

Resolution: Spend More Time with Your Family

What to Do: This is an all-season playground for families. On the town’s five-mile recreation path, you can rent either bicycles or snowshoes, depending on the time of year. And there’s always the kid-friendly (and adult-friendly) Ben & Jerry’s Factory tour.

Where to Stay: What says “family” better than the Trapp Family Lodge? There are horse-drawn sleighs, snow sports for all skill levels, and a kids’ club for tots three and up. And yes, by Trapp you can deduce von Trapps, of The Sound of Music fame. Hey, a family that escapes together stays together.

Big Sur, California

Resolution: Explore Your Spirituality

What to Do: This rugged coastal community is considered a meditation hotspot, and it’s no wonder. With a multitude of solitary perches and dramatic waves-against-the-rocks scenery, Big Sur is an idyllic spot to contemplate, pray, or just relax. The famed Esalen Institute (831/667-3005; www.esalen.org), which claims to be an “Olympics of the body, mind, and spirit,” offers classes ranging from “Money and Spirituality” to “That Was Zen, This Is Tao.”

Where to Stay: The Post Ranch Inn elegantly walks the line between rustic and chic, with 39 contemporary rooms and two private houses set in the bluffs. The Inn offers free daily meditation and yoga classes and (for a fee) private sessions.

Tucson, Arizona

Resolution: Overcome Your Fears

What to Do/Where to Stay: Take your inhibitions to the Miraval Resort & Spa, where you can go beyond the usual spa treatments and yoga classes. Some guests engage in “Challenges”—feats of daring involving various tall poles, cables, and logs—that promise to help you safely confront your demons. When you feel sufficiently fearless, you can retreat to the resort’s tennis courts, painting classes, or the plasma TV in your room.
Jamaica

Resolution: Stay Fit

What to Do/Where to Stay: Ian Fleming penned the James Bond character at the GoldenEye Hotel & Resort, which just reopened in Jamaica. On-site trainer and Olympian Iona Wynter draws on 007’s athleticism with Jet Ski workouts and snorkel classes.
Wexford, Ireland

Resolution: De-Stress

What to Do/Where to Stay: In Ireland, Monart Destination Spa helps guests get back to the day-to-day grind with physical therapy–inspired exercises that seek to improve posture at the desk, stimulate circulation, and promote relaxation.
Province, Thailand

Resolution: Quit Smoking

What to Do/Where to Stay: Do away with nicotine for good at Anantara Si Kao Resort & Spa, in the Trang province of southern Thailand. A naturopathic doctor leads support sessions, treats withdrawal symptoms, and recommends Ayurvedic treatments.