ARUBA
LAKE PLACID
ASPEN
SARASOTA
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO
ISRAEL
WOODSTOCK, VERMONT
THE POCONOS
Sand and Scuba in Aruba
Though the 20-mile-long island is well known as a destination for honeymooners, you don’t need a ring on your finger to appreciate the life-affirming power of Caribbean sun in the dead of winter.—Cotton Delo
How To Get There
Flights to Aruba International Airport are scheduled daily on American Airlines and twice daily on JetBlue from JFK Airport. Continental also has daily flights to Aruba from Newark Airport and one flight per week from LaGuardia.
Where to Stay
If your idea of the dream vacation is the decadent lethargy that permeates all-inclusive resorts, make a reservation at the 398-room Occidental Grand Aruba – a self-contained, beach-fronting compound with six restaurants, five bars and a casino. The average room rate is $400. But if you’d like to avoid run-ins with fellow travelers who’ve spent their days swilling daiquiris at one of the bars, consider booking a villa. Aruba Dushi Villa, located in the exclusive neighborhood of Malmok, offers 3,900 square feet of privacy for $2,800 per week.
What To Do
You’ve come to Aruba to relax, so you’ll be ensoncing yourself on the beach. If you’d like to mix things up with something more active, try parasailing, scuba diving or deep sea fishing for white and blue marlin, barracuda and kingfish. You can also visit local sights like the Historic Gold Mills, where ore from nearby hills was processed during Aruba’s 19th-century gold rush. Though Dutch and Papamiento – a Spanish- and Portuguese-based creole – are the official languages, English and Spanish are widely spoken.
Where to Eat
Fresh seafood is easy to come by in Aruba, and Hadicurari has entrees including mahi-mahi gratin, broiled lobster and grouper beurre blanc in an outdoor setting. Brazilian steakhouse Amazonia Churrascaria is a carnivore’s dream, with a selection of more than 16 cuts of charcoal-grilled meats.
Cheesecake and Slopes in Lake Placid
Bring out your inner Olympian or enjoy the pristine scenery of New York’s own winter wonderland. –Kerri Fortune
How To Get There
Lake Placid is five hours from Manhattan by car, but an Adirondack Trailways bus can get you there too. You can also fly into Lake Placid Municipal Airport on a charter, or take a Continental Express flight to Adirondack Airport, about 17 miles away.
Where to Stay
For a hotel stay, Crowne Plaza Resort & Golf Club has breathtaking views of lakes and the Adirondack Mountains. Room prices range from $98 mid-week to $600 on a weekend. The Interlaken Inn is a Victorian home providing a cozier experience, with rooms ranging from $155 to $350.
What To Do
It’s all about winter sports. If you love skiing, hit up Whiteface Mountain, which boasts the greatest vertical drop in the east — 3,166 feet. There are slopes for beginner, intermediate and advanced skiers. The family-friendly Kids Kampus provides a safe environment for kids to learn to ski. Thrill-seekers can take a bobsled ride with a professional driver and brakeman at the Olympic Sports Complex. Those seeking a less hair-raising experience can try snowshoeing on wooded Adirondack trails. Speed skating at the Olympic Speed Skating oval is icing on the cake.
Where to Eat
Veranda Restaurant serves American and French cuisine in a warm setting that includes interesting woodwork, stonework and early 19th-century German stained glass windows. Swing by the elegant Interlaken Inn and try one of the meals cooked by executive chef Richard Brosseau. Entrees include sautéed buffalo tenderloin and cinnamon-roasted venison loin. The wine collection has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2005. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a chocolate torte or cheesecake at Bluesberry Bakery.
Celebs and Hot Tubs in Aspen
A stomping ground for the rich and famous, Aspen offers the thrill of potential run-ins with part-time residents like Mariah Carey and Michael Douglas, as well as exhilarating skiing. –C.D.
How To Get There
Flying to Aspen’s Sardy Field from New York requires a connection, and United Express offers a 30-minute flight to Aspen 10 times a day from Denver.
Where to Stay
If you haven’t been invited to Jack Nicholson’s house, you can find lodgings at the Hearthstone House, which resembles a Frank Lloyd Wright design and has a complimentary wine and cheese hour, outdoor hot tub and an indoor herbal steam room. A room with a queen deluxe bed is $300 a night in January. If you’re planning an extended visit, you should consider renting. Real estate in Aspen isn’t cheap, and Houston & Gorog brokerage was renting a 2,300-square-foot Victorian house downtown for $850 to $1,500 a night.
What To Do
Aspen once had a bohemian spirit, attracting loose cannons like Hunter Thompson, who lived there until he died. Due to skyrocketing real estate prices, it’s become a deep-pocketed town whose residents have a taste for the finer things. But Aspen’s main draw is skiing and snowboarding, and four mountains – Aspen, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass and Buttermilk – are within 12 miles of town. For history buffs, the mining ghost towns of Ashcroft and Independence are nearby; adventurous souls can venture through the snow for a self-guided tour. Dotted with boutiques and art galleries, the downtown area can entertain snow bunnies who prefer to stay off the slopes.
Where to Eat
Inventive fare, sought-after reservations and expensive checks are par for the course in Aspen’s chic restaurant scene. Syzygy has a five-course tasting menu and counts elk tenderloin, foie gras and vintage beef among its signature dishes. For primo northern Italian cuisine, book a table at Campo de Fiori.
Seafood and Beaches in Sarasota
A far cry from sultry Miami, Sarasota offers a quiet beach vacation for couples or families looking to really relax. But a vacation on Florida’s western coast doesn’t mean missing out on culture.–Heather Corcoran
How To Get There
JetBlue flies nonstop from JFK to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport.
Where to Stay
The Ritz-Carlton offers luxurious accommodations, plus a spa and golf course on Lido Beach. And with supervised, kids-only programs, you can sneak away and actually enjoy the amenities. A night in the Club suite costs about $480. Or venture to one of the barrier islands for a stay at the family-friendly Longboat Key Club, where a night in the deluxe beach-view suite costs $620 per night.
What To Do
The real draw here is the beach and Sarasota’s Siesta Key on the Gulf of Mexico scores among the nation’s top stretches of sand – 99 percent white quartz and finer than sugar. The wildlife around Point of Rocks makes for good snorkeling, and if manatees are your thing it’s worth taking a trip to the Mote Aquarium. Be sure to spend a day at the Ringling estate, which features a museum of European art as well as the Ca d’Zan Venetian-style mansion and, this being the home of one of the original Ringling Brothers, a circus museum.
Where to Eat
Dock your boat and head in for a meal at Marina Jack where the view and the seafood dishes share top billing, or for a sophisticated take on traditional southern soul food, try 5 one 6 Burns, where creative entrées such as seared scallops with a watercress-toasted almond salad and cilantro-pumpkin seed sauce are served in a quaint cottage nestled under a mangrove tree.
Nightclubs and Golf Courses in Playa Del Carmen
The Mexican state of Quintana Roo gets a bad reputation from the hordes of drunken spring breakers that descend on Mexico’s Caribbean coast each year, but the chic city of Playa del Carmen offers a more mature place to shop, swim and even party. - H.C.
How To Get There
Fly on JetBlue, directly from JFK to Cancun International Airport and then rent a car or hop on a bus for a one-hour ride to Playa del Carmen.
Where to Stay
With 50 acres of subtropical forest and a two-mile stretch of oceanfront, guests can enjoy an entire vacation without leaving Esencia’s grounds – although with the Mayan city of Tulum only an hour away, staying in isn’t recommended. Try to score a cottage, where the chef will prepare Mesoamerican specialties in your private kitchen, or go to Sal y Fuego restaurant where local seafood is simmered in banana leaves in underground pits. Cottage rates start at $1,300 per night. For a more centrally located resort try the impressive Royal Hideaway Playacar, where the all-inclusive package includes access to the resort’s six restaurants and three bars. Suites cost from $1,200 a night, and for an additional charge the hotel will organize activities like deep-sea fishing and golf excursions.
What To Do
Quinta Avenida is the heart of Playa del Carmen, and as in New York, this Fifth Avenue is the main drag for shopping. Keep in mind, though, the further you go from the town center, the better bargains you’ll find. After a day of shopping, head to the beach to sunbathe or scuba dive by day, or dance until sunrise at one of the oceanfront nightclubs. Adventurous types may want to head 15 minutes out of town for a chance to get close to nature at the Xcaret Eco Theme Park, where visitors can swim with dolphins, trek through ancient ruins or check out coral reefs.
Where to Eat
Quinta Avenida is lined with all types of restaurants which are great for a quick bite while exploring the city, but for a more laid-back experience head to La Cueva del Chango where natural, local food – like shrimp with cinnamon and chile – is served in a cave-like setting. At Ajua Maya, traditional Mexican and Mayan dishes get infused with decadent flavors from 19th-century France. After sampling their famous Caribbean lobster, you may decide to stay for the restaurant’s cooking classes.
Spas and Art in Israel
With its ancient cities, jagged cliffs, olive groves, beaches, museums, skiing, spas, nightlife and an emerging culinary scene, Israel makes a good choice for a winter getaway.–Khristina Narizhnaya
How To Get There
Continental flies non-stop from Newark Airport and Delta flies direct from JFK to Tel Aviv. Israeli airline Israir flies direct from JFK to Tel Aviv and El Al offers direct flights from both JFK and Newark to Tel Aviv. The direct flight is about 12 hours.
Where to Stay
The Tel Aviv Hilton, perched on a cliff and only one minute away from the beach, features spas, international restaurants and other luxury amenities with rooms costing $250 per night and up. In Jerusalem, the King David Hotel, the most famous hotel in Israel overlooking the Old City, provides every luxury one could hope for, with an impressive list of past guests to boot—presidents, kings, and Hollywood celebrities have all stayed there. Rooms start at $320 per night.
What To Do
Tel Aviv, the first modern Hebrew city founded in 1909, features restaurants, cafes, art galleries, and nightlife. Stroll through the “White City” located in central Tel Aviv to see the world’s largest grouping of Bauhaus architecture. Check out some of Jerusalem’s major museums such as the Israel Museum and the Museum on the Seam. The Dead Sea, known for its breathtaking views and medicinal properties, is only a short ride away.
Where to Eat
Dubbed “the land of milk and honey” Israel is a culinary potpourri to satiate every appetite with dishes as diverse as are its inhabitants. Located in an old Tel Aviv seaport, Mul Yam, arguably the best restaurant in Israel, can easily be mistaken for a regular oyster bar; however, all doubts dissipate once you see the menu featuring the freshest gourmet seafood selection. Mul Yam was once chosen as the Gault-Millau restaurant of the year. Yo’Ezer Wine Bar in Jaffa, set in an old Arabic stone house reminiscent of a cellar, serves standard French-inspired cuisine using Israeli ingredients and features one of the most extensive wine lists in the country.
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Music and Views in Woodstock
There is plenty to do in Woodstock for the artistically inclined, since this Vermont village has been an artists’ colony for about a century. The town is known for its artsy, hippie atmosphere and music scene, making it an excellent choice for a weekend getaway. —Sascha Brodsky
How To Get There
Zipcar (zipcar.com) offers a convenient way to get to Vermont. This service allows customers to rent a car in one of its dozens of locations around the city without the hassle of paperwork. Members reserve online and then just swipe an electronic key card to gain access to the car. Zipcar offers a variety of cars ranging from Mini Coopers to Volvo s40s. Driving time is about five hours.
Where to Stay
For some of the most elegant and coziest accommodations in the state, turn to the Lauren Inn (thelaureninn.com) which offers suites, with flat-panel television, Internet access and beautiful views from $169-$375. The Inn’s top of the line room has two fireplaces, and is tastefully decorated with modern yet romantic furnishings. Breakfast is included in the rate and chefs prepare delicious meals in a dining room overlooking this quaint town.
What To Do
Woodstock — like its counterpart in New York State — is a charming community offering a concentration of galleries, antique shops, as well as outlets for made-in-Vermont products. Not far from the village are a wide choice of outdoor winter recreational attractions, including several renowned downhill ski areas (Suicide Six, and of course the slopes at Killington a few miles east of Woodstock off of U.S. Route 4). Hardy visitors can also find miles of trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Where to Eat
The LAUREN INN offers some of the best dining in town with local ingredients often making a showing. The menu changes constantly but on a recent night it included hanger steak with roasted garlic and bleu cheese, roasted rack of lamb with sauce bordelaise, grilled ahi tuna with almond butter and grilled veal chop with peach confit.
Slots and Steaks in the Poconos
With its proximity to Manhattan and year-round attractions, the mountainous Poconos are making a comeback. Pennsylvania’s only gaming hotel welcomed guests for the first time this November, one of the country’s most luxurious destination spas opened there last year, and old favorites are sprucing up with renovations. - Alysha Brown
How To Get There
Buckle up: Most areas in the Poconos are between a two- and three-hour drive from New York City. If that’s too long, private jets can fly into the Pocono Mountains Municipal Airport.
Where to Stay
In Mount Pocono check into the brand new, 188-room Mount Airy Casino Resort – the first hotel in Pennsylvania to receive its gaming license. Well appointed suites – think 37-inch LCD TV and free Wi-Fi – start at $200, but the most coveted spots in the house are the handful of spacious King Suites. At the historic Dutch colonial Skytop Lodge near Canadensis, book one of two executive rooms at the recently renovated inn, located right on the property’s undulating golf course. Each room is outfitted with a built-in Jacuzzi, private balcony and gas fireplace. One night starts at $495. Head to the year-old destination spa The Lodge at Woodloch in Hawley, just 90 miles from Manhattan, for some luxe R and R. Ask for a $1,500-room that overlooks an oak forest.
What To Do
At Mount Airy, spend your days relaxing at the spa and your nights playing one of the hotel’s 2,500 slot machines. If you win big, celebrate with a cocktail at Glass Bar where risk takers can test their luck again at the bar’s machines before heading down the hall to Gypsie nightclub. Explore Skytop Lodge’s 5,500-acre estate with guided nature hikes; a round of golf on the 18-hole champion course; fly fishing lessons on the hotel’s lake; and cross-country and downhill skiing. Tired? Book an 85-minute sports massage at Skyview spa. Get a jump-start on your New Year’s resolutions at The Lodge at Woodloch with a health and fitness consultation, Pilates classes and daily scheduled walks through the property. Take a dip in the outdoor horizon-edge whirlpool that has a radiant-heat deck so guests can use it even in the chilly winter air. And finally, indulge your creative side with a beginner’s drawing course and watercolor painting lesson.
Where to Eat
Near Stroudsburg, reserve a table in the wine cave at Chef Andrew Moore’s Stone Bar. The Cordon Bleu graduate loves his beef and handpicks each filet, strip and rib eye on the menu. Rumor has it only eight steaks out of a 100 make the final cut. Mount Airy has three restaurants onsite: Le Sorelle, which serves up classic Mediterranean and Italian dishes; Betty’s Diner, a campy American-style spot with favorite comfort foods like fries and root beer floats; and Red, a fine-dining steakhouse with an impressive wine list. At Skytop Lodge’s Lakeview Restaurant, take in water views while you graze on French-inspired dishes of noisettes of pork with crispy fried leeks and warm wholegrain mustard, and smoked salmon filled with horseradish creme fraiche, dill and caviar. Tree, the only restaurant at The Lodge at Woodloch, has an eclectic and strictly organic lunch and dinner menu; try the crab cakes with a tangy citrus emulsion, the roasted lobster over apple-celeriac ratatouille and the hearty bison burger with caramelized onions.
