Traveling with others involves a lot. Especially compromise. Whether you’re a mom coveting a trip to Fondation Louis Vuitton to see a once-in-a-lifetime collection of Magrittes (traded for an afternoon in Paris’s Luxembourg Park watching your child gleefully swing at the destination’s famous playground), or a woman with a gaggle of opinionated friends who argue whether the group should tipple their glass of Champagne at Le Meurice or Ritz Paris, the truth is that trips with more than one mean you’ve given up something so others could fulfill the travel dream they envision. And, that’s okay — sometimes. Enter the concept of Me-Cation, a selfishly delightful opportunity to pursue self-care, seek transformation, follow your bliss — and do exactly what you desire. Often touted as time alone to pursue something that might lead to transformation, a Me-Cation can simply be a gloriously hedonistic week to seek silence, overindulge, prove you can stand to be alone, learn something new, check something off your list, or be free from following the daily grind. Perhaps you want to sleep all day, fast on green juice, gorge on sushi, guzzle martinis, do five yoga classes unabated, stay in the museum for hours, finish your long-suffering novel, find the answer to a metaphysical question, or cry over the people you left behind because you thought you really needed this time. A Me-Cation has no rules. It’s all about you. Here, we offer a curated compendium of possibilities.
Paris
Paris isn’t just for lovers. Imagine how much you can do “tout seul” in the City of Light. You can stay in the Louvre all day. You can eat in a Michelin-starred restaurant and linger in the wee hours. You can shop at Chanel without anybody expressing their opinion about the price of your purchases. You can take selfies in front of the Eiffel Tower over and over again. You can drink Champagne wherever you want, run along the Seine at dawn, get messy gorging on croissants, or just stay in your opera-view suite at the glamorous, intimate Hotel Edouard 7, where you’ll be welcomed and pampered like family. Book your Parisian Me-Cation, then let Edouard’s esteemed team of concierges organize bespoke, VIP activities for you — and you alone.
Mexico
If your last trip to Mexico was for a wedding or a hen party, you likely never had a moment alone. That left you exhausted, but more to the point, with a longing to delve into the destination more deeply and authentically. As if created just for you, Grand Velas Riviera Maya presents its Solo Traveler Getaway, a self-care deep dive into wellness Yucatan style. With your mind-bogglingly opulent, ocean-view suite at your beck and call (read: you have it all to yourself), you can follow a resort-made itinerary that’s as busy or lazy as you choose. Amid nature, you swim in crystalline cenotes, snorkel with sea turtles, sip ancestral spirits, and gadabout in one of Mexico’s top spas. Gourmet restaurants galore keep you well fed though room service and a good book with your feet in your personal plunge pool sounds like the heaven you seek. With multiple programs designed to support immersion into the vibrancy of Mexican culture, Grand Velas Riviera Maya allows for local connections in a secure, curated ambiance — just what you’d imagined.
Namibia
Always wanted to see a meerkat? Or feel the sand from the world’s oldest desert between your toes? For intrepid travelers with a desire to go somewhere that may make others ask, “Where?” Namibia will fulfill the fantasy. Gloriously unsullied and diverse, ponderous with soulfulness, rife with mesmerizing landscapes and spellbinding wildlife, the southwest African country calls seekers of many types. Join Geographic Expedition (GeoEx)’s first-ever Women’s Only Namibia Trip: Namibia’s Wild Wonders, Women of the World Collection. The female-focused itinerary will celebrate the nation’s varied high points as well as Namibia’s noteworthy achievements as an advocate for women and girls, leading Africa in terms of gender equality.
St. Lucia
Architecture buffs, organic food lovers, and those with an interest in healing mud will find a fit at St. Lucia’s unique Jade Mountain. Captivatingly built into a hill with views framing the iconic Pitons and blessed with a perfect beach, the resort was designed by its architect/owner to bring the tropical outdoors inside in unexpected ways. Imagine: an open wall that embraces the sky and a large swimming pool in your living room. The Singlemoon package includes a stylish arrival transfer complete with Champagne, a Star Sanctuary Suite with 450 square-foot-infinity pool, all-inclusive meals customized for you by the chef (gluten-free, Keto, vegan, junk food, you choose), wellness options from yoga classes to Ayurvedic counseling, spa treatments, and activities such as cooking classes or scuba lessons.
Bhutan
Going to a far-flung locale alone might seem daunting at first. But under the tutelage of Gangtey Lodge, an upscale destination in the idyllic Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, you’ll be empowered to pursue change and to set off on an inner journey as compelling as the distance you’ve traveled to arrive. To mark its 10th anniversary, Gangtey Lodge has announced five-day/four-night Wellbeing Retreats for 2024, ideal for those traveling alone. Fostering a space for personal enlightenment, the embracement of happiness, and the practice of lifelong balance, the retreat will guide you into wellness realms that include nature, spirituality, connections, community, and rejuvenation. From hikes to meditation with monks to traditional hot-stone baths at day’s end, the retreat’s activities support seekers on their individual quest for inner knowledge.
Italy
Set sail happily unescorted aboard a floating boutique hotel on a Uniworld Cruise. Best known for its jaunts on Europe’s most famous rivers, this refined company gets accolades for its bijou size, attention to detail, 2.4 to 1 staff-to-guest ratios, and meticulously planned itineraries. Be as alone as you want to be, exploring each port unaided — or join one of Uniworld’s highly regarded small group excursions if the need for a chat arises. Consider discovering Venice and its outlying islands above the decorous S.S. La Venezia, a Super Ship with design by Italian impresario Fortuny. A haven of gastronomy with products gleaned from local markets, the ship also has a spa, library, and fitness center.
Texas
Near downtown San Antonio but oh-so-far-away from city-slicker urbanity, this remarkable resort crowns the highest elevation point in Alamo town. On 550 acres, with a tranquil bucolic ambiance, five gleaming pools, acclaimed gastronomy, and a world-class spa, La Cantera Resort & Spa boasts enough space to spread out with all your friends. But, hey: sometimes you don’t want to share. When those are your feelings, especially if you happen to be a bride planning a wedding (or even if you’re not – maybe your mother needs this or your maid of honor, just saying), book the Soloette Bachelorette Day Package created to reinvent the meaning of ME-time. Kick off the morning with an invigorating energizer juice and a scenic morning hike. Next, you’ll snack on a hummus plate and spend time writing in your journal. A sound bowl meditation comes next, which takes place in the Spa’s unique Sky Loft spaces, complete with Texas Hill Country vistas. You’ll lunch alone (you’re in heaven), swim alone, steam alone — then be kneaded and lifted and reset with a custom massage and Hydrafacial. Who says a Me-Cation can’t just be one day?
Featured image courtesy of Jade Mountain
