Weekend getaways are perfect mini-vacations that give you respite after a jam-packed week. This year we are looking within to focus on domestic destinations.
Lonely Planet describes the USA as a watercolor masterpiece and for good reason. The authentic experience here is brimming with diverse landscapes: balmy beaches, overarching mountains, bluegrass, snow-capped peaks, open skies, multiethnic nightlife, and bustling cities.
Below, we have listed some of our favorite weekend getaways from Philadelphia.
MIAMI
Dazzling nightlife, beautiful beaches, art deco delights, tropical gardens, and sizzling cuisines are just a few of the many charms of Miami. While we can never get enough of Miami, long weekend trips here are surely enough to rejuvenate you.
LANDSCAPE
Perched on crystalline blue waters of the Western Atlantic, Miami’s energy is palpable. It’s Latin American influences are felt from its clubs to its signature dishes. Just shortly outside, you can find the richest ecosystems from marshes with alligators to straggling coral reefs housing some of the most diverse biodiversity. Skipping peak season and opting to visit between early March and early June will offer you an escape from the heavy tourism it always garners. The temperature is comfortable and the prices are also slightly cheaper than in the winter. Don’t be spooked by the rainy forecast for South Florida is known for its intense but short afternoon thunderstorms.
ART
It’s a hotbed for art with thousands of artists from all over the world thronging in, especially during Miami Beach’s Art Basel. Wynwood Art District has one of the best graffiti areas in the US along with New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. Once a neighborhood of empty warehouses, it’s now known for its colorful murals concentrated on NW 2nd Avenue between NW 20th Street to NW 36th Street. It’s also common to find several art galleries all over the city, especially in the Art District.
FOOD & CULTURE
The food here has southern US and Latin American influences. The explosive flavors are richly unique. One local spot is a must-do when visiting Miami, Joe’s Stone Crab. They are legendary for their stone crab, a delicacy introduced to the world by Joe Weiss, the founder of Joe’s Stone Crab. Go for lunch when the crowds are smaller.
Grab a cocktail at the Delano one night to see the scene in Southbeach. The cocktails will not disappoint and the decor takes a page from Alice in Wonderland. A food tour through little Cuba will round out your weekend with the delicious sandwiches on warm bread, steaming thick coffee and a cigar rolling experience to learn the delicacies of this culture in the most authentic place outside of Cuba. And while you’re at it, you could also embrace the Latin spirit with salsa lessons.
At the bedrock of sustainable travel, Miami is known to be at the center of several sustainable and ocean conservation movements. Travelers get ample opportunities to keep the pristine, Instagram-worthy beaches, districts and psychedelic streets looking fresh and clean.
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If you need a little fantasy on your trip, stay at the Faena Hotel. Not only does it have works by Damien Hirst on display but Los Fuegos, Argentine super-chef Francis Mallman’s open-fire Asado will keep your taste buds intrigued. There’s also a 100,000 square feet private white-sand beach. The Miami Beach Edition, designed by Ian Schrager, has everything you might need for a luxurious weekend away. There are five drinking and dining options, including Matador Room, Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s innovative Latin fusion restaurant and an ice skating rink to boot (in case the pools are not enough). And the heavenly beds will help you drift into the sweetest dreams.
All in all, the cotton candy clouds, bright geometric patterns, and stunning murals give an unbeatable character to the city that has travelers thronging from all over the world to dip into their art-infused environment
LOUISVILLE
Louisville is delightful, underrated and undeniable cool. Think of it as a hipster with impeccable Southern manners. The 21C Museum Hotel in Louisville is a true gem. Right on the main street in downtown, the hotel is a former warehouse with spacious rooms, high ceilings, and large windows. The art is interactive and dispersed throughout the hotel making it a fun way to experience a museum.
SPORTS
Celebrate Louisville’s timeless thoroughbred traditions at the Kentucky Derby Museum and the Kentucky Derby Festival. It is also the birthplace of Muhammad Ali and the Louisville Slugger baseball bat and is cultural highlights in the city.
FOOD & CULTURE
It has arguably evolved into South’s most food-focused cities. The restaurant, Proof on Main, uses local farming and delivers plates infused with local flavor in inventive ways. The bar is a local hot spot and features 120+ Kentucky Bourbons. Speaking of Bourbons, you must have a private tour of one of the many famous or underground Bourbon distilleries in the area, Forester and Angel’s Envy were our favorites. For a local treat, try Hot Chicken at Royal’s but be careful about the spice choice because they aren’t joking when they say hot. Garage Bar is a fun spot to sit outside on a Sunday with a drink while enjoying a game of ping pong.
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For history buffs take a tour of Thomas Edison’s house or if sports are your thing, have a guided tour of the Muhamad Ali Museum or the Louisville Slugger Factory or Museum. And of course, no trip to Louisville would be complete without a day at the horse races or at least a visit to Churchill Downs.
NASHVILLE
This year, another destination that we are itching to get away for the long weekend is Nashville, Tennessee. This destination is packed with activities for adults and kids alike. With convenient and often affordable flight options available for Nashville, trips to this destination are perfect for the long weekend. A plethora of options of boutique hotels and Airbnbs are available here, each with its own virtues. Safe to say, that navigating between living in style to rustic getaways, Nashville has it all!
LANDSCAPE
Greenway links to city parks that are bike-friendly, lush riparian landscapes overlooking the rolling hills, and pedestrian-friendly paths criss-cross the city throughout. Kayaking and canoeing activities on the gentle Harpeth river are perfect for families, friends and even dates.
MUSIC
If that isn’t enticing enough, the hub of country music is the ultimate musical pilgrimage. Since the 1920s, the city has been attracting musicians who have taken the country-genre from ‘hilly-billy’ music of the early 20th century to the slick Nashville sound of the 1960s to the punk-tinged alt-country of the 1990s to the heartfelt indie of today. Nashville’s musical attractions range from the Country Music Hall of Fame to the revered Grand Ole Opry to Jack White’s niche record label.
FOOD & CULTURE
The evolutionary cuisine is matching its head-snapping pace too. As the vibrant neighborhoods are packed tight with unique honky-tonks (bars that provide country music for its patrons), coffeehouses, breweries and distilleries, bakeries, and murals, Nashville has been a go-to for bachelor and bachelorette parties.
And if you need a break from the bachelor and bachelorette shenanigans, step outdoors for the natural distractions, which are plentiful.
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For a truly unique experience, visit the Hatch Show Print – one of the oldest letterpress print shops in the USA. Hatch has been using old-school, hand-cut blocks to print colorful, iconic posters since vaudeville. For cocktails in style, visit Old Glory, a laundromat boiler room in its old life in the 1930s with exposed brick, industrial piping and loft ceiling, offering a stunning ambiance that has made it a stunning cocktail bar in the city. Look for door no. 103, marked by a painted golden triangle.
CHARLESTON
Centuries-old mansions, spooky cemeteries, cobblestoned walkways, and Spanish moss-draped trees: in the word Charleston.
LANDSCAPE
This quintessential Southern City has it all: sprawling architecture, a thriving food scene, and tumultuous history that nourishes your mind, heart, and stomach in roughly equal measure. Walkthrough the gas lamp-lit streets, past horse-drawn carriages and pastel antebellum houses and you, can fool yourself into thinking that you have traveled back in time.
FOOD & CULTURE
You could spend a meal after meal exploring one amazing restaurant at a time marked by soothing walks across the scenic streets leaving you wanting more. With one leg in the past, Charleston has made its way into the future with innovative restaurants, contemporary art galleries, and world-class Spoleto Festival. For the Literature buffs, the romance of Charleston is beguiling. After all, it is the home of the suave Rhett Butler from ‘Gone With the Wind’. Majestic homes turned museums to landmarks that remind us of the city’s role in United States history, history percolates every experience here. Shopping, boat tours, visiting old plantations, there is ample to do here. But if you want to not do anything at all, spend hours idling away sailing, slurping back oysters, and lingering over Lowcountry sunsets, there are ample options for that too.
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The hotel services offered here will be sure of that. Right in the heart of Charleston, there are some unique boutique hotels. The Restoration on King is one such property that offers true luxury. You can opt for their in-room continental breakfast of flaky pastries and coffee sourced from local vendors or you can hire a private chef to cook a meal. But if you want to stay away from the hustle-bustle of city life, we suggest The Sanctuary, an oceanfront refuge that is 45 mins from Charleston at the private Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Grand foyers, soaring ceilings, antique furnishings, and warm wood floors sit surrounded by majestic oaks, pristine beaches, and stunning natural beauty. Here you can hit the spa, kayak in the backwater, gator walk and bird watching. Whatever you pick, you will not be disappointed with Charleston.
While these are our favorite destinations for spring/summer weekend getaways, we are excited to learn about how you unwind over the weekends. Write to us at info@chloejohnston.com
If you want to turn any of these beautiful destinations into your dream vacation this spring or summer book a consultation with us at info@chloejohnston.com.