Looking for perfect travel destination
September 4, 2022 7:30 AM Subscribe
Where to spend 50th birthday?
My spouse and I would like to celebrate our 50th birthdays in a resort/lodge/spa type place with no kids. We aren't opposed to kids, but ours are recent teenagers and honestly, they are slightly annoying. We have been to the Lake Yellowstone Lodge and really liked the vibe there. More recently we traveled to Crescent Lake in Olympic National Park and loved that so so much.
We are hoping for a nice room, quiet chill atmosphere, great local hiking, and good food. We are open to traveling anywhere in the country (USA)...but our budget is not unlimited. We would rather find something a little off the beaten path than say the Biltmore in NC.
Thanks for any suggestions you might have of your favorite place!
My spouse and I would like to celebrate our 50th birthdays in a resort/lodge/spa type place with no kids. We aren't opposed to kids, but ours are recent teenagers and honestly, they are slightly annoying. We have been to the Lake Yellowstone Lodge and really liked the vibe there. More recently we traveled to Crescent Lake in Olympic National Park and loved that so so much.
We are hoping for a nice room, quiet chill atmosphere, great local hiking, and good food. We are open to traveling anywhere in the country (USA)...but our budget is not unlimited. We would rather find something a little off the beaten path than say the Biltmore in NC.
Thanks for any suggestions you might have of your favorite place!
Ojo Caliente in Northern NM.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:42 AM on September 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:42 AM on September 4, 2022 [3 favorites]
If you enjoyed Yellowstone and are looking for a similar, albeit less populous location, maybe Wallowa Lake Lodge or Redfish Lake Lodge would be to your taste.
What time of year are you planning to be traveling?
posted by Mournful Bagel Song at 8:51 AM on September 4, 2022
What time of year are you planning to be traveling?
posted by Mournful Bagel Song at 8:51 AM on September 4, 2022
It's pricey (and NC may not be far enough away), but you might take a look at The Old Edwards Inn.
It is not technically no kids, but it is functionally a not very kid friendly place.
posted by thivaia at 9:03 AM on September 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
It is not technically no kids, but it is functionally a not very kid friendly place.
posted by thivaia at 9:03 AM on September 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Is it being kid-free a hard requirement? Gateway Canyons is pretty isolated, the rooms are very nice (even the cheapest ones), you can hike in Gateway Canyon and Unaweep Canyon, and the food is good (though maybe a little limited if you stay longer than a week).
posted by neushoorn at 9:36 AM on September 4, 2022
posted by neushoorn at 9:36 AM on September 4, 2022
Also consider Truth or Consequences, N.M. It is a bit off the beaten path, but it is known for hot springs. Probably cheaper than Ojo Caliente. We stay at Fire Water Lodge, which has baths in the rooms.
But the restaurants in this town aren't great.
posted by NotLost at 9:43 AM on September 4, 2022
But the restaurants in this town aren't great.
posted by NotLost at 9:43 AM on September 4, 2022
Roughly the same luxury level as Yellowstone Lake Lodge: Signal Mountain Lodge in Grand Teton National Park. If you actually meant Yellowstone Lake Hotel and not the Lodge, then Jackson Lake Lodge might be more your speed. Or maybe you did what we did, which was stay in the Lodge and have dinner at the Hotel one night.
Glacier National Park has a few lovely lodges. We had dinner at Many Glacier Hotel, which is lovely, but we actually stayed in a cabin at the more reasonably priced Swiftcurrent. The two of them are about as close to each other as Yellowstone Lake Hotel and Yellowstone Lake Lodge are, so you could do the same sort of thing where you stay in the cheaper one and eat at the fancier one. (That said, breakfast at Swiftcurrent is a Whole Thing for people hiking in that part of the park, and the coffee was really good). On the west side of the park we stayed at the Village Inn at Apgar. Our room was lovely, and we made use of the kitchen, but the Village Inn doesn't have any great public spaces like the bigger lodges do. We took our deck of cards over to Lake McDonald Lodge and sat in the great room with the huge fireplace instead. Lake McDonald Lodge is definitely on our list for a return visit to the park.
And the season is short on the North Rim, but Grand Canyon Lodge was really special. The dining room was surprisingly good, and the North Rim doesn't get anywhere near the number of visitors the South Rim does, so it feels pretty special.
posted by fedward at 10:01 AM on September 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
Glacier National Park has a few lovely lodges. We had dinner at Many Glacier Hotel, which is lovely, but we actually stayed in a cabin at the more reasonably priced Swiftcurrent. The two of them are about as close to each other as Yellowstone Lake Hotel and Yellowstone Lake Lodge are, so you could do the same sort of thing where you stay in the cheaper one and eat at the fancier one. (That said, breakfast at Swiftcurrent is a Whole Thing for people hiking in that part of the park, and the coffee was really good). On the west side of the park we stayed at the Village Inn at Apgar. Our room was lovely, and we made use of the kitchen, but the Village Inn doesn't have any great public spaces like the bigger lodges do. We took our deck of cards over to Lake McDonald Lodge and sat in the great room with the huge fireplace instead. Lake McDonald Lodge is definitely on our list for a return visit to the park.
And the season is short on the North Rim, but Grand Canyon Lodge was really special. The dining room was surprisingly good, and the North Rim doesn't get anywhere near the number of visitors the South Rim does, so it feels pretty special.
posted by fedward at 10:01 AM on September 4, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you’re not PNWed out yet, then maybe The Sleeping Lady Lodge in Leavenworth, WA, or the Quinnalt Lodge on the other side of the Olympic Peninsula from Crescent Lake.
posted by lunasol at 10:47 AM on September 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by lunasol at 10:47 AM on September 4, 2022 [2 favorites]
The Stephanie Inn. Metafilter suggested to me years ago and it’s the best trip I’ve taken. Adult only with an amazing breakfast included. Absolutely beautiful spot on Cannon beach, which doesn’t have the most challenging hikes, but beautiful scenic ones.
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 11:41 AM on September 4, 2022
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 11:41 AM on September 4, 2022
On my 50th birthday I took my 8 year old daughter to the The Tumbling River Ranch In Colorado. It was so fun! All levels of riders, great food, pool, hot tub, trout fishing, hiking. This place is the best.
posted by waving at 3:15 PM on September 4, 2022
posted by waving at 3:15 PM on September 4, 2022
North Cascades Institute in Diablo WA might be an option - hyper local food, wine from nearby wineries, they offer interesting programs or you can just stay at the beautiful lodge and go on local hikes. It’s also a good base camp for lengthier hikes by Ross Lake or Diablo Lake, or you could even take a challenging trail to the top of Sourdough mountain or to the top of Desolation mountain on the other side of Ross Lake.
Or if you would rather go for something upscale, then I recommend the Freestone Inn in Mazama WA. Splendid location. Lots of hiking trails nearby or, depending on when your birthdays occur, an extensive network of cross-country trails to ski to your heart’s content. I have stayed there in winter (cabin), spring and fall (lodge) and it’s a great place to celebrate a special milestone. Nearby are ranch lands, great fly fishing, and trails for miles and miles (PCT trail is nearby as well - and the vistas from that part of the trail are stunning).
There’s also Sun Mountain Lodge near Winthrop. Horseback riding, elegant dining, five diamond resort.
All three are along the North Cascades Highway in WA State, a stunning destination in its own right. It traverses mountains and has many stunning vistas to admire on your way to your destination.
posted by seawallrunner at 5:39 PM on September 4, 2022
Or if you would rather go for something upscale, then I recommend the Freestone Inn in Mazama WA. Splendid location. Lots of hiking trails nearby or, depending on when your birthdays occur, an extensive network of cross-country trails to ski to your heart’s content. I have stayed there in winter (cabin), spring and fall (lodge) and it’s a great place to celebrate a special milestone. Nearby are ranch lands, great fly fishing, and trails for miles and miles (PCT trail is nearby as well - and the vistas from that part of the trail are stunning).
There’s also Sun Mountain Lodge near Winthrop. Horseback riding, elegant dining, five diamond resort.
All three are along the North Cascades Highway in WA State, a stunning destination in its own right. It traverses mountains and has many stunning vistas to admire on your way to your destination.
posted by seawallrunner at 5:39 PM on September 4, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 8:11 AM on September 4, 2022 [2 favorites]