A Snob’s Guide to the Long Weekend
There are 15 weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day. In between the obligatory Grecian reverie and the bucket list tour of Egypt, America’s sprawling back yard becomes quite attractive for a three-day getaway. So get out of here!
For Hiking: Sedona
For subscribers to all things woo-woo, Sedona is heaven. There are several vortexes (translation: spots where the earth’s energy is felt most strongly) clustered around this desert town, located two hours from Phoenix (on the way to the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell, should you be inclined to turn this into a longer roadtrip). But mystical leanings are not required to feel the power and majesty of those soaring red rock buttes and mesas, and plenty of cathartic release will certainly be had on one of the many famous hiking trails, from Cathedral Rock (for the Hollywood vistas) to Devil’s Bridge (for the adrenaline rush). The panoramic views don’t end at the horizon. Sedona is a Dark Sky community, meaning come nightfall the only place you’ll want to be is on the private rooftop terrace of your stand-alone suite at the new Ambiente, cuddling on the daybed, glass of wine in hand, firepit ablaze. Need we say more?
For Sailing: Nantucket
Just in time for its 100th birthday this year, the White Elephant, Nantucket’s harborfront grande dame, has unveiled a full-body makeover. Now it is modern coastal chic incarnate, its 54 rooms and 11 cottages all airy and filled with light, furnished with rattan and wicker in a serene palette of blue and green. With direct flights from New York, Boston, and DC, Nantucket—and the promise of an idyllic New England itinerary that includes sailing, golf, afternoons at Jetties Beach, and ice cream at the Juice Bar—is as easy to get to as ever. If you have time, consider a few days in the Massachusetts capital, too, for a cultural bookend. The Boston Athenaeum has a very apropos exhibition on view called “Oceanic New England.” Plus, you’ll get bragging rights for being first to stay in the brand new Raffles, which opens this summer.
For Food & Wine: Santa Barbara
The intoxicating scent of orange blossom greets you when you arrive at San Ysidro Ranch, the impeccably landscaped floral elysium nestled in the tony enclave of Montecito. Just 38 uniquely designed cottages are sprinkled across 550 acres of land that brims with lavender, Meyer lemons, roses (for which they use Oprah’s guy), jasmine, and wisteria. It’s no wonder the place has been an A-list refuge for 130 years: Churchill wrote here, JFK and Jackie honeymooned here, and, more recently, a Kardashian and a world famous pop star were here on the same weekend and no one was the wiser. The devastating mudslides of 2018 destroyed half of the property, but it was all built back within 15 months. Even the wine cellar, which lost its entire 13,000-bottle collection of Grand Cru Burgundys and rare Napa cabs, was swiftly restocked with, among other delights, every vintage of Petrus since 1945. A bottle of the ’45 ($39,000) should go nicely with the Steak Diane flambéed tableside at the restaurant. Just saying.
WISH LIST: San Ysidro Ranch also has an impressive collection of ultrarare spirits, found nowhere else in North America. Spring for the $40,000 VIP package and you'll get tastings of the stuff (which costs $5,000 an ounce), plus 3 nights in Jackie and JFK's two-bedroom cottage.
For Farm Life: Hudson Valley
Consider Wildflower Farms, an Auberge property just 90 minutes from Manhattan, the bucolic sister of the preppier Mayflower Inn in Connecticut. With its sprawling 140 acres, there’s a chance you’ll find yourself wandering the trails without running into too many other weekenders fleeing the city. But peace and quiet aren’t the only things available at Wildflower. Groups can congregate for drinks by the roaring fireplace on the patio, or at the working farm’s chicken coops in the morning to grab eggs that the kitchen at Clay, the on-site restaurant, will cook to order. (The chickens are great for Instagram, but don’t skip the cinnamon roll.) And if tuning out entirely isn’t your speed, such activities as foraging, beekeeping, flower collecting, and focaccia baking are all available to bolster the gentleman farmer vibe.
This story appears in the Summer 2023 issue of Town & Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW
You Might Also Like