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Guy Getaways

By Allen Salkin
Winter 2005 Online

Enough with the pampering packages for girl bonding - the latest travel industry trend is for men only.

For half a decade the travel industry has been touting special weekends of pampering, luxury, and relaxation for women. But what about the guys? Finally hotels and vacation spots across the country are offering everything from motorcycle riding, gambling, golfing, and war re-enactments to create the perfect guy getaway package.

"I would always feel sorry for the guys on [girl] retreats who would hike up a mountain, get fed a salad, be led to a Yoga class, and have a facial," said John Landis, a former fitness instructor at the exclusive Aspen Club and Spa. "I said to myself, someone needs to toughen this up a little."

That's why Landis founded the Aspen Man Camp (www.aspenmancamp.com), a testosterone-fueled, mountain-climbing, lumberjack-skills-teaching getaway in the Colorado Rockies. Here, men ride motorcycles or Jeeps over the Continental Divide, raft down a river, feast on wild game, and learn to rappel. You'll have to find your own lodging in town, though (from $600 a day, www.aspen.worldweb.com).

It's true: There's nothing new about men heading to Vegas for gambling, to rivers for fishing, or to mountains for camping outings, what is new is the catchy terminology and the ease of booking.

"Hotels are recognizing that this is a trend and creating these weekend deals to make things easier and more streamlined for guys," says Debbie Kim of Alice Marshall Public Relations, which represents the Inn on the Alameda in Santa Fe, N.M.

The possibilities are nearly endless, but here's a sampling of some all-inclusive guy getaway packages:

* The Inn on the Alameda's (www.inn-alameda.com/) Guys Just Wanna Have Fun, Too package in Santa Fe, N.M., includes two-night accommodations, mountain bike rental, transportation to a trailhead to explore the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and a $40 dining certificate (starting at $290 a person).

* For the Civil War Adventure Camp (www.civilwaradventurecamp.org) at the Pamplin Historical Park south of Richmond, Va., dudes are mustered in the Army-issued (Confederate or Union, it's your choice) uniforms, taught to fire muskets and perform field surgery on injured comrades, fed authentic Civil War-era hot meals, and bunked in huts ($70 a night).

* Guys on the Gauley (www.rafttoday.com) is an overnight men-only camping trip on the Gauley River in central West Virginia run by Adventures Mountain River. The package comes with an after-dinner (dinner being steak) game of poker, camping alongside the Wood's Ferry rapid, and a Sunday trip down the "Infamous Big Five" rapids ($292 a person).

* Slightly less rugged is the Sea & Tee Men's Package at Nantucket's White Elephant (www.whiteelephanthotel.com), tailored for four men sharing a two-bedroom cottage. You get four days of sport fishing, golfing, locally brewed Cisco beer, and afternoon port and cheese (starting at $600 a person).

But not every hotel is brilliant at marketing. Some destinations that haven't gotten around to mining the term "guy getaway" are still worth considering for one. For instance:

* The Great Alaska Adventure Lodge on the Kenai Peninsula's (www.greatalaska.com) "Ultimate Combination" seven-day trip features salmon, trout, and halibut fishing; one night at the Bear Viewing Camp (including access by plane - the only way in and out); and sea cruises among glaciers to view whales in Kenai Fjords National Park. ($3,995 a person).

* What could be more male-bonding-ish than learning to ride a bucking bronco? Sankey Rodeo Schools (www.sankeyrodeo.com) has a Fantasy Bull-Riding Adventure Clinic that is offered at many locations throughout the country for about $350 a person for three days (accommodations not included).

 

 



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