| Guy Getaways |
By Allen
Salkin |
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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