3 Celebrity-Designed Road Trips for a Socially Distant Vacation
With international travel still mostly at a standstill, 2020 is proving to be the year of the road trip. According to a recent survey by leading luxury travel network Virtuoso, 87% of respondents want to take road trips and 70% are traveling less than 1,500 miles from home. The decision of whether or not to travel at all right now is a very personal one, and you might want to consult your doctor before straying far from home, but if you are itching to travel, a road trip presents fewer risks than flying or taking the train. Just in time for late summer and fall travel, Relais & Châteaux—which worked with top doctors and Bureau Veritas to give stringent health and safety guidelines to its North American member hotels—is debuting three new celebrity-designed routes du bonheur. AD gets an exclusive look.
Route 1: Westchester County & New England by Richard Gere
This eight-hour road trip through bucolic Westchester County and north to Vermont starts at the Bedford Post Inn, which has been run by actor Richard Gere and his partners since 2007. For a small town, Bedford, New York, has more than its fair share of famous residents: Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, and Martha Stewart—just to name a few—live in and around Bedford. From there, Gere suggests driving up to Winvian Farm in Connecticut, which comprises 18 chalets and one suite, designed by 15 different architects. The quirky accommodations include a treehouse, a lighthouse in the woods, and a log cabin.
After a night or two there, head east to Newport, Rhode Island, for a taste of the Gilded Age lifestyle with a stay at the historic Castle Hill Inn. Built as the summer home of naturalist and marine biologist Alexander Agassiz, it became a hotel after WWII and hosted Grace Kelly in the ’50s. The final stop is Twin Farms in Barnard, Vermont, a sprawling country retreat once owned by author Sinclair Lewis and his wife, Dorothy Thompson. With 300 acres of grounds and standalone cottages, there’s plenty of space for social distancing.
“I grew up in the Northeast, and to me, there’s no more beautiful place anywhere,” Gere tells AD. “Get in your car now and visit these wonderful Relais & Châteaux inns.”
Route 2: Upstate New York & the Berkshires by Daniel Boulud
Famed French chef Daniel Boulud designed this road trip with romance in mind, calling it ideal for empty nesters or a young couple. It begins at a hotel that holds a special place in his heart: Glenmere Mansion in Chester, New York, where he married his wife. “What I love most about Glenmere Mansion is the true genuine hospitality that Relais & Châteaux properties is known for and the fine attention to detail in each room,” Boulud tells AD. “The estate, set on top of a hill, makes you feel as though you are transported to Tuscany, blending very well with the bounty of the Hudson Valley.”
The next stop is Blantyre, a Scottish-inspired estate in the Berkshires. While Boulud waits to reopen his New York restaurants, he’s transferred some of his team to this western Massachusetts enclave for a pop-up of Café Boulud at Blantyre so guests of the hotel and locals from the surrounding area can enjoy his French cuisine with a focus on local ingredients and ethnic flavors. Finally, he suggests continuing north to the Adirondacks to stay at The Point, the quintessential cabin by the lake, built by the Rockefellers. “This property is a wonderland for grown-ups,” Boulud remarks. “As you retreat to your room, the wonderful smell of the wooden cabin is soothing, making you forget the electronic ball and chain.”
Boulud asserts that during leaf-peeping season, this is one of the most scenic routes in the northeast. And he can assure you that art lovers will have plenty to do in the region. He recommends visiting the Norman Rockwell Museum, the Gilded Age Museum, and the Clark Institute, as well as the Freylinghusen Morris House & Studio and Chesterwood, home of Daniel Chester French, sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial.
Route 3: Pacific Northwest by Tim Zagat
“Vancouver yields various cultural activities and a great thriving food scene,” Tim Zagat, co-founder of the Zagat Survey, tells AD. “The route is designed for those who are looking to immerse in the best of British Columbia with amazing dining and cultural experiences, which these properties provide.”
He suggests starting at the Wedgewood Hotel & Spa in downtown Vancouver, which is home to the award-winning Bacchus Restaurant & Lounge. “Vancouver is a lovely city with many wonderful restaurants inspired by different cultures—many of which I’ve experienced. Aside from the food, there’s lots of things to see along the waterside,” Zagat says. He then suggests taking the ferry over to Salt Spring Island, which is known as an artists haven, for a stay at the Hastings House Country House Hotel. From there, a four-and-a-half-hour drive will take you to the other side of Vancouver Island to experience the Wickaninnish Inn. “Wickaninnish Inn is gorgeous—it’s right on the water and really feels like you’re in the wilderness,” Zagat recalls. “When I went many years ago, we went salmon fishing, which should definitely be on the list of activities to do while you’re there.”
This trip is perfect for aesthetes with a sense of adventure and nature lovers looking for a socially distanced break in the great outdoors. It’s also the ideal road trip for foodies. “The restaurants are in a great position, as the surrounding areas have wonderful ingredients to harvest, and amazing local produce,” Zagat concludes. “And if you’re going to a Relais & Châteaux, you know you’re going to eat well.”
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
