Travel News

Window Seat or Aisle Seat: Unplugging Family Vacations

Plugless in the U..S.A

At America’s largest restored Shaker community, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, the rooms are calming retreats with rocking chairs, comfy beds with feather pillows, sitting areas and fireplaces tucked into more than a dozen 19th century buildings spread through the Village – itself hidden away amidst a 3,000-acre nature preserve. You and your family can enjoy the simplicity of Shaker life with rural activities such as nature hiking amongst the native prairies, woodlands, and rolling fields, or shearing sheep and welcoming baby chicks on the farm. Or you can all board the Dixie Belle sternwheeler for a cruise up the majestic Kentucky River Palisades to see the steep gorges and 200-foot tall limestone outcroppings along with a bevy of blue heron.

Consciously Unplugged

Sustainable boutique hotel, Playa Viva, is a quick 35-minute ride south of Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa International airport on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The resorts motto is “Disconnect to Reconnect.” With 200 acres of pristine beachfront property, a mile of private beach, turtle sanctuary, hiking trails, organic garden and an outdoor theater under the stars. The owners guarantee your family will easily forget they have an email account let alone an office address.

Food and Family

Deep in the Italian countryside is La Tavola Marche, an organic farm, inn and cooking school. The inn has no TV, no Internet, no landline, and 300-year-old meter thick walls make it virtually impossible to get indoor cell reception. Nothing is better than unwinding, unplugging and reconnecting than relaxing and sharing in the preparation of an exquisite meal. Families also enjoy reading, playing cards, board games, stargazing, and swimming in the large mineral water pool. There is a massive organic garden and over 500 acres of farmland, hills & woods. Your family can also venture out along sprawling hiking trails or explore the 1000-year-old castle ruin in front of the house.

Treetopping

Open only two years, Aqua Wellness Resort is located in a tropical dry forest on Nicaragua’s untouched Pacific coast. Aqua offers treetop villas on the secluded and private white sand beach of Redonda Bay. Connecting open-air deck areas encourage outdoor living in order to reconnect with nature and the forest.  Again, not so far off the grid for first class treatment, Aqua offers services including massage, wellness therapies, detoxification and nutrition programs; adventure tours including sport fishing, surfing, sailing, kayaking, hiking and wildlife tours; as well as  yoga at its ocean side Sunyata Yoga Center.

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