Skipping Alcohol can Transform Travel Experiences

In those lusty years of my twenties, travel was the ultimate excuse to party like a rock star. Booze-fueled nights in strange cities; midnight taxis from nightclubs directly to the airport; a dizzying blur of dive bars, honky-tonks and pubs from Topeka to Taipei — I still get queasy recollecting those raucous misadventures. Eventually, adult responsibilities and health priorities proved incompatible with such Hemingwayesque rambling. The time came to seal off the taps, to embrace sober tourism. To my great surprise, sobriety made travel even more rewarding. Nowadays, I return home refreshed instead of exhausted, and my travel memories, the most precious souvenir of all, remain crystal-clear.

As a teetotalling traveler, I plan trips around outdoor activities, cultural experiences and wellness treatments. I blow off steam with hiking, horseback riding and museum tours instead of poolside margaritas and late-night tomfoolery. In lieu of nips of bourbon, spa treatments, yoga classes and mocktails help me unwind.

Even if you’re not committed wholesale to sobriety, taking a break from alcohol is an excellent way to reset the system, clear the mind and detox the body. From glamping in Utah’s high desert to world-class dining in the Deep South and even fabulous Las Vegas and glamorous Europe sans alcohol, we have you covered for splendid sober sojourns.

PHOTO: © OFLAND ESCALANTE

Bask in southern Utah’s otherworldly landscapes within luxury glamping accommodations at Ofland Escalante. Kitchenettes, artwork and outdoor showers embellish Ofland’s deluxe cabins, and the property boasts mountain-framed pools and Jacuzzis and a vintage drive-in movie theater. The geological marvels of Bryce Canyon and Spooky Canyon Gulch lie a quick drive from the property, and guided hikes or horseback rides may be booked through Ofland’s concierge. Ofland’s on-site food truck whips up hearty, delectable fare ideal after a long day on the trails — think smash burgers, meatloaf sandwiches and burritos. After a morning of trekking, stroll the quirky town of Escalante, devour a good book by the pool or toast the sunset over the mountains with a glass of kombucha next to the outdoor fire pits.

An hour by car from Atlanta, Barnsley Resort, formerly the manor of a 19th-century shipping magnate, epitomizes Southern hospitality and epicurean élan. Guests come from across the world to dine at Barnsley Resort’s renowned restaurants, and the resort is also a haven for clays-shooting and golf enthusiasts. Barnsley Resort’s golf course, the Fazio, could rival Augusta National Golf Club, three hours away, for Georgia’s most breathtaking links. After an afternoon of golf, shooting or archery, refresh the soul with a massage followed by a schvitz in the sauna at Barnsley Spa. And if you need to channel aggression healthily, hit the Barnsley’s axe-throwing range.

Vegas, you say? That desert oasis soaked in liquor? That outlaw- stricken outpost clogged with casinos, nightclubs and showgirls? That neon Babylon all the world knows as Sin City? Zeus above, man! The very last place a sober wayfarer should lay his abstemious head! Well, my friend, Vegas contains multitudes — a town as well-suited for latter-day Hunter S. Thompsons as for those seeking rollicking fun as devoid of hooch as a Mormon Sunday luncheon.

With the increasing popularity of sober tourism, Las Vegas’ most celebrated bars launched curated mocktail programs. The Petrossian Bar, within the elegant Bellagio Hotel & Casino, treats patrons to mocktails crafted with freshly squeezed juices and artisanal herbal syrups — healthy tipples paired with live piano music. Vegas has long been a bastion of cutting-edge gastronomy, and Orla, a Mediterranean restaurant within Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, serves the most soulful Levantine plates this side of Beirut. Ask the bartender for a mocktail enlivened with Mediterranean spices and garnished with flowers to pair with heavenly hummus dishes and tender, charred kebabs.

You might be surprised Sin City punches above its weight for excellent museums. For an hour of serenity, peruse the small but mighty Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art. Later, counterbalance the Apollonian calm of fine art with the Dionysian ecstasy of rock ’n‘ roll at the nonpareil Punk Rock Museum, a shrine to mohawk- sporting, leather jacket-clad, outcast rockers.

Sober tourism has shown me a different side of Europe, too. While in past eras I beelined it for pubs and nightclubs, I now look forward to sampling artistic, nonalcoholic beverages in European restaurants and bars. London, in particular, has leaned into the mocktail trend, with legendary mixologists devising alcohol-free treats as complex and creative as any cocktail. Side Hustle, a bar inside the sumptuous Nomad Hotel, whips up a mocktail called the N/A Manhattan, a concoction made with cold brew, Amarena cherry syrup and maple syrup — the perfect pick-me-up before strolling London’s fabled museums, parks and stately avenues.

Ljubljana, that poetic, emerald city in the foothills of the Alps, is another favorite destination of mine as a sober tourist. Brimming with cafés and gelaterias, the riverside promenade of Ljubljana promises hours of blissful strolling and people-watching. Strelec, a Michelin-starred restaurant within the ramparts of Ljubljana Castle, treats patrons to a tour de force of gourmet Slovenian cuisine and exquisite pours of Tajfl, an alcohol-free grape beverage as nuanced and perfumed as wine.

© JOHNNY MOTLEY

Croatia might evoke images of bacchanalian yacht parties, music festivals and ancient vineyards, but the Balkan nation, steeped in history and architectural wonders, is also tailor-made for sober tourism. Croatia, blessed with mountains, beaches and waterfalls, is the European hiking destination par excellence. Dazzling cultural gems match Croatia’s natural splendor, and history buffs could spend lifetimes lost in the galleries and archaeological museums of Zagreb. Skip the crowds and spring breakers of Dubrovnik and spend a weekend relishing the churches, monasteries and cafès of the ancient city of Nin, a seaside village nestled behind ancient limestone fortifications. Later, grab a ferry to Dugi Otok, an island where time stands still and you may fill your days with lounging on the beach, trekking craggy sea cliffs and sipping coffee in harborside cafés.