TRAVEL

BELLA TRAVEL

3 ROAD TRIPS TO INVIGORATE YOUR MIND

3ROAD TRIPS to Reinvigorate Your Mind

In a year in which travel planning has been largely replaced by worries of health and wellness, the idea of an old-school road trip becomes very attractive as travel lockdowns begin to recede. The ability to take advantage of cheap gasoline and control your physical environment in your car or RV, combined with the promise of an nontraditional adventure, make these three travel ideas a welcome getaway. Get ready to hit the open road... By Norah Lawlor

Explore Upstate New York

Head north out of New York City and take a round trip through the Catskills to the northwest and then to the Adirondack Mountains before looping south through the Hudson Valley. Among some potential highlights:

HAWKS NEST, UPPER DELAWARE SCENIC BYWAY, SULLIVAN COUNTY NY

A similar distance from the Hamptons, northwest of New York lies the southwest portion of the Catskill Mountains and the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway. Drive north from Port Jervis on County Road 97 and experience the foliage and autumn sights. Stop at the iconic Hawks Nest to view the river and forests on the winding road made famous in car commercials and for bikers on the east coast. Visit small cozy towns such as Barryville and enjoy their famous farmers’ market.

Pyne Ayre

Recently opened by the team at Foster Supply, Kenoza Gall is a 22-room Victorian hotel located on a 55-acre lakefront retreat. Dining is currently outdoors for breakfast and dinner, with picnic lunches available to enjoy on the spacious grounds.

KenozaHall.com On the National Geographic Magazine list of must-see places, a drive through the Hudson Valley is a welcome escape from the pressures of city life. Make a weekend of it and drive from New Paltz through the Shawangunk Mountains Scenic Byway en route to Phoenicia, NY, which has recently been named one of America’s Top 10 Coolest Small Towns.

ILoveNY.com

THE LODGE AT WOODLOCH

This is one of Travel + Leisure Magazine’s World’s Best Award winners for top destination spas located just inside Pennsylvania near the tri-state intersection of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Drive through the Pocono Mountains, and the town of Narrowsburg, home to the annual Eagle Fest event and the Narrowsburg Film Festival to experience a world-class spa and golf facility.

TheLodgeatWoodloch.com

Head to the Cool, Clear Waters of Maine

Take the coastal road out of the city and head past some of the storied playgrounds of the east coast, including Newport and Kennebunkport, on your way to cozy Bar Harbor in Maine on Mount Desert Island. You’ll love it there:

THE BALANCE ROCK INN Stay at the former cottage of a Scottish railroad tycoon from the early 20th century, Alexander Maitland, and enjoy the views of the ocean and the Balance Rock, a unique off-shore rock formation, The Veranda Bar & Restaurant affords views of the water as you enjoy their outstanding cuisine.

WEST STREET CAFÉ

This café’s fresh contemporary look matches the local seafood brought in from the seafront opposite the restaurant. Come here for your food fix—chowder, lobster and the eponymous Maine Blueberry Pie.

WestStreetCafe.com

THRIVE JUICE BAR AND KITCHEN

Three local residents saw a gap in the market—a place that serves health-conscious diners and contributes to their sense of well-being and good health—and Thrive Juice Bar and Kitchen was born. With a mission to create delicious raw juices and superfood smoothies like the Blue Mermaid, made with banana, E3Live Blue Majik, Brazil nuts, vegan vanilla protein powder, maca, vanilla extract, pink salt, date and almond milk. Get ready to thrive!

ThriveBarHarbor.com

CADILLAC MOUNTAIN

Get up before dawn and drive to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the east coast, and enjoy an amazing sunrise. Coffee afterwards comes highly recommended.

Head for the Rockies

Driving to Aspen may not be an idea one would normally have time to consider for pleasure, however, this is the perfect opportunity to experience a once-in-a-lifetime tour. Head west through Pittsburgh to Chicago and then onto Denver via Kansas City. Here are some of the things to look forward to at the destination:

HOTEL ASPEN

The dog-friendly Hotel Aspen is a great choice for many reasons, including its prime location in downtown Aspen across from a large park. With local buses that stop across from the hotel every 20 minutes, in no time you can get to the gondola at the base of Aspen Mountain, to Snowmass Village or to the Aspen Highlands resort, where you can catch a bus to the iconic 14,0000-foot Maroon Bells. The rooms are traditional and cozy, some with hot tubs on the balconies and others with a cute stove in the corner for those colder nights. Plus you can enjoy a complimentary breakfast, served daily. If you are friends with or—better yet—a member of the Caribou Club, you’ll be able to dine in one of the most exclusive and storied clubs in the jet-set world. In days past, the club had a telephone hotline to the private jet area of nearby Aspen airport so members could ensure their ride was always ready to go. Modeled in the style of Annabel’s Club in London, the Caribou has a certain je ne sais quois –and why not?!

CaribouClub.com

BETULA ASPEN

Located is the heart of Aspen near its fashionable shops and historic sites is Betula Aspen. The cozy yet chic restaurant is on a second-floor space, offerings guests a beautiful view of Ajax Mountain, with indoor and outdoor dining. The main dining room has the ambiance of a place where jetsetters go to be seen—New Yorkers will gravitate here in abundance. Chef Laurent Cantineaux has a storied career, having worked at Guy Savoie before joining Daniel Boulud at Danielle in New York before heading to Venezuela and St. Barths. He saw Aspen as a logical move as his customers in the Caribbean were always discussing going to, coming from, or when they were next heading to Aspen.

BetulaAspen.com

BOSQ

This restaurant stands out with its sleek interior featuring whitewashed gray walls made from regional beetle-kill pine. Modern Scandinavian furniture and relaxing banquets make for charming ambiance that engulfs you in the world of Bosq and the surrounding mountains. Even better, Chef C. Barclay Dodge has created an enticing cuisine focusing on a unique and fresh approach. Bosq has strong relationships with the local farmers ensuring the best ingredients go into their dishes.

BosqAspen.com

THE HOTEL JEROME, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION ASPEN

It’s no wonder this one is at or near the top of the list of hotels in the jet-set skier’s town of choice. Hotel Jerome, celebrating over 130 years of operation, has seen a number of changes and enhancements to its Aspen resort, most notably the addition of a hidden-in-plain-sight speakeasy experience, Bad Harriet, located inside the neighboring former Aspen Times newspaper building. Chef Rob Zack, who has been with the hotel for some 20 years, continues to apply his culinary artistry to the modern American bistro cuisine served in the main restaurant, Prospect.

AubergeResorts.com/HotelJerome

THE ASPEN SNOWMASS COMPANY

Located in the town of Snowmass Village near Aspen, Snowmass is the largest of the four Aspen/Snowmass mountains. The mountain is notable for its wide cruiser runs, family-friendly atmosphere, and extensive ski-in/ski-out lodging. The resort also contains several terrain parks, extensive extreme skiing terrain, mogul runs, and gladed terrain. Snowmass has undergone massive changes in the past few years, including a new gondola along with a new Base Village, perfect for even a summertime vacation.