Travel gets creative

If there’s a silver lining in this nutty pandemic era, it might be the way we’re all embracing our inner creative geniuses. Drive-in movies and concerts are popping up everywhere. There’s even a Floating Cinema coming to New York this fall. Whether we’re exorcizing Zoom cooties or just blowing off steam, these travel trends are making everything from day-trips to year-long escapes oodles of fun.

Remote Work, Caribbean Style

WFH doesn’t mean you have to actually stay at home

For decades, we’ve had to accept the fact that bosses like to watch us work. Now, in perhaps the greatest workplace experiment since cubicles were invented, we’re getting irrefutable proof that remote workers are (surprise) happier and more productive than their communal-workspacedependent counterparts.

After spending half a year proving to the world that we can work successfully from home, we’re starting to venture out into the wild. And we’re looking to seasoned digital nomads to show us the way. Wait, I know what you’re thinking—Bali! But according to the hip and happening digital nomad community, Bali was “so last year” three years ago. Which is fine with us because, as of July 2020, you can get your work on in a tropical locale much closer to home.

Just a short flight away, hotels and resorts throughout the Caribbean are opening their freshly sanitized doors like they’re Elsa from Frozen welcoming remote workers with open arms. Let’s start with Barbados, shall we? Barbados wants you to work from their beaches. Seriously. They’ve launched a massive ad campaign about work visas designed specifically for digital nomads that last up to 12 months.

Assuming Barbados is a big hit, don’t be surprised if the rest of the Caribbean follows suit. Deep and meaningful health and safety protocols make these sun-drenched isles the perfect locale for working getaways with enviable Zoom backdrops and safe, al fresco dining. Some destinations require wellness tests prior to arrival so check with your travel advisor for details.

Known for their reliable Wi-Fi

Jamaica Inn - Jamaica

Cheval Blanc - St. Barth

Jade Mountain - St. Lucia

Ritz Carlton - Grand Cayman The Palms - Turks & Caicos

Don’t Mind if I Do

Colony Club (St. James, Barbados) is a pristine retreat along the island’s Platinum West Coast where you can dine on healthy cuisine, relax, and focus. Here, 96 freshly renovated rooms offer modern amenities, elegant wood furnishings, and private balconies. Got time before your next meeting? Tap into complimentary watersports, fitness classes, and island tours. Or hop a water-taxi to one of the resort’s sister properties.

School Goes Tropical

Learning is a total blast on a family friendly “school-cation”

Yes, kids, it’s true. School has flown south for the winter. The good news is … you can too! That’s because heaps of hotels in tropical locales are offering remote learning packages for families large and small. Some have spruced up the selection at their regular kids’ clubs. Others are going for an A+ in academic adventures.

Why work and study from home when you could be taking advantage of a range of amenities and school-style services like: super speedy Wi-Fi, virtual tutors, Zoom rooms, tech support, study buddies, lessons in art, culture, and history, beach cabana classrooms, personalized instruction that syncs with your school curriculum, and even SAT/ACT test prep.

While parents log into the office online, kids can attend supervised programs at Auberge Resorts in Aspen, Utah, and Napa. Or study abroad at the exotic Family Coppola Hideaways in Belize and Guatemala. The posh Montage “academies” in Deer Valley, Laguna Beach, Los Cabos, and Palmetto Bluff let you schedule a full school week of lessons. If you’re keen to move your educational experiences to Mexico, book a studious stay at Rosewood Mayakoba or Four Seasons Punta Mita.

Looking for a family work-and-learn escape that’s easy and affordable? Check in with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau for a comprehensive list of “Miami Work & Learn” hotel packages from Kimpton, JW Marriott, Shelborne, Ritz-Carlton Bar Harbour, Iberostar Berkeley Shore, and more.

Hey, maybe this pandemic is going to teach us something after all. Class dismissed.