With the USA open to visitors from Ireland and some of our all-time favourite destinations, we’ve picked out some of the most memorable itineraries in New York State, Florida and northern California. From couples’ breaks to family holidays, celebrate your return to the States in style with one of these unforgettable trips.
The Big Apple claims all the limelight, but there’s so much more to this state than the neon shimmer of its largest city. Picking up your hire car on arrival at the airport, you’ll head out to the upscale Hamptons to discover their secluded beaches, before proceeding to the foodie mecca of the Hudson Valley, where you’ll enjoy a private guided tasting tour of the gourmet eateries, craft breweries and creative shops of hip Beacon, talking to store owners, distillers, brewers and chefs.
Over the course of your seven days here, you’ll soak up glorious mountainous landscapes where thrilling outdoor activities beckon – think hiking, kayaking and fishing on the serene shores of Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. Stylish accommodation will include Topping Rose House, the first full-service luxury hotel in the Hamptons, Troutbeck, a Hudson Valley country estate that has long-attracted romantics, humanists, naturalists and poets whose creative juices have been stoked by this region, and Lake Placid Lodge, from which you can set out on a guided hike through the Adirondack Wilderness virgin forests to the High Falls Gorge.
This trip takes all the legwork and hassle out of a Florida family holiday, with priority access at Disney World, front-of-line access at Universal Studios, your own private astronaut guide at the Kennedy Space Center and even a cruise around Miami on your own charted yacht complete with jet skis, SUP paddleboards and a hot tub.
After a luxury private transfer from Orlando Airport, you’ll spend nine fabulous fun-filled days enjoying the very best that Orlando, Palm Beach and Miami have to offer: theme parks, beach days, an urban graffiti tour and an exclusive, hands-on experience with alligators, invasive pythons and chatty parrots at a farm in the Everglades, followed by an adrenaline-pumping airboat ride.
Your accommodation is equally exciting: the Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World® Resort with its water slides, lazy river and climbing wall, Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course and spa; the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach with its gorgeous private stretch of sand, heated oceanfront pools and indoor-outdoor spa; and the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club in Surfside, a historic property with a glamorous Old Florida feel, set in nine acres with three swimming pools with cabanas and ‘serenity lawns’ for outdoor yoga.
This family-friendly road trip offers lots of scope for outdoor adventures in spectacular settings. Highlights include a day’s tour of Yosemite National Park with its waterfalls and granite monoliths, led by a local conservationist guide and fully tailored to your interests, and eco-rafting on the Monterey Peninsula, spotting humpbacks, orcas and blue whales and other amazing wildlife. The latter is run by a trained field biologist and wildlife artist whose custom-designed watercraft was designed for military patrol use.
Your arrival in San Francisco is followed by 10 extraordinary days you’ll never forget. Enjoy a private hike through Sonoma County’s wilderness, learning about the redwood trees so crucial to this ecosystem, and explore the translucent waters of Lake Tahoe on a private guided kayak tour, to name just two of the treats in store.
Your memorable overnighters include The Bodega Bay Lodge overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with views of fishermen plying the bay and migrating whales, Rush Creek Lodge, a wilderness resort with decks for soaking up the surrounding nature, and the Carmel Valley Ranch with its beekeepers, organic garden, vineyard, mountain-top yoga, swimming pools and golf.
To create a USA itinerary that is perfect for you, contact your Travel Counsellor today.
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A South America holiday can mean exploring Machu Picchu, watching giant tortoises in the Galápagos, walking beneath the peaks of Patagonia or combining Rio de Janeiro with Iguaçu Falls. The right trip depends on the experiences you want to come home talking about, whether that is Inca history in Peru, wildlife in the Galápagos Islands, glaciers and time outdoors in Patagonia, or the cities and natural landscapes of Brazil.
If you're wondering whether Legend of the Seas is a good cruise for families, the answer is yes. Royal Caribbean has designed its newest Icon Class ship around the way families holiday today, giving grandparents, parents, teenagers and younger children plenty to enjoy without everyone needing to do the same thing. From waterparks and kids' clubs to live entertainment, family dining and Caribbean ports, Legend of the Seas is one of the strongest choices for a multi-generational family cruise.
There is a version of travel where you visit the great places, take the photographs and move on. And there is version that opens up the richness of the world National Geographic Signature with G Adventures exists firmly in the second category. It is a collection of global expeditions built around the idea that the world reveals itself properly only to those who approach it with curiosity, the right guides and genuine access. For travellers who have already seen a lot and want something more, it represents a significant step forward in what a guided trip can be.
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