15 Amazing Zika-Free Babymoon Destinations in the U.S.
Leave your passport behind, don’t worry about changing money, and get ready to have a babymoon you’ll never forget.
Babymoons don’t have to require a passport, and they certainly don’t have to include vaccines or the risk of traveling to a Zika-zone (past or current). In fact, some of the most amazing and luxurious babymoon destinations are only a short drive or plane ride away right here in the U.S. We’ve picked 15 destinations across the U.S. where you’ll find beautiful hotels with top-notch service and gorgeous surroundings.
Canyon Point
WHERE: Utah
There’s simply nothing like the scenery here, which you can marvel at from the luxurious environs of Amangiri. One of just two U.S. properties operated by the famously luxurious Aman resort company, this ultra-plush 34-suite compound lies just a few miles north of Lake Powell on a 600-acre plot of rugged high desert, soaring red-rock cliffs, and jagged mesas. Each of the artfully designed units has an extensive private terrace and outdoor fireplace; top units have private pools. High-ceiling rooms with stone floors, concrete walls, and timber and steel finishes adjoin massive bathrooms, each with a deep sunken tub and a tall window that’s perfect for stargazing. A dramatically situated spa offers treatments in both indoor and outdoor areas.
Maui
WHERE: Hawaii
The island’s miles of perfect beaches, lush green valleys, and volcanic landscapes, as well as its historic villages, top-notch water sports, and stellar restaurants and resorts, have made it an international favorite. Impeccably stylish, subdued, and relaxing describe most Four Seasons properties, and the low-key, elegant Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea fronting award-winning Wailea Beach is no exception, with its poolside cabanas, beautiful courtyards, and luxuries such as 24-hour room service and twice-daily housekeeping. Most rooms have an ocean view (avoid those over the parking lot in the North Tower, if you can), and plush robes and a mini-refrigerator (stocked with your favorites on request) are among the amenities there. The spa has indoor and outdoor treatment rooms, expertly staffed by well-trained practitioners, doctors, astrologers, and more, and you can opt for poolside mini-treatments. There’s also an adults-only serenity pool.
Sunny Isles Beach
WHERE: Florida
Bound by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Intracoastal Waterway on the other, this barrier island city sits just north of bustling Miami Beach–yet it feels worlds away. The sands are white and the water is warm in Sunny Isles Beach, where visitors can walk or take a short drive to many of the area’s top museums, spas, and restaurants. The Acqualina Resort and Spa on the Beach sits on 4.5 acres along the beach, where 98 guest rooms offer an intimate experience for guests despite the resort’s ample size. Check in to the Aqualina Spa by ESPA for an 80-minute maternity massage before indulging in handmade pasta at the onsite restaurant Il Mulino New York. Mamas traveling in late July and early August can take part in the resort’s beautiful baby sea turtle hatchling experience; but fair warning, reservations are mandatory and maternal emotions are likely.
Asheville
WHERE: North Carolina
Visitors flock to Asheville to experience its downtown with myriad restaurants, coffeehouses, museums, galleries, antique shops, and boutiques. Many people who visit the Biltmore estate long to stay overnight; if you’re one of them, your wish is granted in the form of the Inn on Biltmore Estate, a posh hilltop property on the grounds. The seven-story hotel echoes the look of Biltmore House with limestone and copper, while French manor houses inspired the interior. The dining room, one level down from the main lobby, has large windows with mountain views and a massive fireplace. Nice touches include afternoon tea by the fireplace in the library, and a breezy outdoor veranda bar to watch the sunset.
Big Sur
WHERE: California
Long a retreat of artists and writers, Big Sur is a place of ancient forests and rugged shoreline, stretching 90 miles from San Simeon to Carmel. The luxurious Post Ranch Inn, designed exclusively for adult getaways, has remarkably environmentally conscious architecture. The redwood guesthouses, all of which have views of the sea or the mountains, blend almost invisibly into a wooded cliff 1,200 feet above the ocean. Each unit has its own fireplace, stereo, and private decks. On-site activities include everything from yoga to stargazing.
Charleston
WHERE: South Carolina
Charleston’s charming mix of antebellum architecture and world-class dining comes wrapped in a southern-sweet package that’s ideal for a pre-baby vacation. Stroll the streets of historic Charleston or hop on board a private Palmetto horse and carriage tour while staying nearby at The Spectator hotel. This boutique hotel’s Jazz Age vibe acts as an homage to the lively history that’s still felt in and around this French Quarter and Market Street location. Each of the 41 guest rooms and suites at the hotel comes with a personal butler who assists in everything from planning itineraries during the stay to coordinating a lavish (and complimentary) breakfast in bed.
Santa Fe
WHERE: New Mexico
Artists, chefs, and wellness seekers have long been attracted to this high desert location, where there are as many art galleries as there are sunny days of the year (300 of each, to be exact). There’s an easy pace of life and effortless elegance that pervades this picturesque town, where guests of the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi are luxuriously treated to the finest of both that pace and elegance. Prenatal massages are offered in-suite in any of the 58 well-appointed guest rooms, where a roaring gas-lit kiva fireplace creates a cozy ambiance regardless of the season. Dine al fresco on the patio or book a romantic table for two at the Anasazi Restaurant for a customized meal of Latin-influenced southwestern cuisine based on you and your partner’s preferences.
San Diego
WHERE: California
San Diego is a vacationer’s paradise, with year-round temperatures in the seventies and near-constant sunshine. The Lodge at Torrey Pines is a beautiful Craftsman-style lodge that sits on a bluff between La Jolla and Del Mar and commands a coastal view. You know you’re in for a different sort of experience when you see the Scottish kilted doorman. The warm and understated rooms are spacious and furnished with antiques and reproduction turn-of-the-20th-century pieces. The service is excellent, and the restaurant, A. R. Valentien (named after a San Diego plein air artist of the early 1900s), serves fine California cuisine. Beyond the grounds are scenic trails that lead to the Torrey Pines State Beach and Reserve; the village of La Jolla is a 10-minute drive away.
Sedona
WHERE: Arizona
It’s easy to see what draws so many people to Sedona. Red-rock buttes reach up into an almost-always blue sky, and both colors are intensified by dark-green pine forests. The elegant L’Auberge de Sedona resort consists of private hillside units with spectacular views and cozy cottages in the woods along Oak Creek. The original creekside rooms, with wood-burning fireplaces, are decorated in lush country-European style, and the contemporary units on the hill have large decks and private open-air showers. Phoenix couples flock to this hideaway to dine in the hotel’s French restaurant, one of the most romantic eateries in Arizona. The creekside patio bar is a great place for a light meal.
Vail
WHERE: Colorado
New direct flights to this once hard-to-reach resort destination have made it easier than ever to explore the quaint streets and stunning peaks of this Colorado gem. Vail Village was modeled after a European ski town, where chic gondolas and multi-cultural restaurants have preserved its old-world ambiance. The alpine-inspired Grand Hyatt Vail’s 285 guest rooms and suites offer a luxurious starting point to any Vail vacation, where gondolas take guests (skiers or not) to the top of the mountain for scenic photoshoots and breathtaking views. Maternity massages and alpine rituals in the spa offer the ultimate in high-altitude relaxation for mothers-to-be.
Sea Island
WHERE: Georgia
Uniform lines of grand oak trees cloaked in Spanish moss set a mystical tone as visitors pass through the marshlands, causeways, and bridges to arrive on Sea Island. The island is part of Georgia’s Golden Isles, and this barrier island steeped in history and romance is home to The Cloister at Sea Island, a luxury retreat with a distinct old-world elegance. All 265 rooms and suites at this resort offer stunning views of either the Black Banks River, the Atlantic Ocean, or the lush landscaping surrounding the resort. Couples are free to luxuriate on the five miles of private beach or unwind with treatments (multiple prenatal options available) at the onsite spa, which also features a meditative labyrinth.
Palm Springs
WHERE: California
With the Palm Springs area’s year-round sunshine, luxurious spas, chef-driven restaurants, and see-and-be-seen pool parties, it’s no wonder that Hollywood A-listers and weekend warriors make the desert a popular getaway. At the Parker Palm Springs, a cacophony of color and over-the-top contemporary art assembled by New York City-based designer Jonathan Adler mixes well with the brilliant desert garden. Two pools, fire pits, and expansive spa attract a stylish, worldly clientele. You can find relaxation around the pools, and comfy nooks are scattered throughout the gardens. Rooms have textured sisal floor coverings, exotic woven fabrics in bright reds and browns, and leather seating. All have private balconies or patios (with hammocks) that are secluded behind tall shrubs. The massive villas, a splurge, are exquisitely decorated with woven wall hangings, white poster beds, wooden swings, and large private patios.
Savannah
WHERE: Georgia
Take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy the languid pace of “Slow-vannah.” The Mansion on Forsyth Park has dramatic design, opulent interiors with a contemporary edge, and a magnificently diverse collection of some 400 pieces of American and European art, all of which create a one-of-a-kind experience—sophisticated, chic, and artsy only begin to describe it. The newer wings blend perfectly with its historic surroundings and the original, 18,000-square-foot Victorian-Romanesque, redbrick and terra-cotta mansion. Every turn delivers something unexpected—the antique hat collection; the pool with its creative water wall, and a canopied patio that looks like it’s out of the Arabian Nights; a Nordic-looking full-service spa; back-lit onyx panels and 100-year-old Italian Corona–marble pillars.
Barnard
WHERE: Vermont
Simply put, Twin Farms is the best lodging in Vermont. And if you can afford it—stays begin at well over $1,000 a night—you’ll want to experience it. Four rooms are in the beautiful main building, once home to writer Sinclair Lewis; two more are in the lodge; another four are in the farmhouse at Copper Hill. The rest are individual cottages, secluded among the property’s 300 acres. Each incredible accommodation is furnished with a blend of famous artworks (by the likes of Jasper Johns, Milton Avery, and Cy Twombly), gorgeous folk art, and furniture that goes beyond comfortable sophistication. The included meals are some of the best in Vermont. The service—suave, relaxed—definitely is.
Napa and Sonoma
WHERE: California
So what if you can’t indulge in the wine? The natural setting is simply sublime. Taking a cue from the olive-tree-studded landscape, Auberge du Soleil, with its renowned restaurant and spa, cultivates a luxurious look that blends French and California style. It backs up that look—custom wood furnishings, soft yellow terra cotta, and ocher hues—with lavish amenities that include private terraces, jetted soaking tubs, and extra-large showers.