OWNER INFO

Stay Connected with Your Club!

CLUB WYNDHAM TRAVEL

VIP BY WYNDHAM

OWNER WEBSITE

2024 PHOTO CONTEST

CHECKING IN

Catch Those Z’s

Unfamiliar environments and general disruptions to routines can wreak havoc on your sleep cycles. Anticipating these obstacles before vacation may help you rest easier, and it all starts with your packing list. Use earplugs to soften outdoor sounds like honking horns and rattling train cars, or create a white noise playlist to listen to with comfy headphones if you can’t sleep in silence. Pack an eye mask to filter out unwanted light and distractions, and keep your room cool and dark to promote restfulness.

Embrace Movement Wherever You Are

While you’re touring a new city, walking is one of the best ways to meet your daily steps goal and stay physically fit while exerting minimal effort. But, if you want to take your wellness further, yoga is a practice that’s proven to improve blood circulation, energy, and overall vitality. Check if your resort offers activities like an all-levels yoga, or search online for a studio in your area. Many offer special drop-in daily rates or weekly packages for visitors.

Flex Your Creative Muscles

Immerse yourself in local culture and customs while expressing your creativity. Make leis in Hawaii and discover the garlands’ history; create pottery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with skilled artisans who employ traditional methods; or craft an identity-obscuring Mardi Gras mask while learning about New Orleans’ vibrant festival culture. And, taking home something you made will serve as a memorable souvenir of your special trip.

Connect to Nature

Spending time in nature has stress-reducing benefits for travelers of all ages. Try shinrin-yoku, the Japanese practice of “forest bathing,” and experience nature slowly and mindfully through all your senses. Note wildflower colors and the different shades of green on the trees. Tune into the birds singing or crickets chattering. Feel the cool breeze against your skin. It doesn’t have to be in a forest, either. Do the same by a beach, in a city, or in the mountains.

Eat to Experience and Nourish

One of the best parts of visiting somewhere new is the chance to try the food (which you absolutely should!), but unfamiliar ingredients can disrupt natural digestion. Pack a reusable water bottle and some go-to snacks from home to ensure you stay hydrated and give your metabolism a break. Protein- and carb-rich foods like eggs, yogurt, whole-grain breads, rice, pasta, and veggies will keep you fueled for activities like hiking, cycling, and exploration.

Create Community Through Shared Experiences

Social interaction is powerful for your well-being, and one of the biggest gifts travel can give you is the opportunity to make lasting memories with others. That’s not limited to your family, either. Engage with fellow travelers during group tours, classes, and volunteer events, or meet local shop owners while you’re out and about to enrich your travels and deepen your connection to your environment.

FEATURE

Hot Air Balloon Ride

NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

There’s no better way to bask in the sun’s morning glow as it rises over the Vaca Mountains. During an excursion with Napa Valley Aloft, which lasts about an hour, balloons float over the region’s famous vineyards and eclectic small towns. On clear days, passengers may even be able to spy the far-off San Francisco skyline.

MAKE MEMORABLE MOMENTS

The thrill of doing unique activities or attending a live show can stay with you for a lifetime.

HAVE FUN PRESENTING

Surprise the recipient with a homemade card that holds tickets or a snow globe featuring the trip’s destination.

SHARE PASSIONS

The only thing better than watching your favorite athlete or actor? Seeing them with a friend or loved one.

EXTEND THE MAGIC

The gifts that keep on giving: anticipation, the experience itself, and the opportunity to grow and try something new.

HIGHLIGHT

01

Feel the Sand Between Your Toes

Myrtle Beach’s premier amenity — its soft, silky sand — is absolutely free. You’ll find 60 miles of it along a great white arc called the Grand Strand, and beaches are open 24/7/365. Get up early for a walk, run, or yoga on the sand. Hear the gentle waves and feel the cool ocean breezes as the sun rises over the water. Hundreds of species of shells wash up on shore, along with starfish, sea urchins, and sand dollars. Search the sand for these free souvenirs from the ocean, or bring a Frisbee or cornhole bags to toss. And if all that sounds too taxing, just lounge outdoors and soak up the sun with a favorite book. It is a vacation, after all.

02

Walk the Boardwalks

Fans of classic board games might say Myrtle Beach has a monopoly on boardwalks. And you can stroll them without taking a chance (card) or money from the community chest — they’re free for all to amble. Myrtle Beach Boardwalk — America’s Boardwalk — is a 1.2-mile-long oceanfront path leading to shops, restaurants, and fun (like SkyWheel Myrtle Beach). A recent facelift replaced old wooden boards with recycled plastic versions in nine colors, making the surface more attractive and durable. Murrells Inlet MarshWalk takes you on a 0.5-mile jaunt beside a saltwater estuary in a historic fishing village. Once a hangout for pirates, the spot is now a hub for waterfront dining and live music. In the picturesque town of Conway, saunter the 1.5-mile Conway Riverwalk as it follows the dark waters of the Waccamaw River. Then keep exploring the community’s delightful downtown with streets built around majestic live oaks.

03

Connect with History

Myrtle Beach is a mother lode of history, and you can mine it for free at the Horry County Museum and L.W. Paul Living History Farm. The museum, housed in the historic 1905 Burroughs School, offers exhibits on the area’s natural history, military history, Native Americans, and textiles. A highlight is a freshwater aquarium featured on Animal Planet’s Tanked. The farm re-creates life on a family farmstead in the early 20th century, with folks in period costumes tending to the working operation. Visitors can tour the various outbuildings and help harvest crops, milk cows, and grind corn. You also get a peek at domestic life, including cooking with a woodstove and doing laundry by hand. Warbird Park, another free attraction, honors those who served at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, which was located on the site for nearly 40 years. It also displays fighter jets flown on the base.

04

Admire Local Art

World-class art awaits just steps from the beach at the Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum. This free art museum maintains 11 galleries in a century-old cottage once used as a vacation home by textile magnates. Live oaks and Atlantic Ocean vistas provide an ideal setting for viewing collections with a Southern accent, though regional works are complemented by those with international pedigrees. Past shows have featured Ansel Adams, Frank Lloyd Wright, Norman Rockwell, John James Audubon, and Jasper Johns. The ever-changing exhibits represent a rich mix of media. There’s even a collection of antique maps dating back to 1606. You’ll see contemporary art, too, such as Primary Structures (September 12, 2024–February 23, 2025), an exhibit showcasing abstract painter Paul Yanko. He juxtaposes architectural and organic shapes with pops of energetic color.

Club Wyndham Ocean Boulevard

Club Wyndham Towers on the Grove

WHERE TO STAY

Club Wyndham SeaWatch Resort

Club Wyndham Westwinds

DINING

Willamette Valley, Oregon

About an hour southwest of Portland is where you’ll find the home of Oregon Pinot Noir. The varietal is widely regarded as one of the best in the world, thanks to the valley’s dry, cool seasons and volcanic soil. Reserve a seat at Elk Cove Vineyards near Gaston to savor its critically acclaimed Pinot Noir Willamette Valley. The tasting room and patio overlook the vineyard in the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range mountains, where the Campbell family has grown grapes for 50 years. Other valley vineyards specialize in sparkling wines. In Dundee, Argyle Winery stakes its claim as “Oregon’s original sparkling wine house.” Learn how Argyle crafts its bubbly during the Master of Sparkling Experience, which includes a tour of the production facilities and vineyards. Afterward in the tasting room, try a flight of four wines with charcuterie snacks. Willamette Valley is best known for its grapes, but its fertile floor also provides the perfect conditions for another earthy culinary export: truffles. Find out about these fungi that grow underground at the annual Oregon Truffle Festival in February. Take part in one of the festival’s truffle-focused dinners (often held at local wineries), and be sure not to miss the event’s cutest contest: the annual truffle dog competition.

ITINERARY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MORNING

Kick off your St. Thomas vacation by immersing yourself in the island’s natural beauty. You’ll drive through the hills and lush vegetation in the island’s north before reaching the intimate Phantasea Tropical Botanical Garden, home to colorful orchids, bromeliads, and rainforest palms. Just over 1 mile away, Drake’s Seat sits above the coastline. Named after explorer and privateer Sir Francis Drake, the overlook provides breathtaking panoramic views of turquoise Magens Bay.

PHANTASEA TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

INTERVIEW

TRAVEL + LEISURE CO. BRAND AMBASSADOR

NAME

Katie Grimes

PROFESSION

Competitive Swimmer

HOMETOWN

Las Vegas, Nevada

BENEFITS HIGHLIGHT

1

Non-Exchange Resort Vacations

Unlock exclusive deals on cash vacations — no exchange needed! Choose seven-night getaways with Extra Vacations℠ getaways, or be spontaneous and save on last-minute weeklong resort deals with Last Call℠ vacations starting at just $309 USD per week.

Save During Hotel Stays

2

With a Best Price Guarantee, members can save up to 60 percent at more than 600,000 hotels around the world. Score even deeper discounts by applying Trading Power or Points to a hotel stay to buy down the cost.

Dedicated Travel Guides

3

Turn your passions into once-in-a-lifetime experiences with RCI. Since 1974, RCI Travel Guides have been here to support you across your entire journey and serve as your one-stop travel resource for planning, booking, and more.

Ongoing Search

4

Automate your vacation-planning efforts. Set up an Ongoing Search for your preferred vacation dates and locations, and let RCI do the 24/7 legwork for you. You’ll be notified as soon as there’s a match, and then it’s up to you to say yes or no thanks to that next getaway.

All-Inclusive Resort Stays

5

Open up your travel possibilities in 2025 with RCI’s all-inclusive resort options. One up-front payment provides access to top-notch amenities and personalized services to further enhance your stay. So, where to next?