SPECIAL ISSUE

KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA

You don’t have to wait for a new life stage to take that big vacation, but a major milestone can motivate you to check a destination off your travel bucket list. We've got suggestions to help you and your favorite companions celebrate the time of your life.

WRITER GARY THOMPSON

SOLO/GRADUATION

New York City

Ah, to be free in the Big Apple. There’s so much to see, you’ll wish you were a traveler who never sleeps — but you need rest to take in these signature New York experiences, so book a NYC hotel through RCI to get the guaranteed best price and save up to 60% on your stay. Your membership is like a room key card that opens the doors at lodgings in all of Gotham’s greatest neighborhoods. The Graduate New York on Roosevelt Island makes for a smart choice. Start in Manhattan, the city’s most densely populated borough and home to several iconic attractions like Central Park, a 843-acre green space between the Upper West Side and Upper East Side designed by architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Quietly reflect on your life amid masterpieces at the Museum of Modern Art, which exhibits famous works by Monet, Picasso, van Gogh, and Warhol. Then pump up the volume in Times Square, an overstimulating display of digitized billboards, street performers, and throngs of tourists. The blaze of LED is also part of Broadway, New York’s legendary theater district. Find the soundtrack for your journey at a favorite show like Hamilton or the 2023 Tony Award winner for best musical, Kimberly Akimbo. Along the western edge of Manhattan, the High Line is a 1.45-mile public park built on an elevated freight train line. Take in nature and art at your own leisurely pace, or join a free docent-led tour (offered Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays through October; Wednesdays and Saturdays from November to April) to gain a deeper understanding of the area. Refuel at Chelsea Market, one of the country’s top food halls and shopping complexes, after your stroll. Reconnect with Mother Nature at the American Museum of Natural History, where interactive exhibits cover land, sea, and outer space. And dwell on human nature at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, a tribute to the nearly 3,000 victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Two reflecting pools fill the footprints of the World Trade Center’s fallen twin towers. Your spirits move from somber to soaring in the adjacent One World Observatory, which sits atop One World Trade Center, the city’s highest point and the Western Hemisphere’s tallest building. You’ve really made it! Take in more incredible views from the landmark Empire State Building, the Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center, and the Brooklyn Bridge, a 140-year-old engineering marvel that spans the East River to connect Manhattan and Brooklyn. Walking across is a rite of passage. Finally, head to The Battery and ferry to perhaps the most New York attraction of all, the Statue of Liberty, a beacon of freedom for the world — and a great spot to celebrate your own.

ROAD TRIP WITH YOUR BESTIES

Southern California Coast

There’s nothing like getting the gang together for a road trip, and no better route than California 1, aka the Pacific Coast Highway. This world-class scenic drive calls for a special vehicle — maybe a convertible or open-air Jeep? — and RCI members save when they book a ride with any major rental company. Platinum members can use Trading Power or Points to further cut rental fees. As you and your pals cruise the California Riviera, stop in Newport Beach, about 40 miles south of Los Angeles. It’s heaven for surfers and sand volleyball players — but your crew won’t need boards or bare feet to enjoy it. Rent bikes and ride together on the 3-mile-long Balboa Peninsula, where a trail cuts between the sand and charming beach houses. Then hop a quick ferry ride to Balboa Island and Marine Avenue, a main drag lined with restaurants and shops for bonding and browsing. To experience a different kind of scenic drive, form a foursome at picturesque Pelican Hill Golf Club. Two Tom Fazio–designed courses — both open to the public — offer prime ocean views. South of Newport Beach, pull off at Crystal Cove State Park, a 3-mile strand of sand backed by seaside cliffs and forests of eucalyptus. Share the natural beauty with a group hike on the park’s 18 miles of trails. Laguna Beach, with its curving bay and home-dotted hills, recalls a Mediterranean village. The hub is Main Beach, popular for its tide pools, boardwalk, and proximity to Forest Avenue galleries — a little something for everyone. Trails at Heisler Park lead down to a golden beach where you can all swim, surf, or explore the tide pools. It’s also a spot to enjoy wide-angle views of the rugged coast and pose for a besties’ selfie before a palm-framed sunset. Such scenery has lured artists to Laguna for more than a century. In summer, visitors flock to the Sawdust Art Festival (June 30–September 3, 2023), a showcase for local works. Hollywood legend Bette Davis liked Laguna so much that she bought a vacation home here. The Tudor-style house sits high above Wood’s Cove, a hidden inlet with a tiny beach — first one to spot the big D on the chimney gets to ride shotgun on the next leg of the drive. Closer to San Diego, La Jolla welcomes your crew with walkable streets and a relaxed vibe that’s perfect for adventures with friends. Watch (or join) ocean swimmers and snorkelers heading into the water from La Jolla Cove, or rent kayaks to tour seven sea caves. As you and your peeps stroll the coastal path, you may get peeps at seals and sea lions basking in the sun. Keep your distance for their sake, but take their picture — and their cue — on how best to enjoy SoCal together.

ANNIVERSARY

Alaskan Cruise

Imagine cuddling on a cruise with your best mate when suddenly, the engine stills and excitement ripples through the decks as a pod of orcas surfaces in the vessel’s wake. Everyone wants a look at the majestic creatures before they disappear into the Pacific. Next time, it could be eagles soaring over the water or grizzlies patrolling the shoreline. As ships ply the Inside Passage, a maze of deep channels through densely forested islands, jagged mountains, and ice-blue glaciers, these wildlife sightings are a spectacular reward for the journey. During Alaska cruise season (May to September), more than a million people take in the views from dozens of ships. Most cruises last a week to 10 days, beginning and ending in Vancouver, Seattle, or San Francisco. Larger ships stop in major Alaskan ports like Ketchikan, Skagway, Seward, or Juneau; smaller ships can travel up narrower channels and reach more remote ports; and longer cruise-land vacations include overnight stays in the wilderness and overland sightseeing trips by train or motorcoach. This opens up spots like Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Denali National Park and Preserve. Deals and discounts abound, especially for RCI members. Book your sailing with RCI Cruise and get an onboard credit of up to $1,500, plus a 110% Best Price Guarantee. If your schedule is flexible, prices tend to be lower (and crowds smaller) at the end of the season. Whenever you set sail, pack for fickle weather — temps can range from highs in the 70s to near freezing at night, with frequent rain. But couples celebrating an anniversary know life’s big adventures are rarely all sunshine and smooth sailing, right?

WITH YOUNG KIDS

Myrtle Beach

When you’re ready for that first big trip with the kids, take them to the beach. Myrtle Beach’s Grand Strand, a 60-mile stretch of South Carolina coastline, beckons young families to soak up the sun, play in the surf, and build castles in the sand. Top spots for families include Cherry Grove, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City Beach, Litchfield Beach, and Pawleys Island. But there’s much more than shore. Games, rides, wildlife, hands-on museums, restaurants, and stage shows offer day-to-night delights. Even for adults, visiting Myrtle Beach is like being a kid on the sunniest, sandiest playground ever, with a nice “allowance” of RCI benefits to help pay for activities like restaurant meals, live concerts, spa treatments, sightseeing tours, and theme parks — all at the guaranteed best price. The Grand Strand might be the minigolf capital of the world, with at least 50 courses for puttering around. Kids have a ball with fun design elements like dinosaurs, lava-spewing volcanoes, and pirate ships. Or go for a family stroll on the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade and scout out the souvenir shops, restaurants, and entertainment, including the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel. The 187-foot-tall observation tower provides sweeping ocean views, and the glass-enclosed gondolas seat up to six people, so most families can fit in a single car. And the wheel moves slowly — it won’t scare little ones. Nature-loving broods will enjoy Myrtle Beach State Park and Huntington Beach State Park. Check out the trails, nature centers, fishing piers, and a historic seaside castle. Visit native animals in natural habitats at Lowcountry Zoo, part of Brookgreen Gardens, a massive sculpture garden and wildlife preserve that includes the kid-pleasing Whispering Wings Butterfly Experience. Get close to sea creatures at Ripley’s Aquarium, part of the Broadway at the Beach entertainment district. Kids grin in the Penguin Playhouse, and grow wide-eyed watching sharks swim overhead in a moving tunnel. At nearby Broadway Grand Prix, little daredevils can zip along seven go-kart tracks, including a Family Track, Kids Track, and Jr. Racer Track, or ride the Kiddie Speedway, carousel, and bumper cars. Pirates Voyage Dinner Show treats families to a four-course meal as Blackbeard and Calico Jack lead their crews in battle aboard full-sized pirate ships. Watch for mermaids and tropical birds too.

WITH OLDER KIDS

The Outer Banks

Traveling with older kids opens up destinations that require a little patience, maturity, and stamina to be fully appreciated — like the Outer Banks. The 120-mile string of barrier islands off North Carolina is a place of craggy shorelines, old lighthouses, and historic fishing towns. It was settled by the English, whose descendants here still speak with a British-sounding accent. The pirate Blackbeard roamed the area — learn about his exploits at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort. Later, Orville and Wilbur Wright arrived to test their flying machine, drawn by steady breezes and sparse population. Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills commemorates their first successful airplane flight and displays full-scale reproductions of the duo’s 1902 Wright Glider and 1903 Wright Flyer. Climb Big Kill Devil Hill, a 90-foot-tall dune with a 60-foot-tall granite monument at the top memorializing the Wrights’ early glider experiments, or fly a replica Wright glider with Kitty Hawk Kites at nearby Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head. At the northern end of the Outer Banks in Corolla, spy wild horses descended from Spanish mustangs brought here nearly 500 years ago. Wild Horse Adventure Tours and Corolla Outback Adventures can help you get a good look at the protected horses. (By law, you must stay 50 feet away.) The iconic black-and-white-striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, built in 1870, marks the easternmost point of the Outer Banks. Bird-watchers flock to nearby Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge to glimpse avian aviators. One of America’s longest-running stage shows is way off Broadway. The Lost Colony, a drama about the history (and mystery) of Roanoke Island, is in its 86th season. See the production outdoors at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site in Manteo. The Outer Banks is also home to the country’s first wind-powered brewery, Outer Banks Brewing Station. Kids of age can join you in sampling the craft beers on tap. Planning a vacation around older kids’ schedules can be tricky, as school, work, and other commitments fill their calendars early. But if a window opens up at the last minute, take advantage — and save big — with RCI Last Call℠ vacations, resort getaways you book 45 days or less from check-in. By waiting and being flexible, you can find incredible deals.

RETIREMENT

Aruba

Aruba: The name alone conjures up an exotic and intoxicating locale, even if you’re not totally sure you could pinpoint it on a world map. This Caribbean island, officially part of the Netherlands, offers respite in the form of alabaster beaches, rugged limestone landscapes, aqua water, and a plethora of palm trees. And now that you’re retired — or close to it — you’ll have plenty of time to drink it all in. Aruba’s capital, Oranjestad, packs wide-ranging adventures into a small area. Go dancing, shopping (buy Dutch cheese), dining, and sightseeing. Visit Fort Zoutman, Aruba’s oldest building, which once helped protect the city from pirates. Hop on a bright blue trolley to see equally colorful structures rocking orange-and-teal roofs and pink-and-yellow storefronts. Climb to the top of California Lighthouse, a 30-minute drive north of town, for sweeping views of the island. Jeep and ATV tours take you even deeper into the island’s beauty. The natural wonders include Arikok National Park, home to Fontein Cave and the Conchi natural pool. Marvel at more than 80 species of migratory birds from the watchtower in the Bubali Bird Sanctuary. Or keep it down to earth by touring a donkey sanctuary or ostrich farm. Serious adventurers can scuba dive among shipwrecks (underwater visibility is excellent), snorkel the reefs and shallow waters of Mangel Halto Beach, and hike the limestone cliffs and coves along the island’s north coast. The only downside to Aruba is its pricey reputation, but RCI member benefits come to the rescue: The island is a perfect destination for going the all-inclusive route. Pay a set amount for your stay and almost everything else — like meals, drinks, and resort activities — is included. That takes the stress out of planning and minimizes surprises. Just show up, relax, and be immersed in indulgence. You’ve earned it!