Eat Your Way Along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi

Looking to heat things up this winter? It may be a long way until summer is here, but there’s plenty of sunshine and fun to be had at the southern destinations below. If you’re looking for the perfect honeymoon spot or couples getaway, there’s something for every type of traveler at the destinations below: from a tropical island paradise and beachside adventures, to a unique desert oasis and a vibrant city center.
Book a romantic getaway to St. Barts
The Christopher Hotel in St. Barthelemy by Shanna Camilleri – Unsplash
Located in the French West Indies, St. Barts invites couples of all interests to relax and experience true romantic bliss with the island’s vast selection of excellent accommodations and numerous hotel honeymoon offerings – ensuring a true lover’s paradise. With some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, there is no spot more romantic to enjoy with a loved one. See below for details on each of these St. Barts hotels, their romantic packages, experiences and why they are prime destinations for the dreamiest honeymoons.
For dreamy and indulgent experiences, stay at Cheval Blanc — Discover one of the most beautiful bays of the Caribbean – Colombier Bay – aboard your choice of a private yacht, a sailing boat or a catamaran. The sunrise to sunset “Great Blue’ sea experience, offers guests of Cheval Blanc St Barth the privacy of the ocean and its most pristine, quiet beaches while in the hands of the Maison’s team of ‘Ambassadeurs’ to cater to every need. The day starts with a snorkeling experience among sea turtles and exploring all the underwater sights of the island, before dropping anchor near the pristine white beach of Colombier Bay, where an elaborate picnic display of French-Caribbean delicacies and Champagne awaits. At sunset, sip a last cocktail accompanied by delicious amuse-bouche facing the sublime white sandbank of Colombier. Sail back along the coastline before returning to your room or to enjoy the tranquility of the Maison’s tropical gardens with a Guerlain spa treatment in the Tropical Pavilion. For the eco-minded and adventurous, try Le Barthelemy — Nestled on a quiet bay, set back from the island buzz, Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa, is the quintessential milieu for honeymooners. The conscious wellness-minded couple will love it here, with private yoga sessions overlooking the Natures Reserve, ethically-sourced cuisine and zero-waste cooking classes with the head chef at AMIS St. Barth, ancient water healing experiences like Janzu, Nordic water therapy and aquatic sound therapy and sailing and snorkeling trips around the island on the resort’s private boat. Le Barthelemy’s long-standing partnership with Coral Restoration St. Barth not only supports the regeneration of the surrounding natural reef but creates a special undersea adventure for couples to snorkel and dive to replant coral and leave their mark in St. Barts forever. The hotel’s butler-style service creates an elevated sense of personalization, including everything from monogramming bathrobes to delivering champagne to the suite with a touch of a button–literally there is a ‘champagne please’ button on the room phone.Foodies will love a trip to Rosewood Le Guanahani — Epicurean couples can embark on a romantic culinary journey imbued with the flavors of the Mediterranean with the resort’s bespoke dining experience. In this one-of-a-kind offering, Chef Ollivault and his team will create a custom menu for couples to enjoy in their preferred venue, from aboard the resort’s pontoon boat overlooking Margot Bay to the beach with their feet in the sand. The resort’s culinary master classes welcome couples to join the world-class culinary team of Beach House St. Barth to learn new skills, or sharpen existing ones, in a fun, interactive atmosphere centered around the art of island cuisine. This is an incredible opportunity for couples to live in the moment, sip a glass of wine or mocktail, and create a delightful dish of their choosing, all while surrounded by the island’s stunning natural beauty. Similarly, the team at Bar Mélangé offers mixology classes for couples to broaden their knowledge of cocktails and learn the art of mixology under the guidance of professionals. From the fundamentals of ingredients to the proper handling of utensils, this class imparts couples with new skills to share on their next adventure behind the bar.The ultimate in relaxation can be found at Hotel Christopher — Hotel Christopher offers the ultra-unique, ultra luxurious Journey for Two spa experience. Combining different massages, rituals and relaxation techniques, a romantic experience is guaranteed. The Sisley Spa has been elected Caribbean’s Best Hotel Spa and St. Barts Best Hotel Spa by the renowned World Spa Awards and offers a selection of different experiences sure to promise unparalleled relaxation. For more information regarding the romantic Journey for Two Package visit here.
Splurge on a wilderness retreat in Death Valley, California
The rolling, sandy hills of Death Valley, California by Nick Ricket – Unsplash
Ancient waters bubble up from the ground to support an entire ecosystem at the Oasis at Death Valley, a secluded resort tucked into one of the world’s most dramatic desert settings, the 3.4-million-acre Death Valley National Park (the largest park in the Lower 48). This wondrous winter vacation destination in America’s great desert is just two hours from Las Vegas and a little more than four hours from Los Angeles.
It offers spring-fed pools averaging a comfortable 87 degrees, the lowest USGA golf course on earth, cascading bougainvillea-adorned Xanadu Gardens, and spring-watered groves of stately date palms. It’s also a natural haven for wildlife: kit fox, desert cottontail, coyotes, roadrunners, and various species of birds all thrive on or near the oasis.
Dating to 1927, the historic property encompasses two lodgings: the luxurious AAA Four-Diamond The Inn at Death Valley and the family-friendly The Ranch at Death Valley, both part of the recent $200 million renovations. The historically accurate restoration preserved the original design, materials and colors of the buildings, while updating the infrastructure to modern standards. Also, for the most budget-friendly option, try a stay at the property’s third lodging option: the Fiddlers Campground.
The result is a return to the elegance of Old Hollywood, when the Inn attracted likes of Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, and Carole Lombard — and more recently, the cast and crew of Star Wars. Accommodations at the 66-room Inn marry classic decor with modern amenities. Fine-art color landscape photographs bring the splendor of Death Valley right into the rooms. Want total privacy? Stay in one of 22 new Inn casitas or 80 new Ranch cottages.
In the evening, dine on classic fare regionally flavored with cactus, citrus, date, and even pomegranate from the garden, while gazing at the desert salt pans and majestic Panamint Mountains. Watch a glorious sunset from one of the stone patios or admire the Milky Way from the Stargazers Deck in this internationally recognized Gold Tier Dark Sky Park. And hoist a cold one at the Last Kind Words Saloon, a cowboy paraphernalia-festooned throwback to the Old West.
No wonder basketball Hall of Famer and broadcaster Bill Walton has been a regular guest at the Inn for more than two decades. “It’s everything I love. I love nature, I love the changing light, I love the desert air here,” he says. “The spring that feeds this resort is just phenomenal. The quality of the water.”
“They took paradise and they made it better,” he adds. “They’ve made the hotel even nicer while maintaining the culture and the tradition and the history, the architecture, and the stonework.
“Every time I come here, it’s such a healing place, it’s such an inspiring place…a place of enlightenment and imagination and creativity. You’re just awestruck by the magnificence and the grandeur of nature in Death Valley.”
Enjoy seasonal festivities in Mexico City, Mexico
Christmas decor in Mexico City, Mexico – courtesy of Mexico City Tourism Board
Secluded retreats into the wilderness or on an island may be a travel dream for many couples, but not for the most social pairs. If you’re looking for a bustling and vibrant city to explore in the winter, look no further than Mexico City. This colorful metropolis will show off its best during the December season with more than 264 must-see events and activities for national and international tourists of all ages.
Head to the “City that has it all” for some of the most exciting celebrations of the Christmas season. There will be posadas and pilgrimages in the 16 neighborhoods that make up Mexico City, at no charge from December 16th to 23rd, with traditional Mexican fruit punch and the symbolic 7-spike piñatas. On Paseo de la Reforma, the emblematic avenue of Mexico City, the Christmas Eve Flower Festival will take place, with the presence of flower farmers who will dress the city in red and offer unbeatable prices; Let us remember that 59% of the land in Mexico City is conservation. Also in Reforma, the Christmas Tourism Festival will take place from December 12th to 17th, with all 32 States of Mexico bringing their crafts and cuisines. At the Casitllo de Chapultepec, the Amalia Hernández Folkloric Ballet will perform, with the show titled “Christmas in Mexico.” The Christmas Craft Festival will be held at the Casa del Risco Museum; and the Coffee and Chocolate Festival, at the Palacio de Minería.
In the heart of the Historic Center, visitors can enjoy the Verbena del Zócalo, with its Christmas fair and its spectacular and colorful Christmas lighting; live music and pastorelas, which will be free and will start mid-December and run until the first days of January 2024, from Monday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. To end the year, the countdown will be celebrated in Latin Times Square style, at the Ángel de la Independencia, with music, food, plus the must-see New Year’s Eve concert.
Santa Fe, Paseo de la Reforma, Chapultepec, Zócalo, the Monument to the Revolution, Coyoacán, San Ángel and the Basilica, as well as Xochimilco and Polanco, are some of the metropolitan areas with the greatest tourist attraction and have prepared recreational activities. Sports Tourism has been growing in Mexico City and will be represented with the “Santa Run” race, which will be attended in costumes and with a mascot. The Christmas Bazaar will also be held at the World Trade Center, an emblematic business location; and where the famous San Silvestre race will take place.
Additionally, about six million parishioners are expected to attend on December 12th, to celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe, in La Basílica, the second most visited Marano temple in the world.
Six Flags, one of the busiest amusement parks and known by national and foreign visitors, began Christmas celebrations on November 24, 2023, and will be running until January 14, 2024. On Christmas Day, the amusement park with its stages, lighting and ornaments inspired by Christmas in which the music, songs and dances are enjoyed, as well as the Mexican traditions of the season – posadas and piñatas, included.