Skiing at Ski Plattekill located in the town of Roxbury in the Catskills Plattekill. Photo / Ash Jurberg
The United States is a long way from New Zealand. So, if you’re going to sit through a long-haul flight, you may as well book something extraordinary you’ll talk about for years, writes Ash Jurberg.
Looking for inspiration? Here are six experiences worth building a trip around.
Ever wondered what it is like to have a mountain to yourself?
Plattekill Mountain in the Catskills, about two and a half hours from New York City, will give you that opportunity for US$11,000. That buys exclusive access for a day to 41 trails, every lift, and space for up to 200 guests. Trails run from beginner to expert, and you can add equipment rentals, snowtubing, and catering.
If the snow isn’t your thing, the mountain also rents out in warmer months for US$2750, with access to the lodge and scenic chairlift rides.
Bragging rights alone justify this. How often can you take over an entire mountain?
plattekill.com/rent-the-mountain
Research the best places to stay in Charleston and you’ll find Wentworth Mansion at the top of the list.
Dating back to 1880, it features 21 rooms, Italian crystal chandeliers, and a rooftop cupola with views across the city. However, what makes staying here truly special is an experience available only to guests.
For US$350, you can book a private tour in a 1928 Ford Model A. Sitting in the rumble seat with a Prohibition-era cocktail in hand, your guide drives through Charleston’s historic streets and old jazz district, sharing stories about Charleston’s jazz age and history. I love the fact that the car is purely mechanical. No air conditioning or power steering, only the authentic rattle of 1920s engineering. If you love cocktails, class, and some good fashioned history, this is one to do.
The San Juan Islands sit in the Salish Sea between Washington State and Canada, and they’re consistently ranked among the top destinations in the country. Most visitors take crowded ferries but if you’re going for luxury, you’ll charter a seaplane from Seattle’s Lake Union to Friday Harbor instead.
The 50-minute flight is half the experience. You’ll see the Space Needle, Mount Rainier, and the Emerald Islands before the plane touches down on water. If you haven’t done a water landing before, it’s worth trying at least once.
The islands host resident orca pods, plus kayaking, biking, and wine tasting. For accommodation, rent a private waterfront estate. Options range from timber lodges on 30-acre properties with private beaches to modern homes on ridges overlooking the Salish Sea and Olympic Mountains.
Expect to pay US$2000 to US$4000 per night for properties that sleep 10-20 guests and come with the luxury essentials: hot tubs, chef kitchens, ocean access, and enough space that you feel like you have the island to yourself, especially after daytrippers leave.
Most Yellowstone visitors (including myself) drive themselves through, stopping at packed viewpoints and eating mediocre cafeteria food. But there is another, much more luxurious way to do the bucket list national park if you travel with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris.
During the private three-day safari, you’ll travel around Yellowstone and Grand Teton with expert guides, luxury transport and chef-prepared meals. Each day, expert guides explain the ecosystem’s geopolitics, share stories about mountain men and homesteaders, and show you nesting bald eagles and grizzly den locations most visitors miss.
Even better, several guides are professional photographers who can help you capture the perfect shot. You’re transported in luxury SUVs, handed professional-grade scopes and cameras, and positioned at dawn to watch wolf packs and grizzlies without the tour buses.
After working up an appetite, you’ll then enjoy meals prepared by resort chefs.
The tours start at US$7295 for two people and include guides, accommodation, professional equipment, luxury transport and chef-prepared meals.
jacksonholewildlifesafaris.com
Why deal with the stress of security lines and airport delays when you can relax on a high-end train? There’s something special about watching the landscape pass by your window as you sip champagne. Canyon Spirit runs a three-day luxury journey through the Southwest from Denver to Salt Lake City, with overnight stays in Glenwood Springs and Moab.
From mountain passes to red rock canyons to open desert, you’ll take them in from glass-dome coaches and outdoor viewing platforms offering uninterrupted views. And you won’t miss any of the passing landscapes as the train only runs during daylight.
Onboard meals feature regional cuisine, drinks flow freely, and guides share stories about the geology and history.
Full disclosure: my wife is Texan, and she will be disappointed if I don’t include one of her favourite spots - Big Bend National Park in far West Texas. She visited several times before moving to the southern hemisphere and raves about it.
I can see why. Dark sky tourism is trending, and this is one of the best locations in the world for it. The national park holds International Dark Sky Park status, and without city lights for hundreds of miles, the Milky Way stretches across the entire sky in a way you never see near cities.
Best of all, even in a national park in the middle of a desert, you can stay in luxury accommodation. My recommendation (okay, my wife’s) is Summit Bend. Here you will find luxury domed tents with proper beds and climate control. Each luxury tent has a stargazing window above the bed, so you can lie back and watch the night sky without stepping outside. Or you can stay in a cave hotel carved into the side of the Tres Cuevas Mountains.
There’s still plenty to do during the day, from hiking desert canyons to soaking in natural hot springs, but nighttime is where Big Bend really stands out.
Many camps offer guided stargazing sessions, where experts point out constellations and share how Indigenous communities used the night sky for navigation and storytelling.
The writer travelled at their own expense.