East Coast Escapes

Not ready to go abroad just yet? Not a problem. Whether you're craving small town Americana or big city culture, we've put together two very different ways to scratch your travel itch without crossing a border. So pack up: we're off to tranquil Chesapeake Bay and the beating heart of Manhattan.

The Tides Inn - Virginia

To visit Irvington, Virginia is to almost travel back in time. Back to an era when our grandparents took holidays that could easily be described as "wholesome," and kids spent afternoons fishing in the pond before chasing fireflies at dusk.

This is the kind of holiday still possible at The Tides Inn, a historic hotel resting between the creek and the sea just outside of Irvington. It was opened in 1947 by businessman E.A Stephens (known as "Big Steve") and his wife "Miss Anne," and was intended as "the finest thing that could be developed and still keep the rural atmosphere." More than seven decades later, it's clear they succeeded.

No matter their age, every guest of The Tides Inn will have an abundance of daily activities to choose from. Tap into your artistic side with watercolor or pottery classes taught by the resort's artists-in-residence; fish for bass in the pond, or get out on the water with sailing lessons; golf the 18 holes at Golden Eagle Golf Course; creek kayak with The Tides Inn ecologist; become a bivalve expert with the Oyster Academy; or much, much more.

Midway through these adventures, you'll want to stop for lunch at the Fish Hawk Oyster Bar, where dishes like shrimp ceviche, fried oysters and fried pickles with buttermilk dip are served up daily. For dinner, there's the Chesapeake Restaurant & Terrace, where you'll dine on east coast favorites before retiring to the beach for s'mores over a campfire - does it get any more wholesome than that?

display-of-dishes
empty-inn

Conrad New York Midtown - Manhattan

Still on the east coast but providing a very different kind of energy, Manhattan is perfect for a weekend where spontaneity reigns. Stay at the Conrad New York Midtown, located just south of Central Park, which makes a chic home base with their residential-style one- and two-bedroom suites. And for art lovers, you'll have plenty to admire without even leaving the hotel; that's thanks to its impressively-curated collection of abstract expressionism, sculpture, lithographs, pop art - including two original Andy Warhol silkscreens - and other pieces that are displayed throughout.

From the Conrad New York Midtown, you're within walking distance of iconic destinations like the MoMA (be sure to visit Le Relais de Venise L'Entrec?te before or after your tour for some of the city's best steak frites); the city's unparalleled Theater District; Rockefeller Center; Times Square; and plenty of exceptional private art galleries. For the cinephiles, the Conrad New York Midtown is also just a stone's throw from Manhattan's sole surviving single screen independent cinema: The Paris Theater.

Of course, you'll have no problem finding a slew of excellent options for eating and drinking - you're in New York, after all. There's Dabble, the Conrad New York Midtown's swanky choice for all-day dining, and nearby (enough) Bemelmans, a bar so exquisitely lovely you'll find it hard to go just once. There's also Midtown's newly-opened Iris, serving highly-lauded Greek and Turkish cuisine, while Keens Steakhouse in Midtown South is a nostalgic choice for a classic steak dinner. Finally, when in need of caffeine and a plump, crackly-topped cream puff, Bibble & Sip is just a hop and a skip southwest of the Conrad New York Midtown.

broadway-billboards


SELECT

The following hotels make the perfect home bases for your east coast jaunts; plus, you'll enjoy all the bonus amenities available through SELECT.


Ask about other experiences we can provide in Virginia and New York.