10 Exciting Destination Wedding Locations in the U.S.

 

(This story was originally published in Cocktails and Joints)

 

Destination weddings can take away a lot of the hassle – and cost – from the bride and groom, but it’s difficult to plan when your guests don’t want to leave the U.S.  You can still find some exciting places to head out of town for your nuptials without anyone needing to make a trip to the passport office. In fact, you may find some of these places offer unique scenery you won’t get on an island.

Geyserville, California

Geyserville, California

Between the Mayacamas Mountains and the vineyards, the backdrop for your ceremony will be amazing at the Geyserville Inn. This Sonoma accommodation is laid back and attentive at the same time. It’s family owned and there’s only one wedding at a time. Guests can stay right at the Inn in one of the well-appointed 41 rooms or suites.

You should also consider the rehearsal dinner or next day brunch at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery. It may be in the heart of Sonoma, but it’s part Europe with a bit of Hollywood. The property includes a castle the Academy Award-winning director had designed to look like the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen.

Infinite Monkey Theorem Winery

Denver, Colorado

Forget everything you know about wineries and consider Infinite Monkey Theorem for a destination wedding venue everyone will be talking about. This urban winery doesn’t have a vineyard. Instead, they have a warehouse for their canned wine (which happens to be delicious).

Their tasting room and lounges are located in Denver’s RiNo neighborhood and Infinite Monkey has become a popular location for untraditional weddings.  Just a short drive away, the Springhill Suites Downtown Denver offers oversized rooms and a great location to put your guests up in. 

The Resort at Longboat Key Club

Longboat Key, Florida

If you still want that tropical beach wedding, but you don’t want to leave the country, The Resort at Longboat Key is your answer. Here you can enjoy the best of both worlds with a marina, golf club, beach, pools, and multiple restaurants, all a short drive from Sarasota.

Longboat Key offers a selection of venues for your ceremony, from the beach to the banquet rooms. You’ll also find plenty of suite and apartment accommodations to satisfy everyone coming to your wedding.

Deer Path Inn

Lake Forest, Illinois

How about a classic and historic inn for your destination wedding? Deer Path Inn is modeled after an English manor and has the pedigree to match, having housed Chicago’s elite and Hollywood stars since the 1860s. Every touch to details will be available to your guests at this luxury property, where limousines and butlers are readily available.

Consider the English Garden for your ceremony, followed by a cocktail hour in Windsor Hall. With only 55 rooms in this boutique hotel, you can take over the place with a wedding no one will ever forget.

Newfields

Indianapolis, Indiana

Whether you are looking for classic scenery or old time beauty, the Newfields property can provide it. IMA is located on the 26-acre estate known as Oldfields that also includes the Lilly House & Gardens. The photo possibilities for the wedding ceremony are endless and will not disappoint.

 

For your reception, chose from venues such as the Garden Terrace built by J. K. Lilly Jr., or the Deer Zink Pavilion. Plan to take a gondola through White River State Park before the event, and have the family stay downtown at JW Marriott, which stands above Indianapolis, but is convenient to all.

Mackinac Island

Michigan

Time will stop for your destination wedding on Mackinac Island. You won’t have a problem finding a horse and buggy here as it is the top mode of transportation – cars are not allowed. As for the ceremony, it’s easy to find a spot. Fort Holmes is the highest point on the island and the latest popular wedding location, but you can’t go wrong at the Grand Hotel, which has the longest front porch in the world.

The Grand Hotel is the obvious place to stay on Mackinac, but quite a few bed and breakfasts line the shore if any of your guests want a bit of privacy of their own.

Rafael Winery

Peconic, New York

Napa may have started the destination wedding winery scene, but the North Fork of Long Island has mastered it. Enjoy the beauty of the Rafael Winery vineyards for your ceremony and their Renaissance Room for your reception. Or, make it a quiet ceremony on the porch. Whether you rent out the whole winery or just bring the family, this spot is so beautiful you’ll never forget it.

For the best enjoyment of the east end, try the spring or fall when things are quieter and you’ll have a selection of reasonably priced rooms to choose from, even if your guests want to stay in the Hamptons.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Cleveland, Ohio

The ultimate destination wedding venue for a music lover is the home of rock and roll, Cleveland, where you can have your nuptials at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. They can accommodate weddings for as few as 20 and as many as 2,000.

If you’d like to have the ceremony in a spot that’s a bit quieter, try the waterfront, overlooking Lake Erie. Your guests will be more than comfortable staying at the Westin Downtown Cleveland, which is walking distance away. The Urban Farmer at the hotel is a great spot for your rehearsal dinner.

Big Cypress Lodge and Bass Pro Shop

Memphis, Tennessee

For outdoors lovers, a visit to a Bass Pro Shop is always a treat, but what about getting married in one? The Pyramid is one of the most unique locals you will ever see. Inside is the largest Bass Pro Shop in the country, as well as Big Cypress Lodge, a hotel within the store. The 103 rustic rooms in this hotel look out at the store in a site like you’ve never seen before.

In the center of the pyramid is the tallest free standing elevator in the U.S. This elevator will take you to the top of the pyramid, where you’ll find a circular bar and surrounding deck that offers a 360-degree view of Memphis, with a bit of Arkansas and Mississippi.

The Edgewater

Madison, Wisconsin

Let your wedding have one destination at The Edgewater on Lake Mendoza. Regardless of the season you’ll be guaranteed some amazing views for your ceremony and reception whether you are up at the Sky Bar or down by the beach. The Edgewater accommodates small and large events, with everything taken care of from your rehearsal dinner to the post-wedding brunch.

Be sure to set up your appointments at the Edgewater Spa for your bridal party, where the specialize in wedding services. You can also take a yoga class to make sure you are fully pampered and relaxed for the big day.

TWA Hotel Brings Back Lots of Memories

The first time I was in the TWA Terminal at JFK Airport in New York was when I was 11 years old. After years of taking road trips down south or cross country each year, we were taking our first flight. It was to Florida, and we were leaving out of this modern terminal on a jet plane.

It looked just as I remembered when I arrived at the TWA Hotel in the same spot as the old terminal. I had left the Viana Hotel in Westbury to spend  24 hours here before my flight home to Champaign the next day. 

From the moment I wheeled in on my scooter, I was transformed back into the 70s, with music from that period playing throughout the building, as well as photographs, memorabilia, and even cars. All was in bright colors, predominantly the TWA red.

 

Check-in to the TWA hotel was familiar at the counters previously used to check in to your flight. The ones that were not being used for that were spots for quick service food, forming a bit of a food hall with favorite New York comfort food such as Mister Softee Ice Cream and Feltman’s of Coney Island Hot Dogs.

 

I had a Deluxe Accessible Room, which overlooked an actual runway. It was designed to match the period and the airline, with things like a little amenity bag like you used to get on long flights, and a rotary phone. There was also luxurious robes and a very comfortable king bed.

 

I was really hungry and, even though it was cold and rainy, I headed up to the Rooftop Bar. There was a heated pool there from which you could watch the planes take off. I wasn’t that brave, but I stepped inside the bar and café, where I enjoyed a spiked hot chocolate and a delicious turkey sandwich with cranberry and brie.

 

It was time for me to put my feet up and get a little work done for  a few hours. There were blackout shades, and the rooms were very soundproof so the planes taking off did not disturb me.

My cousin, Marissa, who spent time with me in Chelsea, came to meet me for dinner at Paris Café by Jean Georges. It was far from airport food as we feasted on Shaved Broccoli & Kale Salad, Burrata, Tagliatelle Mushroom Bolognese, and Sesame Crusted Salmon, with carrot cake for  dessert.

 

I slept well in the quiet room with the shades down. In the morning, I met one of my oldest--in how long I’ve known her, not age—friends for breakfast at the Paris Café. Donna and I had gotten our journalism degrees and worked on the college newspaper at CW Post, now known as Long Island University, Post Campus.

 

She is now also a travel writer and we try to see each other at least once a year. We had a long overdue catch up and a delicious meal. I had banana pancakes and scrambled eggs, and Donna had an omelet (you can choose what you want in it, including smoked salmon). The coversation and the food was all great. 

There was time before my flight to explore more. I couldn’t help but smile as I made my way through the 70s, including a Sweet ‘N Glow Salon, Twister Room, displays of flight attendant uniforms through the years, and that famous TWA plane, Connie.

 

I opted to take an Uber to the  American Airlines  terminal as I had luggage, and it wasn’t that close. It was too much for me in the scooter. Most  people can walk and/or take the train that runs through JFK. There is also a direct door from the TWA Hotel to the Jet Blue Terminal.

It was a wonderful trip to New York, visiting family and friends, and discovering unfamiliar places. I thank the ILoveNY team for helping me with the latter and look forward to working with them again.

I was hosted for some of this trip, but views are my own.

Viana Spa and Dinner with Friends

I don’t get a lot of relaxing days when I am traveling, but my first full day at the Viana Hotel & Spa in Westbury, New York, was a perfect one.

 

The best way to start a day is without an alarm clock and that’s what I did. I took my time putting on something comfortable and went down to the Marco Polo restaurant for breakfast. The buffet had a nice assortment of items, and there was a spot to get custom omelets, which I did, as well as pancakes and French toast.

It was comforting to be in a place that is wheelchair accessible on all floors. There were wide open hallways and, even though there were stairs in the lobby to go up to the restaurant or down to the spa, you could also take the elevator to both.

After breakfast, I caught up with emails and then went downstairs to wait for my daughter. We had a spa date at this Long Island hotel I was looking forward to.

 

Viana Hotel has a full-service spa that includes massages, treatments, nail, and hair services. There is also a small indoor pool and whirlpool, as well as a sauna and fitness center. We had plenty of time to hang out in the water and dry off in the sauna before our appointments.

My daughter went for a Swedish Massage, while I decided to go more to the holistic with the Reiki (they also have reflexology). Reiki is said to help promote energy movement in the body, boosting the immune system and lowering stress. I did have any miraculous cures, but I felt more relaxed and balanced. Sam also enjoyed her massage.

We waited in the comfortable lobby for my friends, Lynn, and Gail. The three of us have known each other since our five-year-old girls played on the same soccer team. I see them whenever I come to New York and Lynn has traveled with me often.

Sam left and we went to the Marco Polo restaurant for dinner. After such a wonderful meal the previous night, I was excited to go back. There was plenty left to try on their very unusual Asian-Italian menu.

 

We started with the dumplings and salads. I recommended the Korean BBQ Ribs and Lynn agreed they were delicious, but Gail and I went for dishes that really reflected the restaurant. It was Penne Ala Sake for Gail, a take on penne ala vodka that substituted the Japanese spirit. I did the Lo Mein Bolognese, which, in addition to the Asian noodle, changed up the dish with a bit of unique flavoring in a normally Italian sauce.

We rounded off the meal with some traditional desserts (cheesecake and red velvet cake), which were as satisfying as the rest of the dinner.

 

It was a wonderful day catching up and relaxing at Viana Hotel & Spa and I was ready to get back to my room. I had a more active one planned for the next day, to a place I lived 10 minutes from for nearly 20 years, but never made it to.

 

I was hosted for some of this part of the trip, but opinions are my own.

History, Wineries and More in Niagara Falls

The morning started at The Giacomo in Niagara Falls, with their delicious European style breakfast. My friend Lynn and I each had a full plate of eggs, potatoes and a danish in preparation of a full day of walking – and wine tasting.

Michelle Blackley of Niagara USA picked us up for our private tour of Old Fort Niagara, which is just across from Toronto, Canada.  It has become an important part of history for the United States, France and Great Britain as all fought for control of the Great Lakes region.

Today Old Fort Niagara stands above Lake Ontario much as it had three hundred years ago. It is a NY State Historic Site, as well as a National Historic Landmark, and well worth touring for the glimpse into past history it offers.

After touring the fort we were off to the Niagara Wine Trail. While it’s not an area ready to rival New York’s Finger Lakes, I was impressed with the variety offered in this area because of the longer growing season this region offers as Lake Ontario never freezes.

Our first stop was Freedom Run Winery. They manage to cover both ends of the spectrum. They have a fantastic 2011 Vin Gris Estate, a dry rose from pinot noir, merlot and cabernet with a strawberry nose and the taste of ripe berries.  On the other end, they make a gewürztraminer that’s floral, tropical and refreshing and delicious fruit “nektars” that aren’t too sweet (the raspberry was my favorite).

Arrowhead Springs Vineyard was the next stop and here I also found a mixture from dry reds to sweet whites. I even discovered a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc that was almost as grassy and tropical as the New Zealand ones. It’s the ice wines, though, Arrowhead is famous for and I couldn’t argue with that fact after tasting the 2005 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine. It was a luscious combination of green apple, apricot, pineapple and mango that’s a bargain at $40.00.

Eveningside Vineyards was our final winery of the day and I discovered that there were even more grapes growing in this area as I tasted the 2011 Crofton Street Catawba with a hint of apricot in a semi dry rose.  They also impressed me with the 2011 Raven, a riesling and chardonnay combo that tasted like an apple-pear combination on a fresh summer day.

We stopped at Macri’s Italian Grille, a local favorite, for lunch and I enjoyed my eggplant rollatini and Beans & Greens Soup before it was time for me to relax at the Barton Hill Hotel & Spa in Lewiston while Lynn spent some time walking around this quaint town.

I really liked this large inn off the pier, but was even happier to be in their quiet spa for my facial, which included a steam, clarifying cleanser, exfoliator, avocado and peppermint oil cream mask, décolletage and scalp massage and a correcting moisturizer.

We had been scheduled to stay in Lewiston for lunch at Carmelo’s, but we weren’t yet hungry and opted to head back to the hotel. After a rest we walked down to the Seneca Niagara Casino and filled up on their new buffet, one of the largest I’ve ever seen. The food was fresh and filling.

All too soon the Buffalo/Niagara trip was over, but I’m sure it won’t be another 20 years until I’m back in this area. 

Buffalo Bound

The flights to Buffalo were quick and easy and I had no trouble finding my friend Lynn in Buffalo airport. I hadn’t been to this part of upstate New York since I picked my brother up at college (SUNY-Fredonia) many years ago so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect.

It was a quick trip to the downtown area. I was immediately struck by the interesting architecture, even comparing the different neighborhoods and buildings to Chicago. It turned out I wasn’t too far off, as Buffalo did share some of the architectural geniuses, such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Frederick Law Olmsted.

We quickly dropped our things at the Hotel Lafayette and were met by Peter Burakowski of Visit Buffalo. Our first stop was at Pearl Street Grill & Brewery, known as much for its brews as its food.  We were starving since we’d been traveling for hours and enjoyed a serving of their potato pancakes with homemade applesauce while we waited for the main dishes.

Lynn had the Bowtie Pasta and I went for the Reuben sandwich while we sampled some beer. Everyone who knows me knows that beer is my last drink choice, but the fruity smells coming from the sampler really spiked my interest and I have to say the Blue-eyed Blonde (blueberry) was quite good, as was the Don Cherry.

We spent the afternoon driving around the area. Peter told us about the $295 million development being done by the waterfront that will include canals, shops, restaurants and even an ice rink. We also saw the Erie Basin Marina which is shaped like a buffalo when viewed from the air.

We finished the driving tour in the neighborhood of Elmwood, filled with quaint shops and restaurants. I saw quite a few interesting things and even picked up some spices at Penzy’s and found the perfect gift for my mom, a beautiful locket at Shoe Fly.

While we weren’t hungry to stop at any of the restaurants, Peter did insist we try a Buffalo favorite, sponge candy. The only thing I could compare it to would be a chocolate covered graham cracker, though the center is much thicker and a bit sweeter.

We headed back to the Hotel Lafayette and relaxed a bit in our two bedroom suite. The hotel was quite large and a cross between antique and contemporary that I really liked. It had been renovated just a year ago.

Dinner was downstairs in one of the hotel’s restaurants, ButterwoodSweet & Savory. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the name and I felt the same when I saw the menu. It was quite eclectic, but I like a challenge and suggested we order a bunch of small plates to do some sampling of food and cocktails.

There was no doubt that For Ginger Sake (Domaine De Canton, House Ginger Syrup, Zipang Sparkling Sake and candied ginger) was my favorite cocktail, but it was harder to narrow down the food.

The Sweet & Savory Salad was just fantastic, with candied beets, goat cheese, avocado and tomato relish and finished with a passion fruit vinaigrette. I was also a big fan of the Short Rib Mole with Drunken Onion Rings and the Pappardelle Pasta, with a chorizo sausage broth, wild mushrooms, sweet peas, roasted red peppers and saffron in a goat cheese fondue (not nearly as rich as it sounds).

We were ready to leave until the waiter led us to the dessert case, where I picked a delectable chocolate-peanut butter cone that I didn’t eat nearly enough of.

A few minutes later we were upstairs and fell asleep early after the long day. I was anticipating more interesting things to come in Buffalo, followed by a few days in Niagara Falls.