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.

Cradle of Aviation in New York

I had been enjoying some down time with friends and family in New York. That wasn’t going to change on day four, but I added in some discovery as I took my daughter and son-in-law to the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City.

Even though I had lived 15 minutes from this museum for 20 years, I had never been there. It had been in the back of my mind, and when I would occasionally pass it, I would remind myself. It just never happened.

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This Long Island trip was planned to include checking out new places, and with this museum close to the Viana Hotel and Spa where I was staying, I decided to include it. The ILoveNY team helped me make the arrangements.

I had breakfast at the hotel before Sam and Matt picked me up for the museum. I was happy to see immediately that it was extremely wheelchair accessible.

 

 

We were met at the entrance by Joe Pobliner. I soon learned he was a wonderful expert on Long Island’s history in aviation and everything the Cradle of Aviation has to offer. There is even more than I had ever imagined.

The location of the museum has a lot of meaning. Charles Lindbergh’s first solo trans-Atlantic flight started at Roosevelt Field, right next to where the museum is. Long Island is also known for its Mitchel Field Military Base and military engineering powerhouses, such as Grumman.

 

Charles Lindbergh and his history of flying is just part of what this museum offers. In relics, replicas, movies, writings, and photographs, you will see aviation beginning with balloons in 19th century France, and continuing to modern day Space X.

Mitchell Field was used for soldiers all over to learn how to fly. There is a copy of the Avenger Fighter Plane that Grumman released to fight against the Japanese planes, as well as those used in Korea and Vietnam.

 

The museum is definitely worthwhile for all ages. We saw kids enjoying some of the hands-on experiences, as well as marveling at the planes and spaceships. As three adults, we also found endless things to see and read, and Joe Pobliner’s anecdotes were captivating.

There was a Pan Am Museum next to the Cradle of Aviation, but it’s being reimagined and the contents were moved here. It was fascinating looking at the history of that famous airline, including the 707, which was the first jetliner created by Boeing.

 

Before we left, we saw the lunar module Grumman made for Apollo, the first trip to the moon. It is one of three. The other two are at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC,  and the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. There is also the parachute used in the 1972 Apollo 17 mission.

I strongly suggest planning a trip here if you are in New York. Allow a few hours to properly explore the Cradle of Aviation. Educational programs are also available at the museum. Visit their website for details.

 

After the museum, we went back to the Viana Hotel & Spa for dinner at the Marco Polo Restaurant. It was my third night having dinner there and I was still excited about it. Everything eaten there had been so good. It was definitely a restaurant I wanted to be back to.

On this night, our dinner at this Asian-Italian eatery included Ginger Chicken Milanese with wonton noodles, Crab Cake, Pan Seared Tuna with wasabi potatoes, and Egg Roll Sampler (chicken parmigiana, Philly cheese steak & Mongolian mozzarella sticks).

 

After dinner, I said goodbye and headed to my room at Viana Hotel & Spa for the last time. I was leaving the next day for a very special location I had looked forward to checking out for a long time. It ironically also had an aviation theme.

 

 

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

Chelsea Market & Whitney Museum in NYC Before Long Island

 

I woke up in my room at the Hyatt Place Chelsea. It was my first full day in New York City, and I had a lot planned.

 

I began by finishing the massive chocolate cake from the previous night’s dinner at Hav & Mar. I then got dressed and ready to go to Chelsea Market.

 

When I first started planning my trip, Like A Local Tours* had approached me about taking one of their tours. The Chelsea one caught my eye and the idea of staying in this emerging neighborhood came about.

 

It was rainy so I didn’t want to ride my scooter down to the Chelsea Market. It was nice to be somewhere where there were accessible rides available. I took a Lyft and arrived before my cousin, Marissa.

 

The Like A Local Chelsea Market +Highlands + Yards Food & History Tour* had just started when I arrived. The group was in front of Fat Witch Bakery and the leader, Chris, got me one of the delicious brownies they were eating.

 

That was just the beginning. We continued with a selection of food throughout the Chelsea Market. Among them were unique flavors from Doughnutery, such as Chai Me To The Moon, Pumpkin Pie  Brulee and Paris Time (Lavender, Vanilla & Pistachio); Pasties de Nata (Pastel de nata is a Portuguese egg custard tart pastry, optionally dusted with cinnamon); Takumi Carnitas; and Zach & Zoey Honey (I took home some of the wildflower).

 

Tables and chairs were set up between shops and restaurants, encouraging people to gather with friends, even if they had decided to sample from various places. There were a few places I couldn’t get to because of stairs, but most of it was easy to ride my scooter through.

 

We continued sampling across the street at Market 57, after Chris filled us in on some of the history of the area. In this area of Hudson Yards, we had the James Beard Ultimate Experience and a look at Little Island through the large windows. It was still cloudy so the views of the Hudson River were not as scenic as they could be.

 

From there we headed through the Meat Packing District with more of a history lesson of the area as we passed landmarks, including Diane Von Fürstenberg’s apartment. We were also able to get a look at some of the Highlands. That was to be the next part of the tour, but we were running a bit late for our next stop, so we bid the group goodbye as they headed up there.

 

Marissa and I went to the Whitney Museum of  American Art. I had never been there before, and I was excited to go. The museum was very accessible, and I was able to wheel all over without any problems.

 

The art was all on the modern side of American art. I especially enjoyed the collections of New Yorker Edward Hopper, to which they had they largest selection in the world, and Georgia O’Keefe. The Whitney was getting ready for a collaboration they were doing with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

 

Marissa went back with me to the hotel, where we said goodbye. We would meet up again in few days at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport. In the meantime, I had arranged to take NYC Wheelchair Transportation to Long Island, where I had spent most of my life before moving to the Midwest.

 

I was spending a few days in Westbury at the Viana Hotel & Spa, visiting with friends and family. I had discovered the hotel online, while searching for something convenient. I had not previously heard of the property. It belongs to the Wyndham family.

 

I loved the property from the moment I walked in, with an open lobby, and my extremely large, accessible room. Then, I became even more impressed when I had dinner at the Marco Polo restaurant. The potstickers were great and presented beautifully. The Korean BBQ Pork Ribs, which were slow roasted in a Korean glaze, were fork tender and tasty.

 

It looked like I was really going to enjoy my stay at Viana Hotel.

 

*To receive a 10% off a Like A Local Tour, click here and enter FROST10 at checkout.

 

I was hosted on this trip by ILoveNY, but opinions are my own.

Return to Long Island Wine Country

I grew up on Eastern Long Island so I’m always anxious to explore when I have a chance. This time it was a family affair, with my mother, and my daughter and her boyfriend.

You know the saying, “So little time, so many places to see?” That’s me when it comes to Long Island. For this trip I only had one day and decided we’d do the North Fork, which I haven’t been to in a while.

I contacted the Long Island Wine Council for some advice on new and unique wineries that would give me a wide range in a short period of time. They did a good job in choosing.

Our first stop was at Raphael Winery in Peconic. It’s a beautiful winery so it’s no wonder it’s popular for weddings

The winery is family owned and has been around for 13 years. Their selection included a little of everything. I especially liked the 2013 Rose, which is mostly merlot with a bit of pinot noir. It has a strawberry nose and hints of berries in a semi-dry wine. The 2010 La Fontana is a delicious red blend with a complex flavor that highlights licorice and blackberries.

I also recommend the 2013 Riesling. It’s light and fresh, perfect for a summer day. And, you can’t go wrong with their La Tavola White and La Tavola Red, both delicious and $20 and under.

Winemaker Anthony Nappa took me around the winery, which believes in sustainable practices. 

He then led us over to his own place, the Winemaker Studio, which also has Provisions for his chef wife to produce deli sandwiches, cheese plates, and other wine tasting accompaniments.

I enjoyed all of Nappa’s wines. My favorite was definitely the 2013 'Frizzante' Sparkling White Wine, a pinot noir, with some Riesling and gewürztraminer. It’s sold in a beer style bottle and just remembering it has me wondering if I can find a place around here to get some.

Also of note here is their most popular wine, a White Pinot Noir, currently bottled from 2012. It’s an orange colored wine that was produced with no oak and no malolactic acid, keeping it fruity and fresh. And, I can’t forget the 2013 Birdo Cabernet Franc with its chocolate taste.

Truthfully, just bring an extra suitcase and take home (at least) one of everything at the Winemakers Studio.

We took a tasting break to have lunch at one of the most well-known restaurants in the North Fork of Long Island, Claudios. I had heard they made a great Bloody Mary so I started with that. It had a little too much horseradish for me, but it fit the description otherwise.

The four of us shared two appetizers that were both excellent. The Fresh Mozzarella Tour was the Appetizer of the Day and was a fantastic combo of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, pesto, and balsamic vinegar.

Our other choice is always on the menu and a must try. Spinach-Stuffed Brie with a berry compote is a superb mix of flavors.

Claudio’s specializes in seafood and my mother and daughter indulged with a Lobster Roll and a Lobster BLT.

My mom agreed with the reviews that the Lobster Roll was one of the best she had. My daughter really liked the Lobster BLT, but thought it could have been better if they didn’t fry the lobster. Her boyfriend and I went for the burgers.

When I say burger, this was far from an ordinary one. It was topped with arugula, tomato confit, and cheddar.

I wished I could finish it, but a Chocolate Brownie Sundae showed up at our table and I had to make a choice.

After lunch, we drove to Kontokosta Winery in Greenport. This is another place which is popular on the wedding circuit and I can see why. It’s a 62 acre waterfront property. The winery is fully wind-powered.

It is also the eastern most winery on the North Fork, giving them the ability to produce some different grapes with unique flavor.

The winery is fairly new, with the production building not ready until 2012, so they don’t have any old vintages here, but what they have is all worthy of a taste. Their 2013 Riesling is everything a Riesling should be – semi-dry with a fresh apricot nose and a bit of grapefruit and honeysuckle on the tongue.

They also have the best Sauvignon Blanc I’ve tasted so far from Long Island, filled with lemon and kiwi, with a slight hint of peach.

I wished we had more time for more tasting and exploring, but it was time to head back and get ready for dinner. The North Fork will definitely stay on my list of Long Island places to return to. 

Leaving Montauk for Left Coast Kitchen

My daughter Sam spent the night with me in my beachfront condo at the Surf Club in Montauk. In the morning we headed downtown to Mr. John’s Pancake House. It had quite the unusual menu and after some time we decided on an order of ET Pancakes and Stuffed French Toast.

I’ve always been much more of a sweet breakfast eater than a meat one, and this one more than satisfied my sweet tooth. The pancakes were covered in semi-sweet and peanut butter chips and the French Toast was stuffed with cream cheese and covered in apples (a bit rich, but yummy). I knew I would have to add in another workout to make up for this.

Sam had to get to work, but I took my time enjoying the scenery in Montauk and the Hamptons as I headed west to meet up with my friend Melanie. I knew I had another big meal ahead of me so I kept lunch down to a fat free yogurt.

Dinner was at a place I had never been to, but had heard lots of good things about. Left Coast Kitchen in Merrick is as known for their cocktails as their food and is the brainchild of two food and drink lovers, Chris and Heather Randell. I was immediately impressed with the menus for both.

We started with some cocktails, a Pear Millionaire (Grey Goose Vodka, pear simple syrup and St. Germain) and a Morning Wood (Stoli Vanilla Vodka, Kahlua, Frangelico, Bailey’s Irish Cream and Van Gogh Espresso Vodka). They were both great, but loaded with alcohol, so we immediately ordered a Mediterranean Nosh to nibble on while we looked over the menu. It was a perfect combination of some of my favorites – hummus, olive-feta salad, spinach pie, warm pita.

The menu was filled with so many offerings it was hard to know where to start. I always go vegetarian when given the opportunity for creative options and that is definitely the case here. I started with Chopped Bliss (red beets, garden veggies, sun dried fruits, cous cous and goat cheese in sherry vinaigrette). It was so fresh and flavorful I could imagine this as a perfect lunch in itself. My main dish ravioli was also vegetable filled and though it was tasty, I wasn’t sure about the addition of corn.

Melanie had the Colossal Shrimp Cocktail with 2 Alarm Cocktail Sauce and sweet lemon aioli. She said it was delicious, as was her Sesame Crusted Yellow fin Tuna, roasted over Forbidden Risotto Morimoto and served with a sweet and sour asparagus stir fry in a wasabi dressing. The menu also offered a number of meat options (such as Root Beer Glazed Pork Chops) customers were enjoying.

Left Coast Kitchen has an extensive wine menu, but with dinner we tried the New Age Cocktail. It’s basically a combination of sangria and a wine spritzer, made with an Argentinian white (they don’t indicate which one, just that it’s No. 1 in Argentina).  It was quite fruity and one of those dangerous drinks that you keep guzzling down without realizing how many you’ve had.

Deciding which dessert to have was easy as Left Coast Kitchen offers the Tower of Power, which basically translates into one of every childhood favorite you’ve ever had. Despite the explanation from the waitress, I didn’t quite believe what arrived at our table. It was indeed a tower – with layers and layers of treats!

The “tower” included brownies, Fruit Loop cereal bars, yellow cupcakes, white chocolate macadamia cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, red velvet cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies and Oreo cupcakes. It was topped with cotton candy. Needless to say, we didn’t make a dent in it, but did get quite an audience trying to see how much of it we would eat. Finally, after we had sampled a bit of everything, Melanie decided to take the balance home to bring to her coworkers.

Another fun-filled trip to New York came to an end and I was heading back to the Midwest to get ready for my next Chicago adventure.