Vacation Locations

I want to go on a nice vacation this year after I graduate, using some of the money I’ve saved over the years plus some that I’ll be getting as gifts from family members (yes, I know I’m spoiled!). I plan to work really, really hard in my first few years out of college, so I want to have a sort of last hurrah of relaxation, with the idea being that I don’t have to do much planning. So I’d like to just pick a resort that has a sort of all-in-one vibe. But I’ve never really done that kind of vacation before, so I don’t know where to start. Any advice?

A great vacation is just the thing to do before diving into a stressful work environment. But don’t make this your last vacation for too long, because studies show that time off can have a serious (and positive) effect on our working lives. People who head out on vacation return de-stressed and with a renewed appetite for work. (The effect doesn’t last long, but that just suggests that we should be taking multiple trips a year!) And those of us who use vacation days are more productive on the whole than those who don’t, despite the fact that we took time off. So hopefully your plan isn’t to go on one vacation and then work relentlessly for years afterwards--that’s just not a good idea!

But let’s return to the issue at hand: your big postgraduate vacation. Your decision to opt for an all-inclusive resort certainly simplifies your planning a bit, but you still need to pick the right place. For starters, you can do the obvious: narrow your selections by region. Pick the place you’re going to and start looking at the top resorts in that area.

Next, experts say, start asking yourself questions: do you want a kid-friendly or adults-only resort? What sort of amenities can you not live without? These questions should help you cross a whole lot of resorts off of your list.

Finally, you’ll end up with a list of resorts that fit your needs. But which is best? If you ask management at Welk Resorts, a company that runs resorts like the Northstar Resort, among others, the answer is to look online: their business relies on word-of-mouth and expert reviews, and all of that information is at your fingertips when you surf the next. True enough: a Welk Resorts review is indeed easy to find online, and the same is likely true of your finalists. Compare and contrast based on expert and peer reviews, and then make your final pick. Good luck!

“That made me feel good, not to go to a resort where outside the door is extreme poverty.” -- Jasmine Guy