Sober Travel Is the Next Big Wellness Trend—Even If You Drink

Hear me out.

When New York City–based jewelry designer Bliss Lau set out on a three-week solo trip to Thailand late last year, the experience she was looking for was much more Eat, Pray, Love than The Hangover Part II. Inspired by the combination of safety concerns as a female traveler on her own and a desire to cut down on her booze intake, she decided to spend the entirety of her trip stone-cold sober. Instead of sipping on late-night Mai Thais at Bangkok bars, she used her hangover-free days to cruise the river on longtail boats, kayak between cliffs and through mangroves, meet organic farmers and drink honey straight from a hive, and do sunset yoga by the ocean.

“One night, as I was getting a Thai massage, I could hear people at the bar next door singing karaoke and thought to myself, ‘I don’t envy them,’” she says. “The next morning, I woke and watched the sunrise on an empty beach.”

Lau is one of many travelers who have hopped on the “dry tripping” trend. Now, more than ever before, people are opting out of drinking on vacation in favor of having more mindful—and meaningful—travel experiences that leave them looking (and feeling!) their best when it comes time to head home.

The Trend

While there have always been plenty of people who have opted out of imbibing, the last few years have seen sober and sober-curious lifestyles take center stage. As the wellness movement has continued to rise across the board, many young people are making the conscious choice to limit their alcohol intake or cut it out altogether. Gen Zers reportedly drink 20% less than previous generations—which explains why the Stanley Cup has dethroned the red Solo cup as the It accessory at college parties—and 49% of millennials say they want to “drink less” in 2024.

“As people are more health and wellness conscious than ever before, it’s hard for them to ignore the detriments of booze,” says Hilary Sheinbaum, author of The Dry Challenge and founder of GoingDry.co, a forthcoming nonalcoholic event and menu curation company. “And more and more, consumers are looking for activities and beverages that encourage fun, relaxation, comfort, and celebration without a buzz.”

This desire to cut back has, understandably, translated into the way people are choosing to travel: According to a 2023 report by Expedia, 40% of travelers are likely to book an alcohol-free vacation in the year ahead. “Sober travel, or ‘dry tripping,’ is becoming more and more popular because travelers are eager to experience vacations that encourage them to feel their best and live their best lives—no hangovers included,” says Sheinbaum. “They want all aspects of their lives to reflect their goals, values, and lifestyles, including when they’re traveling.”

Even for travelers who drink at home, these types of vacations have their appeal. “I do almost 99% of my vacations completely dry,” says Rachel Branchi, who recently spent three alcohol-free weeks traveling through Thailand on her honeymoon. “I get that being sober when you’re on a beach or exploring a new place with cool cocktail bars doesn’t sound the most appealing, but I’ve found that when you take drinking away from the situation, it enhances your experience. You rely on honest and thoughtful conversation, true relaxation and clarity, and overall, you realize you don’t need a beer or margarita to make for great memories.”

The Benefits of Sober Vacations

Whether you’re trying to give up alcohol entirely or simply looking to take a few days off from those booze-heavy happy hours, there are plenty of good reasons to skip out on those vacation cocktails—and saving money at the hotel bar is just the beginning.

One of the biggest draws—especially for beauty lovers—is the fact that going alcohol-free will take your vacation glow to the next level. If you’ve ever looked in the mirror the night after a few too many tequila sodas, you know firsthand that alcohol has some not-so-great effects on the skin. “It can cause the skin to be very dehydrated and appear dull, dry, and flaky; it can cause inflammation in the skin, which can exacerbate symptoms of acne and rosacea; it can strip the skin’s natural oils, disrupting the barrier and leaving it more vulnerable to irritation and environmental damage; and it can lead to water retention, which contributes to facial swelling,” says Ariel Ostad, MD, a dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon based in New York City. “Not drinking on vacation allows you to stay well-hydrated, giving you a more radiant complexion and minimized puffy eyes.”

Additionally, because alcohol is linked to sleep disturbances and anxiety, ditching the drink on your getaway will ensure you’re making the most out of those relaxing vacation vibes. And by avoiding the dehydrating effects of alcohol (especially when you’re in the sun), your body will be better suited to tackle whatever activities are on your itinerary, sans pee breaks and headaches.

Pooja Shah, a freelance writer in New York who started experimenting with sober travel last year after realizing that she was consuming far more alcohol on vacation than she did at home, has seen these benefits firsthand. “During a trip to the Maldives last fall, I decided not to drink—which was surprisingly easy thanks to the resort’s multiple mocktails and fresh juices—and saw that my skin felt fresher; had less inflammation, acne, and redness; and had a genuine overall glow that didn’t require makeup,” she says. On a recent dry weekend trip to Milan, Shah opted out of imbibing on delicious Italian wine and calls it “the best decision [she] could have made.” “I hate the feeling of ‘needing a vacation after a vacation,’ and I think by not drinking, it actually allows me to feel energized and less tired—I even had time to squeeze in workouts each morning because I wasn’t lethargic or hungover and I got to enjoy the city without feeling tired or tipsy,” she says.

Because it’s easier to cut down on drinking when you’re out of your routine, the best time to experiment with sober living may actually be when you’re traveling. In theory, vacations inherently reduce stress, which means that a 5 p.m. glass of wind-down wine may not feel as necessary when you’re on the beach as it does when you’re at home cooking dinner for your family. And best of all? You won’t sacrifice a single minute of vacation time dealing with a hangover.

How to Find a Sober Vacation Spot

Thankfully, it’s never been easier to find a place to plan your next alcohol-free vacation. “The hospitality industry is all about just that: hospitality,” says Sheinbaum. “With sober lifestyles and sober curiosity on the rise, hotels and resorts want to accommodate their visitors and potential visitors and make sure they are as comfortable as possible.”

Hotels across the globe have picked up on the fact that sober travelers are looking for better nonalcoholic options to enhance their experiences and have begun to up their offerings accordingly—gone are the days that skipping out on vacation shots meant you were stuck sipping a diet coke. The Hyatt Hotel Group’s “Zero Proof, Zero Judgment” program stocks bars across the brand’s properties with nonalcoholic beverages from Ritual Zero Proof and Fever-Tree. Restaurants on certain Celebrity Cruises now offer mocktails created in partnership with chef Daniel Boulud. The Wynn Las Vegas has a nonalcoholic beverage menu that’s heavy on wellness-forward ingredients like ashwagandha and reishi mushrooms, and the Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui, Hawaii introduced a full mocktail menu at its Pilina bar (to name a few).

“Until recently, ‘mocktails’ were often relegated to an afterthought of creative beverage programs, typically composed of a simple mix of juice, syrup, and seltzer, [but we’ve] embraced a shift in the trends by elevating the artistry and innovation behind our zero-proof cocktails,” says Cameron Hall, the general manager at Pilina. “Recognizing the increasing demand for low-alcohol and alcohol-free beverages, we are committed to surpassing guest expectations and ensuring that our nonalcoholic offerings provide an experience parallel to that of their spirited counterparts.”

And better alcohol-free drinks at your hotel are just the beginning. Dry trip–friendly travel agencies that focus on planning sober group vacations, like Hooked and We Love Lucid, are popping up everywhere; cruise lines like Princess Cruises and MSC Cruises now offer nonalcoholic drink packages; and airlines including Alaska, Emirates, and Qantas are embracing the concept of “flying dry” by making mocktails available to passengers in their lounges and in-flight.

Though some destinations make “dry tripping” easier than others with their nonalcoholic offerings, it’s important to note that any vacation can be a sober one—it just may require some planning. Sheinbaum recommends checking out bar and restaurant menus before you touch down at your destination, using apps like BetterWithout and NA Drink Locator to help you find nonalcoholic offerings wherever you are. “Additionally, be sure to schedule activities that aren’t booze-centric, like hiking, snow or water sports, museum days, and whatever else you like to do when you’re in a new destination,” she says.

Having a solid handle on what types of NA beverages you like to drink can also help you feel more comfortable in settings that don’t necessarily cater to the alcohol-free lifestyle. “Whenever I would order something nonalcoholic, they would bring me something that was overly sugary and sweet, which sort of defeated the purpose of me trying to be healthier [through sober travel],” says Jazmin Alvarez, founder and chief curator of Pretty Well Beauty. “I’ve gotten really comfortable with asking for interesting mocktails anywhere I go by telling the waiter or bartender which flavor profiles I enjoy and asking them to have fun with it.”

By shifting the focus of the trip away from alcohol—and making it easy for yourself to find alternative options—you’ll find that you don’t really miss it at all. And when that vacation glow is still going strong when you get home, you’ll be glad you did.

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