Craving burrata that’s hand-pulled, not child-flung? Prefer your poolside martini stirred—not splashed by cannonballing chaos goblins? We see you. We salute you.
Let’s be honest: most travellers simply want a little peace and quiet. The number of adults choosing to remain child-free has been growing for decades, and even parents dream of a getaway where no one calls them “mom” while they’re holding a margarita.
The travel and hospitality industry is catering to this rising demographic with adult-exclusive experiences: pop-ups, speakeasies, and poolside sanctuaries where the only tantrums are over which vintage rosé to order. No need to pack your child-cancelling headphones. Your holiday playground awaits, without a jungle gym in sight.
While there are many fabulous escapes abroad, we focused on locations in North America that are all great options, no matter your trip length. Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway or a more extensive stay, you’ll love these serene spots.
1. Live Aqua, Cancún
Year-round tropical sun and shimmering turquoise water lure visitors to Live Aqua’s adult-only refuge with contemporary design, an oceanfront infinity pool, and a full-service spa. Here, your beach chair gets fluffed while you blink, and your mojito is within arm’s reach. Couples can book massages for two by the Caribbean Sea, where the only background noise is the gentle hiss of waves.
Hungry? Of course you are. You’ve done absolutely nothing today—you’ve earned it. The resort has seven restaurants, showcasing Mediterranean, Italian, and Asian cuisine, and serving fresh ceviche by the sands. Guests can sample the local culture with cooking classes, go diving or fishing, and take a dip in seven pools, blissfully free of cannon-balling preteens (the true villains of You can choose a different aquatic escape each day, never sitting next to the same underparented toddler.
Ocean breezes and Egyptian cotton sheets will lull exhausted urbanites and parents on mini-break to sleep before they’ve finished reading the pillow menu. Service is highly personalized: your own butler knows your craft cocktail order before you do. Just be sure to tip the empanada lady who roams the lounge chairs. She’s royalty.
Book it: Live Aqua (Cancún, Mexico)
2. Veil & Velvet, Los Angeles
This winter, Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills brings back adult shenanigans and a vintage-chic dress code.
Veil & Velvet isn’t just a speakeasy. It’s a full-on escape into the glittering, gin-soaked days of Old Hollywood—where the drinks are strong, the food is decadent, and your deepest desire for fish eggs can be fulfilled with the dramatic push of a “Press for Caviar” button, housed in an antique jewel box. Push it, and voilà—a gloved server appears with Petrossian caviar like you just summoned a snack genie from 1929. Take it straight (a “caviar bump”), smothered over your Wagyu smash burger, or nestled next to house-made milk bread and a sous vide egg yolk.
Kids? Nowhere in sight, because nothing pairs worse with a $200 caviar flight than a toddler throwing Goldfish crackers on velvet furniture. Running from December 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026, this seasonal experience is a cocoon of plush leather seating, jewel-tone drapes, roving martini carts, and a jazz-friendly piano. Veil & Velvet is for adults who want to feel like movie stars—or at least look like them in dim lighting after two martinis. It’s edible theater with food worth dressing up for (even if you’re just there for the Instagram).
The menu is an American classic fever dream: crab beignets (because regular beignets are for quitters), bacon-wrapped scallops, and fettuccini with caviar, since carbs and luxury belong together. The “Royale with Cheese” wagyu burger is back, and the Cocktails have Main Character Energy. You’ll sip Manhattans, Rob Roys, and strong Vesper or “Diamonds Are Forever” martinis, adding 21+ whispers of espionage.
Reservations encouraged. Velvet strongly suggested.
Book it: Veil & Velvet at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills (Los Angeles, California)
3. Castle Hot Springs, Arizona
Mineral-rich hot springs bring the geothermal bliss to the luxe, 1100-acre desert hideaway of Castle Hot Springs in Yavapai County, just 50 miles from Phoenix. It seems like a luxury mirage in the Sonoran Desert, except it’s real, adults-only (16+), and all-inclusive. The natural hot springs are Mother Nature’s hot tub, loaded with healing minerals that soothe joints, rejuvenate skin, and erase memories of PTA meetings (should you partake in them).
Guests get more than a break from loud cartoons and the existential dread of stepping on Legos barefoot. They unplug and reconnect with their surroundings—by the stunning backdrop of the Bradshaw Mountains. This place doesn’t just suggest a digital detox—it enforces it like a zen bouncer, with no screens in your Spring Bungalow or Sky View Cabin. Soak, sip, and silence your notifications. Telescopes are on hand to help you spy a shooting star.
Don’t let the chill zone fool you—there’s adventure too, best done amongst adults. Think Via Ferrata mountaineering (a vertical climb that makes you feel like Lara Croft) and axe-throwing. Guided mountain hikes help you earn that lavender-infused mocktail. Or take the low-impact route: morning yoga and farm tours where you learn that vegetables don’t actually grow on Trader Joe’s shelves. Castle Hot Springs’ one-acre farm produces over 500 varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers, creating seasonal Michelin-level meals with freshly plucked ingredients and exquisite wine pairings.
Castle Hot Springs is the adult summer camp you didn’t know you needed. Plus wine. And robes. Nightly rates start at $1,875—a pricey stay, no doubt, but the cost includes meals, drink credits, adventures, and unlimited hot-spring access. Leave the kids at home. Bring your inner peace. And maybe some stretchy pants.
Book it: Castle Hot Springs (Yavapai, Arizona)
4. Villa Royale, Palm Springs
There are exactly zero children screaming in the pool at Villa Royale. I checked. Instead, you’ll find peace, mezcal, and mid-century chairs. This art-drenched escape, where 1950s Hollywood stars once escaped the studio system, blends Old California architecture with eclectic decor. Villa Royale, bless its stucco soul, is a sanctuary for adults who are more about cocktails, crab croquetas, and Damien Hirst artwork than pool noodles to the face. The 38 funky villas, decked out in original art, are what would happen if Elizabeth Taylor and David Lynch opened a resort together and banned anything under 5 feet tall.
Private cabanas and three pools, framed by sweeping desert mountain views, conjure a quintessential Palm Springs ambience. Eccentric wallpaper, David Bailey portraits of 1960s pop stars, and Del Rey, the hidden speakeasy on-site, are an invitation to swing like Rat Pack stars at play, babysitter not required.
The menu is so decadent that you’ll order like no one’s watching—dessert first. Their caramelized Basque Spanish cheesecake is topped only by the “paradise sundae,” which is a cookie, chocolate ganache, strawberries, and house-whipped cream confection. Del Rey loves to party, with a monthly five-course, family-style paella dinner.
Enjoy a whole, uninterrupted adult conversation that lasts longer than a Bluey episode—not a chicken nugget or plastic dinosaur plate in sight. You’ll find the Spanish varietals are as intoxicating as the freedom.
Book it: Villa Royale (Palm Springs, California)
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