When it’s time to cash in your chips and go on that vacation you’ve literally been having dreams about, it’s important to go somewhere that will take care of you. Taking time away from your regular schedule doesn’t always come easy, so you want all this traveling and money-spending to be worth your while. Relax. Choosing a place that is established as a prime vacation destination, that has been pleasing travelers for years and shows no signs of losing steam anytime soon isn’t hard. Take Waikoloa Beach Resort in Hawaii, for example. This hotspot is sure to please, so set your sights here and then leave all your uncertainties behind.
Waikoloa Beach Resort is located on Hawaii’s Big Island, and as opposed to many other admittedly pleasant towns and regions, this place comes right out and declares its readiness to be the best tourist magnet ever. Hawaii’s natural beauty and extensive opportunities for ocean activities both low-key and pumped up mean it has something for everyone, not to mention the shops, restaurants and accommodations fit for royalty.
Golf courses, spas, and even cultural sites will all be within reach here. The Kohala Coast is known as the golf capital of the Aloha State and offers stunning views of land and sea along with professionally designed championship courses that might do a number on your powers of concentration. Between Beach and Kings, golfers of all skill level will feel like they’re in heaven. After rejuvenating your spirit on the greens, kick off those shoes and slip into a plush robe for a pedicure, massage, or skin treatment. Run of the mill facials are old news these days; check the menu for cutting edge beauty treatments that use the most exotic ingredients – where else are you going to have this opportunity?
As far as the beach, the choices are limitless and consistently framed with a most pleasing backdrop. Snorkeling in the crystal waters and viewing colorful, curious fish up close will make for an indelible memory, and plopping down on a beach towel in the warm white sand won’t exactly be forgettable either. From exciting to laid-back, each second has the potential to dazzle your senses.
Kings’ Shops are a top stop for visitors to Waikoloa Beach Resort; not only is this a vast collection of retailers offering both designer and regionally crafted goods, but it’s a venue for many special events that highlight the cultural richness of the Hawaiian culture. From the annual Ukulele Festival to the Rubber Duckie Race, there is an array of fun and intriguing happenings that visitors should make an effort to participate in if their visit allows it.
Of course, the entire island is packed with incredible sites, fun activities and natural wonders unlike the ones usually visible from your own window or during your regular trips away from homes. Volcanoes, rain forests, lush vegetation and pineapple fields aren’t common, and neither are chances to swim with dolphins, glimpse breaching whales and soak in a sunset that puts all others to shame.
Another great thing about this area is its accessibility in terms of accommodations. Waikoloa Beach Resort Vacation Rentals allow every drop of pleasure to be squeezed from this already promising trip because they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, styles and price ranges. Condos and villas are the most common lodgings to be had, so don’t expect to find tons of isolated beach houses that will make you feel like a castaway (head to one of Hawaii’s other islands for that experience). This means you’ll feel super connected to all the hotel-like amenities you’ve come to expect, pool, beach bar, equipment rental, etc…but your actual room will be more than just a box with limited space and a less than stellar view. Condos are comfy and as spacious as you need them to be; often coming with designer kitchen appliances, air conditioning, wireless internet and tasteful decorations. If you’ve never experienced the bonuses of a vacation rental, now is the perfect time.
Waikoloa Beach Resort rarely sends people home feeling disappointed, so make your way to the west coast of Hawaii’s Big Island if you’re ready to go somewhere certain to be worth your while.
You'll get a front-row view of the good life at the Balboa Bay Club, which now has opened half of its units to the general public. Before 2003, the resort's prime Newport Beach real estate was only available to members of the club. Now there are 150 rooms and 10 suites available to anyone yearning for some weekend affluence.
Staying at the club a night or two would be a sure-fire way to impress the significant other, or to completely escape from job stress, but still keep costs within reason. We consider resorts like the Balboa Bay Club "special-occasion" getaways ' places we go to celebrate, not just to get away. With small houses on nearby Balboa Island going for $4 million and 100-foot mega-yachts parked in slips right out in front of your bay-view suite, the Balboa Bay Club takes you many steps beyond the average getaway.
The first clue you're not in Kansas anymore is when you cruise the circular driveway to the lobby area. Behind that line of dark-colored, late-modeled SUVs there's a gleaming new two-seat sports car you don't quite recognize because, in all likelihood, it's not the kind of car available at your local auto mall. Then it's not one or two valets, but a platoon of at least six fair-haired young gentlemen running to and fro to make certain that no one waits long for their vehicle.
And the service just keeps on coming. From the smiling young woman at check-in to the cordial bellhops to the extraordinarily punctual room service attendants ' who managed to bring us cookies and milk while the cookies were still warm ' the service at the Balboa Bay Club, during our stay, was consistently top-rate.
And then there are the rooms. Once we opened the door to our bay-view suite, we could fully appreciate the club's location and attention to detail. The sliding glass doors opened to a maritime show that continued from dawn to dusk. From small Duffy boats to super-yachts, from kayaks to college rowing teams, the sights and sounds of Balboa Bay are mesmerizing. You'll be tempted to spend many an hour on the one of your two private decks that are perfect for viewing all of the water activities.
The rooms are over-size and our one-bedroom suite actually had two of these large rooms with two bathrooms, one so spacious it had three dressing areas, a walk-in closet, a two-person Jacuzzi-style tub and a separate shower room. The bathrooms were Italian marble, the counter-tops granite and the overall design was reminiscent of those bathroom areas you see in home décor magazines ' you know, the ones you wonder if you will ever really be able to afford.
Large-screen TV, high-speed internet, games, they're all there. And, when it came time to turn in for the night, our luxuriously appointed king-size bed was form-fitting and among the most comfortable we've ever slept on. Oh those 10 percent do live well.
The Balboa Bay Club actually was created in 1948, back when there were far fewer people living in Newport Beach and the area was a popular getaway for Hollywood elites. There are about 2,800 members of the club, which includes a couple thousand or so living on the property and the others just dropping by to use the spa, Olympic-style pool and other recreational facilities. Past and present members of the club include such familiar names as John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Robert Wagner, John Travolta, Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Carey.
The first few years of the "public" Balboa Bay Club have gone well and the resort has attracted a consistent stream of getaway travelers, most hailing from California and arriving by car ' although John Wayne Airport is only a 15-minute drive from the resort. The temperate coastal weather and the property's waterfront location are big draws.
In fact, Newport Beach is a pretty good draw all on its own. Take a drive and you'll see that modern, wide palm tree-lined thoroughfares take visitors through some of the priciest real estate in the country, the gorgeous blue Pacific Ocean almost always visible with just the slightest elevation.
World-class shopping and fine restaurants are in nearly every part of the city ' and, we might mention, the club's restaurant, the First Cabin, is no slouch either. Long established galleries, exquisite home furnishings stores and a myriad of specialty shops await you in chic Corona del Mar. Or check out two giant Orange County super retail complexes -- Fashion Island and South Coast Plaza. Name a store found on New York's Fifth Avenue, and you'll probably find a version of it at Fashion Island.
For the outdoor enthusiast, it's just a five-minute drive from the club to Upper Newport Ecological Reserve, a 752-acre coastal wetland that is home to 200 rare and endangered bird species. Visitors enjoy walking tours through the area.
On our visits to Newport Beach, we have enjoyed shopping on Balboa Island, which has a tiny, but busy Main Street ' actually it's called Marine Avenue ' which is just a few short blocks with about 70 shops and restaurants to explore. This little example of Small Town Americana offers a wide selection of shops in all price ranges as well as several boutiques and galleries.
The downtown shopping area is just part of the attraction on Balboa Island, an island small enough that you can walk entirely around its perimeter in less than two miles. The island is exclusive because it's so expensive, but it's fun seeing first-hand how the wealthy live and play. There is no denying that the ever-present sunshine and the harbor views create a quiet respite from bustling city life and clogged freeways. The colorful villas and vacation-style homes on the island are quite lavish for their size.
Walk out onto your deck at the Balboa Bay Club and you'll likely see many electrically powered Duffy boats -- which you can even rent for your own cruise on the bay. Duffy boats are made locally and are specifically designed to take a group of people out on the water in total comfort and luxury for simple harbor cruising. The 21-foot boat we rented could accommodate 10 adults with plush bench seats on each side of the boat with table tops available in the middle for drinks or snacks. The boat was entirely shaded and had plenty of open areas on the sides to enjoy the view. It was easy to operate and requires little or no boating experience.
Our Duffy boat wasn't exactly like the 100-foot mega-yachts tied up in from of our suite at the Balboa Club -- but let's just say it was a tad bit easier on fuel.
AT A GLANCE
WHERE: The Balboa Bay Club is in Newport Beach, which is located in Orange County, south of Los Angeles. It is easily reached on the 405 freeway.
WHAT: A playground for the wealthy, but still within reason for the average middle-income family if you go for just a weekend.
WHEN: Year-round, with blue-sky weather virtually any time of the year.
WHY: "Weather and water" as one club executive explained. The weather's perfect most of the time, and the club is the only waterfront resort in Newport Beach.
HOW: For more information on the Balboa Bay Club, phone 888-445-7153 or visit www.balboabayclub.com. Be sure to check out their package specials that begin at around $300 a night. Newport Beach information is available by calling 1-800-94-COAST, or you can visit www.newportbeach-cvb.com.
Both Caitlin Moore & Cary Ordway are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Caitlin Moore has sinced written about articles on various topics from Food And Drink, Travel and Leisure and Vacation Rentals. Visit HomeAway.com to check out vacation rentals located here and all over the world.. Caitlin Moore's top article generates over 301000 views. to your Favourites.
Cary Ordway has sinced written about articles on various topics from Yacht, Types of Cancer and Travel and Leisure. Cary Ordway is president of Getaway Media Corp which publishes websites focused on regional travel. The sites specialize in travel as well as. Cary Ordway's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.