Bacara Resort & Spa
Photo Courtesy of Bacara Resort & Spa
With spring in the air, April promises plenty of fun for travelers. From culinary experiences to unforgettable golf greens — and, in one case, both at the same time — here are our picks for where to go this month.
Santa Barbara
The 2nd Annual Santa Barbara Food & Wine Weekend takes place April 16 through 19, and there’s no shortage of celebrity support for the culinary celebration. Actor and apprentice winemaker Kurt Russell will headline the event that will be held at Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Bacara Resort & Spa to benefit the Julia Child Foundation for the Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts. (Russell, his daughter actress Kate Hudson and musician Matt Bellamy, are the producers behind GoGi Wines and Hudson Bellamy Wines, made locally in Santa Barbara.) The weekend’s Grand Wine Dinner, hosted by Russell, will take place April 18, while an all-star lineup of more than 20 other exciting meals, demonstrations and wine tastings will happen all weekend.
Harbour Town Golf Links, Photo Courtesy of The Sea Pines Resort
Hilton Head, South Carolina
Watch pros like Graeme McDowell, Retief Goosen and Charl Schwartzel tee off in the 47th annual RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing golf tournament from April 13 through 19. With a $5.9 million purse (and Matt Kuchar’s defending title) at stake, the RBC Heritage is the only PGA Tour tournament in South Carolina, drawing thousands of spectators to the famed Harbour Town Golf Links every year. One of the staggering 24 courses on an island that’s just 12 miles by five miles wide, Harbour Town is a must-see for any golf fan. If the sight of the iconic 18th hole, pristine beaches and an overall cozy coastal vibe aren’t convincing, perhaps a stay at The Sea Pines Resort‘s 5,000-acre, Four-Star Inn at Harbour Town will do the job.
Miami
Opened in 1965, the open-concept Bal Harbour Shops was Florida’s first high-fashion shopping center. (Bal Harbour was the first mall location for Cartier and the first U.S. outposts for Louis Vuitton and Prada.) Fifty years later, the luxury retail destination is still re-defining couture in South Florida. Located in Miami Beach’s exclusive Bal Harbour Village, home to Four-Star The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami, Bal Harbour Shops is launching Fashion Project, a cultural space devoted to curated projects and programs to celebrate fashion, design and innovation while exploring consumer and costume culture. From April 9 to May 21, the opening Judith Clark-designed showcase, “The Exhibition,” will spotlight experimentation on the runway over the past century.
Addison, Photo Courtesy of The Grand Del Mar
San Diego
On the heels of being named a 2015 semifinalist for Best Chef: Pacific by the James Beard Foundation, chef William Bradley of Addison at Five-Star The Grand Del Mar has announced a new guest chef series at his Five-Star establishment. The Collections by Addison invites four of the country’s most talented toques to cook and collaborate on an eight-course dinner with Bradley. The tasty seasonal roster includes Josiah Citrin (Mélisse, April 25), Justin Cogley (Aubergine, July 25), Barbara Lynch (No. 9 Park, October 17) and Patrick O’Connell (The Inn at Little Washington, December 5). Not to be outdone by the kitchen, Addison’s wine program, which was also named a 2015 James Beard finalist, will be showcased during the special evenings as well.
Puerto Vallarta
The V Punta Mita Gourmet & Golf Classic takes place April 30 to May 3 and promises to be a world-class event on the luxurious 1,500-acre peninsula of Punta Mita. You will enjoy a stay at Four-Star The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort thanks to a package that includes a three-night stay, entry to all foodie festivities, golf tournament access, a spa treatment, farewell brunch and more. A host of international chefs like Frank Castronovo, Frank Falcinelli and Thierry Blouet are set to appear, as well as winemakers and, of course, a few tequila experts. The golf classic, which will be hosted by one of Mexico’s most famous athletes ever, Lorena Ochoa Reyes, plays out on May 1 and 2 across Punta Mita’s two Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses, the Punta Mita Pacífico and the Punta Mita Bahía.
