Rethinking All-Inclusive Travel: Beyond Beaches & Resorts

What if an all-inclusive vacation didn’t mean a crowded beach in Cancun?

In this episode of All Things Travel, we’re rethinking what “all-inclusive” really looks like—and opening the door to experiences that go far beyond the expected. From a luxury dude ranch in Montana to a cozy, adults-focused retreat in Vermont… from skiing along the St. Lawrence River in Quebec to a once-in-a-lifetime beach-and-safari combination in South Africa—this is all-inclusive travel, reimagined.

We break down what’s actually included in these unique stays (hint: it’s a lot more than just meals and drinks), and more importantly, who each experience is perfect for. Whether you’re dreaming of a multigenerational getaway filled with activities, a quiet escape to truly unplug, or an adventure that blends culture, nature, and exploration—there’s something here that might surprise you.

Along the way, we also share a popular cruise itinerary out of the Northeast to Bermuda and why it’s such a great option for travelers looking for convenience and value without sacrificing experience.

If you’ve ever said, “I want something different,” this episode is for you.

Because the best trips aren’t just easy… they’re meaningful, memorable, and designed around you.

When you’re ready to start exploring what your version of “all-inclusive” looks like, we’re here to help you build it—step by step.

Transcript

Julie 0:00

Hello and welcome to All Things Travel. Today we are rethinking what an all-inclusive vacation means to you. For these experiences, we are not gonna go to the beach, and instead we're hitting a dude ranch skiing in France and more.

Ryan 0:15

Listen in with travel advisors, Ryan and Julie. I'm your travel professor teaching you everything you need to know to have a magical vacation, and she's a Disney loving Maryland mom of three and a specialist in family travel. Together we're the co-owners of Wonder and Beyond Travel, whether we're discussing incredible destinations, top vacation tips, or sharing personal stories, it's always all things travel.

Julie 0:42

Okay, so at the time that we're recording this, I am getting ready to go to California and I am really excited.

Ryan 0:49

This

Julie 0:50

Ryan's looking at me.

Ryan 0:52

trip,

Julie 0:53

I was gonna say, you're looking at me like you're confused.

Ryan 0:55

no, no. I know exactly what you're talking about.

Julie 0:58

Oh, good. I leave in like three days. I have it packed. I barely know what I'm packing, but yeah, I'm really excited. So it is a professional trip. I'm going for a conference, with, a lot of big travel people that Ryan and I are associated with meeting with a lot of different, partners and vendors Also traveling with, a friend of ours who also owns a travel agency and we're doing a day at Disneyland, so in just a couple days. I know. I'm really excited.

Ryan 1:26

into la,

Julie 1:28

Yeah.

Ryan 1:29

and then heading down to San Diego for the conference?

Julie 1:32

You got it. Yep. And then we fly home from San Diego. fun fact, when I initially booked our flights, I booked round Trip la and then I was like, wait, that doesn't make sense.

Ryan 1:42

I think on the last podcast that came out, you talked about being geographically. Um,

Julie 1:48

Challenged.

Ryan 1:48

I think that kind of played, out a little bit, but. Anyway, this is gonna be an amazing trip. I have been to this conference in the past, and you are going to have so much fun. You're gonna learn a lot. You're gonna bring back so many ideas for clients. you're gonna bring back podcast topics. I'm so happy you're going.

Julie 2:05

And also when you went, it was in DC and I mean, I'm just gonna say San Diego is a lot more exciting than dc

Ryan 2:13

I, I'll buy that.

Julie 2:14

Okay. And also, I've never been to San Diego, so I'm pumped.

Ryan 2:17

So Julie, what are we talking about today?

Julie 2:20

All right. So today is all about all inclusive resorts that are not like the cliche Caribbean, all inclusive, and Cancun and Mexico and all that.

Ryan 2:29

you say cliche as if it's bad. It's an

Julie 2:31

It's not bad. Okay. Not bad. I'm just saying like, that's what you think of. These are gonna be those, like out of the box, all-inclusive trips.

Ryan 2:40

Okay.

Julie 2:41

because a lot of times we do get requests for a different type of all-inclusive, so I wanna share what's out there.

Ryan 2:47

Okay, Julie, talk about this first all inclusive experience that's in the us, which is something we don't see very often, but this looks amazing.

Julie 2:58

Yeah, so the first two destinations we are gonna talk about are going to be in the US and a lot of times we get the request, I wanna go to an all-inclusive, but I don't wanna leave the country. And our answer usually is, hmm, it doesn't exist because you know, when you think of an all-inclusive in the Caribbean, when you think of going to Mexico, truly everything is included. Dining, drinks, you know, activities, a lot of stuff is included. In the US there are options for an all-inclusive feel vacation where it feels like almost everything is included, but maybe you're paying a little extra for certain drinks and whatnot. So the first one we're gonna talk about is the ranch at Ruck Creek, and this is in Montana. And I really like this option because this is like that dude ranch feel. This is great for a big family that just wants to go spend some quality time doing some really fun activities. The accommodations here they have at a historic barn that you can choose to stay in a spacious luxury log home or a glamping cabin. So I also like that they have different levels here for, maybe grandma, grandpa do not wanna be in the glamping cabin, but maybe the younger kids do. You never know. so when you stay here, your price is gonna include your accommodations, unlimited premium beer, wine and spirits. the scheduled activities that are going on every single day, all state-of-the-art gear and equipment. for any of the on property programs, you're gonna have access to their fitness center, their pool, their hot tub, and a lot of evening entertainment. They're also including your airport transfers and transportation like around the ranch that you might need because it is pretty spread out. Um, the other,

Ryan 4:46

You didn't, you didn't

Julie 4:47

oh, I miss food. Oh, food is included. Whoops. And the cool thing here is a lot of the food here is farm to table, which I think is cool. This is really good, delicious food here. This is kind of like more of a, an elevated dude ranch experience.

Ryan 5:03

This

Julie 5:03

the most,

Ryan 5:04

fun.

Julie 5:05

yeah, the most exciting thing that I wanna share is what you can do here. So some of the evening entertainment has things like this silver dollar saloon, so that's like what you think of when you think of old time. Ranches, Like you would kind of see that on the old time movies. Then they're gonna have really fun family friendly things. Billiards, shuffleboard, you know, movie theaters, board games, bowling, s'mores, outdoor bonfires, all that really fun stuff. It's also great because you can do this in the summer or the winter. So in the summer you can choose to do activities like horseback riding, fly fishing. Archery hiking ropes courses, the ranch rodeo, Sapphire Mining, and UTV tours. And if you're there in the winter, you can do sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, ice skating, and ice fishing. So I just love this. Just feels like that, you know, relaxed family reunion is like what comes to mind for me.

Ryan 6:04

I really, really love that. Now, are these other activities included or are these add-on?

Julie 6:10

They're included.

Ryan 6:11

Okay. I mean, what a cool experience, especially, you know, I'm thinking of Yellowstone fans.

Julie 6:19

Yes.

Ryan 6:20

they want to have that experience and this is something that's all inclusive. It's right there. It's for all ages.

Julie 6:26

Yeah, it's in Montana and it's pretty secluded, which is nice. It's just, this nice, quiet cabin type area, but you've got all these things ready to go for you. You don't have to go out and plan your activities. It's all planned for you, which, that's kind of what we're thinking when we're saying it's all inclusive. Yes, they're included, but you also don't have to do that extra planning either.

Ryan 6:48

All right, so next we're gonna talk about Twin Farms in Vermont, and I lived in Vermont for several years, so I can tell you that The landscape is gonna be gorgeous. The activities are gonna be amazing First, you know, you're gonna be in someplace special, but Twin Farms is located about 90 minutes from the Burlington Airport, three hours from Boston, five hours from New York City. So close enough to get there, but secluded because it's on 300 acres. Outside of Barnard, Vermont, you've got Meadows Mountains. you've got a private nine acre pond. You have miles of trails to hike, bike, cross country ski, and basically these are 10 cottages, nestled in the woods, and it has a lodge, a main house and a farmhouse to accommodate all of the activities. You're close to a national park, and where you can tour a. Working farm and there's a lot of artisans in the area. so much in this great area of Vermont. So what's gonna be included in your stay? You're gonna have luxurious cottages and sweets. You're gonna have, homemade breakfast gourmet lunches that could include picnics depending on the time of year and the weather. And farm to table dinners. gonna have cocktails and canapes each evening. So kind of like a happy hour before dinner, I would imagine. You've got, fine wines, beers and spirits that are included and all of your activities with the equipment and the training and instruction that go along. So I'm thinking of things like archery and axe throwing, Canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding bicycling, tennis and pickleball, art history tours, watercolor paintings, cooking classes such as pasta making and grilling. What fun, Julie?

Julie 8:41

Yeah. And so to me, twin Farms feels a little more like elevated, like more adult experiences, whereas that ranch in Montana, the Rock Ranch at Rock Creek, that feels like that family reunion vibe.

Ryan 8:56

Yeah, I could see going to this twin farms and just kind of checking out for a while,

Julie 9:00

I

Ryan 9:01

kind of

Julie 9:01

thought of you. Mm-hmm.

Ryan 9:03

relax for a day. Then the next day maybe you do a cooking class

Julie 9:07

Yeah.

Ryan 9:08

Then maybe the next day you, tour some of the artisans and then maybe you take the next day off and just kind of chill. this is totally my vibe.

Julie 9:15

the resorts are just gorgeous. They just seem so relaxing, so tranquil.

Ryan 9:22

Okay, so we have two more experiences to share with folks that are outside the United States. But first, Julie, where in the world is Wonder and Beyond Travel,

Julie 9:32

I wanna share a cruise itinerary that has been pretty popular for some of my clients recently, and I actually have clients sailing on this itinerary this week, Like I said, I've been planning it a lot for next year too. So in Maryland, if we wanna cruise out of a local port, our options are really Baltimore, Norfolk, Virginia, or the New Jersey, port Cape Liberty. So I always recommend Cape Liberty. I think that's the better option. I think there's more cruises that go out of there and more, ships to choose from. Specifically this weekend, I've got clients sailing on the Independence of the Seas out of New Jersey, and this is one of their Bermuda cruises with Royal Caribbean. the Bermuda cruises, they tend to take off from Baltimore or sometimes Boston, New York, New Jersey and Norfolk. But the cool thing is that they tend to dock, at least one overnight, sometimes two overnights. So you're getting two or three full days in Bermuda. The great thing, of course, is that if you're from, the Northeast like I am, you can drive here. You don't need to fly. That saves you a lot of money on this ship itself. And then you also just get to relax a lot more when you're in that destination of Bermuda. So a couple great things that you would want to do when you're in. The Bermuda port of the Royal Naval Dockyard, it's known for its pink sand beaches, and some of the popular things will be visiting the crystal caves, snorkeling, the coral reefs and shipwrecks, relaxing at Horseshoe Bay Beach and exploring the National Museum of Bermuda. A couple of really family friendly things too that we've talked about are things like the glass bottom boat tours, but then they also have the Bermuda Aquarium and a zoo, so that would be really great. if you've got three days in Bermuda. What a great way to spend your time with your family.

Ryan 11:22

And I also love Independence of the Seas. That was actually the first row Caribbean ship that I was ever on. And then you and I with our friend Michelle, sailed on the sister ship. Freedom of the Seas. I think it's a great size. I think it's a great layout. we've been on bigger ships, and definitely seen all the bells and whistles, but independence just feels like it has everything, but it's not overwhelming.

Julie 11:47

Agree, and this is a really popular itinerary from the Northeast to go down to Bermuda. Like it's usually a five night and you've got two days in Bermuda and then you come back.

Ryan 11:57

Great. Well, we love celebrating with our clients as far as where they're headed. We love working with them through the planning process, during the trip, after the trip. And who knows if you worked with Julie or myself, maybe you'll be featured on the podcast. Julie, we have two trips outside the United States. What's the first one we're gonna talk about?

Julie 12:18

when we're thinking about all inclusives that are outside the United States that are not just that typical beach vacation in the Caribbean, the first one I wanna mention has a winter twist to it, and this is Club Med Quebec Charlevoix. This is an all inclusive resort that. Really the focus here is on skiing and all sorts of winter activities. You can go in the summer, but I'm gonna focus on the winter side of it.

Ryan 12:45

All right.

Julie 12:46

So when you're here, you're gonna have amazing views of the St. Lawrence River. You can choose from deluxe, superior, or sweet accommodations, and everything is very modernized at this resort. It's a very beautiful resort. There's plenty of space.

Ryan 13:01

not that old. It just opened a few years

Julie 13:03

Exactly. It's a newer resort and there's plenty of space for your family to kind of spread out on, especially if you get those sweet accommodations. And this truly is all inclusive. It includes, your food and your drinks, your lift tickets, ski lessons, especially for kids. And those ski lessons are powered by national ski schools. You would be in a ski in ski out situation, you also can have childcare included as long as the kids are for and up, and they'll be getting lessons during that time if you'd like. And then there are a ton of other activities included in your stay. So a couple things like skiing, snowboarding, hiking, yoga, and then you could also do some excursions out to the nearby area. So kind of wandering around Quebec City, going to do some dog sledding club Met is also very well known for their kids programming. So they've got kids programming for. All ages. I mean, you could click in and look at all the activities for the teens, for the tweens, for the elementary age, for the infants. this is really a wonderful vacation option if you are that family that loves to ski. And this is just one of the resorts that does skiing. These are all over France as well?

Ryan 14:22

Well all over the world

Julie 14:23

Yeah.

Ryan 14:24

yeah, and Club Med is the all inclusive resort for people that want to stay active. it's not the lay on the beach type so really with this, you know, you're talking about you can rent your equipment directly from them, or you can bring your own and

Julie 14:38

Mm-hmm.

Ryan 14:39

all set.

Julie 14:40

Yeah, it's really, really great if that is what your family is into.

Ryan 14:44

Okay, so let's go across the world to South Africa and let's do another club. Med Resort. This is South Africa Beach and Safari Lodge, and this is brand new. so it's really exciting to talk about. Your all-inclusive package here includes your lodging, your food, your drinks, onsite activities that include a surfing school, paddle boarding, tennis, a circus school, which is something that Club Med is known for. Kids clubs, evening shows, and the evening shows are also inspired by South African culture. so you are going to have both a beach experience. A safari experience. So as part of this for a few days, you're gonna have time on their private reserve that is just for club med guests. You're gonna be guided by expert rangers set out on thrilling bush drives in search of the big five, which is the lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhino in their natural habitat.

Julie 15:48

this option is really cool because it's two separate accommodations and you start at one and then you can choose to add on the second one. So if you wanted to go South Africa light and just stay at the beach in Safari Resort, you could do that. But if you really wanted that immersion and, getting out on the savannas, then you would add on a stay at the Safari Lodge.

Ryan 16:09

So again, this could be for that multi-generational family, Julie, where people have different interests, and so you could really have time together and then split it. I like that idea.

Julie 16:21

when we think of an all inclusive, my brain goes to the beach. So it's fun to highlight that there are other ways to do these types of trips where you know you're paying that package price upfront at the time of booking and final payment, and then when you get there, you don't have to worry about anything. And that is the real. Of doing an all-inclusive is that everything is covered in one cost.

Ryan 16:47

The world is full of wonder and your next great adventure is waiting at Wonder and Beyond Travel. We work with you to create a one of a kind journey, taking the stress off your plate. So you can focus on the joy of exploring and the memories that will stay with you forever. you're ready to start planning or you just wanna dream a little bigger, head on over to Wonder and beyond travel.com and we would love to help you get started.