What Kind of Vacations Would a First Wife Enjoy?by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLadyI have just discovered the truth to the saying, "if I knew grandkids were so much fun, I would have had them first." I feel the same way about being divorced.
When FirstWivesWorld asked me about the best travel ideas for divorced women, I was eager to share some of my insight and experiences.
 1. SHOPPING Imagine spending as much time as you wanted shopping until you drop. And then doing it again the next day. No husband to hurry you along.
2. LANGUAGE SCHOOLS. How do you I say " I love you?" Learn to say it in many languages. 3. COOKING SCHOOLS. My favorite is at Romantik Hotel Villa Monte Solare in Umbria, Italy I also enjoyed Seasons of the Heart with Susanna Trilling in Oaxaca, Mexico 4. CULTURAL My friend Edith Hall Friedheim, who is entertainment editor for www.travellady.com, suggests getting a good single ticket for a concert or performance. She has met lots of interesting people that way 5. PAMPERING SPAS. Get a massage, a pedicure and manicure and then do it again the next day.
6. FOOD AND WINE EVENTS. Everyone is friendlier and more fun after a few glasses of wine and great food 7. FESTIVALS. Celebrate chocolate or coffee or strawberries of even garlic. You can go to another festival each week. 8. DINING
Here are some tips from a Paris-based www.travellady.com contributor, Karen Fawcet:
There's a new trend in Paris where single women can eat well and not stare out a window. It's a long table, a "table d'hote," where people sit at a communal table. I've met some very interesting people.
 Some of my favorites: "Les Cocottes", (individual casseroles,) recently opened by Christian Constant, who is Paris's culinary dean par excellence.
Constant also has a couple of shared tables at his landmark resto, Le Violin D'Ingres.
Head to FISH and grab a seat at the bar. Owned by Anglophones, the wine bar/ restaurant attracts an international crowd.
Don't overlook Sushi restaurants. They're all over Paris. And sit at the bar. They also offer skewers of cooked selections served with rice.
If you're feeling rich, you can always head to the Atelier de Joel Robuchon, which serves haute cuisine at a bar. The restaurant doesn't even have a table.
Karen Fawcett
President
www.bonjourparis.com
Paris City Guide USA Today. com
9. Art Galleries or opening nights of performances
10. IF YOU WANT TO MEET A MAN
• A fishing vacation in Alaska
•Test-Driving a Car or at an auto show or new car introduction in local showroom.
•In airline member lounges
(at least you will probably meet someone who gets around)
•Hotel Frequent Stayer concierge floors. DESTINATIONS FOR DIVORCED WOMENWhen firstwivesworld asked me to do a segment on travel destinations for divorced women, I thought about the places I have enjoyed since the lucky day when I became an ex-wife.
NEW ORLEANS
Here you always have a dance partner when you visit places such as Rock-n-Bowl on Zydeco night (Thursdays) or Tipitinas for Cajun night (Sundays). Yes, you can check out the room and ask the best-looking gentleman to dance. It's the custom in a town when the motto is "Let the good times roll." There are wonderful places to eat at the counter - Emeril's NOLA located in the French Quarter, Riche (by Todd English) at Harrah's Hotel and Luke (John Besh's latest food venture) on St. Charles Avenue. Just check out the counter before you sit down and pick out an interesting looking companion. It is perfectly acceptable for the woman to begin the conversation. And then there are wonderful bars such as the revolving Carousel in Hotel Monteleone or Napoleon House (both in the French Quarter). The best place to meet interesting foreign tourists is at Cafe du Monde on the edge of Jackson Square where the new man of your dreams at the next table may have just arrived from Paris or Rome.
www.neworleanscvb.com
www.neworleansonline.com
SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco is great for divorced women for the same reasons it's great for all women: Fantastic shopping in designer boutiques and major stores (Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, etc.) from Union Square to Union Street. Great restaurants, from the Michelin-rated to the neighborhood favorites. World class performing arts, including symphony, ballet, opera and theatre - in fact, San Francisco is becoming a popular spot for out-of-town openings of Broadway-bound shows. Museums to lose yourself in, showcasing modern, Asian, African, American, European and Jewish art. America's most walkable city offers diverse neighborhoods, charming Victorians and breathtaking views of the city, the bay and the ocean.
www.sanfrancisco.travel.com
TAMPA, FLORIDA
Create an itinerary for a weekend girl's getaway in Tampa Bay! Start your day off by taking golf lessons at the beautiful Saddlebrook Golf Resort and then lie poolside for a few hours enjoying scrumptious martinis. Ease into your evening by enjoying succulent wine at SideBern's then board the Yacht Starship where you can dance under the moonlight with your girlfriends.
Stay at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Make trips to the beach or shop till you drop. Treat yourself to a day of pampering and get a manicure/pedicure at the Grand Beauty Spa. No matter what your pleasure may be, Tampa Bay has it all.
www.tampabay.com
SCOTLAND
Scotland is a wonderful destination for women. It is a safe country with a thriving business community- and the benefit of that for divorced women is that hotels and restaurants are used to welcoming women who travel on their own.
The roads are very quiet by American standards and once you have mastered driving on the wrong side of the road, getting about is easy. Getting there is simple with numerous airlines flying directly into Scotland.
The Scots are friendly people who will take time out to explain about the culture and history of their country.
http://www.luxuryscotland.co.uk/
Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who loves being single. Read about her travels on www.travellady.com, and www.carladynews.com and enjoy her culinary insights on www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com and the soon to be live coffeeatlas |
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