We can’t escape the reality that Donald J. Trump will become the 45th president of the United States. And although the last few months have felt like the end of the world as we know it, we can literally escape watching, hearing about or even giving a second thought to the Trump inauguration in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20.
Aruba
To help you get as far away from your cable box, laptop and smartphone as possible, here are five getaway destinations where you’ll be too busy soaking up the sun and tuning out negativity to worry about politics or anything else.
Located in the warm waters of the southern Caribbean, Aruba is known as “one happy island” for a reason. To forget your troubles and get happy, book a private casita, equipped with a kitchen, barbecue grill and private hammock, at the Boardwalk Small Hotel Aruba.
Although each apartment-style room comes with a TV, there’s also an intimate pool on the well-manicured grounds and a beach within walking distance—so you won’t be tempted to watch it. And the only thing you’ll want to use your phone for is to take photos of the boutique hotel’s two adorable resident cats.
While in Aruba, spend a morning communing with nature at the tranquil Butterfly Farm. Then join De Palm Tours for a bumpy but exhilarating sightseeing Jeep tour, which includes a dip in a remote natural pool. You will be so shaken up—in a good way—the Trump madness will be the last thing on your mind.
Paradise Island, Bahamas
Practice sun salutations to your heart’s content at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram Retreat on Paradise Island, Bahamas. The yoga retreat is open year-round and can be booked for any length of stay—from a weekend to a few weeks. So spend some much-needed downtime recharging your spiritual batteries instead of your cellphone.
Accommodations are modest, and the daily routine includes early-morning silent meditation; a two-hour class of yoga postures (asanas) and breathing techniques (pranayama); healthy vegetarian meals; free time for the beach and reflection; evening meditation, chanting and talking (satsang); and inspirational guest speakers. There are no TVs, and each day winds down around 10 p.m. with mandatory lights off.
Havana
JetBlue offers daily nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando in Florida as well as New York City to Cuba’s capital city, Havana.
While travel to Cuba is more accessible now thanks to President Barack Obama, U.S. travelers still need a visa (JetBlue provides tourists with one for $50 at the airport check-in) and must meet one of 12 travel guidelines, including family visits; educational activities (this is open to everyone as long as you keep a full-time schedule and have “meaningful interaction” with Cuban natives); professional research and meetings; and journalistic activities.
But it’s worth the red tape to experience the culture, cuisine and Spanish colonial scenery that remains largely untouched by Westernized commercialization. That means no Starbucks or McDonald’s, yet. Also, most American cellphones still don’t work in Cuba (Verizon and Sprint offer roaming service), and Wi-Fi access is hard to come by.
Tecate, Mexico
Renew your mind, body and spirit at Rancho La Puerta, a famed fitness and spa retreat an hour’s drive from San Diego in sunny Tecate, Mexico (don’t forget your passport).
Guests at the scenic resort, in the shadow of the Baja California’s mystical Mount Kuchumaa, are encouraged to take a digital detox—there’s no Wi-Fi or TV in the guest casitas, and cellphone use is prohibited in public areas. But you’ll be too busy hiking, taking fitness and healthy-cooking classes, sitting in the lotus position and getting spa treatments to miss the latest memes.
Costa Rica
Located a few miles from the lively Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo, SamaSati Retreat & Rainforest Sanctuary is set in a 250-acre Costa Rican rainforest overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
There’s no air conditioning, but screened ventilation in each of the wood-paneled casitas filters in fresh, natural air. There are no TVs on-site, and Wi-Fi is limited to the resort’s open-air restaurant and lounge areas. Free of daily digital-device distractions, guests spend time lounging in hammocks, chasing waterfalls, and taking guided nature walks and daily yoga classes. We’re in. Trump who?
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Tracy E. Hopkins is a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based travel, lifestyle and entertainment writer. Visit her blog, Everything She Wants, and follow her on Twitter.