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If I had a dollar for every time someone has told me that they speak a foreign language better when they’ve had a few drinks, I’d be able to buy myself more than a few mocktails.
I heard it all the time as a college exchange student. Although it was legal for me to drink in Mexico, our program strongly encouraged those of us not of legal age in the U.S. to abstain while abroad. It wasn’t tough. I didn’t drink alcohol at home, either, but I did get a lot of unsolicited advice from fellow travelers for why I should start.
Many years later, I’ve had both experiences: traveling sober and not. Now I can say with confidence, no, you do not speak better Spanish when drunk (you just care less). And yes, you can have the time of your life on a sober vacation.
Sober or “sober-curious” travel is, quite simply, a vacation where you don’t drink alcohol. People who take a dry vacation might never drink, or they might drink at home but choose not to when they travel.
This means that you don’t have to be part of a 12-step program or call yourself an addict to try sober travel. People decide to take an alcohol-free trip for a range of reasons, and it’s becoming increasingly popular, especially among younger travelers, to seek out these types of trips.
It’s getting easier to find them, too. Sober Vacations International began curating tours specifically for recovering alcoholics nearly 40 years ago. Today, travel companies like hotels, cruise lines, and resorts, not to mention restaurants, bars, and beverage distributors are making it easier than ever to have rich, alcohol-free experiences.
That’s good news for you.
Sober travel is for everyone. You don’t have to be in recovery to decide a dry vacation is right for you. People have opted for sober travel because their religious beliefs prohibit consuming alcohol, or they avoid drinking for health reasons. Yet even more say they simply want a different experience from life, one that doesn’t revolve around what’s in their cup.
The COVID pandemic led many people to examine their relationship with alcohol, and what used to be contained to Dry January soon became a year-round, intentional choice.
Whether or not you drink on vacation is a personal decision. And many people choose “dry tripping” even if they typically drink at home. That's partly how the sober curious concept started — by people asking what it would be like if they cut back on their alcohol consumption, purely by choice.
You can explain your decision to others if it helps you stay accountable, but you certainly aren’t required to justify it. Just as you can take pride in getting out there and exploring the world, you should take pride in doing it your way.
If you’re still on the fence, here are some of the reasons people who have been traveling sober love it.
Sober vacations are more than just switching to mocktails and meditating at a wellness retreat ... although we wouldn’t automatically cross those off the itinerary just because. Intentionality is important. You’re learning a new way to travel after all, and it’ll be easy to slide into old habits if you aren't careful.
Here are four ways to stay intentional in your trip planning and have an authentically fun non-alcoholic trip.
Some places lend themselves well to sober travel. Others make it more difficult. With its party reputation, you probably wouldn’t go to Ibiza for a dry trip, especially if you’re worried about temptation.
Research the alcohol culture at your destination. If you’re thinking about returning to a favorite destination, consider how you’ve spent your time there in the past. If all you can think about are your favorite poolside bars or winery tours, it might be time to find a new vacation spot.
Key to deciding on the perfect destination is finding activities you’re excited about but that don’t involve drinking. The more you’ve relied on alcohol in the past, the more difficult it might be to come up with a sober itinerary. It’s not impossible, though.
Suzanne at My Kind of Sweet suggests thinking about what you enjoyed doing on vacation when you were a kid. If it was playing games on the beach, do that! There’s no age limit on building sandcastles or playing frisbee oceanside.
You might also make a list of all the things you’ve wanted to try but always had an excuse to not go for it. Maybe you do want to check out that meditation workshop at a wellness retreat. Visit a chocolate factory in Switzerland, go horseback riding in the Rockies, or take the kids to Disney.
You should have support when you choose to take a sober trip. If the people joining you on your trip aren’t understanding or constantly try to cajole you into having a drink, they aren’t the right travel companions for you.
If you’ve been working toward sobriety, you know the importance of maintaining healthy habits and sticking to a routine that keeps you on track. Don’t let those habits slide while you’re on vacation.
If a yoga practice, journaling exercises, or attending meetings is part of your usual routine, keep it up.
Travel companies are slowly catching up to the demand for better experiences. Fortunately, a few are ahead of the curve.
Hyatt launched a beverage program in 2021 called “Zero Proof, Zero Judgment,” which stocks bars at its various properties with non-alcoholic options. They go beyond the free diet Coke for a designated driver and provide guests with premium drinks they actually want.
Celebrity Cruises and MSC Cruises both offer non-alcoholic beverage packages, the same as other drink packages.
I seriously considered the Alcohol-Free Package when I sailed with MSC in early 2024. At $28 per day, it was half the price of their mid-range alcoholic drink package. Admittedly, even that felt a bit expensive given that the only menu items that felt “special” were the mocktails, and you couldn’t use the drink package in their specialty restaurants.
If you like soda, energy drinks, and a non-alcoholic cocktail with dinner, though, it could be a great option.
If you’re flying on a major U.S. airline, your non-alcoholic options are mostly limited to what you’d expect: coffee, tea, water, soda, and juice. JetBlue is the exception, at least on some flights. Depending on your route, you might find a selection of mocktails as well as a non-alcoholic beer choice.
Alaska Airlines also serves non-alcoholic beer, although you’ll be charged for it the same as any other premium beverage onboard.
We Love Lucid is one of the premier travel agencies that caters to sober travelers, and they define “sober” very broadly. Unlike some agencies, there’s no requirement or expectation that you be in a recovery program.
We Love Lucid’s main goal is providing alcohol-free experiences for travelers, regardless of the motivation behind their decision to travel sober.
Flash Pack is a tour company that organizes trips for solo travelers in their 30s and 40s. It recently introduced a selection of alcohol-free adventures with trips to Bali, Iceland, and Puerto Rico.
One of the things that makes for a great sober vacation is the abundance of alcohol-free activities. Keep that in mind when you’re looking for the best sober travel destinations.
Some spots make our list because drinking isn’t a huge part of the culture; think Muslim countries where people abstain for religious reasons. Just as many destinations also make the list because there’s so much more to enjoy than a tipple.
Morocco is a predominantly Muslim country, meaning that many citizens forgo drinking alcohol as part of their religious beliefs. The country has some of the lowest levels of alcohol consumption in the world — about .5 liters per person, per year. That’s about the same as two eight-ounce cans annually. (I’ve had more than two cans of soda in a single meal.)
Another reason it’s a popular dry destination is because of its attractions. Chefchaouen, the blue city, is one of the most Instagrammable sites in the world with its striking colors and winding streets.
Morocco is also a favorite for markets and access to the Sahara Desert.
To be honest, Costa Rica doesn't have a reputation for being a particularly sober-friendly culture. It’s not that you can’t travel there without drinking, but alcohol is relatively inexpensive and common.
Where Costa Rica makes up ground is in the wide range of activities that are best enjoyed alcohol-free. This Central American country has abundant rainforests and ecolodges that encourage time outside being active.
When it’s time to chill out, though, Costa Rica also has plenty of wellness retreats and sustainable spas designed to help you feel restored and refreshed on your trip. When you aren’t kayaking on the ocean, treat yourself to some relaxing beach time.
Sweden — and Scandinavia, in general — has a strong alcohol culture, although it is highly regulated and expensive. Some travelers have said this helps to deter overindulgence and temptation when you’re dry tripping.
Despite its alcohol culture, you can find plenty to drink that’s non-alcoholic and still uniquely Swedish. If you’re there in December, try julmust, often described as root beer-like and an important Christmas tradition.
The Swedes are also big fans of turning berries and fruits into soda, so if you’re into culinary travel but still staying sober, trying all these unexpected flavors just might be your new version of a pub crawl.
There’s definitely more to Japan than sushi and sake. From museums to temples and shrines to bamboo forests and mountains, there’s plenty to capture your attention. Few countries of this size are as rich and varied in culture and natural beauty.
A draw for some travelers is the country’s bar scene, especially in cities like Tokyo and Kyoto. As someone on a sober or sober-curious trip, though, that might sound disappointing.
Fear not. Japan is the second-largest consumer of non-alcoholic beer in the world. And they bring that inclusivity to their bars and restaurants. Not only will you find mocktails and alternative drinks on a typical menu, but this blogger at Third Place Bar was amazed by the number of bars that were entirely low- or no-alcohol.
The Pacific Northwest has made a name for itself on the craft beer scene, but it’s also renowned for its health-focused, accepting lifestyle. It’s this second reputation that makes it a prime spot for sober travel in the U.S.
If you’re into museums, you have your pick: The Museum of Flight, the Seattle Art Museum, Museum of Pop Culture. If you like exploring quirky neighborhoods and immersing yourself in the local scene, check out Pioneer Square. If the outdoors are more your style, you’re just a short drive from the mountains, the ocean, and Mt. Rainier National Park.
Many of those craft beer spots are catching up with the times, too, so non-alcoholic drink options are becoming easier to find, even at bars. Watershed Pub & Kitchen, for example, has one of the most extensive non-alcoholic drink menus we’ve seen ... and you can even buy NA drinks by the growler.
There’s no single way to have the “perfect” trip. Even a culinary tour can take different forms, and for those of us who are sober or sober curious, that’s great news. We can make the most of any vacation and leave FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) at the jet bridge door.
Find more alternative ways to travel or learn how to protect your next trip at SevenCorners.com.
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