Hotmail
Party on, dude! 10 great getaways for guys
Catch a baseball game or drink beer while bonding with your buds
 | Boston Red Sox fans peer into the Red Sox dugout during a rain delay at Fenway Park. The best time to see the boys of summer in action is — well, the summer — but no matter what time of year you visit Boston, you can always take a tour of Fenway Park for a behind-the-scenes look at one of baseball’s most famous franchises. |
Winslow Townson / AP |
Bachelor parties, Father’s Day, or a big birthday celebration — there’s no shortage of reasons to get away with the boys. The next time you boys need some time off from the girls, skip the afternoon outing in favor of a full-blown vacation. We’ve rounded up the 10 best activities and destinations where you can bond with your buds — whether watching baseball, drinking beer, or a getting a back rub — on a guys-only getaway.
1. Catch a baseball game in Boston
Even a die-hard Yankees fan can’t deny Boston's place in baseball history. The beloved Boston Red Sox (known locally as the Sawx) are such an integral part of the city’s identity that even ambivalence is considered blasphemy. Their fans are fanatical and their home, Fenway Park, looks very much like it did when the first game was played there in 1912. The best time to see the boys of summer in action is — well, the summer — but no matter what time of year you visit Boston, you can always take a tour of Fenway Park for a behind-the-scenes look at one of baseball’s most famous franchises.
Book it: The centrally located Omni Parker House offers a two-night deal on select weekends through Sept. 2, 2007 that includes accommodations, tickets to a Friday or Saturday game, and breakfast from $289 per night.
2. Cook in Napa
Guys who think cooking is “woman’s work” obviously missed the memo, because the majority of the world’s top-rated chefs are men. You may never own a Michelin-starred restaurant, but there’s no better place to learn the basics than the Culinary Institute of America in Northern California’s Napa Valley. The CIA offers very masculine "Ancient Cookfire" cooking classes — you’ll be the ultimate barbecue man on the block in no time. If it gets too hot in the kitchen, get out to one of Napa Valley’s superb restaurants where you can sit back and let someone else do the cooking, or enjoy the fruit of the vine at one of the Valley’s 300-plus wineries.
Book it: The CIA 's Sophisticated Palate series offers an "Ancient Cookfire" course (debuting Sept. 20-21, 2007). The intensive two-day program is $1,995 per person and includes kitchen orientation, lecture, hands-on cooking, and food and wine pairing.
3. Drink beer in Bavaria
There may be no better place on earth for beer lovers than Bavaria, Germany’s largest state. The capital city of Munich is home to the world-famous Oktoberfest, but there’s plenty of sud-sipping to be done in Bavaria all year long. Beer gardens and beer halls abound, as do centuries-old breweries whose output adheres to the strict standards set forth in 1516. With so many places to lift a glass and say prost!, you won’t have much time for sightseeing; if you need a break from imbibing however, there are plenty of castles, monasteries, medieval villages, lakes, and mountains to explore. For more great places to throw back a few, check out our Top 10 cities for beer lovers.
Book it: BeerTrips.com offers a 10-day "Countryside Beers of Franconia and Bavaria" tour this Sept. 27 through Oct. 7, 2007. The land-only price of $2,445 includes accommodations, transportation, brewery tours and more.
4. Golf in Ponte Vedra Beach
Unless you’ve whittled your handicap down to scratch, you won’t be playing on the PGA tour. Instead, head to Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and book a tee time at the TPC Sawgrass, home of The Players Championship — known as the “Fifth Major” — and the site of Tiger Wood’s incredible 60-foot “better than most” putt that helped him win the tourney in 2001 (you can try to recreate the moment on the famous 17th-hole). No matter what level you're at, playing a course that's as steeped in golf lore as this one is an experience best shared with the boys.
Book it: The Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Spa offers a three-night "Fins, Foursomes, and Fables" package through Sept. 4, 2007. Priced from $502 per person, the offer includes two rounds at the TPC, surfing lessons, and a fishing trip.
5. Off-road in Death Valley
Former boy scouts looking for a wilderness camping adventure should look no further than Death Valley, Calif., where deep-rock canyons, old mining camps, and the arid Panamint Mountains beg to explored. See it all via 4x4 — and if you’re feeling really adventurous, spin your wheels in the sand of the Dumont Dunes, some of the tallest dunes open for off-road riding. Set up camp under the stars and test your survival skills, because you’ll be sharing the land with wild donkeys, coyotes and snakes. Pack plenty of drinking water — about two gallons per person per day — if you don’t want the park’s name to predict the outcome of your trip.
Book it: Western Adventures offers three-night guided 4x4 tours of the region starting in the town of Trona, Calif., and continuing through area’s mountains and valleys from $429 per vehicle.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM SUMMER TRAVEL |
 Summer Travel Section Front |
| Add Summer Travel headlines to your news reader: |
Resource guide