Seeing the World Sober
Increasing numbers of people are seeking alcohol-free vacations.
David Smith, 48, was eight-months sober when he joined a group trip to Costa Rica. Yoga classes and recovery meetings bookended days packed with hiking, zip-lining, paddle-boarding and waterfall jumping.
“I’m doing things I never thought I would do,” the Dallas pharmacist says while gazing out at the Pacific Ocean. “I’m having more fun as a sober traveler than I ever thought was possible. It’s really opened my eyes to the possibilities and the potentials for having fun and enjoying life without having to have a drink.”
Smith, who traveled with Choose Life Sober Adventures, is just one of many who—especially since the pandemic when US alcohol sales increased by nearly 3 percent and alcohol-related deaths soared—have questioned their alcohol consumption. Between people in recovery and the sober-curious movement of temporary abstainers, the market share of nondrinking travelers has grown.
“When you’re drinking, your senses are muted,” says Darci Murray, owner of HOOKED Alcohol Free Travel, which focuses on full-sensory experiences, whether dogsledding in Alberta or cold-water plunging in Iceland. “A lot of us have traveled in the past, but what have we experienced?” she continues. “I’ve been to Italy before, but I’ve only seen it at nighttime. I was too hungover during the day.”
The recovery component of a trip varies. Sober Vacations International, which has organized trips worldwide since 1987, offers daily AA meetings. Choose Life Sober Adventures hosts a nightly free-form recovery meeting where people talk about themes like gratitude or community.
Hotel chains are also incorporating the sober trend. Hyatt introduced a new Zero Proof, Zero Judgment beverage program in late 2021 featuring nonalcoholic spirits. By February 2023, the number of participating Hyatt properties had grown by 70 percent.
“There’s also been a shift in perception when it comes to sobriety or being sober-curious,” observes Miranda Breedlove, the hotelier’s director of bars and lifestyle operations. “Consumers are more comfortable discussing and ordering zero-proof beverages.”
Sober bars and bottle shops are also popping up around the country. Abby Ehmann, owner of Hekate Café & Elixir Lounge in New York City, sees a huge influx of sober revelers for Dry January, when some people give up alcohol for a month. But the demand keeps up year-round.
With Gen Zers drinking about 20 percent less per capita than Millennials did at their age, the thirst for sober travel will only grow.