Location: Sea Island, Georgia
Average temperature in April: highs in mid 70s, lows in high 50s
If privacy’s your goal, look no further than The Cloister: Set on Georgia’s teensy-tiny Sea Island (just five by one-and-a-half miles), this Addison Mizner–designed, palm frond-flushed palazzo is sure to satisfy. Depending on your interests (or your desire for solitude), the Mediterranean-style resort offers three distinct accommodations: the Lodge, encircled by three separate golf courses on St. Simons Island; the Cloister, the most centrally located, with beach access and spa; and the Cottages, private, and optimal for couples and families seeking space. Room decor varies, but many have a Tara Plantation–meets–Montepulciano thing going on, occasionally excessive but mostly pared back—think overstuffed chairs, frilly, floral curtains, exposed wood beam ceilings, and slim wooden furniture.
Sea Island has a whopping 15 restaurants in total, but we favor the stately Georgian Room, where you can satisfy your craving for a little southern hospitality—and five-star dining—under gold and crystal chandeliers, and eat sea bass and lobster off of hand-painted china. The resort also offers horseback riding, boating and fishing, and plenty of other activities guaranteed to get your heart rate going. Plus, a waterfront lounge designed for that saucy, sassing teen of yours, with a pool table, jukebox, and flat screen TV. Parental supervision not included.
