Forty may be the new thirty but our tastes are a bit more refined these days, and the celebration should be too. Whether you go with your main squeeze, your sisters or your best girlfriends, we’ve handpicked the best ways to ring in your 40’s – in style. You’ll have to spend some money, but you’re worth it.
ANGUILLA
The cruise ships don’t stop at this Caribbean island, and there’s a reason why. Anguilla is home to some of the most exclusive beaches and elegant resorts in the world. (Beyoncé, Ellen, and Sandra Bullock have all vacationed there recently.) A non-stop flight from Charlotte and a twenty minute boat ride will get you to this tropical paradise. The stunning (and newly updated) Four Seasons Resort Anguilla offers a spectacular infinity pool, gorgeous spa, and impeccable attention to detail. (Most rooms also come with their own plunge pools.) Make sure to grab a bite to eat and catch the sunset in the sunset lounge (stunning every night) right there on property and plan to wander down the beach to Blanchard’s for dinner another night. During the day, book a luxury catamaran ride to Sandy Island, a private cay where you can spend the day lounging (they offer beachfront massages), snorkeling and feasting on lobster and BBQ. Back at the resort, poolside service will bring you and your girls champagne to toast your 40th all day – and all night – long.
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BLACKBERRY FARM
If you want a little taste of the outdoors while still enjoying the ultimate in luxury, Blackberry Farm in Tennessee is the perfect place to celebrate leaving your thirties behind. The 4,200 acre estate in the Great Smoky Mountains is just a 25 minute drive from the Knoxville airport and offers a beautiful mountain backdrop just about every activity you could want: tennis, swimming, golf, yoga, fitness classes…there’s even a craft room for painting and pottery. The accommodations are first class (there are three-five bedroom houses, cottages and more to choose from) and feature luxurious linens, plush robes and enough room for all your guests to be cozy. The gourmet cuisine is rooted in what comes from the farm and walks the line between refined and rugged, borrowing from both haute cuisine and the foods indigenous to the area. There are cooking classes and wine events throughout the year, so check with reservations when you book.
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LAS VEGAS
You’ve no doubt hit a casino before, but not like this. It’s your 40th after all, so do Vegas right. Book a room at the Mandarin Oriental for Asian-style elegance with a five-star spa. (We’re talking a two-story spa with more than a dozen treatment rooms, a Chinese foot spa and a pool deck.) After a day at the spa, you don’t even have to leave the resort to enjoy one of the best views in town: sip some suds at the Mandarin Bar while enjoying 23-story views. Make sure you leave plenty of time to shop while you’re in sin city; outside of NYC, Vegas offers some of the best shopping in the world. For the best designers, you’ll want to wander through the Shops at the Palazzo at the Ventian hotel. And if you want to go old school, stop by The Forum Shops at Ceasars Palace, the original Vegas shopping destination.
