I don’t know about you, but the thought of going off the grid and escaping the daily chaos of the world, my inbox, client projects and the 36 Slack channels I’m monitoring sounds like the height of luxury right now. High-achieving employees deserve the opportunity to regroup and recharge. Incentives and executive retreats are leading the way.
Incentive travel has long been a symbol of reward and recognition—an opportunity for top achievers to enjoy luxurious destinations in international locations. Executive retreats also allow a leadership team to reconnect and strengthen relationships that in turn support the business.
But as global headlines shift, so, too, does the mindset of event marketers and corporations. With ongoing geopolitical tensions, fluctuating tariffs and increasing scrutiny around U.S. foreign policy—and legitimate concerns that green card holders, employees or their plus-ones may have issues returning to the U.S.—many organizations are taking a closer look at their travel footprints.
The result? A noticeable pivot inward—toward domestic destinations that offer the same level of escape, with fewer complications and no jet lag.
[Related: Luxury Redefined: The Evolution of Wellness in Corporate Luxury Events]
Staying Stateside: A Strategic Shift
There’s a growing preference among corporations to keep incentive and executive travel within U.S. borders, and it’s not simply about logistics. For many, it’s a response to global uncertainty. Staying close to home offers a sense of stability.
At the same time, employees are increasingly valuing wellness, safety and flexibility in their travel experiences. Events and destinations that acknowledge the human, allow them to unwind and remove the stress of complex itineraries are rising to the top of the list.
This shift also reflects a broader cultural trend: purpose over prestige. It’s not about how far you go—it’s about how deeply you can disconnect, reflect and feel rewarded. Fortunately, the U.S. is rich with regions that offer truly transformative luxury experiences tucked away in serene landscapes.
Off-the-Grid but Ultra-Luxurious: North American Destinations That Deliver
Today’s luxury isn’t about opulence and white-glove service (though those may occasionally have their place). It’s about quiet and subdued luxury, immersive experiences, natural beauty and meaningful connections that provide guests with a once-in-a-lifetime or insider experience that they can’t obtain easily on their own.
Here are three North American destinations delivering high-end, off-the-grid corporate experiences.
Hudson Valley, New York
Less than two hours north of Manhattan, the Hudson Valley feels like a world away. At Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection, located in Gardiner, New York, and opened in 2022, groups can settle into a luxury retreat grounded in nature and sustainability.
The property has 65 free-standing bungalows, cottages and suites as well as function space. Christine Bezzone, area senior group sales manager at Auberge, explained: “The opportunity to reconnect with family, bond with colleagues and do some self-reflection surrounded by quiet luxury and mildly manicured grounds resonates with incentive and executive groups.”
Guests enjoy being surrounded by wildflower meadows and forest trails, stargazing far away from city lights, making focaccia, exploring a whiskey trail and visiting a nearby distillery.
Groups are seeking experiences that create memories through a full sensory experience. These are more valuable and impactful. My personal favorite: artisanship learning and education—foraging, art lessons, beekeeping, gardening, sheep shearing.
[Related: Luxury Redefined: The Luxury Revolution Continues]
Sonoma County, California
Beyond the wine tastings and vineyard views lies a deep sense of place, community and connection in Sonoma. Five-star hotels like The Farmhouse Inn and Montage Healdsburg offer luxury accommodations just 90 minutes from San Francisco International Airport.
Bricoleur Vineyards is a 63-acre Russian River Valley estate that offers a variety of executive-level experiences and unique meeting environments. The estate has a culinary garden and an olive orchard with 250 trees that provide a harvest that is pressed and bottled for the farm.
Its “Estate to Plate” experience weaves together a guided tour of the culinary gardens and hands-on harvesting of seasonal ingredients, including eggs from the property’s hens.
“Guests bring their harvest into the kitchen for a cooking lesson using ingredients from the estate,” said Teina Moore, events manager at Bricoleur Vineyards. “It creates a meaningful connection to the land, an appreciation of the culinary world and encourages engagement among all guests.”
[Related: Luxury Redefined: The Appeal of Craftsmanship and Hands-on Learning in High-End Event Programs]
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
The Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, a member of Baillie Lodges—and whose tagline is the same as the name of my column, “Luxury Redefined”—is a remote and luxurious off-the-grid destination on Vancouver Island, just off Canada’s Pacific coast and only a 45-minute seaplane ride from Vancouver’s airport. Each guest is greeted personally by General Manager Sarah Cruse and her pups. A 10-minute horse-drawn carriage ride completes the journey and winds through an estuary and coastal rainforest, transporting guests to the main lodge.
The secluded lodge features 25 luxury canvas tents and can accommodate up to 50 guests. They regularly do all-inclusive buyouts for groups with accommodations, Michelin-level dining experiences and an array of on-property, nature-based activities.
Cruse believes in the life-changing transformation that can occur by disconnecting from the rush and reconnecting with colleagues, purpose and nature. On-property experiences include fishing, horseback riding, wellness rituals and my personal favorite, “wet hiking,” which involves wearing a wetsuit while hiking through forest streams and waterfalls, typically ranging between 48-55 degrees Fahrenheit, combining adrenaline and refreshment. Heli-hiking and heli-fly fishing are also available for the most adventurous in the group.
Due to the seasonality of their remote location and focus on sustainability, they are only open from mid-May to late September.
[Related: Luxury Redefined: Off-the-Beaten-Path Is the New Luxury of Incentive Travel]
From Acrylic Awards to Authentic Mementos
There’s also a quiet revolution happening in how incentive achievers are being acknowledged. Gone are the days when recognition came in the form of a crystal trophy or acrylic award (thank God). Today’s achievers want to handcraft their symbols of success—tangible, experiential and deeply personal.
Imagine guests visiting a working sheep farm, experiencing the process of shearing wool, spinning it by hand and crafting their own scarves. It’s not a souvenir—it’s a story.
In many destinations, you can connect with highly skilled local artisans who guide attendees through crafting fine ceramics—this isn’t your mother’s Color Me Mine experience—learning to shape, fire and glaze their pieces. A guided hike and photography session with a regional naturalist and photography expert lets guests capture the destination through their own lens and then take those framed images and memories home as mementos.
These hands-on experiences are more than Instagrammable moments; they become emotional anchors. They represent achievement but also connection to a place, a personal process and a moment in time.
The most rewarding experiences aren’t always the furthest away. In fact, staying closer to home might allow for deeper connection and greater comfort.
For event marketers and corporations, incentives and executive retreats are purposeful investments in people, the culture and the business. With the right destination and intention, luxury can be reimagined not just as a place, but as the feelings that linger.
With love and luxury, Laurie
