Workcations and Schoolcations

When you can work or attend school remotely, who says you have to do it from home?

If this pandemic has taught us anything, it is that most of us can work just about anywhere. Technology allows us to communicate and have face-to-face meetings with our co-workers and clients no matter where in the world we are, essentially creating a new crop of “digital nomads.” Students who are still unable to attend school in person are attending school virtually. Many companies are mandating their employees to work from home (giving rise to the acronym “WFH”). Still, you could accomplish both from any location with a strong wi-fi signal. Enter the “Workcation” or “Schoolcation” concept!

I’ve seen lots of emails and articles lately from resort properties, which have also clued in on this concept and are actively promoting it. They are taking lemons COVID has dealt the travel industry and making proverbial lemonade. The first one that caught my attention was a Napa Valley Auberge property whose headline read, “WORK FROM WINE COUNTRY- What better place to find inspiration and watch your productivity soar than amid the stunning vistas of Napa Valley? Make the view of the vineyards you backdrop for that board meeting, fine-tune that new idea to the flow of a spring-fed creek, or sharpen your focus with the warm mountain sunshine streaming into your corner office.” (say what??)…why, yes, please! Even Montage, the Four Seasons Punta Mita, and some assorted Caribbean and French Polynesian resorts are getting into the act. Stay for a week or a month. Many properties have private suites and residences, so you feel like you really have your own space like at home and not just a cramped hotel room.

Four Seasons will even support learning with features such as a tech hotline, study buddy program, art, culture, history, and after school sports classes. How cool is that?

Montage Resorts recently announced its new Montage Academy. This program allows families visiting select properties to enroll students for a full school week of classroom work following their home school’s learning structure in the mornings and “support from both the on-site Montage Academy learning concierge and virtual tutoring [on up to 180 subjects] through Tutor.com.” Afternoons will be spent on electives, “including PE (like paddleboarding, archery, mountain biking), science and history (such as astronomy or conservation), and art.”

Many families are taking advantage of the flexibility to take extended road trips to our nation’s National Parks and historical landmarks. Often, these trips can enhance the children’s curriculum and contribute significantly to the learning process.

So, if you’re looking for an attitude adjustment with a change of scenery, and you have the flexibility to work or study in a location far from home, this might be the ticket! And if you’re looking for the perfect spot to do this, I know a travel advisor who is ready to help (Me)!