4 places around the world to travel with friends

One of my favorite memories comes from a trip I took to Iceland. I was riding on the back of an ATV across a black sand beach with rain whisking across my helmet, grasping the back of my dearest pal as we screamed woo-hoos for only the sea to hear.

It was a kind of rush made for secret sharers, late-night texters, best friends. Our screams turned into laughs turned into tears as my best friend and I hugged at base camp wearing the most unflattering off-road jumpsuits to ever exist, latched to each other in an adrenaline-high daze.

There’s something truly special about experiencing adventure, wellness, nightlife, cuisine and relaxation with people you can share an in-depth group chat with. So where should you go on a friends-only vacation? I’ve got some suggestions to get the conversation started.

Call your friends who love to be outdoors—and who might have matching carabiners and waterproof hiking boots. They’ll always show up for you if you need a hiking buddy, an off-road partner or a reminder to pack a high-protein energy bar. Adventure tethers them together. So when vacation time comes, book a stay in Albuquerque, where outdoor adventure is everywhere.

Thanks to Albuquerque’s 400 miles of accessible bike lanes, two wheels are the best way to get to know the city. Build your own itinerary and consider these options:

• Take one of your afternoons to ride on the Paseo del Bosque Trail from Alameda Boulevard to Rio Bravo Boulevard, a 16-mile uninterrupted paved bike trail where you’ll spot wildlife, wood carvings and flourishing ponds. 

• Rest at Tingley Beach, reach for that energy bar and watch fishers reel in their catches. Don’t forget to pack your sunscreen. 

• Once you need to catch your breath, head to the historic Old Town at Church Street Cafe, where the handmade tamale plate comes big enough to share. 

• When you’re ready for something a bit more active, jump in the car and head to the Piedra Lisa Canyon. It’s a 20-minute drive toward the Sandia Mountains and has a ton of options for hikers and trail runners. Marvel at the wild rock formations, the multicolored cacti and the waterfalls.

• After some much-needed sleep at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm, go for chilaquiles and blue corn Sonora white wheat pancakes for brunch at Campo, the on-site restaurant that looks out on lavender rows and organic farmland. 

• Want to stay a bit longer to take in more adventure? Opt for a sunset balloon ride with Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloons. Nothing says friendship like marveling at breathtaking views while floating a few thousand feet high in the orange-and-pink Albuquerque sky.

Eligible cardholders can earn elevated rewards on trips booked through Capital One Travel. Choose from thousands of travel options for your next friend-cation. And book confidently knowing you got a great price using smart features like price alerts to notify you when to book, price drop protection on flights and a price match guarantee on all bookings.

These friends are the nonfiction-book-club-turned-happy-hour crew. They’re often seen traipsing through local museums and discussing whether art is reflected in culture or culture is reflected in art. New ideas are their constant, and Paris is overflowing with cultural touchpoints that will keep them in discovery mode.

Start your trip at Hôtel Amour listening to the in-room French radio and snapping feed-worthy pictures of the street from the oh-so-Parisian windows. Hôtel Amour is located in the 9th arrondissement, with local cafés and shops. Its alluring neon pink sign should absolutely make an appearance in a group photo.

It’s a short walk to Montmartre and sights like Place Émile Goudeau, where Picasso once had a studio space. While there, stay the course up the hilly stretch to gaze at the Sacré-Coeur, a domed cathedral towering over the square, before making your way to the cathedral’s steps to take in its detailed travertine-limestone exterior.

You can also find statues of Joan of Arc and Louis IX in the famously creative Montmartre district. It’s been home to artists like Manet, Renoir and Modigliani, who would frequent the area’s cafés, take in the lush garden at the Museé de Montmartre and pour themselves into their work back at their studios.

If surrealism is on the agenda, you can find it a short walk away at the Dalí Paris museum, home to the largest collection of Salvador Dalí art in France.

On one of your afternoons, opt for an espresso and shared charcuterie slate at Au Relais, a calm, shaded restaurant in the 18th arrondissement. Stop by Flash Vintage to purchase an eclectic travel accessory: perhaps a classic scarf, buttons or berets for all? Better yet, snag best-friend flash tattoos from Bon Jour Tattoo Club, or get a group mani in Chillhouse at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann.

Find a spot in your come-what-may itinerary to dine at Le Relais de l’Entrecôte, where the served meal is always green salad, sirloin and matchstick potatoes. No reservations are taken, so expect to wait.

These friends have a favorite dance song—and when it comes on, they beat a path to the dance floor. Music and good times sustain their bond, and Formentera is the ideal place to keep the party alive.

Formentera may be the smallest of Spain’s Balearic islands, but it still holds its own in nightlife with a bohemian twist. Famous for being a decadent bolt-hole for A-listers like Kate Moss, Bob Dylan and Jade Jagger, Formentera parties on the beach with a psychedelic-colored drink in one hand and sandals in the other.

Check in at the ‘60s-inspired Five Flowers Hotel & Spa Formentera, where vivid pinkish-red and turmeric accents highlight the interior design. It’s located on a main drag of food, shops and bars, with taxis ready to take you to the nearest beach club. Stop by the local market, Mercadillo de Es Pujols, before first drinks to absorb the island’s energy.

Red Beach Formentera, a bar right on the sand, turns neon pink at night, serving passion fruit-inspired cocktails, vegan pizzas, and a great everything bagel with salmon, cream cheese, tomatoes and capers.

If you’re looking to spend a day in one place, take a taxi to Blue Bar, where the decor is—you guessed it—blue, along with alien-themed furnishings in an oceanside environment.

Grab lunch by the beach at the accompanying restaurant, sit with a cocktail in the afternoon to watch the sunset, and strap in for the live music and alien show in the evening. The best part of traveling with friends is the wild stories and “remember whens.” The time you went to the alien show in Formentera will surely end up as one of them.

These friends are the relax-and-lounge types who are forever seeking a blissful state. They keep their bathing suits ready in case someone discovers a new therapeutic bath or detoxifying reflexology spot. Calmness is their bond, and Naples is abundant in lounge-worthy locales.

Beyond Naples’ colorful, congested streets, you can find modern spas against the backdrop of old-world charm.

Check into the Romeo Hotel, and make your way through the lobby’s eclectic art—towering statues, sci-fi-esque furniture and sculptural lamps—to Dogana del Sale. Romeo’s wellness center is a high-tech sanctuary and an oasis of peace. It has hyper-designed salt rooms and relaxation spaces. And services include candle massages, detoxifying body treatments, gym services and beauty treatments. You’ll be awestruck by how glowy your buddies look when they emerge from their Sodashi oxygenating facial treatments.

Once you’re all relaxed and hydrated, Stritt Stritt, a homey outdoor eatery, is around the corner. Replenish your massaged limbs with a glass of red wine—for the antioxidants, of course—and Neapolitan street food, such as:

• Frittura all’italiana: Fried vegetables and meat native to the region.

• Linguini allo scoglio: Pasta and seafood is a classic combination. In true best-friend style, you won’t bat an eye when a tender shrimp gets lifted from your plate. 

Up for a little adventure? Set off from Porto di Napoli across the bay to lush Ischia. Ischia is a scenic and volcanic island surrounded by mineral-rich thermal waters.

Once you arrive, make your way to Mezzatorre Hotel & Thermal Spa to enjoy a 45-minute routine that includes a seawater thalassotherapy pool, Turkish baths, sensory showers and Kneipp pools that support circulation. Afterward, La Baia Restaurant will be there with perfect pastas, carpaccio and mussels.

Hot springs bubble at Maronti Beach. And the beach club will call your names. Daybeds, umbrellas and white-and-yellow-striped towels will call to you as you wander down to the sand with a spritz in hand just in time for golden hour at sunset. If you thought you had excellent photos of your vacation before, here is where you’ll really elicit FOMO from the people back home.

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