Love chocolate? Travel to these destinations to get your sweet fix
Treat yourself with chocolate experiences, both internal and external
Attend a cacao ceremony at W Punta de Mita, Mexico
The cacao ceremony at W Punta de Mita honors the area’s past
At the blissful W Punta de Mita in Riviera Nayarit, guests can take part in a cacao ceremony, an ancient ritual “honoring the Mayan ancestors of the region,” said Forbes. Cacao beans were sacred to the Maya, with chocolate considered food for the Gods, and this ritual is meant to stir “self-reflection and spiritual awakenings.”
Led by a shaman, the ceremony takes place outside of the hotel on the white sand beach, with participants drinking the cacao before relaxing with a sound bath meditation. The experience leaves guests energized and renewed.
Check out the Chocolate Laboratory at Jade Mountain Resort, St. Lucia
Guests can take home with them chocolate made from beans grown at Jade Mountain Resort
Chocolate is part of St. Lucia’s culture, and has been since the first cocoa trees were planted here during the early 1700s. At the luxe Jade Mountain Resort, guests can learn more about the island’s sweet side while visiting the Chocolate Laboratory. There are over 2,000 cocoa trees at the property and its sister estate, and at the lab guests can taste the “incredible” chocolates made from those beans, said Food & Wine.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Other interactive activities include truffle making and tempering chocolate. Book the Chocolate Alchemy package for extras like a chocolate-infused spa treatment and excursion to the resort’s Emerald Cocoa Estate.
Enjoy a cacao-centered spa day at Rancho La Puerta, Mexico
Chocolate is made in-house at Rancho La Puerta
Rancho La Puerta, a wellness resort spanning 4,000 acres only an hour’s drive from San Diego, is a “special place,” said Travel and Leisure, and the magazine’s readers have named it “one of the best destination spas in the world” for 10 consecutive years. The legendary spa offers a native-inspired Xocolatl Skin Replenishment treatment that uses nourishing, antioxidant-rich cacao butter and sugar to soften the skin, followed by a body mask and massage using cacao-infused products. This treatment is reason enough to grab your passport and book a stay.
Explore the Lindt Home of Chocolate, Switzerland
The centerpiece of the Lindt Home of Chocolate lobby is a massive chocolate fountain
This “shrine to sweets” also happens to be one of Zurich’s “most impressive contemporary buildings,” said The Sydney Morning Herald. The museum is dedicated to telling the story of chocolate, from its global origins to how it became a vital part of Swiss culture. Visitors can also make their own chocolate during workshops led by Lindt master chocolatiers, pick up souvenirs in the world’s largest Lindt shop and see a 30-foot chocolate fountain.
Sip hot chocolate from Park Terrace Hotel, New York City
Park Terrace Hotel is ensuring guests stay warm with hot chocolate
Walking around New York City, seeing the sights with a cup of hot chocolate in hand, is one of the best ways to spend a winter trip in the Big Apple. At the inviting Park Terrace Hotel, the Cocoa + Go perk lets guests grab an insulated mug of hot chocolate from local favorite Chocolat Moderne, so they can have a nice, warm beverage at all times.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Park Terrace is right by Bryant Park, so you’ll be “right in the midst of all the typical NYC action,” said Time Out. The hot cocoa will fuel your walk to Rockefeller Center to see the giant Christmas tree and the sparkling storefronts of Fifth Avenue.
Visit Hershey’s Chocolate World, Pennsylvania
All the classic Hershey candies are represented at Hershey’s Chocolate World
The candy epicenter of the U.S. is Hershey, Pennsylvania, home of the Hershey Company and Hershey’s Chocolate World. Here, visitors can take a ride through the chocolate factory to learn about the manufacturing process; create their own candy bar; go on a chocolate tasting journey during the interactive Hershey’s Unwrapped show; and take a trolley ride around town. Taking a stroll around the nearby Hershey Gardens is a sweet way to end the day.
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
One great cookbook: Niloufer Ichaporia King’s ‘My Bombay Kitchen’The Week Recommends A personal, scholarly wander through a singular cuisine
-
7 mountain hotels perfect for a tranquil autumn or winter escapeThe Week Recommends Get (altitude) high and unwind
-
The 5 best political thriller series of the 21st centuryThe Week Recommends Viewers can binge on most anything, including espionage and the formation of parliamentary coalitions
-
The best quality chocolateThe Week Recommends The milk and dark chocolate bars that win on depth and flavour
-
The 8 best dark comedies of the 21st centuryThe Week Recommends From Santa Claus to suicide terrorism, these movies skewered big, taboo subjects
-
Everything you need to know about last-minute travelThe Week Recommends You can book an awesome trip with a moment’s notice
-
Art Review: Downtown/Uptown: New York in the EightiesFeature Lévy Gorvy Dayan, New York City, through Dec. 13
-
The 7 best police procedurals of all timeThe Week Recommends There’s more to cops and robbers than just nabbing the bad guy at the end of the show



