What If You Could Book A Beach Vacation Based On Your Mood?

In most scenarios, when you’re looking for a beach vacation, you start by researching destinations. But what if there were a way to search instead by the type of trip you’re seeking—whether that’s a vacation spiked with adventure or a getaway that’s all about relaxation?

That’s the idea behind BeachBound’s latest lineup of all-inclusive packages, which include airfare, hotel stays, meals, airport transfers as well as activities curated around a loose theme (think: rejuvenation, togetherness, passion).

The vacation brand, which has more than 70 destinations in its portfolio, is now offering a half dozen vacation themes to shop, each of which has several options for destinations spread throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. The format makes it seamless for travelers who want to compare, say, a romantic getaway in the Bahamas, Riviera Maya, and Montego Bay, Jamaica, and so all in one fell swoop rather than running searches in multiple destinations.

After two years of international travel lagging due to the pandemic, surveys are hinting that travel is about to rebound in a major way this year. More than 42 percent of those surveyed by The Vacationer say they’ll be traveling more this summer than last—a trend being dubbed as “revenge travel.” The same survey found that eight in 10 Americans plan to travel this summer. In last year’s summer survey, nearly 68 percent (or 173 million American adults) said they planned to travel, so there is going to be a significant increase in travel in 2022.

Dana Studebaker—vice president of marketing for Apple Leisure Group, the parent company of BeachBound—says that with travel picking back up “experiences are more important now than ever before.” Experiential travel is especially in demand among Millennial and Gen Z travelers who want unique, curated itineraries, she says.

For those who crave a lot of variety on their vacations, though, BeachBound is also offering an “Endless Experiences” all-inclusive package, which threads various themes like adventure, cultural immersion and relaxation into the getaway. The trip includes a four-night stay at Dreams Las Mareas by AMR Collection, a resort in Playa El Jobo on the Northern coast of Guanacaste.

On the itinerary, for instance, is a trip to Buena Vista Del Rincon, an eco-adventure park in Guanacaste. Shaded by a canopy of trees, a 1,500-foot long water slide snakes down a lush forest. It’s billed as the longest jungle water slide in Costa Rica (which begs the question: How many jungles have water slides?). Thrillseekers wear innertubes like donuts around their waists as they climb a path to take the wild ride—helmets required. A day trip here also includes walking across a suspension bridge amid the trees, hopping between hot springs pools of varying temperatures, and learning about the Chorotega ceramics unique to Central America.

The Costa Rica trip also includes spa treatments, a catamaran snorkeling tour that concludes at sunset, and a beach dinner at sunset when the skies are fiery orange. The package is priced at $4,650, based on two people, and can be booked between now and May 28.