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 Suite at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Seashore Resort & Club
 
 
 
 
 Waldorf Astoria Monarch Seashore Resort & Club has announced a $30 million guest room refresh of its 400-guest rooms and suites established to debut in September. “Following the property’s …
She was traveling the moment she ascended to the throne, and for much of the next seven decades, Queen Elizabeth II criss-crossed the world.
Newly married and still just a princess, Britain’s future monarch was in Kenya with husband Prince Philip in February 1952 when she learned of her father’s death and her new regal status.
During her reign she would visit more than 120 countries, witnessing first-hand the revolutions in global travel that shrank the world as her own influence over it diminished.
The Queen lived through the advent of the Jet Age, flew supersonic on the Concorde, saw regimes change, countries form and dissolve, the end of the British Empire and the rise of globalization.
Here are some of the most memorable travel moments from her 70 years as monarch.
Less than six months after she was crowned at Westminster Abbey in London, Queen Elizabeth set off on her travels again. Her debut official state trip was an epic six-month tour of the Commonwealth — the alliance of nations which were once British colonies. Traveling by air, sea and land she visited several countries, accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. First stop was the North Atlantic island of Bermuda, a British territory she would visit a further four times during her reign.
The trip would go on to include stops in Jamaica, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Cocos Islands, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Aden (now part of Yemen), Uganda, Malta and Gibraltar.
At Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in June 1953, Queen Salote Tupou III of the Polynesian kingdom of Tonga won over the British public when she sat, rain-soaked, in her open carriage. They also took an interest when Elizabeth returned the visit later in the year. The two queens enjoyed an open-air feast, watched Tongan dancers and admired a tortoise that legend said was presented by explorer Captain James Cook to the King of Tonga in 1777.
The Queen voyaged to New Zealand during the Antipodean summer of 1953-4. Over the course of the trip, it’s estimated that three out of every four New Zealanders got a glimpse of her. In preparation for the Queen’s visit, some New Zealand sheep were dyed in the UK flag colors of red, white and blue. The Queen returned to the country nine times over the years, including in 2002 as she marked half a century on the throne.
A visit to Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, coincided with the Queen’s 28th birthday. She visited the city of Colombo where crowds joined together to sing her “Happy Birthday.” She also visited the central city of Kandy, where she watched a procession featuring a reported 140 elephants and met local chiefs.
The Queen had visited France as a young princess, but her first state visit as monarch was a glamorous affair. She attended the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris, visited the Palace of Versailles, and dined at the Louvre with then-President Rene Coty. The Queen also laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe and visited the Scottish Church of Paris.
Having met President Harry S. Truman in Washington in 1951 during a visit before ascending to the throne, Elizabeth was no stranger to America when she arrived on her first trip as Queen. Her 1957 visit marked the 350th anniversary of the first permanent British settlement on the continent, in Jamestown. The monarch attended a college football game at the former Byrd Stadium in Maryland where she watched the home team lose to North Carolina. She met with President Dwight D. Eisenhower in the White House and later traveled to New York, where she and Prince Philip drove through the streets and admired panoramic views of the city from the Empire State Building.
The Queen and Prince Philip visited Pakistan in 1961, arriving in the port city of Karachi after completing a visit to India as part of a wider tour of South Asia. She drove through the streets of Karachi in an open-top car, before going on to visit Lahore, where a torchlight military tattoo took place in her honor and Prince Philip played in a game of polo.
In Nepal, the Queen inspected troops in Kathmandu and met Gurkha ex-servicemen in Pokhara. The monarch rode on an elephant and visited the Hanuman Dhoka Palace complex in Kathmandu. She took part in the rather grim spectacle of a tiger hunt although didn’t shoot any animals herself. She instead recorded the experience on cine camera – a recording device that she often carried with her on her earlier foreign trips.
The Queen visited pre-revolution Iran at the end of her 1961 South Asian tour.
Hosted by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, she toured ancient monuments including the ruins of Persepolis, once a capital of the Achaemenid Empire, later declared a World Heritage Site. She also saw Sheikh Lotfollah mosque in Esfahan and admired collections of the Archaeological Museum of Iran.
In 1961, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to visit the Vatican. Dressed all in black, the Queen had an audience with Pope John XXIII, also attended by Prince Philip. She returned to the Vatican three more times during her reign, meeting Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis.
Bombing incidents in the capital Accra left officials worried about the safety of the Queen’s visit to Ghana but, after deliberation, UK Prime Minister Harold Macmillan confirmed it would go ahead. During the trip, the Queen famously shared a dance with Ghana’s then-president, Kwame Nkrumah. At the height of Cold War uncertainty, this seemingly innocuous moment was seen as significant in ensuring Ghana remained affiliated to Britain and not the USSR.
The Queen’s visit to West Germany and West Berlin was viewed as a symbolic gesture of goodwill in the post-World War II landscape. It was the first royal trip to German territory for more than 50 years and photographs such as one of the Queen and Prince Philip in a car driving past the Brandenburg Gate had symbolic resonance.
Queen Elizabeth became the first reigning British monarch to visit South America when she landed in Brazil in late 1968. During the trip, the Queen wore a striking jewelry set made of Brazilian aquamarine, gifted to her in 1953 by the Brazilian president and added to over time. The monarch also attended a football match between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, and presented the winner’s trophy to Brazilian footballer Pele.
On the first of two trips to Turkey — the second took place in 2008 — the Queen visited the Gallipoli peninsula to remember the Allied soldiers who died there during World War I. The monarch also explored the ruins of the ancient Greek empire city of Ephesus. A media highlight of the visit came when she was photographed leaping ashore from a barge, after disembarking from her ship, the Royal Yacht Britannia.
Accompanied by Prince Philip and daughter Princess Anne, the Queen was greeted on arrival in Bangkok by a carpet of flower petals. The monarch was given a golden key to the city of Bangkok, attended a state banquet and visited Bang Pa-In Palace, the Thai royal family’s summer residence, north of the capital.
The Queen’s visit to Yugoslavia was her first trip to a communist country. The Central European country no longer exists — the areas that the Queen visited are now part of Croatia. During her trip, she met Yugoslav political leader Josip Broz Tito and traveled on his famous Blue Train.
The Queen and Prince Philip visited the Pacific island archipelago of Vanuatu, then known as the New Hebrides, in 1974.
It’s said the royal couple’s visit to Vanuatu may have strengthened the belief among some locals on Tanna island that the Duke of Edinburgh was a divine being.
On her first of two visits to Mexico, the Queen toured ancient sites — including the pyramids of Uxmal, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monarch also received local crafts, met school children and attended a banquet. While she was driven through Mexico City, the Queen was showered in confetti.
In 1979, the Queen became the first female head of state to visit Saudi Arabia, on a tour of Gulf States. At Riyadh Airport, she was met by King Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, pictured. The outfits she wore on the trip were carefully designed in accordance with Saudi Arabia’s conservative dress code for women.
The Queen arrived on a British Airways supersonic Concorde aircraft and during the visit attended camel races and toured the National Museum.
The Queen visited Tuvalu, a group of nine islands in the South Pacific, in 1982.
Upon arrival, the Queen and Prince Philip were carried in a flower-filled canoe from sea to shore. Thirty years later, in 2012, Prince William visited Tuvalu with his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, who drank a coconut from a tree planted by Queen Elizabeth on this 1982 visit.
On a star-studded trip to the United States, the Queen toured the 20th Century-Fox studios in Hollywood with then-First Lady Nancy Reagan and met Frank Sinatra, who she’d previously met in the 1950s, at a party given in her honor.
The Queen and Prince Philip also visited Yosemite National Park in California, pictured.
The Queen returned to Kenya in 1983 for a state visit. When she was there 31 years previously, she’d learned that her father had passed away and she had become Britain’s reigning monarch.
In 1983, the Queen and Prince Philip revisited the Treetops hotel, pictured, where they were staying at the time she was told the news.
The Queen’s trip to China was the first — and, so far, only — state visit by a British monarch to China. With Prince Philip by her side, the Queen visited the Great Wall of China, pictured, as well as the Forbidden City in Beijing.
In 1994, in another royal first, the Queen visited Russia. Over the three-day trip, the Queen met Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov, pictured here with the monarch outside St Basil’s Cathedral, as well as Russian President Boris Yeltsin. The Queen also attended the Bolshoi Ballet.
In her traditional Christmas Day speech broadcast later that year, the Queen reflected on how times had changed, noting she “never thought it would be possible in [her] lifetime” to attend a service in Moscow’s famous cathedral.
In 1994, after apartheid ended, South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth as a republic. The following year, the Queen traveled there, in a visit designed to renew ties between the two countries. The Queen met with President Nelson Mandela, pictured, and presented him with the Order of Merit.
The Queen visited India for the third time in 1997, her first public engagement since Princess Diana’s funeral just weeks before. The trip marked 50 years since India’s independence from Britain.
Most memorably, the monarch visited the site of the Amritsar massacre, also known as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, of April 13, 1919. She also expressed regret at a state banquet in New Delhi for the “distressing” episode in which British soldiers gunned down hundreds of unarmed civilians. The gesture was seen by some as inadequate.
“The Queen is doing everything she can to make India like her. But so far it does not seem to be working,” wrote the UK’s Independent newspaper at the time.
The Queen visited Canada many times. In 2002, her trip to the North American country coincided with her Golden Jubilee festivities, celebrating 50 years of her reign. During the trip, the Queen attended an ice hockey game between the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks, and dropped the ceremonial puck.
The Queen visited Australia 16 times as Head of State. In 2006, she traveled to Melbourne to open the Commonwealth Games. She was greeted by a welcoming party in Canberra, visited the Sydney Opera House, attended a Commonwealth Day service in St. Andrew’s Cathedral and toured Admiralty House, the Sydney residence of the Governor-General of Australia.
The Queen’s trip to Dublin was the first time a British monarch had set foot in the Irish Republic since its 1922 independence. At Dublin Castle the Queen delivered a well-received speech on the history of Anglo-Irish relations. In County Tipperary, she also toured the medieval Rock of Cashel, pictured, once a seat of power for Ireland’s ancient kings.
From 1949 to 1951, before she was Queen, Elizabeth and Prince Philip lived in Malta. In 2015, the monarch paid her last visit to the island, touring the Grand Harbour in a Maltese fishing boat and waving to members of the British Royal Navy.
In the later years of her reign, the Queen cut back on foreign travel, passing on the mantle to the younger royals. In more recent years, royal tours have also been looked at with more skeptical eyes, as Britain reckons with its colonial past.
While she didn’t travel abroad in the later years of her reign, the Queen continued to vacation in the UK. Most notably, the Queen’s ties with Scotland remained strong throughout her reign and her residence there, Balmoral Castle, was a favorite refuge. It was at Balmoral that the Queen died on September 8, 2022.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the length of time between British royal visits to Ireland.
In the wake of a really mad summer season travel season, it’s now time to start off very seriously organizing your close-of-12 months travels simply because this getaway period is expected to be both hectic and high priced. Travel reserving app Hopper just launched its …
Dolphin Cove has been awarded in quite a few categories of the Planet Journey Awards for 10 a long time. We are very pleased to have been regarded by the Planet Vacation Awards as the Caribbean’s Major Experience Vacationer Attraction.” — Gonzalo Pacheco, Regional Director …
Surfside Beach, South Carolina
After a $7 million renovation, the Holiday Inn Oceanfront now welcomes guests to take in the sea views from one of the 133 rooms. The six-story property, just south of the entertainment and dining options in bustling Myrtle Beach, has an outdoor pool overlooking the beach, a hot tub, bar and fitness center. It’s also close to waterside piers, sports facilities, amusement parks and mini golf courses. Wildlife lovers won’t want to miss The Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk, a half-mile stroll along a boardwalk flanked by a natural saltwater estuary and home to eight restaurants with views of the natural landscape. Holiday Inn Oceanfront at Surfside Beach $149. 1601 N. Ocean Blvd., Surfside Beach, South Carolina, 29575. 843-238-5601, hisurfsidebeach.com.
Billed as the only resort destination in the Florida Keys, Hawks Cay includes a saltwater lagoon with views of the sunset.
Courtesy of Hawks Cay Resort
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Billed as the only resort destination in the Florida Keys, Hawks Cay includes a saltwater lagoon with views of the sunset.
Courtesy of Hawks Cay Resort
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Duck Key, Florida
Billed as the only resort destination in the Florida Keys, Hawks Cay is an oasis of water and land activities designed for guests to enjoy without leaving the property. The island’s on-site marina is a launching point for fishing and boating excursions, snorkeling on nearby reefs and sandbars, and private sunset cruises. The saltwater lagoon is the ideal spot for paddleboarding, kayaking and swimming with dolphins. Other activities include tennis, morning walking groups, yoga classes, working out in the 70,000-square-foot fitness center, swimming in one of several pools, relaxing at the spa and dining at one of the five restaurants. Pick from individual rooms or cottages, including spaces in an adults-only section, where a new rum bar has partnered with Papa’s Pilar Rum to offer tastings. Hawks Cay Resort. $569. 61 Hawks Cay Blvd., Duck Key, Florida, 33050. 888-395-5539, hawkscay.com.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
A property-wide, $65 million renovation has brought several changes to the Kingston Resorts, a beachside destination that’s two hotels in one: Hilton Myrtle Beach Resort and Embassy Suites by Hilton Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort. One of the new attractions is the Black Drum Brewing restaurant, specializing in coastal concepts served amid nautical decor, high vaulted ceilings, exposed beams and floor-to-ceiling windows. The Wet Whistle pool bar and Beachcombers eateries now have new looks and menus. A new pool and two waterparks opened in late August. As part of its family-friendly approach, the resort offers a variety of games for all ages, from cornhole to hula hoops, as well as arts and crafts, a playground, sand volleyball and golf packages at the 80 nearby courses. Kingston Resorts. $230. 9800 Queensway Blvd., Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 29572. 843-449-0006, kingstonresorts.com.
St. Pete Beach, Florida
The TradeWinds Island Resorts, which include the beachfront properties of Island Grand and the RumFish Beach Resort, recently wrapped a major expansion, adding 141 rooms, a new Mexican-themed restaurant and a beach zipline. The project brought the rooms total to 899, with the new spaces featuring one- and two-bedroom suites with complete kitchens. It also added two pools, a covered spa area and seaside bar. The three-story zipline now leads the amenities on site, joining the Aqua-Bana, a floating cabana that seats up to 10, and a water park with a new slide. Together, the two properties share 40 acres of sands along the Gulf of Mexico. Island Grand. $263. 5500 Gulf Blvd. RumFish Beach Resort. $229. 6000 Gulf Blvd. Both located in St. Pete Beach, Florida, 33706. 800-36-4016, tradewindsresort.com.
Relax with a spa treatment on the edge of Bermuda’s pink sands at the historic Hamilton Princess and Beach Club.
Courtesy of Hamilton Princess & Beach Club
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Relax with a spa treatment on the edge of Bermuda’s pink sands at the historic Hamilton Princess and Beach Club.
Courtesy of Hamilton Princess & Beach Club
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Hamilton, Bermuda
Those who want some history tossed into their beach getaway will find it in abundance on this island. Explore the gardens, battlements and dungeons of the 1870 Fort Hamilton overlooking the harbor. Other must-see sites are the Royal Naval Dockyard, King’s Square in St. George and the four UNESCO World Heritage forts: St. David’s Battery, Paget Fort, Smith’s Fort and Fort Cunningham. Ecotours that visit the zoo and aquarium highlight the island’s natural beauty and native creatures on land and sea. The historic Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, known as the “Pink Palace,” has been a magnet for famous guests since 1885 from Mark Twain to British royalty. Amenities include an infinity pool, four restaurants, a spa, tennis facilities and a beach club on the private cove of Sinky Bay with water hammocks, snorkeling gear, paddleboards, kayaks, snorkel boards and kids’ beach toys. Hamilton Princess & Beach Club. $880. 76 Pitts Bay Road, HM08, Bermuda. +1 441-295-3000, thehamiltonprincess.com.
The new Max Beach Resort features suites with views of the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway.
Courtesy of Max Beach Resort
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
The new Max Beach Resort features suites with views of the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway.
Courtesy of Max Beach Resort
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Daytona Beach, Florida
Tucked onto the state’s east coastline are two options for a winter getaway. At the new 12-story Max Beach Resort, guests can check into short-term rentals with one-, two- and three-bedroom suites, each with views of the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway, outdoor living spaces and fully equipped kitchens. The property includes a saltwater pool, private cabanas, bike rentals, a rooftop fitness center and sunrise and sunset terraces where guests will find games, billiard tables and sweeping views of the sea. Nearby is the recently restored Art Deco Streamline Hotel, billed as “the birthplace of NASCAR” and decorated with an array of photos and mementos that recount NASCAR history. The 44 rooms, pool, fitness center and two restaurants sit on the famous AIA overlooking the Atlantic, so it’s a short stroll to the 23-mile stretch of sand, boardwalk and the 1,000-foot Daytona Beach pier. Keep the NASCAR theme going with a tour of the nearby Daytona International Speedway and a spin through the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Max Beach Resort. $299. 1901 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores, Florida, 32118. 386-999-2555, maxdaytona.com. Streamline Hotel. $138. 140 South Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach, Florida 32118. 386-947-7470, streamlinehotel.com.
The glamorous spa at Grand Velas Riviera Maya on Mexico’s Caribbean recently won its third consecutive five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide for its exceptional service and experience.
Courtesy of Velas Resorts
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
The glamorous spa at Grand Velas Riviera Maya on Mexico’s Caribbean recently won its third consecutive five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide for its exceptional service and experience.
Courtesy of Velas Resorts
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
The luxury, all-inclusive Grand Velas Riviera Maya on Mexico’s Caribbean coast is a destination for its pristine beaches, chef-driven dining experiences and the spacious suites. But the resort’s crown jewel is the spa, which just received its third consecutive five-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide for its exceptional service and experience, making it one of six with that ranking in the country. The two-story, 89,000-square-foot space is as stunning as it is relaxing, designed to reflect the jungle and water of the Yucatan Peninsula by incorporating natural stone, plants and streams. Eight water features, including a polar pool, provide relaxing hydrotherapy options to enjoy after visiting the clay and ice rooms. Pamper yourself with signature treatments rooted in Mayan culture that utilize coffee, cacao, vanilla, gourds and local honey. Grand Velas Riviera Maya. $617. Carretera Cancun Tulum Km 62, Playa Del Carmen, 77710 Riviera Maya, Q.R., Mexico, 77710. 877-418-2963, rivieramaya.grandvelas.com.