By Noreen Kompanik, TravelPulse

I admit that prior to the COVID pandemic, I was not a big fan of the all-inclusive resort. And to be honest, the idea of an all-inclusive can be a bit polarizing.

On our vacations with family and friends, traveling to a destination always meant exploring all that the destination had to offer. This included history, culture and, of course, the local cuisine. The idea of having all our meals at one resort wasn’t something we were really interested in, and it didn’t hold much appeal.

At the time, it seemed that only “certain types of travelers” benefited from an all-inclusive.

Then came COVID. When travel began to open up again, I stayed at my first all-inclusive resort in Mexico. If nothing else, safety played a huge factor in opening my eyes to the benefits of an all-inclusive, especially with my background in nursing.

The experience was positive and since that visit, I and my family and friends have chosen to book some of our vacations in an all-inclusive. But “some” is definitely the operative word here.

And it still brings up the question, are all-inclusives worth the cost? The answer is, “It depends.”

Working with a handful of travel agents who book both all-inclusive and non-inclusive travel, we discussed the pros and cons of the all-inclusive and the type of traveler most likely to book this type of vacation.

Here are the benefits of an all-inclusive:

Great fit for families and groups
An overall stress-free vacation in places designed to feel like paradise
Opportunity to relax, unplug and truly enjoy a vacation experience
A staff more fluent in English, making for easier communication
Comprehensive packages that include meals, drinks, alcoholic beverages and activities
Way to break into an unfamiliar destination in a safe, secure way
Cost effective and the ability to stay more “on budget”
Numerous on-site activities for those who love to stay busy ranging from fitness classes to tennis and beach volleyball
May eliminate the need for your own personal transportation

Now, let’s look at the cons:

Not a good fit for the non-alcohol drinker or one that’s only a casual imbiber
The food may be pedestrian, catering more to the North American traveler with options to include pizza, burgers, hot dogs, spaghetti and meatballs. This isn’t a criticism of the menu options, but when you’re in Mexico or the Dominican Republic, do you really want the cuisine you can get anywhere in the U.S.?
Restaurant choices may be limited. Some all-inclusives offer several different dining venues. Others may not. And non-resort dining in the local economy could be considerably less expensive.
Inability to authentically experience local culture and cuisine.
Not a good fit for the adventure traveler who may easily be bored after a few days at the resort
Negative impact on the local community as some all-inclusives have come under fire for low wages, poor working conditions for local staff and not being environmentally conscious.
Hidden charges that include higher prices for premium alcohol or other menu items to include lobster and certain cuts of high-quality meats not included in the program.

So, what should travelers look for in an all-inclusive?

It’s wise to work with a seasoned travel agent who has visited the resort or has in-depth knowledge of the destination. There’s nothing more disappointing than spending money on a vacation that doesn’t meet your expectations.

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“Know before you go” and be sure to read the fine print of a package before you arrive (though ideally before you book).

Travelers should look for a variety of dining options which encompass a range of venues while still embracing the local food culture. Dining is one of the highlights of a vacation and should be satisfying and enjoyable.

Most all-inclusive resorts are in stunning locations known for their weather, culture and picturesque surroundings. While some travelers may want to just chill at their resort, it’s great to research off-property options that may include Mayan ruins, eco-tourism and other unique adventure opportunities should you decide to do some exploring.

Finding the right all-inclusive resort in the right destination with the perfect balance of food, culture and activities that meet your needs and budget makes all the difference on how you’ll view and value your vacation experience.

©2025 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By Lisa Wells, Food Drink Life

All-inclusive travel has picked up some negative perceptions in past years for being crowded and inauthentic, but 2025 is redefining the all-inclusive experience. If you are looking for wellness, adventure, relaxation and everything in between, learn why the all-inclusive vacation is the ultimate way to travel in 2025.

Travel is on the rise and travelers are looking for the perfect escape. For many, this means relaxing on white sand beaches, indulging in food and drinks, and activities that you don’t have to plan. New trends in all-inclusive travel offer all of this and more. Whether you are a frequent traveler or booking your first trip in a while, an all-inclusive vacation might just be the perfect choice for a stress-free escape this year.

Why all-inclusive travel is trending in 2025

All-inclusive has been a fraught term in travel in recent decades. As LaDell Carter, the founder and lead travel designer of Royal Expression Travels, explains: “Traditionally, ‘all-inclusive’ has been a bit of a cringe-worthy term for me, often associated with subpar food and crowded buffets where half-eaten plates are left behind.”

But all-inclusive travel is gearing up to be more popular than ever in 2025. Hotels.com saw a 60% increase in searches for “all-inclusive” in 2024. Gen Z is particularly enthusiastic about leading this trend, with Expedia reporting that 42% of young adults would choose an all-inclusive vacation as their preferred way to travel.

Much of this comes from changes in the all-inclusive itinerary. Instead of being confined to a resort property with hundreds of tourists, all-inclusive is trending toward luxury. Spa treatments and wellness, authentic local experiences, expertly crafted food and cocktails and, of course, a backdrop of captivating scenery are becoming the standard at many all-inclusive resorts.

While these trips come with a higher price tag, Carter notes, “It’s a redefined version that seamlessly blends luxury, wellness and guiltless indulgence, offering a higher cost-to-value ratio.” Expedia calls this resurgence the “All-Inclusive Era” and notes that Gen Z is leading the way.

Yet this new style of all-inclusive travel offers something for everyone. There are also a variety of destinations in the United States and abroad. From domestic retreats to escapes in the Caribbean and Mexico, these all-inclusive resorts are worth the trip in 2025.

US all-inclusive vacation destinations

Resorts on the Atlantic and Pacific offer stunning getaways without leaving the country – and a range of different experiences.

East Coast all-inclusive resorts

An island is the perfect vacation escape and the East Coast has many to offer. From sun-drenched Florida islands to estates rich with history off the coast of Georgia, you’ll quickly leave behind daily stresses.

Bungalows Key Largo, named a USA Today 10 best all-inclusive resorts in the U.S., is an adults-only retreat in the Florida Keys. Situated in a botanic garden with 1,000 miles of oceanfront, the resort provides fine dining, daily yoga, two pools, cruiser bikes and stand-up paddleboards. Each room is a stand-alone bungalow with a veranda and soaking tub.

Book a room at The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island in Georgia for a retreat that blends nature, history and indulgence. The historic property can accommodate up to 32 guests and is only accessible by boat, ensuring you an exclusive experience. You’ll enjoy an eco-adventure with naturalist-led tours of the 11,000-acre nature preserve, kayaking trips, fishing trips and meals with locally produced ingredients.

All-inclusive resorts in California

California provides a mix of sandy beaches in the south and rugged vistas in the north. Alila Ventana Big Sur provides relaxation and adventure. Located south of San Francisco in Big Sur, the resort looks out on majestic redwood trees on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. Relax in the hot tub, hike through the trees, get an astrology reading or take a class to create something new.

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Guests throughout Alila Ventana and other California resorts are pampered throughout their stay with thoughtful touches that elevate their experience. Imagine sipping your favorite cocktail or honey lemonade as you take in breathtaking views from a poolside cabana or private veranda.

All-inclusive Caribbean vacations

The Caribbean attracts visitors with white sand beaches and sparkling waters. Head to Antigua to stay in the Royalton CHIC Antigua for an adults-only vacation featuring elevated food and drink, spa treatments and DJ sessions at the beachside pools. The resort is on Hotels.com’s curated list of new All-Inclusive Era stays.

At Jade Mountain in St. Lucia, named to Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best list 2021-2024, you’ll stay in sanctuaries that meld into the outdoors with an open wall and offer infinity pools with views of the ocean and surrounding rainforests. Scuba diving, yoga and romantic sunset cruises are just a few of the activities offered.

Kamalame Cay has the only overwater spa in the Bahamas. Guests stay in cottages or villas and have the opportunity to go diving, boat fishing, kayaking or simply relax on the beach for an experience that is both laid-back and luxurious.

Whatever you want from your Caribbean vacation, resorts offer a range of experiences. Explore the Bahamas, Aruba, Barbados, Grand Cayman and more to plan your perfect all-inclusive vacation.

Escape to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico

Mexico’s all-inclusive resorts have long been a destination with warm beaches and poolside cabanas. In recent years, resorts have added more amenities for a more sophisticated and adventure-filled stay.

AVA Resort Cancun, an all-new resort, offers 17 bars and restaurants, a waterpark, kids’ clubs, an adults-only pool, a spa and nightlife. When it’s time to relax, every room has a view of the ocean from the private terrace.

In Puerto Vallarta, Hotel Mousai is an adults-only and luxury-focused resort. With two rooftop pools, a selection of cuisines at the property’s restaurants and activities ranging from tequila tasting to jungle hikes, this all-inclusive stay is an indulgent escape.

On Mexico’s Caribbean coast, Grand Velas Riviera Maya has all-inclusive packages for a romantic getaway, a wellness retreat or a family vacation. Each experience has its own pool for personalized ambiance, although all guests can enjoy gourmet dining, activities and spa treatments.

Could all-inclusive travel be perfect for you?

One-of-a-kind experiences, mental wellness, thrilling adventures – all-inclusive travel is becoming the ultimate vacation that goes far beyond simply a trip that is easy to plan. In 2025, luxury resort stays will be a top choice for travelers. For every destination and every experience, find an all-inclusive vacation to elevate your travel this year.

Lisa Wells is a travel, food and lifestyle writer and photographer who has traveled across 37 countries. As the founder of Coastal Wandering, she shares her love for laid-back beach living with stories, recipes and tips for a relaxed coastal lifestyle.

By CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL, Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street

Chicken paprikash is a saucy blend of chicken, onions, sour cream and lots of paprika. In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” we blend techniques from restaurant chefs and home cooks who taught us their recipes during our visit to Budapest, Hungary.

In addition to a generous amount of onion, sautéed until sweet and softened to create a flavorful base, there are a couple other keys to achieving fullness and complexity in the iconic dish. Paprika, both sweet and hot, is a defining ingredient. The spice adds a touch of heat, a rusty hue and helps thicken the stew.

This image released by Milk Street shows a recipe for Hungarian chicken paprikash. (Milk Street via AP)

Multiple forms of peppers are essential for depth and range of flavor. Jarred roasted red peppers, blended to a smooth puree, bring a silky sweetness; fresh banana pepper, finely chopped, adds tangy, fruity notes.

The paprika should be bright red, not dull brown, and full of fragrance. Seek out fresh, quality paprika, and in particular look for brands produced in Hungary.

Don’t stir the sour cream into the chicken mixture while still on the heat. Remove the pot from the burner, push the chicken to the sides and whisk the sour cream and the remaining pepper puree into the braising liquid in the center. This gently warms the sour cream so it won’t separate.

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

This image released by Milk Street shows a recipe for Hungarian chicken paprikash. (Milk Street via AP)

Start to finish: 1 hour 40 minutes (25 minutes active)

Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

½ cup drained jarred roasted red peppers

2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided

4 teaspoons hot paprika, divided

1 teaspoon white sugar

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1 ripe medium tomato, cored and chopped

2 banana peppers or wax peppers, 1 stemmed, seeded and finely chopped, 1 stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced, reserved separately

¼ cup sweet paprika

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

¾ cup sour cream

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Directions:

In a blender, combine the roasted peppers, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of the hot paprika, the sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Puree, scraping the jar as needed, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking. Stir in the onion, tomato and finely chopped banana pepper. Cover, reduce to medium and cook, stirring often, until the tomato has broken down and the onion is softened and light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the sweet paprika, remaining 3 teaspoons hot paprika, broth and half of the pepper puree. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Add the chicken and stir until well coated. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then cover, reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until a skewer inserted into the chicken meets no resistance, about 40 minutes.
Off heat, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Push the chicken to the side; add the remaining pepper puree and the sour cream to the liquid. Whisk to incorporate, then stir to combine the sauce and chicken. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve garnished with the sliced banana pepper.

For more recipes, go to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street at 177milkstreet.com/ap

 

It’s a mixed bag of good reading today, with collections from experienced Minnesota poets plus a debut from a chef-turned-poet (all published late last year and still in print). Our fiction is a thriller set in the land of the Navajo and there’s nonfiction from a man recalling his boyhood experiences before Jacob Wetterling was abducted.

Poetry

“Messages from the Nile”: by Philip S. Bryant (Nodin Press, $17)

The poems in this love letter to place, the fifth collection by a retired professor from Gustavus Adolphus College, are not from Egypt but from St. Peter, Minn., where he lives. The title comes from a quote by Langston Hughes: “I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.” Bryant’s topics include baseball, campfire smoke, a farm repair sign along the highway, and the true meaning of a liberal arts education. He can be both humorous and serious as shown in “The Greasy Grass Blues: Coda for the Battle of the Little Bighorn,” dedicated to the late Native American writer Jim Welch: “Just over the far horizon of those fateful hills, which just goes/To show, when push comes/To shove and it’s up against the wall,/White folks really don’t listen to us…”

“River Language”: by JD Fratzke (Liquid North Publishing, $16)

Fratzke is familiar to focal foodies as a corporate chef, culinary director and restaurant innovator for 30 years, earning him an appearance on Bravo’s “Top Chef” show. A native of Winona, Fratzke wrote columns for hospitality publications but he is also a wilderness enthusiast, and his autobiographical debut poetry collection shows his way with words matches his culinary skills. In a note to the Pioneer Press, Fratzke calls the collection “a sort-of memoir in poetry; missives of gratitude and assessment to the Mississippi River and Minnesota’s wild places for having seen me through the turmoil and pressure of culinary culture as well as the dark places that live in my own heart.” But this is not poetry of dark places; it’s filled with the joys of nature and the place we live. This is a gorgeous collection that got far too little attention. For example, here is part of the title poem: “Rivers birth a certain cadence/that loves to play on strings./They tend to call/ On spirits/long-limbed and earth-colored/that rise/from seams of sand and clay /in the roots/at the foot of a bluff…They move dream-slow/with copper eyes; ravenous to detour /hearts in sorrow.”

“Of Cows and Crows”: by Shelley Getten (Nodin Press, $17)

(Courtesy of Nodin Press)

Minnesota native Getten lives in a log cabin home on the Knife River and maintains Getten Creative studio with her life partner, not far from the shores of Lake Superior. She has spent the past 12 summers teaching art and writing at Summerblue Theatre Arts Camp in Two Harbors and at the Duluth Folk School. In “Of Cows and Crows,” Getten evokes living for 10 years on a hardscabble farm in central Minnesota in a coming-of-age collection in which the narrator navigates the emotional turmoil of her teen years. Her poems show how such a childhood can foster a deep love of the land. In segments titled The Farm, Creatures of Comfort, Word and Refuge, Deep Freeze and In the End, she moves from memories of a cat named Bandit and a cottonwood tree to circus money and farm work: “Under a broiling sun, Deb and I heave heavy rocks onto the front-end loader. When boulders are too big to lift alone, we work together to raise and shuffle fieldstones to the ‘bucket’ in front of the tractor…”

“In the Evening”: by William Reichard (Broadstone Books,$26.25)

In his eighth poetry collection, St. Paul-based Reichard divides his poems into four parts, with topics ranging from Dry Summer to What Love Is. Among his intriguing titles are “The Melancholy Cry of a Bird in the Night” and “Finding Beauty Amid the Wreckage of the Soul.” In a section titled America’s Saints he honors Matthew Shepherd and Harvey Milk, both killed for being gay. In the poem “Two Pandemics” he compares AIDS and COVID, referring to the diseases as “different but the same.” From the title poem: “The night singers are loud/proclaiming themselves/every evening until they run/out of nights and die in/ the cold, or burrow down into/the mud to dream away the winter…”

“Home Words”: by Joyce Sutphen (Red Dragonfly Press, $20)

(Courtesy of Red Dragonfly Press)

Sutphen, aormer Minnesota poet laureate and Minnesota Book Award winner, and a retired professor from Gustavus Adolphus College, completes with “Home Words” her trilogy focused on the changing rural landscape in our state. Her poetry has been published in a variety of literary journals and she was twice a guest on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.” In “Home Words” her topics range from memories of her mother as well as early rhubarb, Aunt Betty’s cake and the Children’s Theatre. Here’s an excerpt from “After We Are Gone”: “No one will remember the same things/about this place you will remember/a wagon piled high with wood/and how our father and our uncle/took out a basement window and threw/wood down a chute, and how the sound/was the promise of winter and warmth…” This is accessible poetry for people who think they don’t like poetry.

“Rings of Heartwood: Poems on Growing”: by Molly Beth Griffin, illustrations by Claudia McGehee (Minnesota Historical Society Press, $18.95)

“I’ve been writing stories and poems abut how animals grow for decades,” Molly Beth Griffin writes in her book that blends 12 poems with art and facts. “But it wasn’t until my 6-year-old daughter broke into tears over outgrowing a favorite dress that I realized I wanted to work on a whole collection of poems for kids and their grown-ups on this topic.”

Griffin’s message is that pain and joy are part of the growth process for all living things. With an illustrated poem on one page and scientific information and fun facts on the opposite page, Griffin delves into growth rings in trees that tell its age, how tadpoles become frogs, bat mothers that create communal nurseries, baby opossums who are born in their mother’s pouch, and the unfurling ferns that have been on the Earth 300 million years. Together the poems and artwork show young readers that we all grow, change and adapt as do the woodland, wetlands, and prairie dwellers, helping children understand it’s a natural process.

Minnesotan Griffin is the author of “Ten Beautiful Things” and “Rhoda’s Rock Hunt,” among other books for young readers. Iowa-based artist Claudia McGehee’s muscular, vivid scratchboard and watercolor illustrations make the creatures and their surroundings come alive.

Fiction and nonfiction

“Rabbit Moon”: by Jan E. Payne (Rabbit Hole Publishing, $18)

Payne, who lives in the Leech Lake area in northern Minnesota, draws on her years of experience in the Four Corners of the Navajo Nation in the American southwest to give us an exciting thriller that melds kidnap, murder and intrigue involving end-of-life doula Marin Sinclair. Her dad taught at the Bureau of Indian Affairs school near Flagstaff, Ariz., and Marin is one of the few Anglo students among the Dinetah (Navajo Nation) students. After caring for her father for years and then for a smart man she admired, Marin gets a strange invitation to a high school reunion from her estranged best friend. But something is wrong. There is no reunion on the date mentioned and her friend signs her full name and not a nickname. As Marin drives to the supposed reunion, she’s followed by men she’s never seen before. She experiences scary vehicle encounters on back roads, she’s grabbed and nearly forced into a car, and the men chasing her seem to know all about her. The story moves between Marin’s dangerous dilemma and her childhood during which a friend died, for which she blames herself. The author also shows us some of Navajo culture, including stories of Skin Walkers, witches and haunted mesas. When Marin finds herself alone in total darkness in a deep uranium mine she fears she will never see daylight again. This involving fiction is as as good as any published by the big legacy houses.

“Pain in Paynesvlle”: by Kris A. Bertelsen (Kirk House Publishers, $16.95)

(Courtesy of Kirk House Publishers)

Before 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling was abducted and murdered in 1989 near his home in St. Joseph, Minn., Kris Bertelsen and his friends were terrorized 30 miles away in Paynesville by a masked man who jumped out of bushes and molested some of them from September 1986 to September of the following year. The boys, who called themselves the Misfits, spent their days biking, fishing, swimming and building forts when they were younger. They referred to the masked man whose face they never saw as Chester the Molester, and they lived in fear of him. Bertelsen was with friends twice when Chester attacked and the second time young Kris thought he was the man’s target. Bertelsen reported the attacks, but the assailant was never found. When news of Jacob’s disappearance made national headlines, Bertelsen and some of his former gang were sure Jacob’s killer, Danny Heinrich, was the man who attacked them. Bertelsen contacted authorities and even Jacob’s father, but nothing came of it. The boys, now grown men, felt they weren’t being listened to although Bertelsen acknowledges law enforcement investigations were going on.

That year of terror in Paynesville left Bertelsen with emotional pain and trauma. In his book, subtitled “My Firsthand Encounters with Terror and the Search for Jacob Wetterling,” Bertelsen recounts his experiences through the 27 years of the Paynesville attacks to Heinrich’s confession and his information about where Jacob’s body could be found. Bertelsen tries to be fair to local law enforcement but he was frustrated at the seeming inability to connect the dots between Paynesville and St. Joseph. He tried to keep a happy face as the years wore on with no news about Jacob, but the trauma seethed in his head and affected his behavior. He writes of the growing recognition now of the necessity of improving communications and services to those affected by crimes. Bertelsen also compliments Patty and Jerry Wetterling for staying strong and gracious through their years without their son. (For insight into the Wetterlings’ thoughts and feelings, read Patty’s memoir “Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope,” Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2023.)

Bertelsen is an award-winning economic educator, therapist and advocate for survivors who has published articles, lesson plans and videos for educators in economics and personal finance.

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