Whether you love it or hate it, the term “skillcation” is set to be the travel portmanteau you’ll be hearing a lot more of in 2026. Gone are the days of hedonistic excess on vacation; we’re all about bettering ourselves in the new year. According to Hilton’s 2026 Trends Report, 72% of travelers expressed a desire to take time off to explore a personal passion, skill, or hobby. Hotels are tapping into this growing consumer desire, offering their guests exclusive classes, workshops, and local experiences that work to highlight a better sense of place—whether that means mastering the art of falconry on Sea Island, Georgia, or casting fly rods around the waters of Cape Cod. From Vermont to Utah, here are eight hotels across the US leaning into the “skillcation” trend.
Alila Ventana Big Sur
Big Sur, California
With an emphasis on mindful disconnection, Alila Ventana Big Sur is all about highlighting the surrounding Pacific waters and redwood forests of California’s Central Coast. The Alila Experience program is filled with workshops integrated with nature, such as the “Sundown Sessions,” a social listening experience that introduces guests to music inspired by the California coast, or a hydrosol class where you can learn about botanical distillation using foraged plants from Big Sur. There’s also a course on knife handle-making, which makes use of locally sourced wood from the property.
Sundance Mountain Resort
Sundance, Utah
When founding Sundance Mountain Resort, actor Robert Redford set out on a mission to combine the arts and the outdoors. Case in Point: the Art Studio & Gallery, where both day visitors and overnight guests can learn how to make jewelry, journals, prints, perfume, pottery, soap, and more. There’s even a phone photography course, which teaches students how to use the macro lens to capture flora and fauna. And if only just to watch, make sure you pay a visit to the Glassblowing Studio, to witness artisans creating hand-blown, recycled glass works of art—a mesmerizing spectacle.
Sea Island
Sea Island, Georgia
Whether you’re staying in The Cloister or The Lodge, you can choose from a number of classes at Georgia’s Sea Island, from your standard tennis and pickleball lessons to more distinct offerings like “The Falconer’s Apprentice,” where you’ll train with one of Sea Island’s master falconers (covering everything from the history of the ancient art to hunting techniques). There’s really unique programming for kids, too, whether that’s the Beginner’s Archery class, or “Turtle Technicians,” where little ones can join a naturalist to learn about the turtle species in the area.
Hotel Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
In addition to partnering with nearby ski resorts to offer guests exclusive lessons—like the Bolton Backcountry 101 package—the Hotel Vermont is dedicated to highlighting local shops, like AO Glass, whose works of art are dotted across the hotel. Guests can head a few blocks down to the factory at Burlington’s South End Art District and work with one of AO’s glassblowers to create a vase, drinking glass, or bowl.
Mohonk Mountain House
New Paltz, New York
Consider Mohonk Mountain House to be an adult summer camp set on a mountaintop castle. There’s a daily catalogue of recreational experiences, which change depending on the season. In the summer, expect to join in on tomahawk throwing, Via Ferrata rock climbing, or guided horseback riding. Come winter, you can take part in everything from crafting embossed medallions and sitting in on art history lectures to trying your hand at the ancient Chinese practice of Qigong and “lostproofing” (i.e. navigating without a map in the wild).
The Lodge at Primland, Auberge Collection
Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia
This 12,000 acre resort is essentially a sporting ground, with opportunities for tracking and hunting wild game, flying fish, shooting clays, riding RTVs, and more. For those interested in an astronomy lesson, head to the observatory, which is fully equipped with Celestron CGE Pro 1400 and CPC 800 telescopes—just what you need to spot celestial objects in the Appalachian sky. If you’ve got the family in tow, follow a resident naturalist on a foraging hike, where you’ll learn all about the native plants and flowers of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Enchantment Resort
Sedona, Arizona
Inspired by the healing energy of Arizona’s Boynton Canyon, Enchantment Resort offers a number of artsy experiences, from using oracle cards to paint spirit animals to engaging in the practice of pyrography, or wood burning. But the emphasis is on pottery, with classes dedicated to getting comfortable on the wheel, experimenting with clay shaping (there’s even a class you can take with your dog to make paw prints), and becoming acquainted with Southwestern glazing techniques. Bonus: You can elect to pair your experience with a glass of wine, selected by the hotel’s sommelier.
Wequasset Resort & Golf Club
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Cape Cod’s famed Wequasset Resort partners with the Orvis Saltwater Fly Fishing School to host novice anglers who are looking to improve their skills at the elbow of Cape Cod—regarded as one of the best places to sight fish for striped bass in shallow waters. Take a one-hour, hands-on class on the art of casting, or embark on a day-long experience where you’ll learn all the basics, from choosing gear and tackle to landing and safely releasing fish. If fishing’s not your thing, the resort also offers guided meditations, mixology classes, and golf lessons.
