Author Kimberly Wilson learned the power of actually resting on vacation when she trekked to Grenada without an itinerary.
Kimberly Wilson
I've always considered myself to be a hustler, since my first lemonade stand, in fact.Growing up in New York, I was raised on a mentality that in order to live the life you dream, the work ethic has to match. That idea followed me through undergrad, then law school, then a career, mostly in travel writing, that practically runs on coffee and momentum. I constantly live a life on go-mode.It's probably why when people find out how much I travel for work and in my personal life, they assume I love it. It's my natural way of being. And I do, mostly. I'm the one who scours TikTok, Google Reviews, and travel sites to ensure that I'm able to perfectly curate my itinerary from the moment I step foot off the plane, train, or automobile.But in this season of life, as I'm navigating personal and professional life changes, I've learned that rest can't be my reward. So I wanted to try something new: see what happens when there's nothing to plan. And so I did just that.How I created rest during travel This past Mother's Day, I took my mom to Grenada. There was no spreadsheet, no color-coded schedule with a long list of plans and things to do (my mom hates that anyway), and nowhere for us to be. We had our flights, a hotel, and an intention to show up and figure it out. For someone like me, that last part was harder than it sounds — believe me.We stayed at The Beach House at Silver Sands, and I think the property did half the work for me. Tucked away on the southwest coast of the island, it doesn't have the sprawling amenities, a packed pool bar or an activity desk of a mega-resort that's trying to curate every second of your trip. Still, it was just what we both needed — quiet, a stretch of beach that felt like it belonged to just us, comfort, and luxury.The property itself is small by design, and ours was only one of 28 rooms and suites. When we walked into our king room, which featured wide windows and a private canopied terrace, we were stunned. The room sat on Portici Beach, which is framed by a stone bluff and water that shifts between shades of blue depending on the hour.
