By Eric Hrubant, Founder & CEO of CIRE Travel
February has a funny way of nudging people into reflection.
The holidays and dry January are behind us, and Valentine’s plans are in motion this month. Everyone appears to be refocusing on connection, celebration, and maybe a little indulgence. Somehow, in the middle of all that, I realized that I’ve entered a new era of my own. Wellness.
If you know me, you know how surprising that sounds. I am not the guy you’d peg for a hiking vacation or a wellness spa retreat. For most of my life, my idea of the perfect trip involved a plush hotel, impeccable service, and a great bottle of champagne within arm’s reach. That version of Eric still exists, by the way. But lately, something has shifted.
I have never been easily motivated when it comes to physical activity. Yet, here I am, somehow becoming that person. I’ve been hitting the gym five days a week, and I now own a Peloton treadmill (and I talk about it way too much).
Running a business like CIRE Travel means taking care of people all day, every day. I love it. But as I inch closer to 50, I’ve realized it’s time to redirect some of that energy inward. I’ve learned that it’s okay to take care of myself with the same intention I bring to our clients. The outlook feels different now. Health feels like a luxury worth investing in.
What’s exciting is that this isn’t about giving anything up. It’s about discovering an entirely new side of travel. As I plan my own trips for 2026 and 2027, I find myself yearning for wellness and spa retreats that truly restore me. I want a hotel with a fabulous gym, and biking and hiking vacations that reconnect you to nature and yourself. I yearn for experiences designed to leave you feeling better when you return than when you left. Who knew?!
For years, we’ve been curating these kinds of trips for our clients. Now, I find myself wanting to curate them for myself.
That’s the thing about travel. It evolves as we do. The trips we crave at one stage of life may look completely different at another, but the goal is always the same: To come back feeling more like yourself.
If you’re finding that your idea of the perfect getaway is changing, too, we should talk. I have a feeling this new era of travel might be one worth exploring together.
CIRE Travel is a full-service travel agency headquartered in New York, NY, with offices in Kennebunkport, ME, Washington DC, Boston, MA, Atlanta, GA, Los Angeles, CA, and Philadelphia, PA. Our expert corporate travel planners, honeymoon travel agents, and luxury travel planners support clients across the country and around the world.
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