Dry tripping: road testing the new trend of sober holidaying

Ordering a wine or a beer with a meal is as Aussie as an orange brick house in the suburbs, but as a nation of relatively active people, we’re finally seeing our drinking habits catch up with our healthier lifestyle choices.

Words by Jennifer Ennion at escape.com.au

The sober travel trend

No longer are Australians simply jumping on month-long sobriety trends such as Dry July and Sober October; they’re opting out of alcohol regularly, which is no doubt music to the ears of Aaron Trotman, the founder of NON, a premium alcohol-free wine alternative.

“There’s this big moderation movement happening,” Trotman says. “I’m starting to see it being called zebra striping, so they’re going on and off (alcohol), on and off, and just moderating throughout the day.”

Trotman believes the reasons for this is wider access online and via podcasts to information about the negative effects of alcohol, as well as changing social norms, especially among 20-somethings who don’t want to follow in their binge-drinking parents’ footsteps.

“What happened to smoking will be the same that happens to alcohol eventually,” Trotman says.

According to Expedia Group data and a global survey of 20,000 travellers, people are “dry tripping”, that is staying sober as they head to sporting events (yes, you read right), music concerts and the like. “Sober curious travellers”, as they’re being called, are also signing up to mocktail-making experiences, and taking advantage of zero-proof beverage options filling trendy hotel minibars. After all, shouldn’t one remember the holiday they’ve spent so much money on? The Expedia Unpack ‘24 results (released late 2023) states that one in four people surveyed said their top reason for drinking less on vacation was a desire to stay in control and feel better mentally and physically*. Now I’ll cheers a “no alc” bevvy to that.

The acceptance of no- and low-alcohol

Let me remind you, sober travel isn’t about giving up alcohol entirely or indefinitely. Some people are merely choosing to slow down when dining out. And that appears to be more acceptable for Gen X and older travellers taking wellness breaks at places such as Gaia Retreat, in the Byron Bay Hinterland.

During a two-night stay recently, I discovered a selection of NON drinks on Gaia’s dining room menu, alongside a list of fine wines and tipples. When I queried the waiter about their popularity, he said the appeal is that they give guests a sophisticated alcohol-free alternative. The drink comes in a large glass bottle that looks like wine, and is poured tableside into a fine-stemmed wine glass. Ordering one certainly feels more appropriate than asking for tap water at a fine dining restaurant.

Even the Gaia chefs use NON in their cooking, creating unique jellies, sorbets, granitas, sauces and syrups.

“I generally use a specific NON to compliment the fruit being used in the dessert,” says Gaia Retreat Head Chef Dan Trewartha.

For example, NON3 (toasted cinnamon and yuzu) is used in a citrus dessert, as well as NON2 (caramelised pear and kombu), and NON8 (torched apple and oolong).

“I also will generally add extra seasoning ingredients to the NON in those components,” Trewartha adds.

So, roasted pears are glazed with NON2 (the caramelised pear flavour), and diced fresh apples are compressed in NON8 (the torched apple).

Gaia isn’t the only high-end travel destination stocking the sometimes tart, sometimes sweet drinks, either. Other places that see the benefit in having brands such as NON available are Queensland’s The Calile Hotel, Tasmania’s Pumphouse Point, and Sydney’s Quay restaurant.

The wellness retreat

Going no- or low-alcohol is fitting for my fellow Gaia guests, as they spend their days flitting between the day spa, magnesium pool, yoga studio and secluded villa. For this sober traveller, I was ecstatic to find Gaia has an extensive range of fine loose-leaf tea, with names such as restore, calm and energise, along with traditional English breakfast and vegan chai, all of which I helped myself to several times.

Another thing I love about Gaia Retreat is that the staff recognise guests are on holidays; we haven’t signed up for a bootcamp that restricts alcohol, sugar and mobile phones. The offerings and rules here are more subtle. There’s the NON on the menu; clean, often Gaia-grown meals; and a tech-free zone in the main lounge/dining area.

But your phones aren’t confiscated at check-in, alcohol is still very much available, and the desserts and hot chocolates are delectable. Also, everything is organised for you, including a schedule of activities that you can choose to participate in or not, and the chefs set each meal, catering to allergies and other dietary requirements.

And if you decide you’d rather zebra stripe than go sober during your stay, you can always sweat out the alcohol later in the sauna.

This article first appeared on escape.com.au, and may contain links from their affiliate and advertising partners. When you click on them, or share this content, they may earn a commission. Learn more. The writer travelled as a guest of NON.