Ask Alice: What’s It Like to Travel Sober With EF Ultimate Break?
“Sobriety and travel are now two of the strongest pillars in my life.” One EF employee’s journey to sobriety—and journeys around the world.
If you were to ask me to write down everything I wanted out of life and it would come true, I would’ve sold myself short. When I first got sober, I didn’t think it would lead to dancing in Istanbul, summiting a mountain in Patagonia, or sipping tea in a London church basement with strangers who instantly felt like family. But that’s the funny thing about living life one day at a time—they add up. And, in the rearview mirror, each day compiled together becomes a beautiful journey.
I got sober on September 27, 2018, just a month shy of my 19th birthday. Like many, my decision was personal and layered. Maybe you’re considering sober travel because you’re sober-curious. Maybe you’ve had that humbling “a-ha” moment when you realize alcohol isn’t working for you. Or maybe, like me, you suspect you might just have an allergy to alcohol. Everyone’s why is different, and if you’re here reading this, maybe you're searching for something more. To that I say, andiamo!
My first time traveling sober
About 8 months into my sobriety, I went on my first international trip as a college student: a week-long academic program in London. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel being abroad without the buffer of alcohol, but something shifted when I walked into an old church and sat in a circle with other “Friends of Bill.” We drank tea, shared stories, and it clicked—this community, this feeling of connection, was global. Sobriety wouldn’t limit my world, it would expand it. In that moment, I caught the travel bug.
A professor introduced me to EF Ultimate Break
I loved the idea of solo travel with structure. The thoughtfully curated itineraries, built-in camaraderie, and the freedom to do my own thing really appealed to me.
My first EF Ultimate Break trip was supposed to be Belize in March of 2020. But we only made it a few days before the pandemic shut the world down.
By then, I’d done a month in Italy for a study abroad program where I attended daily 12-step meetings (in English!) and discovered how incredibly healing it was to explore by day and connect in recovery by night. That balance—between adventure and groundedness—is why sober travel works so well for me.
Fast forward a bit. I was still sober, still showing up for meetings, and ready to get back on a plane. This time, I wasn’t alone. I had met my partner (let’s call her Siobhan), who’s also sober, and we were looking for our first Ultimate Break trip together.
We took our time deciding. Not every trip gives off a sober-friendly vibe (some itineraries lean party-heavy), and we wanted our first Ultimate Break experience together to feel expansive, not incompatible. After careful thought, we chose Grand Tour of Turkey in September 2022. It felt right—traveling in a Muslim country, where alcohol wasn’t as central culturally, made it easier to focus on the experience.
And wow. That trip changed everything.
Not only did our Tour Director help us arrange transportation to a local 12-step meeting, but we also connected with three other women on our trip—two of whom were also abstinent from alcohol and substances for their own reasons. They weren’t in a program, but their presence helped me broaden my idea of what a sober community can look like.
We didn’t bond over hangovers or pub crawls. We bonded over 2 am heart-to-hearts in Istanbul and dancing on the Turkish Riviera to 2000s club bangers…totally sober and totally alive.
Building my community
A few months later, the three of us (me, Siobhan, and one of those new friends who I’ll call Zoe) booked Patagonia Adventure: Chile & Argentina. There, our group expanded again when Zoe was paired with a new roommate, Liz. The four of us instantly clicked. Zoe, who’s Muslim, abstains from alcohol for religious reasons. Liz could take it or leave it and chose to lean into the idea of sober travel.
We hiked mountains together. We laughed until we cried. We shared moments of such clarity that I can still feel them in my bones. And when we summited Mount Fitz Roy—a physically grueling, awe-inspiring trek—I remember thinking, “this is it.” This is the high I’d been chasing all along, and I didn’t need a single drink to feel it.
Let me be clear, we still had fun. We went out, we danced in Buenos Aires, and we didn’t live in a bubble of restriction. Sober travel doesn’t mean boring travel, it just means you get to be present for the moments that actually matter.
Since then, Siobhan and I traveled to Japan in December, 2024. We’ve got Sicily & Malta lined up for June, Morocco in August, Peru in October, and Singapore & Thailand for New Year’s. Sobriety and travel are now two of the strongest pillars in my life. They remind me of who I am, who I can be, and what I never want to lose again.
EF Ultimate Break’s sober collection
If you’re sober, sober-curious, or just need a reset, the sober collection is more than just trips. They’re a return to yourself. They offer:
- Curated itineraries that aren’t centered around alcohol
- The opportunity to connect with others who prioritize presence over partying
- A sense of safety and structure that supports your wellness goals
- Freedom to seek meetings or explore your version of self-care
You don’t have to be “fully sober” to benefit from sober travel. Maybe you’re just looking to take a break. Maybe you want to prove something to yourself. Or maybe you just want to remember what it feels like to wake up clear-headed, ready to explore.
There’s an old timer in recovery who once told me, “not drinking is no different than not throwing chalk at a chalkboard.” It doesn’t shrink your life, it frees you to live it fully.
So yeah, I might not be throwing chalk, but I am throwing myself into the world. And the view is better than I ever imagined.
)
)
)
)
)
)
