From Hangovers to Clarity: The Start of Sober Escapes

The idea started with a question I couldn’t answer:

Why do I never feel truly rested after a holiday?

I’m Euan, I’m 33, and for most of my adult life, I’ve worked hard and lived fast. I’m a professional, always focused, driven, and constantly juggling priorities. Like a lot of people in high-pressure environments, I used travel as a form of release. To get away from it all, blow off steam, reset. That was the idea at least.

But trip after trip, I found myself falling into the same cycle, long flights, heavy drinking, late nights, short sleep and that lingering feeling of needing “a holiday after the holiday.” I’d come back physically worn out, mentally foggy and emotionally flat. I blamed it on the pace of life, but deep down, I knew something was off.

A year ago, I made the decision to stop drinking.

It wasn’t some dramatic rock-bottom moment. I wasn’t in crisis. I was just tired. Tired of the dull hangovers, the lost mornings, the anxious resets. I was curious about what life would feel like without alcohol in the mix. What I didn’t expect was how profoundly it would change how I experienced everything, especially travel.

The first time I travelled sober, everything felt sharper. The mornings started earlier and slower. Conversations felt more real. I remembered the sunsets. I actually rested. I came back with energy instead of emptiness. And that’s when it clicked, why isn’t this more of a thing?

There are yoga retreats and spiritual cleanses. There are party holidays on yachts and beach clubs and all-you-can-drink resorts. But where was the middle ground? Where was the space for people like me, people who wanted premium experiences, real connection and the freedom to travel with clarity?

That’s where the Sober Escapes idea was born.

This isn’t just a business idea. It’s something I wish had existed a long time ago. A space for people who still love luxury, fun, culture, good food and real connection, but who also want to stay present. Who want to feel better at the end of a trip, not worse. People who are fully sober, or sober-curious, or just a little tired of booze being the default in every travel experience.

Right now, Sober Escapes is just beginning. We’re not launching trips tomorrow. We’re building the foundation, a real community, shared values, honest conversations, and inspiring content that offers something different.

We’ll be curating ideas, places, people, and eventually trips, all designed around alcohol-free living that doesn’t feel like missing out. We want to show that clarity and luxury can exist together. That you can take a break from the chaos without sacrificing style, fun, or adventure. And that you’re not alone if you’ve ever quietly thought, “Maybe I don’t want to drink on this trip.”

Sober Escapes is for anyone who's ever had that thought. You don’t need a label. You don’t need to explain yourself. You just need a little curiosity and a desire to experience something different, and maybe something better.

Thanks for being here at the beginning. We’re building this for you, and with you.

The beginning of a different kind of journey