What happens when you vacation with a president and decide to take a leisurely bike ride? Well, know you’ll be in good company, with a small army of Secret Service and a whole lot of fun stories to tell afterward. He is everyone’s favorite, knows how to take a vacation, and his travel circuit is a lifetime goals list, as is his roster of guests. So, here is how to travel like Tom Hanks:
Your Goals Entourage
When you’re an Oscar winner, you roll with a pretty cool crowd. So where do Tom, a former president of the United States and Oprah vacation together? This isn’t a trick question; it really happened. The answer is naturally this island, which is maybe the second-most remote place on earth, after its neighbor Easter Island seven hours away.
The Vanilla Island
Taha’a, also called “Vanilla Island” for its vanilla fields that make the air smell perpetually sweet, is a flower-shaped island in French Polynesia that just so happened to be the lunch destination of the famed trio plus Bruce Springsteen. They stopped here while on their trip on the 11th-largest yacht in the world, the Rising Sun.
The island, known for its seductive aroma and clear, blue lagoons, will make just about anyone swoon. It was a decidedly romantic choice for the quartet, and while on the island, they went for a sweet bike ride to take in the gorgeous views. If that sounds like bliss that’s because it was. They all enjoyed the tranquil trails except for Hanks, who lamented at being given an “undersized girl’s bike,” while the others rode bicycles with fancy new leather seats.
Tom Hanks: He’s On a Boat
Despite some of his characters’ harrowing maritime experiences, Hanks somehow has not been deterred from ocean travel. That yacht excursion in 2017 was just the start of the actor’s love affair with the sea. Tom and his wife, Rita Wilson, became honorary Greek citizens last year, as thanks for their help to victims of wildfires near Athens in 2018. And they are using those new passports to their fullest potential. The pair and their children have been sailing around the island of Antiparos, where they own property.
So if you have a big yacht and you’re looking for someone to share it with, consider inviting Tom Hanks. He’ll probably be happy to hop on board.
