Two brothers from Los Angeles, Steve and Guy, owners of Sober Vacations International, tried many times to plan for vacations together. Plans were always cancelled, either because of Steve's alcoholism or because of Guy's drug addiction. It wasn't until both got sober that taking a vacation together became a reality.

In 1986, while vacationing together at Club Med in Ixtapa, Mexico, the idea came to them."Wouldn't it be great having meetings and our friends here with us in this beautiful setting?" When the brothers contacted Club Med headquarters in New York, they were met with great enthusiasm for the idea of bringing a large group of recovering people to Ixtapa, Mexico. This proved to be a tremendous success; and the response from their sober friends has been fantastic. "We are so excited by the way this idea has taken off."

Since this first Sober Village in May 1987, SVI has successfully completed 65 other sober Vacations including 22 Sober Villages, ski trips, rafting trips, cruises and tours to Europe. Both now agree that this really proves that "life begins, not ends, when you put down that last drink."