For many parents, a child-free vacation sounds like a pipe dream. However, it is far easier to plan one than you may think. Here are a few tips for planning a stress-free and unforgettable romantic vacation without the kids.
Choose the Right Travel Time
The first thing you need to do is to book your vacation during the right time of the year. If you are going for a child-free holiday, and avoid other families with kids, you need to look at the school and public holidays of the destination you are going to.
The best part of planning like this is that you will most likely travel in the quiet season, meaning you will mostly avoid children and large crowds in general. Pack the swimsuits and vape pods; a quiet holiday is waiting for you.
Pick the Right Destination
The next thing you need to do is pick a family-unfriendly destination. Simply put, avoid a destination, city, or town that doesn’t cater to family activities, as you will most likely find yourself somewhere with very few families, except the locals.
This is also not very extreme; for example, Disney World will have countless families and children, whereas a far-flung beach destination will likely have more adults than children..
Cruises
If you want to guarantee a child-free experience, there are plenty of adult-only cruises available. Typically packed with live shows, fancy restaurants, and a ton of relaxation, this is an excellent option for those who want to explore and spend time in several destinations.
The Hotel
Nowadays, it is relatively easy to find child-free hotels. While the biggest names in the game aren’t usually child-free, plenty of smaller boutique hotels are child-free and perfect for a few nights with your partner. If you can’t find a child-free hotel, there are plenty of upmarket, romantic hotels that are perfect for your holiday.
Child-Free Activities
As mentioned before, heading to a destination that isn’t ideal for families, but if that isn’t possible, you can opt for going somewhere and then spending your days doing child-free activities.
Some of the more common ones would be something like a spa day, as even parents with kids will either not go, or make a plan to leave the kids at home. A night at a fancy restaurant, live shows, etc, are also a couple more activities that are usually adult-only.
Do Everything You Usually Wouldn’t
The one thing you should focus on when creating your itinerary is to add activities and adventures that you wouldn’t usually do because you have the kids to think about. When it comes to specific activities, it will completely depend on you and your likes.
However, a few ideas would include a long walk or hike, a road trip, as mentioned before, a spa day, a night out on the town, or whatever else tickles your fancy. This is the time to think outside the box and do things you most definitely wouldn’t usually do.
Make Sure the Kids are Comfortable
Regarding your kids, it can be upsetting for them for you to leave for an extended period of time, but one of the best ways to cushion this a bit is to leave them with friends or family that they know and trust.
For example, if they love being around their grandparents, they will quickly forget that you have left and forget how long you have been away for. If they are older, they can maybe stay with friends, but if they are young, stick to somewhere they know and where they are comfortable.
Communication
When it comes to communicating with your children while you are away, there are two routes you can take. The first is to have no contact at all; while this may seem extreme, it may be the better option if your child or children have separation issues.
On the other hand, you can call them once a day or every other day, find out how they are doing, what they have been up to, etc. Once again, if your kids are a bit older, regular communication will ensure they know you are safe, and they won’t develop any concerns.
Stay Worry-Free
Don’t make an effort to plan and take a child-free holiday, only to spend every day worrying if your children are ok. Once they are with a trusted adult, and are safe, push your worries to the side and remember to enjoy this time you have with your partner.
While this can be difficult, it will make your holiday so much more enjoyable if you don’t spend every minute stressing and forgetting to enjoy where you are and what you are doing.
Guardian Paperwork
Finally, while this may seem morbid, it is important in this situation, that you must have your will and guardian paperwork in place. If something were to happen to you and your partner, you don’t want to leave your kids in legal limbo.
Instead, take the time to cross your T’s and dot your I’s and ensure that everything is in place if the worst were to happen.