The romance with your spouse doesn’t need to disappear just because your kids are traveling with you. And while you may think that the only way you can feel the romance is to take a babysitter or nanny with you, it is not necessary at all. In fact, you may be pleasantly surprised at how easy it will be to incorporate romance into your vacation with your kids.
Here are 10 ideas that you can use to have a romantic vacation while traveling with kids:
1. Carefully Consider Your Destination
One of the easiest ways to add romance to your vacation with kids is to make sure that you choose a destination that looks and feels romantic. That ensures that you can feel the romance, even in the most child-filled moments. Long walks on the beach are possible with the children running around you when you choose a gorgeous beach destination, just like exploring romantic cities can be amazing.
2. Consider Larger Accommodations
It may be cheaper to reserve a one-bedroom hotel room, but if you want romance, you will want a larger space. A hotel suite is a better option, because the kids can be in one room sleeping while you are enjoying the romance in another room. An apartment is another excellent option, as it will give you a space to cook romantic dinners to eat after the kids are in bed.
3. Look for Hotels with Kids’ Clubs
Some hotels, along with most cruise lines, have kids’ clubs that you can drop your kids off at. Your kids can have fun participating in activities while playing with kids their own age and you and your spouse can go off to do something romantic. If your hotel doesn’t offer a kids’ club, they may have trained babysitters available so you can sneak out for a few hours.
4. Take Advantage of Nap Times
If your kids are of the age where they are still taking naps, you can take advantage of that time to add some romance to your trip. You won’t be able to go anywhere, but you can always sip on some wine out on the balcony or watch a romantic movie.
5. Let the Kids Join In
Kids and romance do not always go hand in hand, but you can let them join you for some of the better moments. While watching the sunset would be great with just the two of you, watching it as a family can be just as romantic. Add some champagne for the two of you during a picnic dinner and add some sparkling apple juice for the kids.
6. Travel During the Off-Season
While you may think of the beach when you think of romance, I want to urge you to think of snow and cold during the off-season instead. I recommend traveling to a city that has plenty of outdoor activities that you can all do during the day, so that the kids collapse into bed each night. You can then use those nighttime hours to sit by the fire, drinking some wine, and living the life of romance. You may even be able to rent a room with a private hot tub or at least a Jacuzzi tub.
7. Take a Cruise
As mentioned above, cruise lines have amazing kids’ clubs, which is one of the many reasons why cruises are perfect for romance when traveling with kids. These clubs are open from the early morning until late at night, so you can easily go to the spa, participate in romantic activities, and have a romantic dinner or two. A few cruise lines will even allow you to keep your kids on the ship, so you can go on a romantic excursion when you are in port.
8. Travel with Another Couple with Kids
You may not want to bring a babysitter or nanny with you on your vacation but traveling with another couple with kids will allow each of you to have some time for romance. Since everyone’s kids already know each other, it will be like they have ready-made playmates wherever you go. You and the other couple can rotate nights, so you each have an equal number of nights out on the town. During the day, you can go your separate ways, or you can choose to spend some of those days together.
9. Travel with Family
While you may not want to spend every waking minute with your extended family, you can still travel with them and spend a little time with them. This option will allow you to have the vacation of your dreams with your kids, while also getting a little romance at the same time. If you travel with your parents, or in-laws, you can see if they can watch your kids either at night or during the day a couple of times during your trip. If you are traveling with your siblings, you can see if they can watch your kids a few times, while you watch theirs a few times.
10. Consider Taking a Babysitter or Nanny
Okay, so you may be against paying the extra money to take a babysitter or nanny with you on vacation with your kids. However, it may be worth every penny with all the extra romance you can get. Obviously, you will need to pay for all your babysitter’s or nanny’s expenses including airfare, other transportation, accommodations, and most meals. You should also pay for their activities and admission fees for things that they do with you and your children. This can be expensive, but if you are looking for a romantic vacation that resembles a second honeymoon, this may be the best option that will fit your needs.
It is not going to be easy to add romance to your vacation with kids, but it is possible. I recommend that you consider as many of the above ideas as possible and see how easily you can experience romance on your next vacation with kids. You will be surprised at how easy it is, especially if you plan ahead.
