Your kids are out the door after a summer of chaos. The house is suddenly quiet and you find something very new and novel — time on your hands! Ah, this is what we’ve secretly been envying our single, kid-free gal-pals all these years — time for yourself. So, now that you got it, what are you going to do with it?
We all react differently once the kids have grown and the nest is empty. But rather than sit and miss them, take your spouse (or best friend) and TRAVEL! Yes, pick a destination on your bucket list, update your passport, contact your favorite travel consultant (that’s me), and just GO!
You’ll gain several things. First, you will realize in short order that life isn’t winding down. In fact, it’s gearing up. Second, the opportunity to reconnect with your spouse is truly reviving, and you’ll wonder why you waited this long to take a special vacation, just the two of you. And finally, you’ll remember that there’s a whole, big world out there that you really want to explore.
So that being said, where should you go? Top of my list is Bora Bora in Tahiti because everyone wants to go there at least once in a lifetime, and no one wants to go with kids in tow. This is the destination with those lovely over-water bungalows. And YES the water is truly that beautiful.
If Bora Bora is out of budget for now, I’d recommend maybe an adults-only all-inclusive resort in Mexico, Jamaica, St. Lucia, or Punta Cana. I say adults-only because I’m betting now that your kids aren’t with you, you really don’t feel like hearing other people’s kids screaming at the pool. Plus, there are some excellent options with very good dining and room amenities, spas and golf.
Or maybe this is the time to finally explore Europe. Consider a Mediterranean cruise or a Greece Island Hopper for travel mid Spring through early Fall. Mild year-round is Italy, and a fun way to see this country is a three city itinerary (Rome + Florence + Venice) with high speed rail connecting the cities.
If you can’t pull off a real vacation, consider just a weekend getaway to that cool, local luxury resort that’s within easy driving distance. Bottom line, get out of the house and just go!
~Cindy Grant, Travel Consultant Expert Family Travel 972-625-6200
**photo courtesy Now Resorts located in the Caribbean & Mexico.