Travel Destination Ideas

My best friend and I were chatting online and as we vented about motherhood, being a wife, and (the same old sob story) of having no time for ourselves, when we decided it was time to plan a trip away, just the two of us like the old’ days, only this time, the skirts are much longer and the beverages include wine and coffee instead of beer and tequila!  Ask us 10 years ago and our destination suggestions would be Cancun (http://www.villa4vacation.com/vacation-rental/Cancun/445885.aspx) , Jamaica (http://www.villa4vacation.com/vacation-rental/Negril/443936.aspx), South Beach (http://www.villa4vacation.com/vacation-rental/Miami-Beach-South-Beach/444253.aspx), or Ft. Lauderdale (http://www.villa4vacation.com/vacation-rental/Fort-Lauderdale/446353.aspx).  Now, we don’t care if we are in a hotel down the street as long as we are quietly relaxing by a pool, talking about anything but spit up and baby clothes. 

So, the planning has begun… The obvious question to start with is - what is our budget.  We decided to save $75 a month for 10 months.  I know it does not sound like much but with the resources available these days, deals are easy to find!  The only condition we set is that we lock the money away and forget about it.  There is way are our husbands are going to “borrow” a $100 so he does not have to stop at the bank on the way to the game this time. 

Budget set – check

What time of year should we go?  Well, my best friend has a newborn at home so she wants to wait till her first birthday.  That brings us to August; however, August & September will be the first weeks of my daughter’s preschool so I do not want to “abandon” her during that time.  October!  October sounds like a great time.  We can relax before the holidays start and still get some great deals since it is off season basically anywhere in the world. 

Budget set – check

Date set – check

Okay, so now the obvious question – where to go?  Where do two young moms go to unwind?  We started out with a weekend in Florida all the way to moving the trip to next year so we can save enough money and go to a 5-star hotel in Paris (http://www.villa4vacation.com/vacation-rental/Paris/439395.aspx?rid=1) for a week!  Ha… wishful thinking but it was fun while it lasted.  Back in reality, we decided we cannot go anywhere further than Las Vegas.  Vegas, baby (http://www.villa4vacation.com/vacation-rental/Las-Vegas/442088.aspx?rid=1)!  Yeah!  Break out the short skirts and line up the tequila.  Gamble all day, party all night!  How can we not go to Vegas!  But, then my best friend asked me what is the one reason I want to go on this trip.  Really, only one reason?  I love my kids and it was my decision to stay at home with them and in all honesty, I would choose a conversation with a 3 year old over drinking all night (and having a hangover to remind me about it) any time!  BUT, no matter how much you love your children and husband, a mom needs t-i-m-e!  I want to go on this mommy retreat so I can wake up on my own instead of by the screams of “mommy, mommy” calling me from their crib down the hall.  I want to eat breakfast with my hot coffee within arms’ reach because I won’t be balancing a baby on my lap while feeding a toddler 3 feet away.  I want to go on this trip so I can read a book.  I mean really read a book; not stare at the same page for an hour while I untangled dolly hair, set up paint sets, or cleaned up juice spills.  I could go on but you get the drift.  Where can we do all that?  Spa trips!  Yes, I want to go to one of those magical places where someone gives me a foot massage and brings me ice tea while sitting at the pool.  That’s it!  We are going to a spa.  There is only one problem.  We have no idea about spas.  Where is best known for their spas?  My mother tells me Arizona (http://www.villa4vacation.com/vacation-rental/Tucson/446006.aspx?rid=1_ has some famous spa resorts.  And, after posting the question on Facebook, we got a lead on a spa in Sunny Isles, (http://www.villa4vacation.com/vacation-rental/Sunny-Isles/441868.aspx?rid=1) Florida.  HHMmmmm...  decisions decisions.  One of the responses to my post suggested we just rent a beach house somewhere and skip the spa. Just stay at the house drinking wine, cooking foods we know our kids would never eat because it has green stuff in it, and sunbathing on the beach.  For two best friends since the 6^th grade who would spend every waking minute talking and gabbing, we would not even notice if we were in a cardboard box so this is quite the decision for us.  What are your thoughts?  Are there mommies out there that have a great place to relax and catch up with friends?  We would love the input so we can book our rental home soon!  Thanks ahead of time for the suggestions.