My Secret to a Happy Marriage: Travel As a Couple

When Alan and I first started dating, we traveled somewhere new every single month in the first year of our relationship and continued to take some lust worthy trips around the globe. Our first official date was a trip to Napa! I like to joke that if Instagram was around during the first couple of years of our relationship, we would probably have the drool worthy travel feeds that everyone is trying to achieve right now. Although our jetset life has slowed down a bit, we still love to travel and, fortunately for us, Harlee loves to travel, too. But that doesn’t mean we don’t need our “A-Team only” trips.

My friend Diana Madison just wrote this post and it’s been something Alan and I have been telling our friends since we took our first adults only trip. Traveling with a child opens up a whole new world of possibilities, explorations, and enjoyment, but a healthy marriage needs adult time to have conversations that don’t revolve around daycare, naps, lunch, and dance class. Plus, anyone who has ever traveled with a child knows it’s not truly a vacation! (ps I need to write another post on traveling alone – without hubby or babe because that’s the best, too!)

Alan and I firmly believe that being good parents means having a healthy and loving marriage and partnership. If we don’t take the time to maintain and work on our relationship, then we’re just going through the daily motions of life and not growing together as a couple. Yes, date nights are important but there is something about spending a few days together: waking up together, enjoying a leisurely breakfast, reading a book, and just exploring a new or old place together. As cheesy as it may sound, you fall in love with your partner all over again and your relationship gets that boost of energy you didn’t even know was missing. This year, we’ve taken two trips as a couple (Santa Fe and Napa Valley) and we’re making sure we commit to at least one getaway a year as a couple.

I won’t lie; saying goodbye to Harlee before we take a trip without her is so hard. I cry in the car as we drive off but as soon as we land at our destination, I’m so excited for our vacation! The whole process is actually harder for us than it is for her. In fact, she loves the time she spends bonding with her Grandparents and has the time of her life.

My recommendation is if you even have an inkling that you want to take a trip with your hubby, do it! If this is the push you needed to make the decision, then you’re welcome.

If you’re a parent, do you take couples only vacations? Let me know in the comments!