We talk a lot about family vacations on this blog.  We give you tips for traveling with kids and point out things for families to do and see.

But what about traveling without your kids?

For couples with children, a getaway as adults and not as parents can be rare.  And the longer you’ve been parents, the easier it is to find yourself alone with your significant other in a hotel room asking “what should we do now?”  (I mean, you know, after you’ve done that.)

15 Things To Do On A Vacation Without Your Kids

(And for those of you without children who get to travel with adults frequently, don’t laugh at our need for some guidance!)

1. Go to an amusement park

While it’s true that most amusement parks market themselves as gateways to “family fun”, they are also great places for adults to have fun.  Imagine going on the roller coasters together – without having to worry about height restrictions or taking turns sitting with the stroller.  When you visit an amusement park with other adults, you almost never find yourself crawling out of a ride that’s just started because someone is afraid of the dark.

You’re never too old to throw your hands up in the air and scream at the top of your lungs.

2. Go to a casino

You don’t have to gamble your life’s savings to enjoy a trip to a casino.  Even if you only play the penny slots or place the minimum bet at the tables, it’s nice to spend some time in a place that caters to adults.  And casinos are masters at making sure grown ups have a good time.

3. Lay on the beach

I adore taking my kids to the beach.  Truly, I do.  But it’s also nice to be able to lay on the sand and close my eyes without worrying about someone drowning.  Take a book and allow yourself to get lost in it, or venture out into the water and enjoy the waves that would normally be too big for children.

4. Eat dinner late

As a parent, meals are about getting people fed before they get cranky and overly tired.  When you take a vacation without your kids, take the opportunity to skip the early bird crowd and enjoy a restaurant with ambience.  This is your chance to take advantage of the available 8pm reservation slots at a place you’d never get to enjoy otherwise.

5. Take a nap

A great vacation should allow time to relax.  One of the most indulgent things to do on a vacation is head back to your hotel room and take a nap.  Don’t set the alarm or feel guilty about all the things you’re not accomplishing.  When was the last time you slept until you woke up all on your own?

6. Have drinks in a restaurant you can’t afford

When I go to a place like New York City, I tend to get most of my nutrition from street vendors.  What can I say – I usually travel on a budget!  But when you’re not traveling with kids, you can get dressed up and be part of that trendy restaurant, even if it’s just to grab a few drinks at the bar (before you head off for hot dogs on the corner).

7. Visit a museum

I’m a huge proponent for exposing children to art and culture.  Museums provide great learning opportunities for kids.  But going as an adult without kids provides a great opportunity for you to enjoy the exhibits without shushing anyone or having to enforce the “no touching!” rule.

If you go to a museum alone, you’ll have plenty of time to sit and ponder without interruption.  If you go with another adult, you might find you have something totally new to talk about together.

8. Attend a dinner theater

Dinner theater is good, cheesy fun.  Let yourself laugh at corny jokes.  Revel in being in a room full of other adults and not having to cut anyone else’s meat.

9. Take a walk

When you get to explore a new city without having to worry about little ones darting off into traffic or running into strangers, you find you notice details that would otherwise get ignored.  Allow yourself to get lost in the architecture.  Stroll hand in hand with someone who isn’t tugging to break free.

10. Get a spa treatment

A trip to the hotel spa is rarely on the family vacation itinerary.  Taking a vacation without your kids provides the perfect chance to pamper yourself with a spa treatment you’d never splurge for at home.  If you’re traveling with your spouse, I highly recommend couple’s massages – even if one of you scoffs at first at the idea of fluffy robes and candles.  You’ll both come away relaxed and grateful for the time to unwind together.

11. Take a carriage tour

One of my favorite ways to learn about a new place is with a guided carriage tour.  A good guide will provide you with all sorts of information and interesting details about the things you’ll see.  And you can’t deny there’s something romantic about riding around in a carriage.

12. See a concert

When I was younger, I used to save for months to see my favorite band play.  Even the best iPod and home stereo system can’t compete with the thrill of live music.  One of the greatest vacations I’ve taken as an adult was a trip to Vegas planned around a Prince concert.

The next time you hear your favorite 80s band is doing a come back tour, consider booking a room and making a vacation out of seeing them perform one more time.

13. Go skydiving/bungee jumping/zip lining

In other words, be adventurous!  Do something that scares the crap out of you!  Get your heart racing and your adrenaline pumping in ways you can’t experience when you’re being the responsible adult.

14. Go shopping.  Together.

Yes, really.  Maybe a husband and wife shoe shopping marathon isn’t ideal.  And maybe one of you cringes at the very idea of stepping into a mall.  But when was the last time you visited a store with breakables?  Your everyday trip to Great Clips and the grocery store is not the same as browsing through antique shops or fawning over fancy electronics.

When my husband and I get the chance to shop together, we find ourselves talking about things we want, things we love, and things we can’t imagine anyone being interested in buying.  But we’re talking - and not about work or school or whose turn it is to fold laundry.

15. Go dancing

Who cares if one – or both – of you has two left feet?  The mantra on vacation is “I’ll never see any of these people again!”  Let your hair down and don’t be afraid to make fools of yourselves.  There are few things more romantic than spending a night together on a dance floor.

As an avid traveler, I wholeheartedly support frequent vacations with your kids.  It’s important to let them see the world and get exposed to new places – and experiencing those places as a family is great.  But it’s also nice from time to time to remember who you are without your kids and nurture the parts of you that have nothing to do with nurturing other people.  Get out there and live a little!

Sanibel Island is a great place for a unique beach vacation in southwest Florida.

Getting to Sanibel Island

Sanibel Island is about a three hour drive south of Tampa.  It’s only 45 minutes away from Southwest Florida International Airport, which is accessible by non-stop flights fom major cities all over the United States (look for airport code RSW).  To get onto the island, you’ll need to cross a causeway road and pay a $6.00 toll.

Sanibel Island’s Famous Sea Shells

Sanbiel Island is best known for the ample supply of sea shells.  Of course, all of Florida beaches have sea shells.  What makes Sanibel Island beaches unique is that it lies east to west instead of north and south.  This makes the island act as a scoop in the Gulf of Mexico.  Travelers come from all over the world to hunt for unique sea shells on the beaches of Sanibel Island.

Sanibel Island Beach Permits

The only free beach parking on Sanibel Island is along the causeway getting to the island.  All other beaches will require a beach permit or a $2 per hour for parking.  If you’re planning to stay on Sanibel Island for several days and visit multiple beaches, it’s a good idea to do some advanced planning and figure out which permit will give you the most beach bang for your buck.  Beach permits must be purchased at the Sanibel Police Station.  This site gives a great breakdown of what permit is needed for which beaches.

Sanibel Island Romance

Sanibel Island is a frequent favorite among the travel industry’s “most romantic” lists.  Spend a weekend on one of the beaches and you’re likely to see a beach wedding or a couple strolling hand in hand.  The turquoise water and remote feel of a tropical island make it a perfect place to escape for a romantic vacation.

If you’re looking to enjoy the quieter side of Florida, you can’t go wrong with a vacation to Sanibel Island.

Ask Miles Davis. Ask Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck or Gene Simmons.  Yes, that Gene Simmons.

Ask millions of people, two mice and me. Disney is more than you think. Yes, there is magic in the air, that’s a given.  And there is childlike wonder and troubles forgotten. There are smiles and sighs and moments of pure joy. And through it all there is romance.

Flowers in Disneyland

Just go with me here.

Surely, Walt must have known what he had created. He must have strolled those streets and understood what he had done. The lands of Disney, lit by stars and lanterns and backed by an endless soundtrack of memories and promise, are pure romance in its most innocent form.

Of Mice and Moments

Miles Davis knew this.  So too, Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck and Gene Simmons.  Yes, that Gene Simmons.  That’s why you’ll find the songs of Disney in their respective canons.  They bought what Walt was selling and in turn they peddled it themselves.  Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs and there is nothing wrong with that.

You get lost here, in the Happiest Place on Earth. You let yourself go.  In quiet moments your mind wanders to dreams and smiles and the girl on your arm, and you find yourself, as I did, on one knee beneath the shadow of fireworks, kneeling at the base of a castle surrounded by streams and beds of roses and bated moments of silence.

Planned Spontaneity

The longest moments live between knees and yes.

It is a place of magic and fairy tales.  There is a hope of possibility in the air and it engulfs you with every breath. For a brief time the lines between your life and your dreams blur and become one. You are drunk without drink, and it spreads with rapid and loose abandonment.

It is as if you have been picked up out of the cubicle of daily routine and placed in your favorite movie, alongside dreamers, stars and champions. It feels right. You belong. Everything you did before your arrival was but a stepping stone to get you here. To get you to this moment. You are reminded of the plans you once had and who it was that you thought you would grow to be.  And maybe you are, if just for a moment.

Perhaps you spot a Princess out for a stroll, deep in thoughts of kingdoms and ballrooms. Perhaps you spy your hosts sharing a private moment away from their guests. They too can feel it. It is not the romance of lust and the meaningless fancies that fill our daily lives between commercials for Las Vegas and lingerie. It is the romance of knowing that there is good in this world and that you want to share it with someone, even if it is just holding their hand across a moonlit bridge. It is the magic of promise for better days and the righting of wrongs. It dares you to imagine what life should be and encourages you to make it so.

It is family, like Walt intended, if such a thing can be considered romantic. I like to think that it can.

Fearing the Fireworks

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For more on the Happiest Place on Earth please read the following:

Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim, California – Family Fun

Pressed Pennies – The Ultimate Disneyland Souvenir

Disneyland Family Vacations: The Happiest Place on Earth

7 Secrets You Might not Know About Disneyland

Things I Learned at the Disneyland Resort – A Thursday Thirteen

Family Imagination at Disneyland, California

All photos by Whit Honea, Tricia Honea or some Cast Member with my camera.

I want to tell you a secret. Something known only to some very intrepid souls and the locals. Want to know the best time to visit Martha’s Vineyard? No, not during the summer, though that is an ideal time. No, the best time to visit The Vineyard is now. In the winter. Trust me.

My wife and I first spent a few days there following a New Year’s Eve wedding in 1998. A weekend away for just the two of us was certainly intriguing (and welcome after the holidays), but admittedly, I was a bit skeptical of her choice for a long-weekend getaway destination. The Vineyard in January doesn’t bring to mind sitting poolside while cabana boys bring fruity drinks with tiny umbrellas (um…I mean lots of beers) nor does it conjure up sitting fireside after several hours of packed powder. To my less knowledgeable self, the Vineyard in January is biting winds and subzero wind chill; it’s empty storefronts and shuttered restaurants. It’s a ghost town. Well, it is and it isn’t.

The Black Dog Tavern, Vineyard Haven

Most people know about The Vineyard as a summer playground for the rich and famous. US Weekly and People have no shortage of stars to photograph in Edgartown or Oak Bluffs from June to September. They might even find some stragglers in October. But come winter, they are off to warmer climes leaving the island to the locals and those with a fondness for quiet. During our first visit, we stayed at Martha’s Place, a B&B in Vineyard Haven, a quaint place on Main Street and only steps from downtown. Most of the shops were still open and are exclusive to The Vineyard – Riley’s Reads, Menemsha Blues, CB Stark, among others – and the owners are always willing to engage in some small talk (or full-blown conversations) while you browse. Need a bite to eat or a good cup of coffee? MV Bagel Authority is the island’s premiere bagel shop with locations in Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. For something a little more substantial, hit the world-famous The Black Dog Tavern down by the harbor. If you decide to check out more of island – up-Island if you will (and you will want to) – there is The Black Dog Cafe outside of Vineyard Haven on the way to Chillmark or Aquinnah. You should know, however, that if you want alcoholic beverages with any of your meals, you will probably have to bring your own as Vineyard Haven is a dry town.

Lifeguard Tower in the snow - www.mvol.com

To the east, and about a 10-minute drive along Beach Road from Vineyard Haven lies historical Oak Bluffs. During the summer months, Oak Bluffs is a bustling and thriving oceanfront resort. It is also home to many historical and nationally recognized landmarks: the Flying Horses Carousel , the oldest operating platform carousel in America; The Campground, once home to the Methodist summer camp famous for its open-air revivals, now renowned for the Gingerbread-style cottages surrounding the Tabernacle and the yearly Grand Illumination in August. But like any  summer resort, the winter months see marked decline in visitors – the perfect chance to get a feel for what’s around and decide if you want to brave the summer throngs. There’s no shortage of places to stay in Oak Bluffs – it is a resort town after all – the trick is finding those that are open year-round if you want to set up camp in town. Dining is less of a challenge. Want a good, diner-style breakfast? Linda Jean’s on Circuit Avenue is just the ticket – even in the winter months nearly every seat is taken. For something a little lighter, across the street you’ll find Mocha Mott’s for a great cup of coffee and some pastries. If you’re interested in pub grub, Seasons is a decent bet, just expect a slower pace than usual. If you’re like me, you enjoy a good craft beer and will not be disappointed by the offerings at Offshore Ale Company on Kennbec Avenue, open seven days a week year-round. The IPA is a great choice. For nightlife, check out The Lampost and Rare Duck or go a little more low-key at one of the island’s movie theaters.

Our favorite town, and the one that caused me to fall in love with The Vineyard, is Edgartown. This tony

Edgartown Lighthouse in the snow - www.mvol.com

harbor town was once one of the primary ports of the whaling industry and where the captains of those vessels built the grand mansions that line Water Street on both sides. Again, there are plenty of places to stay in Edgartown – from the historic Harbor View Hotel to the modest conveniences of the Clarion Carriage House Inn – and many of them are open year-round and offer some great (read: affordable), off-season rates. As in Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven, many shops are still open, but may be on winter hours, typically several hours on the weekends. For your dining pleasure, Edgartown is loaded with gret places to eat. David Ryan’s and News from America Pub are two great choices and you won’t be disappointed. But the one that captured our hearts is The Wharf Pub on Main Street. During our first trip, we popped in for lunch and ended up staying for several hours, striking up conversations with the bartenders (locals) and other patrons like us enjoying the Island’s solitude in January. Since this initial visit, our trips to the Vineyard aren’t complete without a significant stay in this great pub.

To get to The Vineyard, take the ferry operated by the Steamship Authority in Wood’s Hole. If you plan on taking your car over (I recommend that during the winter months), you should plan on making reservations in advance as standby travel is not guaranteed. Enjoy yourself. Oh, and dress warmly. Trust me.

The Manor at Glen Laurel Inn

There are times when a weekend getaway is in order. You just need a bit of pampering, a respite from the hectic daily grind, an escape from reality. An escape from the kids! The Glen Laurel Inn in Rockbridge, Ohio offers the penultimate romantic weekend getaway. Nestled well off the beaten path in the woods of Hocking Hills in Licking County The Glen Laurel Inn sits on a 140 acre estate among wooded trails, gorges and scenic waterfalls which only enhance the allure of this peaceful Scottish Country Inn.

The Inn offers a variety of accommodations from the well apportioned rooms and suites at the Manor or Carriage House to the private crofts (Scottish for small house) or cottages. And while each might be appealing in it’s own particular way, I highly recommend the cottages. Highly.

MacLeod Cottage

The cottages have a nice living area where you can wile away the hours nestled on the couch staring into the huge stone fireplace or out of the large window and into the woods and gorge below. Don’t worry, if you’re not good at staring at fires or trees there’s an entertainment center where you can play movies or listen to your favorite music.

There are huge sleigh beds in the bedrooms and and enormous bathroom with a shower for two. The real draw here, though, is that through the double French doors in the bedroom leading to the back deck is your very own private hot tub. From there you can enjoy the soothing warmth of the water as you relax taking in the constantly changing nature with which you are surrounded. Nothing quite compares.

The Camusfearna Gorge at Glen Laurel

The Glen Laurel Inn lists numerous on-site and local activities:

• Hiking in the Camusfearna Gorge. Over two miles of the most beautiful and breathtaking nature trails imaginable.
• Over 50 species of birds have been identified at Glen Laurel including a pair of Bald Eagles
• The seclusion of Glen Laurel makes perfect opportunity for star gazing. Clear skies abound.
• There is a fire pit available to guests for evening bonfires.
• Golf is available at the nearby Brass Ring Golf Club
• Horseback riding at the local Spotted Horse Ranch
• Antique shopping in nearby Logan
• Canoeing at Lake Logan
• Local workshops (photography, kayaking, riding)

Please visit the website at the Inn for more detailed information on these activities. Since our last visit, they have added a day spa.

For the record, I have participated in none of the extra activities listed above. That’s ZERO. Glen Laurel is so absolutely comfortable and inviting that there is, in my humble opinion, no reason to leave the cottage. Except….(There’s always an except!)

Nothing Says Dinnertime Like Bagpipes!

Dinner. While the cottages are equipped with a small kitchenette and you could easily survive your romantic getaway on wine, cheese, frosted flakes, finger sandwiches and vitamin B (all readily available at the local grocery) you will definitely want to partake in the Inn’s famous five or seven course dinner.

The Edinburgh Dining Room at Glen Laurel

Guests are called to dinner by the distinctive sounds of bagpipes wafting through the early evening air. That waft is soon followed by the aroma of what can only be described as gourmet goodness. It’s a dinner that will not be soon forgotten, served intimately in the manor dining hall. There’s candlelight, music, poetry and visits with the chef. (Jackets are required on Saturday evenings.)

The Glen Laurel Inn has been labeled “the premier romantic getaway in the Midwest.” It’s a moniker well deserved. I suppose the only drawback is that at some point, you have to return to reality and back to your own home.

The Glen Laurel Inn has very specific policies regarding pets and children, please be sure to contact them prior to arriving with either. All photos courtesy of the Glen Laurel Inn.

The city and the Golden Gate.

Early last year my wife and I took a trip to Larkspur, CA.

Now I will admit, Larkspur was not necessarily top on our list of “Places We’d Like to Visit Before We Die,” but at the time we were in possession of a $150 Marriott Hotels gift card and were in search of a local destination at which to cash it in. Much to my surprise, Marriott doesn’t have much to offer that’s off the beaten path, so in our quest for “exotic locales,” Larkspur won out over Walnut Creek and San Jose.

That being said, Larkspur is a very quaint little town, close to Mt. Tamalpais and only a stone’s throw from Sausalito, just over the Golden Gate Bridge as you leave San Francisco. The Larkspur Marriott, located at 2500 Larkspur Landing Circle, is but a short walk from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. The hotel itself is your standard Marriott fare; far from horrible but certainly nothing special either. What did we care, we were only planning to sleep there.

Most of our day was spent testing out my wife’s new Digital Rebel.  And what better place to snap some beautiful test photos than the Marin Headlands.

Situated just North of San Francisco, high above the Golden Gate, the Headlands offer some of the most spectacular views of the world’s most famous suspension bridge, and the jewel that is San Francisco nestled below.  We spent several hours in the Headlands and watched the skies change from the crystal blue you see above, to the foggy white for which San Francisco is famous. It’s amazing how quickly the fog rolls in when you’re on the ocean, high above the city; how it spills over the hillsides, filling the valleys like mustard gas, only without all the uncomfortable blistering and accompanying screams of agony.

With the fog came the cold, the temperatures dropping from a comfortable 70 to somewhere closer to 55. At that point we decided to drive down to Sausalito, where we enjoyed some hot clam chowder and a cocktail at the now defunct Cat ‘n Fiddle Public House. Believe me, if you’ve never been you aren’t missing a thing. Seriously, where else can you pay nearly $30 for soup and a cocktail?

In search of a restaurant where our money would stretch a little further, we ended up at the Marin Brewing Company. This was much more our style; reasonably priced pub grub and beer, or at least what passes for reasonable in Marin County.

We spent the latter part of the evening enjoying the Marriott’s  hot tub, that is until the chiropractor from Nevada, his wife and three kids showed up. If I may interject a slight pet peeve here, I’m of the opinion that hot tubs are for the relaxation of slightly inebriated adults, not lap pools for youngsters.

In any event, after a good night’s sleep it was once again time to eat. We queued up for the Marriott’s plentiful breakfast buffet. As we ate, I watched an elderly gentleman rise from his chair to muck around with his wallet or handkerchief or some such thing that elderly folks are forever mucking with, and I noticed that his chair was in danger of tipping backwards. Timing my rescue with my third trip through the buffet line, I caught his chair just as balance lost its battle with gravity, righted it and moved on, all in one fluid movement. Batman could have done no better.

My wife nixed my suggestion to swing by San Quentin Village on our way home. Perhaps an adventure for another day.

Marin Headlands

Hawk Hill Tunnel

The author and the photographer

Marin Headlands

Photos: Lisa Romano

My husband has been traveling for work the last three weeks and will be gone for one more. So, writing about romantic vacations in Santa Fe this weekend felt like a cruel joke. But, even while feeling sorry for myself, I couldn’t help getting excited about this post!

I think that Santa Fe is one of the most romantic places in the United States to spend a vacation. It has all the right elements…it is mysterious, beautiful and earthy. It is a city of great restaurants, shopping, cultural attractions, outdoor activities and scenic drives.

Visit during any season and you will not be disappointed. In the winter the ground is covered in snow and the air smells of sweet pinon and smoke. In spring and summer you have green mountains, clear sunny days and cool nights. In fall, you have blooming Sage, vibrant Chimisa and intense yellow Aspen. This georgous year-round backdrop is the perfect setting for a romantic getaway.

There are so many wonderful things to do, restaurants to dine in and hotels to stay at that I couldn’t possibly whittle it down into this space. So, to make it more enjoyable for us all…I have put together a description of one perfect day.

Here it is:

Romantic hotels: I would want to stay at the very expensive Inn of the Anasazi (this is my ideal romantic day, remember-so money is irrelevent!). Second choice would be one of the distinctive rooms at the St. Francis hotel. In small touches and design, both places evoke Santa Fe’s rich history and colorful Southwestern culture.

Romantic (and tasty) restaurants: I don’t really think of breakfast as being romantic, unless it is served in bed. So, let’s just talk about some good restaurants that serve breakfast. I would want to spend the morning eating fluffy eggs and freshly baked pastries at CloudCliff Bakery. It is a nice spot to linger and read the paper. Pasqual’s is excellent as well with communal tables and a spectacularly unique and tasty menu. Get there early as the secret has been out for quite some time. Dinner would be at Geronimo’s or Santa Cafe. Both are very expensive, have exquisitely prepared food and are fabulously atmospheric. They exemplify the gourmet Southwestern cuisine that Santa Fe is famous for.

Romantic activities: There are two main things I would have to do (in addition to visiting museums and driving the many scenic drives heading out in any direction from town). First, would be to walk down Canyon Road. One of the oldest streets in Santa Fe, it is a haven for galleries, artist shops, and good restaurants. You could spend an entire day wandering down it’s cobblestone streets, looking at local paintings and sculpture.

This is sure to tire your feet and make you ready for some R&R…which bring me to my second “must do”. Ten Thousand Waves is a full service spa modeled after a Japanese Onsen. It is located on the scenic road up to Santa Fe’s ski mountain. They have a wide menu of treatments, from blissful massages, private hot tubs, meditation rooms and much more. I’m partial to their salt scrub massage and their fresh cucumber water that is available all over the property.

S0, break into that savings account, book a flight and ‘get your romance on’ in Santa Fe. After all, you only live once!

Thanks to Mark Coggins for the Santa Fe picture!