It is Valentine’s Day this weekend and I have romantic weekend getaways on the brain. Let’s face it. The early years of parenting are anything but sexy. And sex? Well if we are being honest, time for that in a marriage with two kids can be just as elusive if you don’t make it a priority in the schedule. Over the 22 years my husband and I have been together, we’ve learned (by mostly trial and error) that to keep the spark alive in our relationship we need to carve out regular time for us to getaway and reconnect. Last year, we took a trip to Sedona, Arizona and stayed at the L’Auberge de Sedona, a luxury resort and spa nestled in the red rocks of Arizona. I chose L’Auberge because the property exudes romance. Just take a quick peek at the hotel’s virtual guest book, Love Series, to read the stories of couples in all stages of their relationship – just dating, first trip, just engaged, or married for 30 years – and how they have made special memories together in Sedona. We created our own memories that weekend, and L’Auberge was the perfect home base for a great weekend full of spa time, hiking in the red rocks, eating great food, drinking great wine, star gazing and of course, lots of romance.
One of the most gratifying parts of sharing our busy parents taking a ‘time out” experience, was hearing from friends and readers that the video inspired them to take the time and save the money to prioritize more trips together as a couple. I even got a note from a few saying, “We booked our weekend away! Thanks for inspiring us to finally get this trip on the calendar!” It is comments like that that motivate me to share this experience with you. I hope that if you were on the fence, this post pushes you to book a trip, even if it’s an overnight staycation at a hotel down the street. The small investment will pay big dividends in what matters most – your relationship and the foundation of your family.
Time together, also means time for your own space and time for personal reflection.
Turning up the heat on romance
I was excited to learn that Expedia, (where I am an Expedia Viewfinder blogger and leader of the weekly #ExpediaChat) recently released the 2015 Expedia’s Heat Index that reports how others feel about romantic travel. The study has many interesting and fun findings, including a stat that resonates with busy parents who need some alone time to turn up the romance: 28 percent of respondents report being “more intimate” with a partner on vacation, while 39 percent said it “depends on the location.” As part of #RomanceWeek, Expedia has also teamed up with LAN Airlines for a fun (and swoonworthy) Instagram contest. I can’t wait to explore and hike other romantic places in South America, like Chile, Brazil, and Peru with my husband.
Want to know where to stay, where to eat and where to hike in Sedona? Check out our Pinterest board, Sexy in Sedona Weekend: Follow Anne Taylor Hartzell | Hip Travel Mama’s board Sexy Sedona Weekend on Pinterest.
Disclosure: This post is part of an ongoing partnership with Expedia. As always, all opinions expressed here are our own.