There’s no denying it — that time just before your baby comes along is inherently special. Everything feels new and exciting, and you know you’re on the precipice of one of life’s greatest miracles. However, and it’s a big one, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t soak up every last second of life B.P. — “before parenting.”
Once that precious little one comes, you’ll be consumed with late-night feedings, diaper changes, taking roughly 1 million photos and more. For a while — we call them the “roommate years” — you and your partner might find it particularly tricky to squeeze in date nights. Or sleeping in. Or the occasional sexy co-showering experience (honestly, it could be years before you get any sort of alone time in the bathroom again).
Enter the babymoon experience: one final relaxing, romantic hurrah before your baby arrives. Naturally, you should speak to your OB-GYN before you jet off on any excursion during your pregnancy. But since travel at many stages of pregnancy is safe, you should embrace this opportunity if you get the go-ahead.
Here are a few of the best (Zika-free!) babymoon destinations of 2019.
Niagara Falls, Canada
As soon as you become a parent, you’ll tend to steer clear of family vacations involving cliffs or watery ledges — all the more reason to visit Niagara Falls now. This bucket list locale offers impossibly romantic vistas, which you can enjoy from a world-class hotel full of amenities (like the Hilton Niagara Falls).
If you’re up for a bit of playing tourist, you’ll find no shortage of things to do nearby, from amusements and attractions at Clifton Hill to five-star dining.
Madikwe, South Africa
Don’t postpone your dream to see the big five on safari. It could be another decade before you’ll have the chance once baby arrives. Not only is Madikwe a Zika-free region, but it’s also one of South Africa’s only malaria-free reserves, making it an especially safe choice for babymoon travel.
And the good news doesn’t stop there. Located on the nearly 200,000-acre Madikwe Game Reserve of the North West Province, Madikwe Safari Lodge offers a special safari experience for expectant parents. The package includes three nights in the lodge, a luxurious 30-minute calabash foot treatment for mom, all meals and local beverages, two game drives daily, game drive refreshments and snacks and specified safari activities.
Perk? You can extend your babymoon with two free nights at the lodge’s sister hotel, More Quarters.
Maui, Hawaii
When you think of lush natural island surroundings, Maui may be the first place to come to mind — and for good reason. So why not head to Hawaii and spend your babymoon in this truly magical place? There’s more to do than you might even imagine: touring Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm, driving the world-famous Road to Hana, snorkeling at Molokini, attending the Old Lahaina Luau and more.
At the Four Seasons Resort Maui in Wailea, the concierge team will help you customize your own unforgettable experiences depending on your desires. This could include transforming local blooms into a stunning lei po’o (head lei) with the help of master weavers, enjoying a mobile feast adventure or getting an aqua craniosacral therapy massage while floating in the ocean.
Nantucket, Massachusetts
With sandy stretches of beach and a charming maritime atmosphere to while away your days, Nantucket seems like a natural fit for babymooners. This island 35 miles off the coast of Cape Cod is picture-perfect. And since your life won’t be the same (in the best way, of course) for approximately the next 18 years, relish that feeling.
White Elephant hotel will help you do just that, offering an intimate babymoon package for parents-to-be. In addition to the spectacular scenery, you’ll be treated to a one-hour prenatal massage for mom, a cigar wrapped in pink or blue for her partner, a $25 gift card toward a spa treatment for your partner and a “Trunket” stuffed elephant toy for baby-to-be.
It’s also worth noting morning pastries are complimentary, and the hotel will arrange for a shuttle to take you into town and lounge chairs and umbrellas at the beach will be awaiting your return.
New Orleans, Louisiana
You’ll be hard-pressed to find any babymoon destination with locals friendlier than the ones of New Orleans, Louisiana. But that’s merely one of many reasons to make this the locale for your final couples fling before Baby make its debut. Like, first and foremost, the food! Beignets, crawfish étouffée, gumbo, muffulettas, po’boys, jambalaya — the list goes on.
Located in NOLA’s Garden District and surrounded by live oaks draped in Spanish moss, Sully Mansion oozes Southern charm. Although it doesn’t have an official babymoon package, this boutique bed-and-breakfast encourages guests to call in and build their own special version. They even have a few suggestions, such as baskets filled with chocolates, local treasures, romantic accessories or seasonal items.
Ojai, California
You know what you need? A restorative stay in Ojai, California — a quick 30 miles outside beautiful Santa Barbara. Between the stunning mountain scenery and nearby attractions steeped in local culture (think vineyards and fine art galleries), you’ll have your pick of places to explore.
We recommend booking a stay at the Lavender Inn, which gifts expectant parents with a precious “Ojai Baby” onesie along with a 10 percent discount on other baby merch. They’ll also help set you up with a little R&R at their on-site day spa. Options include a prenatal massage, a “mommy facial” to help balance hormonal skin, an anti-stress massage for partners and even a private appointment with an infant consultant to discuss lactation or other birthing topics.
Sedona, Arizona
Few things can invigorate the soul like spending a day surrounded by the fiery red rock formations of Sedona, Arizona. Bonus? You can get your fill of nature’s wonders while being pampered in luxury when you book a stay at L’Auberge alongside Oak Creek.
The hotel’s babymoon package includes a $40 breakfast credit, a $200 dinner credit for L’Auberge Dining, a $150 spa credit toward a maternity spa treatment (score!) and a baby journal as a gift to celebrate your little one. Plus, preggo mamas will undoubtedly appreciate the welcome snack they give you upon arrival.
Seychelles
If you routinely swoon over the idea of a vacation in the Maldives, move Seychelles to the top of your babymoon contenders list. Unlike the Maldives, where Zika is endemic, this archipelago country in the Indian Ocean is considered Zika-free. And, you know, it’s basically nirvana. So there’s that.
Book your babymoon stay at the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles and let the unwinding begin. As soon as you arrive, you’ll find a personalized babymoon kit waiting in your luxurious villa. Filled with pregnancy must-haves like a float to support your bump in the villa’s private pool and Yi-King coconut oil from Seychelles to soothe your skin.
Our favorite feature, though? The Cravings Hotline, which you can dial directly to order your favorite snack or essential comfort item — no matter where you are in the resort at the time of your call.
Stowe, Vermont
No matter what season your babymoon falls in, the town of Stowe in Vermont won’t disappoint. Having said that, we envy anyone who can go there during autumn, when fall foliage is at its most spectacular, or winter, when serene snowfall makes the town look like a Norman Rockwell painting. You can even take a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride through the streets.
If you book the babymoon package at Topnotch Resort, you’ll be treated to a side-by-side 50-minute spa service (with prenatal option) for you and your partner, breakfast for two each day at the on-site Flannel Restaurant, one dinner for two at Flannel and — wait for it — a special midnight cravings platter your first night to include classic craving foods — like pickles, cheese, crackers, nuts and cookies.
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