Despite the joys and rewards of being a parent, the responsibility of raising kids often leaves parents with little time or energy to nurture their marriage. Not only is this unhealthy to your marriage, it can also affect the way you relate to your kids.
A retreat from home and kids is a great way to reignite the spark with your partner and this year there’s even an opportunity for a long Valentine’s Day weekend where you can have alone time with your significant other.
Ideas for escape weekends
Regardless of where you live, you can find plenty of escapes within a half day’s drive or less. Or hop on a short flight for more choices.
A Dude Ranch — Spend a weekend cowboy style and enjoy horseback and wagon rides, hikes, fishing, cowboy cookouts, dancing or just relax in a hot tub and soak up western charm.
Golf Getaway — Choose a weekend golf package or create your own with accommodations near some of the courses you’ve always wanted to play.
Bed and Breakfast — Find a romantic bed and breakfast in a quaint town with old-time charm. Stroll through an historic neighborhood, window shop, dine in local cafes, enjoy old-fashioned ice cream, a riverfront walk, and a visit to a local historic site.
How About: Cape May, NJ, which is chock-full of bed-and-breakfast inns and historic houses.
A Trip Down First-Date Lane — Remember those carefree days before the kids? Make a reservation at a hotel near where you met and spend the weekend revisiting your past. Eat at the restaurant of your first date, visit parks you once enjoyed, or re-enact some of your favorite dates.
Lover’s Lane Delight — Make accommodations with an in-room Jacuzzi and, on your way, take a mini-shopping spree at Victoria’s Secret or Frederick’s of Hollywood. Savor your time together, have breakfast in bed, catch up on movies. Don’t forget to bring fragrant candles, a portable stereo and your favorite music.
Culture and Class — Select a topnotch hotel with fine dining and a luxurious room. Reserve tickets to a nearby play, musical, or event. Be sure to bring your best attire.
How About: Check VisitPhilly.com for downtown hotel packages. Four Seasons opens this spring atop the 60-story Comcast Technology Center.
Amusement Park Fun — Get in touch with your inner child. Make a reservation at an amusement-park resort or nearby hotel so you can take breaks and come and go as you please.
How About: Visit Hershey park and stay nearby at The Hotel Hershey.
Music Lover’s Weekend — Buy concert tickets, then plan a weekend of musical merriment. Reserve a room near the concert hall. Catch a cab or ride service for a guaranteed designated driver.
Winter Resort — If you like the cold and snow, try a winter-recreation resort. Then hit the slopes or cross-country trails, toboggan, or go skating. When you’re done, warm up with hot cocoa by a roasting fire.
Festival Fun — Contact a visitor’s bureau, chamber of commerce, or an online event directory to find upcoming festivals. Camp or rent a place to stay onsite or book a reservation nearby.
Camp and Canoe Trip — Enjoy a weekend of water fun, sunshine, and sleep under the stars. Find a canoe-rental facility that offers riverbank camping and overnight trips.
How About: Search “canoes” at MetroKids.com/PlacestoVisit for nearly a dozen options in PA, NJ and DE.
Second Honeymoon — Renew your vows and take a second honeymoon. Write your own promise to recite to your partner. Each of you should bring a gift to show your appreciation for the other and serve as a reminder of your renewed commitment to each other. Don’t forget the honeymoon suite.
Make it a surprise — Pull this off, and you’ll have your partner eating out of your hand. Concoct a story about going to dinner, to an out-of-town furniture store that you’ve been dying to visit, or whatever it takes to get your spouse on the road with you. When you reach your destination, act confused, and explain you got your directions wrong. Pull into a hotel parking lot (conveniently where you’ve already made reservations). Then say you’ll run in and ask for directions. After you’ve checked in, see how far you can drag your partner along before he discovers the surprise.
Kimberly Blaker is a freelance writer.
 near Philadelphia, South Jersey and Delaware. Choose from romantic, musical, elegant, outdoorsy and more.){kind=link}