The best babymoon ideas include resorts with packages for expectant couples — Photo courtesy of skynesher / E+
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Parenthood is a time of great joy and significant change — suddenly, your life goes from travel, nights out, and friends to diapers, bottles, and late-night feedings. Before making all the necessary adjustments, many expectant parents plan a babymoon before the arrival of the new family member.
What is a babymoon?
A babymoon is similar to a honeymoon but taken in the months before a new baby arrives. It’s a chance to relax, recharge, and luxuriate in the company of the person you love before two becomes three (or more). Babymoon destinations can be a short drive from your house or a plane ride away. They can be weeklong vacations or overnight getaways. A babymoon can even be a staycation in your home. The important thing is spending time together.
Tips for the best babymoon
Although everyone experiences pregnancy differently, morning sickness is most common in the first trimester. For this reason, consider planning your babymoon after this stage. No one wants to spend a getaway feeling queasy and unwell.
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You'll also want to ensure you aren’t far from your healthcare providers and support systems when your due date nears. Therefore, most people schedule babymoons in the second or early part of their third trimester.
Things to do (and not to do) on a babymoon
Because traveling while pregnant can be risky, there are a few things you should and shouldn't do. Most of it is common sense and just taking extra precautions.
Do: Consult with your doctor if you plan to hop aboard a plane or engage in new activities. Check with your insurance company about coverage if you travel outside your current network. Also, check the CDC website for information on pregnant travelers.
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Don’t: Pack your itinerary to the point of exhaustion. Make sure you have time to rest and relax. Also, don't travel to destinations at risk for Zika virus or to destinations where you’ll be far from a hospital in case of emergency.
Best babymoon destinations
If you’re a parent-to-be, we found some of the best babymoon ideas around the U.S. to inspire your trip.
Hotel Valley Ho, Scottsdale, Arizona
A mod babymoon in Scottsdale includes winding down in a private cabana — Photo courtesy of Hotel Valley Ho
Hotel Valley Ho, a USA TODAY 10Best readers' favorite for best hotel pool and best hotel restaurant, is a groovy midcentury modern property brimming with personality, character, and luxury indulgences in Old Town Scottsdale. It's also one of the best babymoon destinations in the country, thanks to the Hello, Baby package, which includes 60 minutes of pampering at VH Spa with a mom-to-be massage, face and body oil, Nopalera Cactus Soap, a Kodak Printomatic camera, and an adorable cactus rattle to remember your trip to sunny Scottsdale.
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Four Seasons Resort Lanai, Lanai City, Hawaii
Four Seasons Resort Lanai babymoon specials include meditation, massage, and more — Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Lanai
Known as one of the best resorts for a destination wedding, it's no surprise that the Four Seasons Resort Lanai is one of the best places for a babymoon to celebrate the next chapter for couples. The resort's babymoon package includes a three-course, farm-to-table lunch for two with mocktails or a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne; a wellness session with a sound meditation, HeartMath meditation, or Under the Skies night meditation; and a 90-minute massage or a 90-minute facial at the Hawanawana Spa.
Hilton Cabana Miami Beach Resort, Miami, Florida
A growing family enjoys a babymoon at Hilton Cabana Miami Beach Resort — Photo courtesy of Hilton Cabana Miami Beach Resort
The Beach Bliss Babymoon Package at Hilton Cabana Miami Beach Resort pampers you from the moment you stroll through the door with a welcome gift, including an embroidered beach bag packed with healthy snacks, sunscreen, and a reusable water bottle. Mamas-to-be luxuriate in a spacious junior oceanfront suite stocked with a pregnancy pillow and in-room amenities like body butter, a face mask, and essential oil.
When ready, head to the outdoor bar to sip a complimentary mocktail and cocktail for your partner underneath the Miami sun. This package also includes a poolside cabana and a Miami Beach newborn onesie.
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Brewery Gulch Inn & Spa, Mendocino, California
Get away before the baby arrives at Brewery Gulch Inn & Spa — Photo courtesy of Brewery Gulch Inn & Spa
Brewery Gulch Inn & Spa in beautiful Mendocino County should be on your radar if you want babymoon ideas. The babymoon package includes an hour-long prenatal massage for the mom and a one-hour Swedish massage for her partner. You’ll also receive a parenting book, a pampering Baby Belly Bar from Honey House, a $15 gift certificate for Frankie’s Pizza and Ice Cream Parlor in Mendocino, and a $15 gift certificate to buy a present for your little one at the Village Toy Store while you’re in town.
The Lodge at Woodloch, Hawley, Pennsylvania
Finding downtime before the baby arrives at The Lodge at Woodloch — Photo courtesy of Andrea Killam / The Lodge at Woodloch
The Lodge at Woodloch is one of the best family resorts in the U.S., and the all-inclusive Poconos resort is an incredible babymoon destination. The lodge's babymoon package includes a $180 spa credit per person for every night of your stay for prenatal massages, facials, or private yoga. Amenities for expectant parents include unscented coconut oil, a house-made treat, and wellness classes like prenatal yoga, meditation, and partner-focused sessions.
Wequassett Resort and Golf Club, Harwich, Massachusetts
Wequassett Resort is one of the best babymoon destinations on the Cape — Photo courtesy of Wequassett Resort and Golf Club
Wequassett Resort and Golf Club, one of the best places to stay on Cape Cod and the islands, offers the Bump & Bliss Retreat to celebrate the commencement of your journey into parenthood. Perks include a celebratory mocktail, a plush Wequassett robe to take home after your vacation, a complimentary body pillow, discounts for Maxi-Cosi’s car seats, strollers, and other baby products via an in-room QR code, and a Maxi-Cosi gift for your baby. The Bump & Bliss Retreat also includes a later check-out so you can continue to relax on departure day.
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Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa, Lake Placid, New York
Babymoon pampering is on the menu at Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa — Photo courtesy of Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa
Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa features a babymoon package with chocolate-covered strawberries and sparkling waters, a Great Range room with a lovely view of Mirror Lake and the Adirondacks, and a $75 nightly credit for indulgences like romantic meals or spa treatments for a little pampering before your little one’s arrival.
The Ritz-Carlton, Denver, Colorado
A spa experience for moms-to-be is part of the Babymoon Bliss package at The Ritz-Carlton in Denver — Photo courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, Denver
The Ritz-Carlton, Denver, offers a Babymoon Bliss package that includes overnight suite accommodations with club lounge access and stunning views of downtown Denver against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.
The package spoils expectant moms with a Soon-to-be-a-Mother’s Dream spa experience: a 50-minute prenatal massage and a 50-minute organic facial with a derma flash enhancement. Before they leave, couples receive a pair of monogrammed Ritz-Carlton robes as a cozy remembrance of their stay.
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Willows Lodge, Woodinville, Washington
A babymoon means couples relaxation at Willows Lodge — Photo courtesy of Willows Lodge
Willows Lodge, one of the best wine country hotels in the nation, is less than an hour from downtown Seattle and makes a fantastic babymoon destination. The rejuvenating Mom.com spa package aims to relieve the aches and discomfort accompanying pregnancy. The package offers a 60-minute prenatal massage and a 60-minute hydrating oxygen facial to promote healthy, glowing skin. Before you leave, you’ll be gifted an adorable onesie to remember your stay.
Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection, Washington, Connecticut
Spend a babymoon day at the spa at the Mayflower Inn — Photo courtesy of Auberge Resorts Collection
Just two hours from New York City, Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection has partnered with HATCH to provide a curated selection of amenities and surprises for mothers-to-be, daily breakfast for two, a prenatal massage, and complimentary order from the chef-curated Cravings Bar menu. With a serene setting of gardens and woodlands and a 20,000-square-foot spa, this is the ideal place for a babymoon focused on wellness and relaxation.