Do you vacation without your spouse or SO?

[WDWLVR]

In reading some posts over the past couple of weeks both here and on the cruise board I've seen some people who vacation without their spouse or SO. DH and I have been married for 13 years and we've never vacationed apart and don't see any reason at this point why we would. So I'm just curious about the rest of you. Do you vacation separately? Why/why not?

I guess the real reason we don't is that our greatest common interests are what drive our vacations. We take trips to Disney which we both love (this includes WDW, Disneyland, and DCL), we both like going to zoos, the Nascar races, and just for fun roadtrips to places like the Mall of America. I'm sure if there was something either one of us was just dying to do that the other didn't want to do that we could easily vacation apart, but since we have so few vacation days we prefer to take them together.

What about you?

 

[WishingStar]

DH and I do sometimes take short vacations alone. A three or four day weekend trip, but never longer.

 

[kamgen]

We don't/never have.
I cannot imagine doing so. We share all the same interests and enjoy each other so much that I would miss him too much I think. I cannot see any reason we would. I wouldn't want to make memories without him
I have to agree with you.
JMHO

 

[Steve H.]

I'm one of those posts you probably read. My DW, DS and MIL are at WDW for the next couple days and then heading to Marco Island for the rest of the week.

In this case, there wasn't much of a choice -- I have an MBA class that meets this weekend and thus couldn't go on vacation. But DW and I have done some separate vacations at times, sometimes it's "girl's only" or "guy's only" (for me, it's an annual FL golf trip I take) trips, other times, it's because of work or school obligations. But we also have at least one or two family trips a year, with all of us.

 

[Laurabearz]

Do you vacation separately? Why/why not?

Yes we do. Partly due to different interests, but mostly because we have children, and it is easier for one of us to stay home with them, while the other gets some RnR.

But then again, we are travelers........ all told this family takes 8-10 trips per year. 4 or 5 as a family, then little weekend getaways for DH and I, sometimes the kids and I go somewhere, DH's golfing trip, my girls trip, etc..........

 

[RUDisney]

We don't. Vacations are our chance to unwind and spend alot of quality time together. Our lives are too busy at home to get to spend a ton of time together as a family. We cherish our time together.

The only time we travel separately is when its for business and it's to someplace that isn't fun for the other. If it is a "good" location, the other tags along.

 

[helenabear]

We do both. Luis and I share some similar interests but not always on the same level. He has a computer convention he wants to go to and while I love to play on computers and loved even doing tech support when I did (and still do for friends), I just don't have much desire to spend 4 or so days talking ALL about computers. In the same breath, he likes WDW, he just doesn't LOVE WDW the way I do. So I have gone with out him twice in the last year. I have done some weekend getaways with out him as well.

A lot of my alone travels also stem from my huge amount of vacation I have to use in a year and he had no vacation for a long time. I even stayed at home and still had way more than I needed.

While I love him and enjoy doing things with him, I found myself at one point to be way to dependent on him. I would be miserable if he would go away for the day. I gained a lot of independence and really I think that is a good thing for the both of us... that way we can enjoy what we do and sometimes share it together in person or otherwise we do it over the phone.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

We have never taken a big vacation, like WDW separate, but I have gone to visit my parents for a couple of weeks with just DD and I. I am actually going again in September. DH considers them vacations since he gets the peace and quiet!

I think when the kids are older and if the opportunity comes up and one of us cannot make it that we would vacation alone.

 

[Disney Doll]

We don't vacation without each other. I'd feel too guilty about spending our money on my vacation, when he wasn't there to enjoy it too. And plus, I like DH so I like to take him on vacation!

We actually haven't really been apart much in our entire alomost-12 years of marriage. Once he had to go away on an overnight business trip, and other than that, I don't think we've been somewhere overnight without the other.

 

[kdibattista]

Not technically a vacation but each year DH and I go on separate weekends. We go to the shore for our girl's weekend and then the husband's go golfing the following weekend.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

yup - I often take DS for long wknd mini-vacas w/out DH
Took him to the White Mtns, NH July 3-6
Taking him camping in Maine Aug 16-19

DH will be joining us July 19-24 in NH - DS & I are leaving on the 18th so will have 1night before he arrives

DH is taking DS to the Cape w/out me Aug 8-10

 

[faith]

My Mom and I take some vacations together. I usually end up in her state (Kentucky) and we then travel with a bus tour group. Dh thinks it's great that Mom and I can enjoy some travel time. In fact, we are going to Myrtle Beach in October. Went there three years ago, had a fun time and made some wonderful memories. I think as the years go by, you and your Dh won't mind some short trips with just your friends or family...absence makes the heart grow fonder.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Yes, we've vacationed separately when DH couldn't get time off from work. I've taken the kids to Florida a number of times without DH, and DD and I made one trip to WDW without him when she was 4 (the whole family had gone 4 months prior).

It has nothing to do with us not having the same interests or not wanting to spend time together, rather it's just that when opportunities for the kids and I to do something that we all enjoy, we do it. We love it if DH is able to take leave to come with us, but if he can't, then we go and have a great time anyway.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Sure. Mostly a result of my enjoying the 'Disney thing' way more than Lady M does. We went on one family DL (before the bug bit me) in '92 and a family WDW in '99 (when the bug DID bite me). I have been back to WDW 9 more times since and DL (both business/pleasure trips) twice, all since '99. She says, 'go and enjoy yourself'. And I do. We do a number of trips together throughout the year, the next one next week. And Lady M has taken a couple trips herself, visiting relatives in CA. Works for us.

 

[jipsy]

Yes we do. My family lives 1200 miles away and I like to visit them alot. It's not always feasible for both of us to go because of work issues or money issues, so sometimes I go by myself.

I think everyone needs "alone time"; and it makes us realize how much we really do love each other and being with each other, when we are apart. We find it pretty healthy for our relationship.

 

[believe]

Before this year only a night away from each other. This year I spent Friday till Sunday away because I went with my parents on a Graceland trip that my Mom's work sponsored for her. It was part of the deal and we didn't want my Mom to be worried about what the grandkids wanted to do....the trip was to be focused on her. Otherwise....NO. DH will even tolerate things he may not enjoy as much as I do just so we can be together.

 

[Kitty 34]

The only time I go somewhere without my DH is when I go with my Mom and my sisters for a night up to Mt Pleasant to the casino there.

 

[tmli]

All of my vacations are without my spouse. (excluding weekend trips). This is for a number of reasons--I love to travel, he hates it (actually has a real fear of travelling). Also we are self employed and work together every day, so the break can be a little nice. As well it is impossible for us to both be away at the same time.

In reading these posts I some times feel judgements are being made because our decisions would not necessarily be the same as yours. I hope my post and others shows there are many different opinions--none right or wrong - just different!

 

[#1Mouse]

No, we vacation together, with 4 kids and their busy scedules we look forward to getting away together. He does travel to Ft. Lauderdale for business 2-4 times each year, that is more than enough away time for us. That's not to say if something came up for seperate guys/girls weekends away, we would probably go and have a good time, but all in all we enjoy vacationing together.

 

[AirForceRocks]

In reading these posts I some times feel judgements are being made because our decisions would not necessarily be the same as yours.

Very well put, and I agree 100%.

The implication seems to be that if spouses ever vacation separately, they must not enjoy time together, one isn't willing to tolerate something that the other one likes, they want to get away from each other, etc.

Some people don't seem to understand that jobs, school, etc. sometimes conflict with vacation opportunities. I feel very fortunate that my DH and I are able to recognize that one of us is able to take advantage of such opportunities even if the other one can't, and that this isn't some sort of flaw in our marriage.