Traveling solo with your kids? Here are five ways to bond while carving out time for yourself, too.
1) Go all-inclusive. Check in to the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, one of two all-inclusive properties recently introduced by a brand well-known as an early adopter of family-friendly practices. Relax by the pool, stroll on the beach or engage in seaside games.
Take a kayak tour, balance on a paddle board or hike to a waterfall while the kids enjoy a sandy play area or camp adventures.
Contact: allinclusive.hyatt.com/en/allinclusive/about-ziva.html
2) Retreat under the Tuscan sun. Treat yourself to a unique camp experience in the heart of Tuscany. Get to know all things Italian as you and your child sample cooking lessons, swimming and language lessons.
Choose a yoga class or wine-tasting in the restored 18th-century farmhouse while your youngster plays nearby. Later, visit a quaint village together for a museum stop or shopping.
Contact: meandmomintuscany.com
3) Raft a river. Instead of being tethered to technology, try splashing through rapids, hiking side canyons, ogling Native American rock paintings, discovering pioneer homesteads and stargazing. As you wind through the 8,000-foot-deep Hell’s Canyon on Idaho’s Snake River, you’ll be carving a lasting memory. Mention the Solo Parent trip for a $100 discount for each child younger than 16.
Contact: rowadventures.com/hells-canyon-rafting-snake-river.html
4) Embark on a Precious Journey. Join Big Five Tours & Expeditions for a family travel adventure. Specifically created for children 5 to 11 years old, the journeys are designed to offer real-world experiences in destinations such as Ecuador, Costa Rica and Kenya.
Expect itineraries that offer breathtaking landscapes as well as activities intended to inspire young travelers and even spark interest in future careers as a volcanologist, naturalist or archaeologist.
Contact: bigfive.com
5) Relax on a ranch. Adventuresome parents eager to share their passion with the next generation will welcome a stay at 4UR Ranch, a family-owned, 22-room guest ranch in Creede, Colo. Explore together or choose the children’s program in which youngsters learn natural horsemanship, fly fishing, archery and mountain hiking.
In June, guests can add a theater experience at the nearby Creede Repertory Theatre. Added incentive: Two children may enjoy the ranch experience for the price of one during the week of June 6.
The Coffee Creek Ranch in Trinity Center, Calif., also offers four weeks during which children stay at 50 percent discount.
Contact: 4urranch.com; coffeecreekranch.com
