There are billions of travel blogs out there. Many written by young, unencumbered travelers who want to tell you about packing hacks, and cheaper flights. All of that is wonderful and incredibly useful! I am usually here to provide you with how to survive, and enjoy a trip with a full family, however – not this time. This time was mom and dad’s time AWAY from the family. Four days in the Caribbean without cooking, cleaning, or “MOM”s at all. This time, I am going to provide you with how to survive a couple's vacation without your kids. So, join me again, as I stumble along, I find things to do, and things to definitely NOT do, blog about them, and share them with you, so you can make the most of your travel experiences.
If you are planning on travelling to Antigua this guide is for you.
Preparing for the trip
My husband and I planned this trip in celebration of our 10th wedding anniversary. Antigua is an island in the Caribbean, and we were only there for 4 days, and on a sort of second honeymoon, so we packed pretty lightly (wink, wink). Only carryon’s this trip. I highly recommend skipping checking bags whenever its feasible! Since I wasn’t checking any bags, I did have to get some liquids through customs, at a small volume, so I just filled up these bottles from the stuff I already had at home (ie: sunblock, shampoo, face cream etc)
I booked this resort 2 years in advance, so I got really good rates (comparatively for what they go for). Booking early definitely has that financial advantage. Since I had such a discount, AND I don’t plan on another childless vacation for 10 more years, I sprung for the room upgrade. (Totally worth it!!) I also discovered that leaving from a more local convenient airport was double the price, and a 30 hour flight, compared to JFK. Sometimes expanding the search on the airports can help you find better flights, even if it’s a little bit inconvenient. I decided at the last minute to upgrade the flight as well, to premium (Not worth it). I did not want to pay $600 for transportation to and from the airport, so we parked at JFK's long term parking lot for $50.
I did a little extra research with COVID being a factor on entry/exit requirements in Antigua, at Antigua and Barbuda International Travel Information (state.gov). Passports, a negative PCR test, or a full COVID Vaccination status were all required to enter Antigua.
I always do “an idiot check” before I leave. ID, Passport, Tickets, wallet, luggage, written down confirmation numbers and locations…..OK. Kisses goodbye, aaaaaannnd we’re off!
I promised myself, I would NOT allow myself to feel guilty for leaving my kids. One cannot pour from an empty cup, I was going to fill my cup again. I also, intentionally chose a couples only resort. I knew if I saw other families vacationing, the guilt would hit hard, and I’d start crying, and missing my babies and calling them, ruining that whole “get away from it all” thing, that I honestly do need. Reconnecting with my husband was the goal.
Day 1 – Day 4 in Antigua
Now that we are all prepared, let’s get this Vacation started!!
Day 1 – Arrival in Paradise
We parked at JFK long term parking lot, which I had never done before, and was a little nervous. There were signs everywhere showing us where to go, and the parking facility emailed me with instructions. Because we were prepaid, we didn't need to pull any tickets, the gate just lifted automatically. We took the airbus to the airport terminal.
We upgraded the flight so we could pick our own seats, bring a carryon, a personal item, more leg room, and free drinks on the flight. It sounded like a lot, but since I'm pretty short (5'4"), the extra leg room was not really needed. Tall folks really should take advantage of that, my short behind did not need that much space. Since the flight was 9 am, I didn't drink any of the free alcohol. The flight was smooth and thankfully uneventful.
We arrived in Antigua and took a shared cab to the resort. Our taxi driver called himself the "Minister of Information" and told us all about the island on our way in. We booked our vacation at Cocobay Resort.
We arrived in time to check out our room, and go to dinner. Thursday night happened to be Caribbean barbecue night. There was a buffet of traditional Caribbean food, and a steel drum band. Rum punch, jerk chicken, some coconut rice, and a steel drum band as the Caribbean breeze blows through your hair, is a great way to begin vacation. So there we are, enjoying this surreal environment a world away from where we started our morning, when we hear "Does anyone know CPR?". Now I'm a few cocktails in, and I feel like someone just lit the bat signal. I jumped out of my seat, scanned the area for the person in trouble and ran across the dining area rushing to the aid of whoever needed it! I ran with purpose, and was so busy looking at the horizon that I wasn't watching my own feet, and didn't see the step that lead up to the stone patio where the person in need was located, and I hit the ground with dramatic force, sliding forward skinning both my knees and hands impressively. My husband just walked right passed me, and immediately took on the super hero role, and saved the choking victim. They were entirely grateful to him, and made friends immediately. Everyone at the resort remembered him after that and thanked and praised him for his assistance, and then asked me if I was alright from that impressive fall. So even across the globe we resume our roles, the hero and his well meaning clumsy wife.
Day 2 – Starting to unwind
My intentions were to sleep in on our first morning of vacation. This is the first time in 10 years that I wouldn't be waking up early for work, to feed the animals, to milk the goats, to tend the children or clean the house. My only responsibility was to relax, however the sun shone beautifully into our room, and I didn't want to sleep, but explore. My husband on the other hand, wanted to sleep.
I enjoyed time in our private plunge pool, and soaking in some sun until we were both ready to head out for some breakfast.
Shortly after getting breakfast we signed up for couples massages. That was the absolute best move for getting a good start to a relaxing vacation. I felt the stress and tension of a busy life just melt away. With the lack of stress and tension, we felt the next thing to do would be to go for a walk along the amazing white sand beach which was positioned right under our cabin. We ended the night with a private dinner. I don't know what I did expect, but the service, the food, and the attention that we received exceeded anything I had imagined. At this point I felt like we were teenagers again. I was recharged, grateful and very in love. This was hands down the best day I ever had on a vacation.
Day 3 - Explorations
Once again, I failed at sleeping in, but we had a day of adventure in store this morning. We booked an island catamaran cruise. This gave us the opportunity to see life outside the resort. Antigua ranges from destitute poverty, to obscenely rich, depending which side of the island you're on. We saw a lot of poverty driving from the airport to the resort, but the wealth we saw on the cruise was astonishing. Many famous people, and casino owners own mansions on the island. A few hours into our tour, we stopped to go snorkeling. During our snorkle adventure we did get to see a sea turtle, which was pretty cool. Upon returning to the catamaran, we received a buffet style lunch, with an open bar before returning to the resort.
After returning from our exertion, we needed to call the kids. While I had been truly enjoying my time alone with my husband, I was starting to really miss my babies. Thankfully we live in the modern world where face time is a reality, so I got to see their cute little faces and got to chat with all my kiddos, before heading off to dinner. This time we had dinner at Rafters, the restaurant on site. After having 2 days of relaxing, by the 3rd night I was ready to cut loose and party. The couple who we met on the first night (the choking incident) wanted to have a few drinks with us, which sounded great. It was the only night on our vacation that I took advantage of the open bar. The remainder of the night is kind of blurry, but my husband assures me it was a wonderful night.
Day 4 – Leaving Paradise behind, renewed
After the prior night of thinking I was still 25 years old, sleeping in was NO Problem this day. I slept right about up until we were supposed to check out. We had one final dip in the private pool, soaked in the scenery, and packed our bags. Believe it or not, I was ready to be home. I missed my kids so much. We grabbed some lunch before the hotel arranged for a cab to take us to the Airport. The COVID testing mandate to get back into the United States was lifted the day we were scheduled to fly out, what luck! The flight back was the same grade seats as the flight in, so once again I had more leg room than I really needed, and again I refused the free alcohol because of the massive hangover I was already having. We had another smooth and uneventful flight home. After a 2-hour drive from the airport, we were reunited with our family. I never got such enthusiastic hugs as then. I felt rejuvenated, full, missed, and very very loved. This is exactly what we needed.
Start Planning Your Trip!
I hope that reading about my journey has inspired you to seek the vacation of your dreams. You can't pour from an empty cup, make sure you are keeping your cup full!
So now you’re ready to plan your own trip to Antigua!
You can make your reservations online, and buy your tickets in advance using the links below: