Best non child-friendly holidays

[thevelvetcurtain]

DP and I will be TTC in a few years and pandemic allowing would like to get as many non child-friendly holidays in as possible beforehand. We like culture, history, beaches and hot weather. Is there anywhere you have been without kids that you would recommend as somewhere great for couples, that just won't be doable when we have to factor small children into the mix?

We've already done a year travelling around Europe so preferably countries further afield. Thanks!

Small children are surprisingly portable even to places you wouldn’t think of as being suitable for children. Ok, I wouldn’t take them backpacking through India but please don’t think your travels have to end because of children. You just have to reign it in a bit until you can leave the house without a change of clothes, packet of baby wipes and they can “hold it” for 15 minutes before they have an accident. In fact, some of the best trips we did without kids are ones we want to repeat with them - touring round Japan and visiting South Africa (including safari). In fact, I can’t think of anywhere I wouldn’t go with my children now, aged 8 and 11. So far they have been to Barbados, Mauritius, the USA, Canada, Thailand and Bali and Singapore long haul plus seen a lot of Europe.

Things I would do though are fly business or first class long haul somewhere and go to some really exclusive five star hotels without children. Sitting in a lovely rooftop bar or fabulous restaurant with children is not at all relaxing until they are a lot older. Ditto the high class flight experience You can eat in nice places but Michelin star restaurants would send my children running to the hills.

Also do things like go to the opera in Verona, ballet in Moscow, football match in Barcelona etc. So make it less about the destination and more about how you spend your time there.

The Napa Valley/any trip that involves boozing.

Also many (but not all) music festivals. Do a trip to San Francisco, Napa and the Outside Lands music festival. Great way to spend a week/10 days.

There are some 'culture and history' trips which are child-friendly - Ancient Greek and Roman sites, castles, museums (up to a point). But if you want to do something like focus on art in Florence, then that's a before or after kids thing.

DH and I had a pre-children holiday in New York. I can’t imagine doing the Met, MoMA or the Guggenheim with small kids in tow. We also saw Hamilton on Broadway, went to some jazz clubs and saw Times Square late at night. We cycled over Brooklyn Bridge and went shopping at Bloomingdales and Macy’s!

Japan. Went while pg and it was amazing - I gather it is child friendly, but I wanted to do more culture and civilised restaurants than my now-toddler would tolerate.

Reading on the beach, wherever.

New York 4/5 nights, then a cheap flight South to the Caribbean. Turks and Caicos for a week on the beach. Direct flight home on BA.
Just discussing doing this again but for longer as soon as we can travel safely.