Parenting littles can be tough. Little ones need a lot of our attention and it can feel like a 24/7 job. Every so often it's good to get off the routine train and take a little break. One of the ways hubby & I ensures we fill our cup and get a break is by changing the scene, and getting away for a mini vacation. Taking a break can either be with or without the kids, I love to do both. Travelling with the kids I see a different side of them, and it's often a great bonding experience. Especially in our case where it's the only time we get to all sleep in the same bed together.

I also love to just go away with my hubby without the kids for a few days to recharge. Luckily we have the support of grandparents who make it possible for us to get away for a few days a few times year.

I often hear other moms say going away with the kids is not a vacation, or it's not taking a break. With planning, I think taking breaks with the kids can be just as relaxing as if you left them at home. Earlier this year we went to Blue Mountain Resort for a few days with the kids. It was one of the most relaxing vacations I’ve ever had! We travel with our kids a lot. Sometimes it’s intense like our 22-day road trip across Canada’s east coast and other times it’s a few days to explore somewhere new.  I often hear from parents that travelling with kids is often times a trip, and rarely a vacation.   So I'm sharing my strategy for ensuring a relaxing time when travelling with kids. Here are my top 3 tips for turning every trip into a vacation.

Plan to relax

There are trips, and there are vacations, it all comes down to planning. If you are planning a vacation think about what you love; What will make the trip feel like a break? How will you rest and recharge while you are there? How do we make this fun for everyone?

For me, a relaxing vacation usually includes a visit to the spa. Whether it’s the full out spa package or single treatment, the ritual of taking an hour to yourself to go to the spa will help you recharge and get more about of the time away. Make sure you plan your treatments before you arrive because often times the spa services are sold out. Before our trip to Blue Mountain Village, I researched Iwa Spa and the treatments I wanted to do. Some ways to reduce the overall cost of the visit is by using your extended health coverage if you have this option. This is a great way to use those massage dollars with the added benefit of being away from the usual routine and knowing you don’t have to go back home and do the dishes if you don’t want to. I don’t know about you but going to the spa while on a trip always feels much more decadent than when I go for a massage at home.

Plan something for everyone

This is a family getaway – it’s a break from routine for everyone. This means the location matters. You want somewhere that really caters to families, and you can have fun even if it’s a rainy day. I loved Blue Mountain Village for this reason. We were also there last fall and the rainy day was no problem. Everything in the village is so well organized, you can get to your activity, or the spa, or the restaurants in no time at all. There are lots of indoor and outdoor activities for the whole family at Blue Mountain Resort. Whether you stay inside and do activities like pottery and swimming, or take advantage of a number of activities through their activity central there is something for everyone. When it's time to eat I was pleasantly surprised by the number of family-friendly restaurants to choose from. The best part though is the fact that there are no cars in the village, this made it the perfect place for our little ones to run around to their heart's content.

Plan something for the couple.

Taking an hour or two for the couple makes a huge difference in feeling like you are on a vacation and not just a trip. At Blue Mountain Resort there are many options available to you. If you don't want to leave your kids alone with a babysitter in the room, you can put the kids in lessons and then go for breakfasts together. In our case, the kids had private skateboarding lessons and we could ski at our leisure. They also have kids programs during the day so that the kids can learn a sport while you go to the spa or a yoga class, or ski together, or take a nap if you really wanted.

My recommendation is to go out for dinner. How often do you really get to sit down and enjoy a nice meal (that you didn't make) together? Babysitting is available at a very reasonable rate of $15/hr. I researched the babysitting offering before we went and found out that most of the babysitters are either current staff, past employees, or spouses of the employees. They all go through a police check, a vulnerable sector check, and are CPR certified. This really helped me to feel more comfortable about leaving the kids. I absolutely recommend leaving the little ones for a few hours and going to one of the restaurants for a nice meal. If you have to choose one specific place for a romantic dinner the food at Oliver and Bonacini is out of this world. For dessert get the smores, in fact, get two! So good.

I'm going to tell you a little bit about why I love Blue Mountain Resort so much. In January of this year, I had a health related concern, I went for some tests and my health was at the very top of my mind. I just couldn't stop worrying. During this time, we were invited to Blue Mountain resort for a mid-week getaway and I almost said no because I thought I would be too worried to really have fun. I thought there is no way I can get what is going on out of my mind enough to have fun.   Eventually we decided to go because we figured we needed the break.  We decided to bring some wine with us to be able to relax in the evenings when the kids are in bed.

And then I had a day that I didn't think was even possible. We woke up and went to Sunset Grill for breakfast, then we went to skiing, followed by the spa for me, and a hike for hubby. Everyone took an afternoon nap because we were wiped out from all the activity.  We were in the middle of getting ready for dinner when I got a text message from my friend "what did the doctor say?" I was having so much fun, I had completely forgotten to call the doctor!  I couldn't believe it. 

This is exactly what is supposed to happen when you go away to get off the routine train. You are supposed to be focused solely on the present and be in the moment without worrying about the future.  You are supposed to be so relaxed and feeling so good that you are completely present in the activities that you are doing.   On our way home we drove by the same LCBO that we had stopped at on the way up, we both looked at each other and laughed.  It was then that we realized we had completely forgotten about the drinks we brought. Not only did we not even think about them during the trip, we were so relaxed we had left them in the fridge.   

Because of the great skiing conditions, the luxurious Westin Trillium House, the delicious food, the relaxing spa, the calm of kids having fun, and the wonderful staff Blue Mountain Resort had done the impossible in one of the most stressful moments in my life.

And that is why I highly recommend this place for a family getaway.