Here Are 6 Ways For Moms To Have An Actual Vacation

Let’s face it, we’ve all been there. Scrolling through your IG feed and your friend (ok, maybe friend is a strong word) is on yet another tropical vacay for the 24th time this year. Happy for ya Rachel, but no need to rub my pale AF face in your beach pics AGAIN. You don’t want to seem bitter, so you give her post a hate-like, wondering why that can’t be you as your children argue over who’s turn it is to pick the show on the tablet. Luckily Hotels.com gets it and has us all relating to this hilarious ad about that exact feeling.

The truth is, it doesn’t have to be this way. You can take the hate-like worthy trip of your dreams, and you deserve it mama!

So how does a mom get an actual vacation so she can stop “hate-liking” her friend’s hundredth child-free vacation photo of painted toenails against a luxury beach resort backdrop?

You could try an “at-home-spa-day” in your bathroom, which sounds lovely when you’re reading about it in a magazine. But the last time I tried to use the only bathtub in my home, I had to remove 26 magnet letters, try to ignore the scent of urine permeating the bathroom floor tiles, and listen to what I thought was rain but actually turned out to be water pouring through the kitchen ceiling because our bathtub has a massive leak.

OR you could reward yourself with a room from Hotels.com, the perfect answer for a mom who needs to get out of dodge. Collect 10 nights of stays through the Hotels.com rewards program, and you get a reward night to use almost anywhere in the world! From major hotel chains and beach resorts to boutiques, villas, and apartments, all types of properties are included. Book your trip and create your own social media showcase for your friends to drool over. Where to go? Here are some ideas on how to utilize your actual vacation.

1. Go to your local fancy hotel

I don’t care if that Four Seasons is down the block. Once you are in a hotel, you are officially away. Order the whole room service menu and watch hours of reality shows. Get an in-room massage or just enjoy a bathtub that isn’t filled with legos.

2. Visit your BFF in her town

You’ve been promising your bestie you’d visit her in Oregon for the longest time, but in reality, you don’t really want to crash with her yappy dog and her loud, annoying husband. Stay in the local hotel and invite her to join you. You’re never too old for a sleepover, and it’s the perfect way to reforge that connection with a long-distance friend.

3. Go to a conference or convention

Take full advantage of your hobby or obsession. Whether it’s knitting, Doctor Who, or meditation, there’s a gathering for you. Connect with new folks who share your weirdness — you know you have some “online friends” going anyway. This is the perfect opportunity to go and embrace the full YOU.

4. Go somewhere you can enjoy that concert, exhibit, or personal pilgrimage

If you’ve never seen your favorite band by yourself, I highly suggest it. Or walked around a museum or exhibit with no one else to speed you up or slow you down. Whether you want to find your favorite musician’s nearest tour stop or take a solo mission to the Vatican, you deserve to enjoy the experience fully and uninterrupted.

5. Go somewhere sunny and warm

If you live in a place that gets COLD you might start feeling bummed. Book a direct flight to the nearest place with a high probability of sunny skies. Maybe it’s Florida or maybe it’s southern California. Tropical photos in the dead of winter make some of the best social posts your friends are sure to “hate-like”.

6. Bring your significant other if you must

What you might want most is a total and complete break from every living soul in your home. But maybe you actually want to go away with your significant other. That’s OK — no judgment here. If you can score sufficient childcare, go for the California King.

No excuses, moms, it’s time to vacay and we deserve it! Hotels.com is the perfect answer for a mom who needs to stop the hate-liking on social and start booking. Collect 10 stays through Hotels.com, and get a reward night. Enter Hotel.com’s vacation giveaway and win a free stay (value at $200).