Six Quick Trips: A Series. #1 of 6

Heath and I were surprised (and yes, thrilled!) to find out just 6 weeks after getting married that our honeymoon had been, er, more ‘successful’ than we could have ever imagined.

If you don’t catch what I’m putting down: I GOT PREGNANT ON OUR HONEYMOON. This meant that within 10 months of being married our Mr. and Mrs. titles would transform into Mom and Dad. Our lifestyle would forever change. But we could never stop traveling!

We just celebrated our 6th anniversary so in keeping with that number theme, I’m sharing 6 of my favorite quick getaways over the next 6 weeks. It’s been fun to find easy ways to quickly escape reality. And because all of these destinations have so much to offer, I’m pairing it down to the 6 ‘must see or do’ for all 6 cities (aren’t you glad I’m not writing a numbers-themed post on our 25th anniversary?!) I’ll start this series with the little getaway that made me really appreciate my adjustable waist ski-pants:

1. WINTER PARK

Kicking off the list with our 1st anniversary 36-hour escape. Our son was just 2 months old so it was the very first time we travelled without him. I was still living in nursing tops and stretchy pants but felt compelled to slightly come out of that newborn haze for my first time away without le bebe. After creating 3 pages of baby guidelines/timings/tips I’m sure my mom and mother-in-law laughed cringed as we headed to catch a flight for a one day ski adventure in Winter Park.

Depending on where you’re traveling from flights to/from Denver are very inexpensive! We used our Southwest Airlines points redeeming only 5k points round trip. If you put your standard household bills on this card for a month or two (and pay in full, on time), you’ve automatically found your ‘free’ ticket to Denver. Then it’s an easy 1.5 hour drive to this mountain. Just long enough that you fully appreciate the pretty drive before getting too antsy for your arrival.

Top Six:

1. Ski! The best part about leaving our little baby for this getaway was that having the activity of skiing forced me to take a break from checking in on him so often. We spent the whole day either burning it out down the mountain or freezing our way up the lift. Pulling out my phone to check-in just wasn’t a priority. Guess what! Baby survived and is thriving! It’s ok to not check in for a few hours at a time!
2. Apres Ski! You won’t find a better view than Sunspot. At 10,700 altitude, this is where you should reward your hard work on the mountain.
3. Dinner at Volarios – they boast of ‘elevated Italian cuisine in a down-to-earth setting’. And whether you skied hard or just spent energy bundling up for the cold, noshing on plates of delectable pasta should never be missed.
4. Waffle Cabin. Do I even need to sell you on this? Chocolate covered waffles at the bottom of the slopes. (and one in the village as well). I say go to both. Just to compare and be certain you love this tradition as much as everyone else.
5. Tubing – because this is 2019 and we like instant gratification. Can we all agree that sledding down a hill is way more fun when you can eliminate the hike up hill? Spend the $30/hour to get to use the conveyor belt taking you to the top and then enjoy the ride as you cruise one of 4 lanes complete with twists and turns.
6. Lodge on Vasquez Creek – Walking distance to shops and a block from the slopes. This home available for rent (and equipped with the mountain must (a hot tub) is a great spot for large groups! You can reserve it here.

Heath and I love to refer to Southwest Airlines as our ‘Private plane’ (a term stolen from another frequent flier). But truly – you can book and cancel as you please. Most routes offer a dozen options a day. And the crew is always so friendly. Thanks to this airline we’ve had so many fun weekend getaways that are no more expensive and the same travel time as most drivable options. Come back next week to hear my 6 suggestions for a city that will have you ready to SPRING forward!

Where is your FAVORITE weekend escape?