Surprise! How to Plan A Romantic Trip

I am an avid reader of Conde Nast Traveler. They always have amazing articles and are spot-on when it comes to recommendations. And, their content is so beautiful it is hard to not get inspired for your next trip. While flying home from L.A. a few weeks ago I decided to re-read my Traveler that I had read on the way there. In between learning french, taking a nap, and looking out the window I must have missed the article on Romantic Getaways. However, I didn’t miss it the second time around. Basically they polled a handful of well-known travelers on their favorite romantic trips. The editors were surprised when they learned that it wasn’t about “where” but more about “how.” Just about every couple interviewed said their favorite trip was the one they didn’t have to plan. In fact, it was a complete surprise. The reason this was their go-to, most romantic trip they have taken – the pressures of planning are out the window. Think about it, when you plan a trip you are wondering: did I get the best deal? should I book another hotel? are we staying within budget? There are so many questions flying in your head you forget that you are going on a V.A.C.A.T.I.O.N. With a surprise trip you are more focused on keeping it a secret than the actual details.

Since surprises are my speciality I figured I would put my own spin on this article and share my tips (and a few from them) on making this romantic “surprise” a success!

1. Figure out the vacation you want to take: This was a really good quote that I thought I would share from MSNBC host JJ Ramberg – “The key is to plan the trip you want to take, not the one you think your spouse wants to take. Scott loves surfing, but he’d put together a much better surf trip than I would.” If you’ll love it, assume your partner will too. Just keep an open mind! The key to the “romance” part of the trip is to experience something new together. Wether it is South Dakota or Ireland, find a place you both haven’t been. Experiencing something for the first time together helps you bond and make lasting memories.

2. Do not over plan: This part is excellent for me as I am not a planner but for my husband, who grew up with a mom who is amazing at organization, it drives him crazy. However, on a romantic surprise weekend try to have days where you can just get lost together (be it in the city or the sheets). Sometimes the best things to do to keep the trip fun is to do something you don’t normally do at home – have a glass of rose at lunch, go on a hike, do a couples massage. Over planning can kill the magic that will happen on a trip if you just let it. Also, if the person who is planning the trip has to organize every activity and meal the pressure is really on and that can take away from the relaxing and spontaneousness of the trip.

3. Have one place you splurge: Is your bliss a great hotel or nice meals every night? Have one area you really want to wow her/him. For me, I love a great hotel but I love delicious meals and great wine even more and I know the hubs is the same way. Knowing this I would probably spend my money on great food. However, don’t forget that you two will be spending more time in the hotel than a normal trip so keep in mind where you stay should have a romance quality. Maybe book the medium priced hotel but get the ocean view.

4. Figure out their routine: If you don’t want to tell the person where you are going until the airport you are going to need to pack a bag for them. For the weeks leading up to the trip try to study their morning and nightly routine. This will help you to not forget any necessity they might need. If all else fails have one of their friends tell you what they think they will need. This is a really tricky element and one I think you should let the person do, but if you are the ultimate surpriser be very sure to grab everything they need (and more). You don’t want to add to their stress of not having the right pieces.

5. Have a cleaver way of revealing: Now that all the prep work is done start the trip off right by surprising them in a clever way. Maybe wait until their boarding pass tells them where they are going or the one I read that I liked (by Ashlea Halpern) was to print a fake gift card (for a birthday, anniversary, holiday), but have the fine print say it is only redeemable in a specific store in a specific city. The sky is the limit on how you tell them but the one thing that is certain – you are going to have a great time. Just take deep breathes and enjoy every second. Oh, and having a bottle of champagne in the car on the way to the airport never hurts! Bon Voyage!

image via smp

Don’t Leave Without Trying – Venice, CA Edition

Location: Venice, California

Name: Cafe Gratitude

Price Point: $$

Dish: Macrobiotic Bowl

Why? Oh.kay. this is going to get longwinded but coming from Texas I am a meat lovin’ carnivore. That sounds terrible but it is true. I absolutely love meat and turn my nose up when I hear people say they don’t eat it. It may look like I am judging, and I am. Not in a mean way, more in a, “wow I think you are really missing out.” Now trust me, I understand the benefits of not eating red meat. You feel better, it is hard for your body to process, you feel less sluggish, and the spiritual benefits -wow! Yes, yes, yes. But for me – no, no, no. That being said, when I arrived in Venice while visiting my friend Eva and Jena, Eva announced we were going to a vegan restaurant. I almost died. I didn’t want to be the poor sport of the group so I acted excited but I was less than. I had never considered vegan food as an option. A dish without meat? No, thank you! However, we walked-up to Gratitude, sat down, and then the waiter asked us what we wanted. Uhg, I don’t know. I LIKE MEAT! Whatever, I’ll have a juice and the Macrobiotic bowl (which Eva recommended). Before walking away to place our order the waiter left us with a question of the day (which they do everyday). “What is it that we are grateful for?” Okay, okay, this was pretty damn cool! I love questions that make us think and go deeper than the surface. I was starting to like this vegan place. Then the meal came. Hmmm… I immediately asked how I eat this bowl of “veganness”? The key – to mix it all up and dive-in. Diving-in is exactly what I did! HOLY VEGANNESS!!!!! It was one of the most divine meals I have put in my mouth. The freshness and mix of nature along with the greek-style yogurt sauce all rolled into one was almost too much to handle. You could literally taste every single ingredient – but in the best way possible. It wasn’t dry but full of flavor and richness. I can’t even describe what a moment me and this dish had. But let’s just say, it was a moment to turn this Texas native, meat eating girl into a vegan lover. Ya, that good. Something I recommend trying if you make your way to Venice.

photo via Jena’s instagram

Traveling with Hudson + Bleecker

UHG packing. While I absolutely love to travel more than most things in life, there are two downsides, well make that three to traveling – packing, flying, and unpacking. If I could find a way to travel without having to rely on these three inconveniences I would be one jetset woman! Since packing and unpacking are one of my least favorite things to do I always try to find a way to make it as organized as possible – this way it runs smoothly and I can easily put away the items once I return.

Being an organized traveler was not always my strongest suit. I actually learned a lot from my very neat and organized husband. Actually, as a child he would pack for his father – one because he loved it and two because he was that good at it. So imagine his utter shock when he saw my unorganized, laissez-faire, unruly packing style. Let me just say, after a few trips with him I learned his way was much better. We would arrive at the destination and my clothes would be wrinkled, my shoes were damaged, and my make-up most of the time exploded somewhere, on something. Complete mess. While his clothing never needed ironing, his shoes were perfectly placed and in pristine condition, and his toiletries never went anywhere. Ying to the yang!

One of the many tricks I learned from him was to have the correct packing equipment. You may remember when I discussed my new found love for space savers (something I stole from him). Space savers are an excellent way to keep your clothes organized, wrinkle-free, and compact. But, what do you do with those disorderly shoes? Before learning about Hudson + Bleecker I used old shoe bags that really didn’t protect my shoes from the abuse suitcases endure. Their only purpose was to keep the dirt from the street off of my clothes, and they worked for that purpose but the shoes always seemed to be smashed or out of place when I pulled them out of the bag. What I really needed was a bag that would protect the shoe while keeping the dirt away. Hudson + Bleecker not only makes very durable and sturdy travel bags but they are all extremely cute. H+B actually started after the founder, Eram, failed to locate a proper shoe bag that would protect her beloved footwear collection during her travels. Struggling to find luxe travel accessories that were not only practical but also alluring, Eram observed that she was not alone in this struggle, and thus, she set out to create a collection of durable, high-quality travel accessories that are both functional and beautiful.

I personally love their shoe travel bags but if you are just starting your “organized packing journey” they also make garment bags, jewelry cases, toiletry bags, and cosmetic cases. Really, we now have no excuse to open our suitcase to an overflow of chaos. Hudson + Bleecker has definitely found a way to fill the void in the travel market. Be sure to check out their great travel products and stock up for your next adventure. I promise you, spending now on the right travel equipment will save you lots of energy and headaches for your next trip!

shot by Molly Miller

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