We rent a house, our favorite is at Marco Island. Get a place on a wide canal with a dock and screened-in heated pool. The best have outside audio speakers so you have the option of playing music by the pool. Just need to take a baby monitor. You can swim in the pool, relax by the water, play cards, sip champagne, have a late romantic candlelight dinner...whatever.

Vegas! We have taken my 3 year old with us twice.
Get a two room suite.
Lots of fun things during the day to entertain the whole family, such as the swimming pool, the dolphins and tigers at the mirage, the trams between casinos, the rides at circus circus and the fountains at Bellagio.
With the 3 hour time change, our little one is zonked out by 6 or 7.

We get a sitter from a local service then go downstairs to enjoy drinks, a nice dinner, dancing, gambling etc...
Since our DD is sleeping, no worries about the unfamiliar babysitter.
She watches TV from the living room of the suite while DD sleeps in the adjoining bedroom.
Also, since all of the fun is right downstairs, I can go up to the room anytime to check in or if DD wakes the sitter could text me and I would be there in minutes.

Also, you don't need a car while you are there so you don't need to lug the carseat. Just rent a sedan with carseat for the trip to/from the airport.

http://nahusa.com

Anonymous wrote:

Yeah, I don't really get the "OMG, OBVIOUSLY SEX, DUH" posters. Presumably your toddler goes to bed early at home, too, where she and you have separate bedrooms. So, in most instances (i.e., a traditional hotel room), doesn't being on vacation actually create less opportunity for sex than being at home? Your question obviously wasn't "how do I fill the down time" but "how do I do anything besides sit quietly in the dark?"

OP. Yes, thank you! Someone else suggested VRBO, I'm going to look for a small beach place w/ a hot tub and plunge pool.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are a few options, a few of which have already been mentioned:

1. Suite. Be careful, though. A LOT of rooms that are termed "suites" don't have an actual door separating the rooms.
a.There are also places that have plunge pools or access to the pool literally at your room, so if you left the door open and/or used a baby monitor, you could enjoy the pool some.
b. Same as (a) but a jacuzzi.

Be somewhat cautious though if being outdoors is your only option. The last place we stayed at had a lovely balcony, but once the sun went down the mosquitoes were so bad I couldn't be outdoors.

OP here. This sounds like a really good idea, thanks! You also suggested going with another family, we were going to do that initially but they ended up not being able to do a trip this year because of their jobs. Unfortunately, going with grandparents is not an option for us.

I'm amused that people are giving me shit about sex. Ah, DCUM.

Yeah, I don't really get the "OMG, OBVIOUSLY SEX, DUH" posters. Presumably your toddler goes to bed early at home, too, where she and you have separate bedrooms. So, in most instances (i.e., a traditional hotel room), doesn't being on vacation actually create less opportunity for sex than being at home? Your question obviously wasn't "how do I fill the down time" but "how do I do anything besides sit quietly in the dark?"

Anonymous wrote:I think there are a few options, a few of which have already been mentioned:

1. Suite. Be careful, though. A LOT of rooms that are termed "suites" don't have an actual door separating the rooms.
a.There are also places that have plunge pools or access to the pool literally at your room, so if you left the door open and/or used a baby monitor, you could enjoy the pool some.
b. Same as (a) but a jacuzzi.

Be somewhat cautious though if being outdoors is your only option. The last place we stayed at had a lovely balcony, but once the sun went down the mosquitoes were so bad I couldn't be outdoors.

OP here. This sounds like a really good idea, thanks! You also suggested going with another family, we were going to do that initially but they ended up not being able to do a trip this year because of their jobs. Unfortunately, going with grandparents is not an option for us.

I'm amused that people are giving me shit about sex. Ah, DCUM.

A cruise.

We always get a suite when we travel. After the kids go to bed, I read. I don't get to do much of it at home. Also I agree with the posters who said you all can take turns going out or bring the child with you and let them sleep in a stroller.

Anonymous wrote:I have fond memories of a wonderful Italian dinner overlooking the beach in la Jolla while my two year old slept in his stroller. My point being: there's no real need to put the kid in a bed at 8 when you are traveling.

That sounds amazing! My kid never slept in a stroller.

We always take a teenaged sitter on our summer vacation. Sometimes a cousin, sometimes a neighbor, etc. They share a room with any kids who are old enough to STTN regularly and sit in the hotel during naps and between bedtime and 9:30. In exchange they get to go on a fun vacation and eat out with us and go home with some spending money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't you think of something to do with your husband in the bedroom after the kid falls asleep?

Sounds like OP and her couldn't think of anything to do. Not the sharpest knives in the drawer.

Correction:

Sounds like OP and her husband couldn't think of anything to do. Not the sharpest knives in the drawer.