When Mom and Dad Just Need a Minute (or a Weekend)

Sometimes you reach a point where….sorry hang on…..[no, he can’t come over because we have to leave for practice soon]….anyway, sometimes it just gets difficult as a parent to even carry on conversations, let alone….[What? I’m busy with…..no, the sports drinks are for Van’s party this weekend….no, have some water]. Sorry, what was I saying?

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We often joke that we need to go 1,000 miles away just to finish a conversation, but it’s only half a joke. And that’s exactly why we make it a point—or at least try—to take a parent getaway once a year. Just the two of us. No kids. No carpools. No grocery lists. Just time together.

Those long weekends away give us a chance to reconnect, talk about big picture stuff (family, work, life), and most importantly, remember that we’re a couple first, even before all the bills and bedtime routines.

And our destination of choice? Las Vegas.

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Why Vegas? ♥️

For us, Vegas checks every box. It’s easy to get to, packed with options, and offers just the right mix of energy and relaxation. Plus, you can build the kind of trip you want—whether that’s full-on shows and dinners, or lounging by the pool with a drink in hand.

We typically fly in Thursday and come home Sunday. Just a long weekend, but it feels like a full reset.

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Where We Stay 🏨

Our go-to spot is The Venetian / Palazzo, and for good reason. Every single room is a suite—the largest standard suites on the Strip, starting at around 650 square feet. It’s like having a little apartment to yourselves, complete with sunken living rooms, oversized bathrooms, and enough space to actually spread out.

On top of that, the property is basically a foodie’s playground. Between The Venetian and The Palazzo there are over 30 restaurants on site (I think it’s officially 32), covering everything from celebrity chef fine dining to casual quick bites. You can have a world-class Italian dinner one night, sushi the next, and still not scratch the surface of all the options.

We’ve also come to really appreciate the Grazie Rewards program. Signing up is free, and it makes a difference:

• All resort spend counts toward points—rooms, dining, shopping, even spa treatments.
• Points add up to things like resort credits, discounts, and sometimes even complimentary nights.
• Offers come straight to your email, and some of them are surprisingly generous.

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What We Do (Besides Gamble)

Here’s the thing—we hardly gamble. Vegas may be built on casinos, but that’s not why we go. Sure, we’ll throw a little on Roulette or play some slots for the fun of it, but that’s maybe an hour or two of the entire trip.

Instead, we spend most of our time enjoying everything else the city has to offer:

• Shows 💃 Vegas has no shortage of entertainment, and we usually plan at least one marquee show or concert into the trip. And if sports are more your thing, check out a Raiders game or catch the Golden Knights — both venues one block off the strip!

• The Spa: Canyon Ranch Spa at The Venetian is huge (over 130,000 square feet!) and has everything from a rock-climbing wall to hydrotherapy pools. Splurging on a treatment or just buying a day pass gives you access to all of it.
• Just Walk Around 🚶‍♂️ Enjoy the sunshine, see some of the most amazing resorts on the planet, go shopping. Who knows, you might find yourself sipping some Champagne inside a giant Chandelier or stumbling upon “Ghost Donkey,” a hidden Tequila bar (find the door with the colorful donkey……)

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Why It Matters

Parent getaways aren’t easy. The hardest part isn’t the travel—it’s everything you have to do before you leave. Lining up babysitters, writing out schedules, making sure the kids’ activities are covered, managing work. Honestly, sometimes it feels more stressful to prepare for the trip than to just stay home.

But here’s the thing: if you wait for “free time” to magically appear or the “right weekend” to show up on your schedule, it never will. You have to carve it out. Force it into the schedule.

And once you’re there—Friday night, Saturday morning, just the two of you—you realize it’s worth every bit of planning. Whether you’re seeing a show, trying a new restaurant, or daring to do absolutely nothing together, the reward is the same: reconnection.

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Find Your Vegas

For us, it’s Las Vegas. For you, it might be a beach town, a cabin in the mountains, or even a city just an hour away. The place doesn’t matter as much as the principle: step out of the daily grind, step back into being a couple and find an adventure you can share together.

Because when you return home, the kids, the practices, and the to-do lists will still be there. But so will the reminder that you’re in this together—and that little recharge is exactly what keeps everything else moving forward.