Whether your marriage is in a rut or both of you are happy as a clam, there’s one thing that every married couple needs and you can start doing it TODAY.  I’ll give you a hint, it’s not communicating better (although that is always helpful).

Marriage is wonderful and amazing, but it’s easy to start living parallel lives when both of you are busy with work, kids and whatever else. After being apart all day, you’ve got to feed the kids and put them to bed. Then you only have a couple of hours to accomplish everything left over on your to do list.

So it’s either spend quality time with your spouse or work on your eternal to do list. If you’re not careful, your to do list takes over and you and your spouse slowly start drifting apart. But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

So what does every marriage need?

Ever since we were married, my husband, Ray has made it a priority to do one thing every year that has helped our marriage tremendously. What is it you might ask? It’s simple. Go on a couple’s trip EVERY YEAR. 

It started with our honeymoon in the Bahamas. It could have been easy to post pone or justify not going, since we had to find a babysitter for my one-year-old little boy from my previous marriage. But our relationship with each other is just as important as our relationship with our kids. So, we went on a 10-day honeymoon and started our marriage off on the right foot.

Keep it simple

Of course, not every couple (us included) can afford a trip to the Bahamas every year. That’s shouldn’t stop you. Even an over-nighter at a nearby hotel can make the world of a difference. But don’t forget to put down the cell phone and focus on each other. You’ll quickly remember why you got married in the first place and hopefully strengthen your already inseparable bond.

If you can’t manage an over-nighter, then turn it into a day trip. Go on a long hike, rent some kayaks or go on a long drive somewhere. The point is quality, uninterrupted time.

Set a date and take turns

Right around New Year’s, Ray and I make it one of our goals together to plan our next couple’s trip for that year. Since we both have varying ideas of our ideal getaway, we take turns. Ray plans it one year and I plan it the next. His usually involves something outdoors and adventurous and mine usually involves fine dining and lots of relaxing.  One year, we even splurged and flew to Paris, France! Funnest 10 days of my life.

Leave the kids home

There’s a reason why it’s called a couple’s trip. I know it can be hard to find babysitters and it might cost a little extra dough, but it is possible. One year, I was dying to go on a trip with my husband but I was still nursing.  That’s what bottle are for.  I just packed my breast pump and made it work.  It ended up being a way fun trip.

The more the merrier

Of course, it’s even more fun when you bring friends along with you. Just make sure you leave plenty of time to reconnect and spend time with just the two of you. One of our best trips was when we left with a large group and hiked to the top the tallest peak in Utah (King’s Peak). It was epic.

Check out these couple’s trip ideas

So what are you waiting for? Start planning your couple’s trip TODAY! You won’t regret it.  But in case you’re having a hard time thinking of places to go, here’s a few ideas:

• White water rafting trip (check out Western River Expeditions)
• Cruise (we like vacationing with Norwegian)
• Disneyland (yes, without kids)
• Backpacking
• Excursions using a travel agent
• On the cheap
• Head overseas

What other ideas do you have for couple’s vacations?  Leave your comments below.

Related link: Ashland Oregon: 7 reasons why it’s worth the drive