Family Travel Adventures by Disney – A Romantic Interlude

Other posts by MudslideMama

The Mudslide family had been having one of the best family vacations imaginable with the Adventures by Disney Southwest Splendors trip. The children were shaken out of their idea of what America looks like (it’s not all coastal!) by their experiences in Sedona, and participating in a child-friendly hike in the Grand Canyon. But what about the parents? All the adults on the trip through Arizona and Utah were sure getting in a lot of quality family time, but sometimes…well, let’s face it: Sometimes a little adult time without the kids is worth its weight in gold.

Adventures by Disney knows this. That’s why the penultimate night of our family travel tour of the Southwest featured a “Kids Only Dinner/Adults’ Dinner” and Disney Movie Night. At the time, the tour group was staying at a somewhat romantic hotel – Red Cliffs Lodge in Moab, Utah. Now, the Colorado River winds right past the lodge’s restaurant, and sunsets seem to set the eponymous cliffs on fire. The children all ate their kiddie fare somewhere else, and watched a classic Disney flick. It was no surprise to see most of the parents enjoying a romantic meal here at the Cowboy Grill, enjoying every child-free moment of this evening.

There is a small winery here; I’d say it’s “boutique,” but that word somehow clashes with the wild west ethos of Red Cliffs Lodge. The desert heat and constant sun makes for a good dark red wine (more thin-skinned grapes need a milder climate to truly do well). Mudslide Dad and I shared a bottle of Castle Creek Winery Cabernet Sauvignon with our steak and ribs. And yes, we spotted several couples from our Adventures by Disney tour doing the same. We toasted each other, enjoyed a well-prepared and hearty, western meal, and watched the sun slowly, slowly set. As the nocturnal desert fauna began to stir, all those parents at the Cowboy Grill seemed to feel the romance of the place. An evening stroll, holding hands, completed the mood. We all knew that the next day would be a fun family adventure; white water rafting down that very same Colorado River we were watching sparkle under emerging stars. Tomorrow, the air would be filled with the sounds of children laughing, screaming, and splashing water on us. But for now – for this one romantic evening – we took the time to simply enjoy each other.

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October 25, 2008 | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Culinary Travel, Destinations, Romantic Getaways 

Comments

9 Responses to “Family Travel Adventures by Disney – A Romantic Interlude”

  1. Colorado Adventures » Blog Archive » Family Travel Adventures by Disney - A Romantic Interlude says:
    October 25, 2008 at

    [...] Original post by MudslideMama [...]

  2. Rhea says:
    October 26, 2008 at

    I like your romantic entry, I did one for the Uptake contest also. :o )

  3. Tara @ Feels like home says:
    October 26, 2008 at

    Someone once told me that the best thing you can do for your children is to nurture your marriage to their father. Now that I am a momma, I know that it’s true, but it’s so difficult to carve out the time when so many other things seem more pressing. Good for you for finding the time. It sounds like it was wonderful!

  4. Australia Visa Services says:
    October 27, 2008 at

    For kids, nothing compares when his/her parents spends most of their time caring, loving and having time with them. One thing parents shouldn’t forget despite of a tight schedule.

  5. Betsy Husband says:
    October 27, 2008 at

    Couple time is as important as family time. Sometimes we put so much energy into our kids that our couple relationship suffers. I believe that that is our number one priority. If the parents are happy, the kids are happy. And the kids leave so soon…leaving two happy parents!

  6. Alison says:
    October 27, 2008 at

    Sounds wonderful. Utah sunsets really are spectacular!

  7. Gaslamp Strip Club Most Fun Steakhouse San Diego says:
    November 13, 2008 at

    [...] or fish as well. Now, the fun is in the friendly, convivial atmosphere. If you are looking for a romantic, quiet dinner for two, this is not the place to go. However, couples and groups both small and large who are in [...]

  8. Michelle says:
    November 17, 2008 at

    I went on this trip also and loved it, not only were my guides true outdoors people that could tell us the history of the land and the people, but the local people were fabulous. The kids all bounded and really felt like they were seeing places that they might not have come too. Its so important to get out and explore this amazing world of ours….

  9. Adventure holidays says:
    April 15, 2009 at

    Is this trip atually run by disney? Looks like a really cool adventure holiday!

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