Vacations and Marriage go hand and hand. If you’ve been married long enough, you may already know the benefits vacation can have on marriage. If you are new to marriage, let me just say vacations are worth it and are a must do!

Just recently Robbie and I checked New York City off of our bucket list and spent a week there without the kiddos. This vacation was well worth the wait and the money. After a busy summer, our trip came at the perfect time.

Skyscrapers, bagels, street food, billboards, landmarks, street performers and shopping are many of the fascinating and fun things that New York City has to offer. There is nothing like going into a fast-paced city. You begin to feel so small as you gaze at the huge buildings. We stayed with family in Long Island and visited the city three out of the seven days and we were full force tourists.

We visited wineries and breweries in East End Long Island (Greenport). The bluish green water resting below the cliff of the Kontokasta winery was breath taking. Time Square was mind boggling as we gazed at street performers and huge signs on every corner. We visited Little Italy and the sweet smell of Italian food had our stomachs rumbling. China Town was tucked away and just as busy as Time Square. We also visited the trade center memorial. It left us speechless. We even hesitantly attended a stand up comedy club one evening and laughed hysterically.

One of my favorite spontaneous things we did was go dancing one evening at a fancy roof top bar overlooking New York City. Dancing isn’t something my husband does often so this was such a treat for me! We were silly, spontaneous and flirted as if we were dating again. It was a relaxing trip more then anything and did so much good for our marriage.

Have you had vacations like this with your spouse? A vacation where you had the chance to reconnect, laugh, and grow closer to your spouse through much needed alone time?

As we reflected about our trip on the air plane ride home we realized that vacation taught us a few things about marriage and maybe it can encourage you today.

1. Make vacations a priority. Take a vacation with your spouse at least one a year. It’s a perfect way to reconnect in your marriage and relax together.
2. Slow down & shut off.When life gets busy and hectic, it’s crucial to step away for a short period and press the pause button. Shut off the outside noise and make time together without a time table.
3. Never stop having fun. Vacations naturally push us to have fun. For us, it encouraged us to be spontaneous, flirt, and enjoy the little moments in life even after vacation ends.
4. Bring your vacation home with you. What I mean is, remember to take the time to rest, prioritize alone time together, and learn to say NO to things so you can say YES to each other.

Marriage can get funky at times and hard. Circumstances and the business of life can affect marriage greatly. Believe me, we’ve been there. This was us this summer but time away with my man made the biggest difference.

Even if it’s just for a few days get away with your spouse and remind one another why you fell in love with him or her in the first place. Make it a priority and be silly together. Have fun and be spontaneous! Keep these habits going as you get back home and enter into reality. Never stop loving each other and never stop fighting for one another.

After vacation, we began to plan ways to prioritize date nights better so we could continue having fun and relaxing together. Plus, we are already planning our next vacation. It’s the little of things that makes a lasting impression on marriage and family life.

What will you do this week to have fun with your spouse? Also, what vacations do you have planned? I’d love to know!