On the Disney Dream cruise ship, take a break from the kids in the Meridian, an adult-only lounge that offers inside seating and an outdoor teak deck.

No one deserves a romantic getaway more than moms and dads. If you can’t find a sitter or don’t want to leave the kids at home, check out these options for having your travel version of a heart-shaped box of chocolates, and eating it too!

Jack Affleck

Keystone Resort in Colorado offers plenty for children and adults, including horse-drawn sleigh rides.

Warm up in a winter wonderland
A ski vacation provides just the right mix of family-time and couple-time. Keystone Resort in Colorado is known for its kid-friendly ski school (ages 3-plus), horse-drawn sleigh-ride dinners, and a snow fort complete with maze slide, and lookout tower. For a special date night hire an in-room babysitter so you can board a gondola to snuggle up under a blanket while you soar to 12,000 feet to dine on contemporary cuisine with a Bavarian accent at the AAA four-star Alpenglowe Stube.  

Canada’s Whistler Blackcomb also offers ski school for the kids (ages 3-plus) as well as romantic touches for parents. Take a dogsled adventure for two to a breathtaking waterfall dripping with icicles, or bring the kids along for a jaunt through the Canadian wilderness. Book a rental condo with room for the whole brood and cozy up by the fire after the kids are asleep.

Be mine at the beach
On a beach vacation, the whole family can play together in the water and on the sandy shore. Just when the kids tire of too much time with mom and dad, sneak away for a bit of romance.

All guests at Franklin D. Resort & Spa in Jamaica are assigned a vacation nanny as a full-time babysitter or to act as that extra pair of hands you always wish you had. At first Corinne McDermott, founder of HaveBabyWillTravel.com, was uncomfortable with the idea of a nanny, however, she says, “We had been in our room for no more than 10 minutes when both kids were swimsuited, sun screened, a dirty diaper dealt with, and out on the beach just outside our door -- leaving me to unpack in peace with a cold Red Stripe in my hand. I was sold!”

There are plenty of fabulous beach hotel options in Hawaii, but if traveling with young children, only one offers a kids’ club for children as young as 3, Disney’s Aulani Resort on Oahu. With Hawaiian crafts (like paper lei making), interactive electronic game tables and visits from Disney characters -- it may be difficult to get the kids to leave.

Sail into romance
Cruises offer fun for all ages, both at sea and in port. Plus, parents can indulge in side-by-side massages in the ship’s spa or sip cocktails in a floating nightclub while children are busy with kids’ club activities such as games, arts and crafts, and face-painting. Tweens and teens have clubs of their own with video games and dance parties. Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor in chief of Cruisecritic.com, says, “Certain cruise lines are better for kids with different ages.” She recommends Cunard (babies and toddlers), Disney (children under 10), Carnival (tweens), and Royal Caribbean (teens).

For a customized, private sailing experience, you can charter your own yacht. You don’t need to be a rock star to sail like one; prices start at $300 per person per day all-inclusive through AmazingCharters.com. Tuck the kids into bed and then enjoy a romantic dinner for two under the stars, prepared by your own private chef. Your crew can even create a treasure hunt for the children on shore while you and your honey soak up some rays.

No matter the destination, be sure to make time for a little romance during your next family vacation!

Colleen Lanin is the founder/editor of TravelMamas.com, a site for anyone who wants to travel with children … and stay sane!