How to take a familymoon

We’re all familiar with honeymoons. And buddymoons—when newlyweds vacation post-wedding with a group of their friends—have even become a thing. But now, in part because the pandemic delayed so many of our travel plans, “familymoons” are growing in popularity, with newly hitched couples including their children in their lovey-dovey trips.

You might be skeptical—and I can't blame you. I can, however, personally vouch for the familymoon as both a logistically do-able and rewarding type of trip. When my husband and I eloped in the early days of Covid, it was hard enough to travel up the California coast for our “I dos.” The honeymoon we dreamed of—in an overwater bungalow—was out of the question. And then we had our first kid, and the can was kicked down the road yet again.

Eventually, we decided to stop waiting and bring our then-21-month-old daughter along for a long-awaited honeymoon in the Maldives, where we posted up at JOALI Maldives—toddler gear in tow.

As long you’re a water person, there’s something on this 26-atoll chain of islands, from swims alongside nurse sharks and massive manta rays, to surf lessons, kayak trips, and multi-course meals served in underwater dining rooms (like at Niyama Private Islands Maldives and Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, where brightly colored fish, and even some sharks, cruised by our table).

Doing nothing is also an option in the Maldives, and with a kid along, sometimes that's exactly what happens. Luckily, our daughter's wide, curious eyes made even the smallest things—like hermit crabs—feel surprising and delightful. Having her join a romantic dinner on the beach, beneath the twinkle lights and coral-colored sunset, made the experience all the more special. (Her presence all but guaranteed that we were all up and at 'em in time to see the sunrises, as well.)

JOALI's indoor-outdoor kids’ club was so epic that we would have happily spent the day there (though our couple's massage was hardly a consolation prize). We took family treasure hunts to look for art throughout the resort grounds. And when we did the typical new-parent thing where we tried to bring our toddler to a really nice, really upscale (overwater) restaurant—and said toddler became predictably restless at said restaurant—several staffers swooped in, happy to entertain her by “feeding” ice to sharks in the water below. And to this new parent, there was no better form of hospitality.

Kids' clubs (or any form of onsite babysitting), a packed activity roster, and lots of places to eat all portend familymoon success. Here are a few concrete ideas:

A well-balanced familymoon in Bali—where I live—includes the Ubud area as well as Uluwatu. In the former, stay at Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (where villas come with private swimming pools and 24-hour butlers) and take advantage of activities like picnics in view of volcanoes and Balinese cooking classes. Reviewers rave about the kids' club, which has a slew of farm animals.

In Uluwatu, opt for Bulgari Resort Bali, set on a dramatic cliff, where you can celebrate your union at the resort’s temple with a cleansing Melukat water blessing ceremony for the entire family. Afterward, take your rice- and flower-adorned selves down the funicular to the pristine private beach to see who can spot the first sea turtle playing among the waves.

Spread across 37,000 acres, the Montana glamping pioneer The Resort at Paws Up has private cattle drives, helicopter tours, and hot-air-balloon rides. Tripadvisor reviewers suggest splitting up your trip, glamping for part of your time in the North Bank Camp and posting up in luxe log cabin for the remainder. Meanwhile, Yellowstone fans can live their best lives s at The Ranch at Rock Creek, an all-inclusive, 6,600-acre resort with fishing, horseback riding, sapphire mining, clay shooting, and more. Summer barn dances will appeal to anyone looking to tear it up, be it newlyweds or their kids.

The 400-acre Oil Nut Bay resort on Virgin Gorda has private villas, an overwater restaurant, oh-so-trendy pickleball courts, a kids’ club, and an animal rescue barn with emus, flamingos, and more. Kids can also partake in the resort's Turtle Tagging adventure by helping researchers catch (and release) the native reptiles. At Rosewood Little Dix Bay, an Explorers program includes Caribbean folk arts and crafts, West Indian music, jewelry making, and shell collecting—all things that your kids can do while you hit the spa.

Pizza, pasta, and gelato: It’s all on the menu in Rome, which has no shortage of plush hotels. Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel is minutes from the action but surrounded by 15 acres of parkland, complete with multiple pools (including a dedicated kids’ pool). The over-the-top Sunday brunch at Uliveto, one of the onsite restaurants, has live music and arts and crafts. In summer, kids ages 4 to 12 can partake in the IT Club, offering games, pool activities, and more.

The all-inclusive Kokomo Private Island Fiji, surrounded by one of the world’s most abundant reefs, has luxury residences that come with a private nanny and chef—yes, you read that right. Nanuku Resort offers complementary nanny services from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for babies to 6-year-olds, plus Hobie Cat sailing, waterfall swimming, sand-dune climbing, and zip-lining.

When our daughter was 4 months old, we schlepped her to the Island of Hawaii, which I suppose makes it our first familymoon in the most technical sense. With the baby smushed into a carrier, we hiked across the lava fields of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Our home base was Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection; during our stay, staff was busy releasing juvenile sea turtles into the ocean—an unforgettable sight. At the onsite restaurant CanoeHouse, you're bound to catch enthusiastic kids running after the staffer who lights the tiki torches each night—not to mention an occasional whale out in the water.