A vacation without drinking
 

I think this is my 4th or 5th one without drinking. It's amazing how much I enjoy them now. The benefits are to numerous to list. All I can add here is just try it. Don't drink and enjoy the freedom of alcoholism. It's worth the effort you put into it. Trust me, you will NEVER regret quit drinking. Never.

I agree with you! It was such a burden to travel with active alcoholism...always worrying about where the next drink will come from...freaking out in a place that you don’t know where the bottle shops are or may not be able to get to them...being embarrassed to keep hitting up the hotel bar and terrified of going to bed without a stash. Now I enjoy every minute of my vacations and I don’t leave my phone and wallet places that I have to track down!!

For me sober vacations mean that my body actually gets some rest and recovery. My old vacations were an excuse to drink even more alcohol than usual so that by the end of the vacation my body was all worn out from the alcohol I poured into my system.

I'm sitting here drinking coffee overlooking the ocean this morning, before I would have been laying in bed nursing a hangover.
There are so many bars here in Destin FL. I would be drunk 24/7 not remembering anything and definitely not getting any rest. Margaritas run upwards 20 bucks apiece here. Alcohol is a joke, Alcoholism is not. Take it seriously and enjoy life. We one shot at it. Don't waste it. Never.

I'm with you Wayne - it's crazy that for so many years, like most of life, I "endured" a vacation in order to feed my drunk demon.

I find weekend mornings have the same quality - such simple, beautiful time to spend properly.

Thanks for the reminder and congrats!

I have had 3 sober vacations with my wife in the past 2 months and had a great time.

One of them was in New Orleans and another was in Key West, both of which are venues notorious for heavy drinking.

We don't go to bars, though, just restaurants, galleries and AA meetings.

The other vacation was Captiva Island, Florida, which is mostly newlyweds and nearly deads.

I couldn't imagine going all the way to a fun place and laying up drunk the whole time, but that was how I used to take some time off.

I would come back to work feeling like death warmed over.

Not any more, though.

I just got back from a 3rd quick camping trip with my daughters before school starts for my youngest. Living in central valley it's 2 hours to coastline! So we have all our camping gear ready to go at any time and we head to the beach.

Not dragging a cooler to the sand every time is freeing, and that sunrise sparkling on the water like diamonds this morning was so beautiful. No hangover or obsessive plans about when to leave, without all the day drinking we can hop in the car to go anytime.

I've been to new Orleans as you all know and look forward to going sober one day...and Wayne I have also been to Destin, years ago. I spent too much time holed up in my condo drinking cases of bud light...was around 2003 and I drank too much then also....but when I did get to the beach, the sand was shockingly white and the water so blue and clear! Amazing beach, so different than what I am used to. Glad you had a good time. :)

Getting away from it all is really enjoyable, I liked it drinking but now that I am sober, the feeling of vacation is wonderful. It's a true escape from ordinary life.

Great post. First AF vacation week last week. It was a staycation, but boy, was it good to feel happily lazy, instead of low-grade hungover from an extra glass of wine that I imbibed because I didn't have to go to work the next day. It's fun to relax when you're sober because you can REALLY feel your mind/body unwind. Highly recommend.

Thank you for all your comments everyone.
Just go one day at a time and never give in. We all deserve an alcohol free life. For me, my higher power answered my prayers. I hope he works in your as life as well.

I just got back from a 3 day trip to the car races.

Had a really great time.