We often forget to take time for ourselves. We go about our busy schedules, take care of everything and everyone else and usually end the day exhausted.  With the price of gasoline being so expensive we’ve even begun to limit “family vacations” and “Staycations” are the new wave; often traveling short distances or staying in town to take in the adventures our own hometowns offer.  I’m not so sure these are really bad options because so often in life we miss what’s in our own backyard to take off and enjoy the yard of someone else.

What many of we parents rarely do is get away together, alone. Face it, no matter what age your kids are they’re going to be a bit of a “problem” if you want to get away.  Overnight stays are often not an option, even with teenagers who can stay at home by themselves (yes, I see the cringe in every parent of a teen happening with those words) because you just don’t feel comfortable.

We have to remember that part of what brought you together as a couple, whether you are married, dating, living together, or whatever the circumstances, it all began when you spent time alone.  These were the times that allowed you to talk about anything and everything.  Laugh about moments in life.  Create memories and make plans for the future.  Well all of those things are still important to a relationship and it’s time to bring them back as a part of your life.  A wine tasting getaway is the perfect answer.

Who says you have to spend a whole week, weekend or even a night away to rekindle those feelings and reacquaint yourselves with the person you fell in love with?  There is nothing more relaxing and enjoyable than a getaway, spent browsing the local wineries and tasting the many flavors the area has to offer.  Many wineries offer small cafes or even full scale restaurants for when you want to take some time to grab a bite to eat in between wine tasting.  There’s nothing more economical than a wine tasting vacation either!  Your biggest costs are gas money, although many couples that live fairly close to the wineries are now going on biking tours that take them to different wineries, and whatever you choose to spend either picking up a bottle or two of your favorites or purchasing food.

Keep costs at a real minimum and buy a bottle of your favorite vintage and pack a nice picnic basket to enjoy your bottle with mid-day or early evening. Don’t forget to pack the cork opener!  A long loaf of French bread, some various cheeses, fresh fruits, and meats with a cold pack and a bottle of wine you’ve found at your favorite winery can create not only a wonderful and relaxing afternoon for you and your sweetheart but an inexpensive way to enjoy each others’ company with a bit of romance.

Sometimes it’s fun to go with another couple so you can share the laughter and even split the cost of two different types of wines to drink during your picnic.  A camera takes shots of the beautiful vineyards and romantic shots of the two of you enjoying some down time and getting away from the every day craziness of life.  With two couples it also saves on gasoline time and gives you someone to share stories with and laughter.  But it’s never a bad thing to spend time alone with your love either.

Check out the local wineries and see what packages they may offer. If you do find that you can get away for a weekend there’s nothing more romantic than spending it talking over a glass of local wine and getting a special discount rate on everything from a nearby hotel room to discounts on dinner packages that go with the wine tours.  You can choose group tours or choose to go by yourselves and do your own thing; each has its positives and negatives about the choice.  Going on an arranged tour with others will probably give you a much more informative adventure and often some behind the scenes tours of how the wines are made.  Taking the day and spending the day as a getaway visiting the wineries on your own gives you the option to pick and choose how long you spend at each winery and sometimes you can get tours simply by asking also.

Winery getaways can be one of the most romantic ways to get back in touch with the person you fell in love with and have now found that just having a few moments together seems impossible. You can get as extensive or as casual as you’d like, from a weekend getaway to a one day adventure; either way you’re going to rekindle those old fires that may have started dwindling.  It’s also a wonderful way to get a feeling for different wines; perhaps some that you may not want to spend $30, $40, or even $10 for because you’re not sure you’ll really enjoy them.  There’s nothing worse than putting out money, no matter what the price, for a bottle of wine that virtually goes untouched because it’s not what you expected.  Wine tasting getaways take all the guess work out of whether or not you’ll enjoy the wines you pick to purchase and give you some time to simply relax together.

My favorite wine getaway is generally one that is unplanned and spur of the moment.  Pick a route with tons of wineries to visit, find some old favorites and try a few new wineries that you’ve never tried before and simply spend the day relaxing and enjoying the virtues of laid back day.

The best part is you can enjoy a winery getaway any time of year; winters, there is nothing more romantic than finding a winter wine that’s perfect for warming up and serving warmed. As you bundle up and go between wineries in a perfect winter afternoon you seem to leave your troubles behind.  A fall winery getaway is perfect because of picking season, the smell of fresh grapes wafting through the air and often new wines being processed within the winery itself.  Summer’s are the perfect time for a winery getaway because you can pick your mode of transportation; perhaps an afternoon of biking around the winery area, through the beautiful farm country areas or often around a grouping of wineries in one area.  You can motorcycle if you drive one or simply take the car with the windows down to enjoy the fresh country air.  There’s also nothing more refreshing than purchasing a bottle of your favorite wine and making cool wine spritzers or a fruity sangria for a warm summers eve.  Springs are always a great time to hit the wineries too because most of us have been closed up and getting a bit of cabin fever by the time spring rolls around and it’s a wonderful way to get out, just the two of you or with friends and enjoy an inexpensive day of fun.  Whatever the season, whatever your choices, spending some time getting to reacquaint with one another over a few sips of wine, laughter and talking is probably just what your relationship needs to bring back that spark.

Do you and your husband take a day every once in a while to go out and explore? Do you have a favorite winery to visit?  Tell us about it in the comments below.

Find a local winery in your area here. While we are not affiliated with or sponsored by Wine-Searcher.com, we found that Wine-Searcher.com lists wineries in each state and provides great winery information.