Sober Living While on Vacation: Travel Tips for an Alcohol-Free Trip

It’s easy to let temptation rear its ugly head while you’re on vacation, but you did not work this hard and come this far to let a vacation cause you to stumble in your recovery. It’s okay to let loose on vacation as long as you continue to prioritize your recovery.

There are tons of fun places you can go and things you can do that allow you to enjoy your vacation without destroying your recovery.

Travel Tips for an Alcohol-Free Trip

Whether you’re vacationing alone or with friends and family who drink, it’s a good idea to have a game plan before heading out on your sober vacation. Below you will find some tips for keeping your vacation alcohol-free:

Choose a Sober Vacation Destination

You can go practically anywhere when you're sober, but some destinations are more sober-friendly than others (depending on your comfort level). Some vacation destinations have less of an emphasis on alcohol or the “party scene” than others.

Developing healthy sober habits means avoiding places like Las Vegas, Napa, and Ibiza where alcohol and partying rank high in tourism culture. You can consider some of thesepopular sober vacation destinations in the U.S. instead:

• San Antonio, Texas: Explore historic Alamo, stroll the San Antonio River Walk, walk through the Natural Bridge Caverns, or check out the King William Historic District. Have a sober day out at Six Flags Fiesta Texas orSeaWorld San Antonio.
• Nashville, Tennessee: The Music City is known as the soberest city in the U.S.It’s an excellent place for country music fans to attend live music performances, check out the Country Music Hall of Fame and The Grand Ole Opry.
• Denver, Colorado: This mountain town has a huge range of outdoor activities from snowboarding to skiing and hiking, ziplining, and whitewater rafting. Enjoy sober attractions such as the abundance of art museums, the aquarium, zoo, and Red Rocks Park and amphitheater.

Sober tourism is an increasingly booming business worldwide. Try sober vacation destinations abroad, such as Sri Lanka, Japan, and Morocco, to name a few.

Additionally, your destination could include lesser-known spots like mountain trekking and climbing trips, meditation and wellness spas, or a yoga retreat. You could even board a sober cruise.

Sober Vacation Activities

A big part of a sober vacation is the activities you have in your travel itinerary. Even non-sober-friendly vacation locations can be fun, sober vacation destinations as long as the activities stay away from drinking. Depending on the destination you are traveling to, here are some ideas for sober activities you can do:

• Biking tours
• Visiting museums or historic sites
• Going to the beach
• Going to a spa
• Trying rock climbing
• Trying a snow sport
• Checking out the hiking trails
• Attending local events
• Trying local cuisine

When planning a sober vacation, it’s a good idea to plan ahead, so you don’t feel aimless or bored and have an abundance of free time. Once you’ve found the perfect place for your low-key getaway, research local attractions and plan some activities so that your days are full, and the temptation stays away.

A Few Last-Minute Tips for Staying Sober While on Vacation

To stay sober while on vacation — and for the rest of your life — you’ll need to surround yourself with a community who can support your efforts and help you map out the best course for your upcoming trip. Those in your sober community can be available to answer the phone when you have a strong urge or offer encouragement when you feel disappointment with not “being able to have just one drink.”

At Ethos Recovery, we offer a sober living community for men looking to further their recovery journey by surrounding themselves with likeminded people looking to live a clean and sober life — whether you’re on vacation or staycation.

Ready to join a recovery community here to support your journey of sobriety? Contact us today to speak to one of our recovery specialists for more information.