There are a lot of reasons someone might choose to be child free, either for a short time or permanently. Some folks just don’t have any desire to be parents, some can’t afford to be parents, and some parents just need a break from their kids from time to time (which is totally normal and okay). Whether it’s a lifestyle choice or just a weekend, going places where you’re guaranteed to see no children can be a godsend.
Of course, just because you’re not bringing any kids doesn’t mean other people won’t. Some folks seem to believe that children should be welcome everywhere, in every situation, no matter what. And some people can’t afford childcare and have no choice but to bring their kids places they might rather not. Whatever the reason, you can’t always guarantee you’ll have a child-free experience—unless you plan ahead and choose your destinations wisely. Here are some of the best places to go when you don’t want to be around any kids.
55+ communities
If your desire to see no kids is an active lifestyle choice, you might consider living in a 55+ community following the 80/20 rule. These communities require that 80% of the homes be occupied by at least one person aged 55 or younger, which leads to two important scenarios: One, you can still live there even if you’re not yet 55 years old as long as there’s an opening and the ratio works out; and two, the chances of having kids in the community is very low. Not impossible, of course, but people with young children are unlikely to view a 55+ community as an ideal place for their kiddos to make friends and live their best lives. If you’re hoping to avoid kids pretty much all the time, this might be your solution.
Child-free resorts and cruises
If you’re planning a vacation or other kind of trip and want to deal with as few children as possible, you have a lot more options than you think:
-
Hotels and resorts. It’s actually pretty easy to identify adults-only hotels and resorts. Expedia has a whole category you can select to view adults-only hotels, for example, and the site Adulty Hotels maintains a listing of several hundred hotels that exclude children that you can search. And if you’re looking for a really adult resort, you can seek out “sex-positive” vacation spots where you can let it all hang out.
-
Cruises. There are more adults-only cruise options than you might think. Although often promoted as the ideal family vacation with ships littered with kiddie activities, there are a lot of adults-only options to choose from—heck, even Disney offers them. All of the cruises offered by Virgin Voyages are adults-only, for example, as are all Viking river cruises. And most cruise companies offer at least some adults-only cruises, you just need to look for them.
Restaurants
If you’re just looking for a night out without dealing with screaming kids or misbehaving pre-teens, finding an adults-only restaurant is just the ticket. While many restaurants aren’t specifically no-kids-allowed, there’s a growing trend of restaurants advertising themselves as “adults-only,” promising a dining experience free of chicken fingers and the buzz of multiple screens designed to (hopefully) keep youngsters occupied while the adults attempt to have a conversation.
There’s no easy directory of adults-only eateries, but a quick Google search in your area will reveal them—or use the age-old tactic of making a few phone calls to ask what their age policies might be.
Spas
Few spas will be explicitly adults-only (and there’s actually a trend of more family-centric spa offerings), but if you find a kid getting a facial or having a schvitz in the steam room, rest assured it’s still rare. If you’re looking to have a child-free experience for a few hours, book yourself a couple of treatments at a nice spa and enjoy the silence.
