As fun as your family holidays are, sometimes you need a break from the kids. You don’t appreciate how tough being a parent is until you take a step back to look at your life. You’re running on empty a lot of the time and could do with a few days or weeks to recharge on your own. The worst part about this is that it makes you feel guilty for wanting time away from your children, but all parents need some alone time now and then.

It’s all part of staying healthy and developing a much healthier long-term relationship with your kids. You’re less likely to resent them or snap at them if you’re taking some time for yourself. On that note, what are some holiday ideas you can do without getting your kids involved?

Go On A Cruise

Cruises can be very family-friendly, but you will find loads of all inclusive cruise deals for adults only. Some companies will literally only hand out tickets to adults, while others may only let adults above a certain age on the ship. Over 50s cruises are becoming increasingly popular as many parents want some time to themselves around people of a similar age.

It’s completely up to you what type of cruise you book, but the important part is to get on one with either no (or hardly any) kids. Booking a holiday during the school term times is always a good way to ensure you don’t have lots of kids running around. Remember, the whole idea of going away without your kids is so you have time to relax!

Book Adults-Only Hotels

You might know that adults-only cruises exist, yet a lot of you likely aren’t aware of adults-only hotels. And hey, nobody can blame you because most of your hotel-booking experience revolves around looking for family-friendly options! You’re always trying to find the best place to stay with your kids - but what if you could book a hotel with no little ‘uns running around?

Adults-only hotels are growing in popularity as more parents realise they need some solo relaxation time. These hotels are usually similar to other hotels, only a bit more upmarket and with no family-friendly activities or amenities. Some are full-on resorts with private beaches and pool areas, which are both excellent when your goal is to relax.

Do A Wine & Food Tour

Wine and food tours are brilliant ways to spend a holiday. They let you explore some of the best parts of certain countries or areas. Imagine going to France and spending time walking through the vineyards and learning about how different types of wine are made. You peek behind the curtain to see the entire process and get a true understanding of what the wine means to the locals. It’s the ultimate immersion of culture - and you also get to enjoy a lot of wine!

The same goes for food tours, where you can explore wonderful farms or other places before enjoying a tasting menu of fresh ingredients. Again, it’s one of the best ways to truly appreciate different cultures and learn how much food means to different people. The thing is, you’d never be able to do something like this with your kids. Taking them on wine or other alcohol-related tours is obviously out of the question, but they’d also get bored on a food tour. Use this free time as an opportunity to try a travel experience you’ve always wanted to do, but never found the time for.

Enjoy A City Break

Sometimes you need a couple of days away to relax and recharge. Instead of planning a week-long holiday without your kids, maybe you could enjoy a city break? Either book a staycation in another city within your country or jet off somewhere for a couple of nights of freedom.

The joy of city breaks is that you get to turn them into anything you want. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to go to London to watch a West End production? Book tickets and spend the rest of the weekend exploring the city and taking in all the sights and scenes. Or maybe you want to see Rome and tour the iconic sights in this great city? For some of you, the ideal city break could involve romance in Paris - or relaxation in the thermal spas of Budapest.

Don’t be afraid to take a weekend out of your schedule for a quick trip away without kids. It’s a great way to recharge your batteries without messing up the rest of your weekday routine.

Disconnect With Glamping

Camping has always been a great way to disconnect from the world and find some time for peace and quiet. Anyone who’s ever tried to camp with kids will know this is borderline impossible. It’s definitely more of an outdoor adventure holiday than a relaxation one - but things change when you take your kids out of the equation.

Consider going on a glamping holiday without any children, and you unlock one of life’s most relaxing and rejuvenating experiences. It has to be glamping, by the way. This takes out the stress of traditional camping by giving you some more amenities and luxury while still enjoying the outdoors.

Glamping gives you a chance to truly disconnect and go off-grid for a few nights. Rent a luxurious pod with a hot tub and sit outside until the stars come out. Toast marshmallows on a BBQ, go for long walks to enjoy nature, and just generally have a breathtaking time. You’ll find loads of great glamping spots in the UK for all sorts of budgets, so it’s well worth looking into for a quick trip away.

As we reach the end of this piece, let’s reiterate again that there’s nothing wrong with wanting to holiday without your children. You are constantly in a state of working and looking after them, which puts a drain on your body's battery. If anything, you need to make time for yourself - either as a couple or a solo parent. By all means, go ahead and book those family holidays too, just don’t forget to save some time in the year for your own trips.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.