New travel trends are constantly emerging but one of the more recent trends is the rise of the "babymoon."
Popularized by many celebrities, it's just like it sounds and similar to a honeymoon except couples aren't celebrating tying the knot but rather spending some quality alone time in an exciting destination before the birth of their child.
My partner and I will be embracing this new trend for the first time this spring with a babymoon vacation to Arizona. It's a place we've been, keep coming back to and can hopefully bring our kid someday.
Unlike previous trips we've taken together, this one carries more weight knowing our lives will look much different the next time we take a trip. Hopping on a plane, finding a place to stay and building an itinerary will present far more challenges when we become parents.
But until then, it's time to make some lasting memories in some of our favorite places as well as some new destinations. There'll be plenty of dining at our beloved restaurants throughout Phoenix and Scottsdale as well as some scenic hiking and outdoor adventure in Sedona and maybe a day trip to the iconic Grand Canyon.
View of Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona. (photo by Patrick Clarke)
I'm excited for our first and possibly last babymoon and it has me eager to partake in other growing travel trends.
As I age and am forced to focus more on my physical and mental health, trends like wellness vacations, dry-tripping (sober travel) and slow-life travel have caught my attention. There's certainly nothing wrong with taking a quintessential tourist approach to a new destination the way I have most of my life but as other travelers are proving, there can be much more rewarding ways to get away.
Set-jetting is another trend that interests me as a consumer of TV and movies. Whether it's heading to Montana to live like my favorite Yellowstone characters or setting off to the New Mexico desert for a temporary escape into the world of the Academy Award-winning Oppenheimer, this trend certainly has my attention.
With the new baby poised to squeeze our budget, there's likely to be far more shoulder season travel in our future as well.
As I prepare to enter a new chapter in my life as a traveler, it's both comforting and exciting to know that I'm not alone in how my trips are about to change.
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