When our twins went to camp for the first time, we went to Las Vegas. Taking time to reconnect was the best parenting decision.
I was nervous, but I realized it gave my husband and me an opportunity to get away, too.
We decided to spend two nights in Las Vegas together and had a chance to reconnect.
Earlier this month, my 10-year-old twins went to sleepaway camp for the first time — the same Southern California camp I attended for 11 summers in the '80s and '90s. It's a place where I know magic happens, and I knew it would be an important (and hopefully also joyful) rite of passage.
There were nerves, of course. My son worried he wouldn't know anyone and might struggle to make friends. I worried they wouldn't brush their teeth or wear adequate sunscreen — typical mom fare. But ultimately, I knew this would help them build independence. And as sentimental as I felt about watching them take this leap, I also realized this rare moment presented a window of opportunity for my husband and me — one we hadn't had in years.
So we booked a grown-up getaway to Las Vegas while they were at camp, aiming to reclaim a little space for ourselves during a rare window of opportunity. As any parent of young kids will tell you, carving out time as a couple is a constant struggle.
We each travel for work individually, but getting away together is nearly impossible between school, homework, extracurriculars, and emotional support (not to mention physical childcare). The logistics of parenting leave little room for spontaneity — or romance.
But with our kids fully supervised and immersed in summer camp life, we had five glorious days to remember what it feels like to be self-actualized people — not just parents.
We let ourselves luxuriate, and food was a highlight
We decided to spend two of those nights in nearby Las Vegas, staying at Crockfords, the most luxurious of the three hotels within the Resorts World complex. It felt elevated from the moment we stepped into the serene, artfully designed lobby.
Both nights, we enjoyed dressing up for dinner. We ate at Nobu in Caesars first night, and the second night, we indulged in dinner at Stubborn Seed, from Michelin-starred chef Jeremy Ford, before heading to see Nas perform with the Las Vegas Philharmonic at the Encore Theater — a genre-defying experience that felt both exhilarating and intimate. We were fully present. And honestly, it felt like a revelation.
At brunch, we snagged a table at Pinky's by Lisa Vanderpump inside the Flamingo, a delightfully over-the-top spot that leans into glamour; yes, I had an espresso martini before noon. Afterward, we walked over to the new Go Pool, Flamingo's dayclub-style adults-only pool party, and set up shop in a shaded cabana. At one point, the DJ shouted out all the parents who'd left their kids at home — and we exchanged a knowing smile.
We recharged individually and as a couple
We spent a couple's afternoon at the expansive Awana Spa, where sprawling co-ed pools and lounges provided a soothing backdrop for tackling topics big and small. While we were there, we even had a breakthrough about a long-simmering plan to expand our house — the kind of epiphany that can only happen when you can hear yourself think for more than five minutes in a stretch.
We had long, uninterrupted conversations. We gambled (well, I did — I'd say it's my guilty pleasure, but I feel no shame), ate fabulous meals, and enjoyed the kind of indulgent, unstructured hours that feel impossible when you're deep in the daily grind of parenting.
All the while, we were getting photo updates from the camp app. I scanned each image for signs of either joy or homesickness, and was relieved to see the kids grinning, making new friends, and stringing up freshly dipped tie-dye, just as I had done. They were more than OK — they were thriving.
By the time we returned, we felt recharged — not just individually, but as a couple. That reconnection was badly needed, and we knew it. The next day, we picked up the kids from camp and saw they'd grown in just five days — a little taller somehow, and a lot more confident.
Our grown-folks-only Vegas trip was the best decision we made all summer. Letting our kids have their own adventure gave them a chance to grow — and gave us permission to do the same.
I've come to believe that good parenting isn't just about pouring everything you have into your children. It's also about preserving and nurturing the bond that created your family in the first place. When we take time to recharge, we come back to our kids with more patience, more presence, and more gratitude. We parent better when we feel like whole people.
For us, that meant two days in Las Vegas — poolside cocktails, roulette tables, long conversations under neon lights. It might not sound like the most traditional form of self-care, but it felt like exactly that — and it was just the type of jolt we needed.
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National Geographic
a day ago
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Decades on, Ibèric's menu still features the same traditional recipes. 'We're presenting classic cooking that dates back years,' David tells me. 'Until the 1960s and 1970s, people lived off the land here, in country farmhouses, using pigs and hens that they'd reared themselves, as well as homegrown vegetables. Because we're close to the sea, you ended up not just with good meat produce, but fish and seafood too.' Then, once tourism arrived and people like David's father started opening their restaurants, they were cooking the food that their mothers had prepared, he explains. 'So in a way, what we're doing — even now — is preserving the traditions from our grandparents or even before.' "This region has been a bit like a sponge, absorbing the culinary influences of lots of different cultures. Iberians and Romans, Arabs and Jews have all passed through here and there's a very powerful connection with food," says Joan. Most small towns around these parts still have their own superb food markets, but one of the most impressive is Girona's Mercat del Lleó. Photograph by Getty Images Most small towns around these parts still have their own superb food markets, but one of the most impressive is Girona's Mercat del Lleó, which is where I meet Gina Guillén of Girona Food Tours for an action-packed, three-hour exploration of the city. Less than 10 minutes' walk from the steep, narrow, cobbled streets of Girona's old town — famously used as a filming location for Game of Thrones — the market is like a smaller, less touristy version of Barcelona's famous Boqueria. Purposeful-looking chefs and shopping trolley-wielding grannies are busy eyeing up stalls selling everything from the plump red tomatoes used in pan con tomate (bread with tomato) to superb-looking hams and homemade sausages hanging high up on hooks, sparkling fish glistening on ice and pert olives in every shade of green. At cheese stall La Formatgeria, owner Eduardo Orozco invites me to try dainty slices of madurat de sora — a firm but tender and tangy goat's cheese that's the colour of ivory — from the nearby Garrotxa region, just north west of the city. Alongside the cheese, he offers me a mix of walnuts and dried apricots as well as an organic homemade pear and wine jam. It's a glorious combination and once again, as Eduardo explains, it's all about the land. 'Our produce reflects the richness of the soil and the land that we have here,' he tells me. 'The quality of the soil has a big impact on the grass where the animals graze, so in turn you get top-quality milk, butter and cheese.' Leaving the market, Gina takes me on a fascinating walk through the old town, regaling me with tales of medieval merchants, pioneering Jewish physicians and noblemen's feuds. The streets are packed with restaurants, including several from the new generation of chefs, many of whom have trained at El Celler de Can Roca. The newly Michelin-starred Divinum is one, as is the more low-key serve cutting-edge culinary creations, often in stylish interiors, but whether you choose fine dining or more traditional cooking, it's the food that will always take centre stage. Where to eat in Girona Restaurant Ibèric Serving dishes from Girona's Empordà region, Ibèric's seafood favourites include saffron-laced fish stew, grilled Palamós prawns and anchovies from nearby L'Escala. Regulars travel from Barcelona and beyond for the signature fideos a la bogavante — lobster noodle casserole. Mains around €25 (£22). Casa Marieta You won't find any gels or foams at this stalwart on Girona's Placa de la Independència. What you will find is great-value, traditional Catalan cuisine. Join locals tucking into dishes like duck with pears, Catalan-style broad beans or chicken with prawns. Two courses from €20 (£17). La Taverna del Ma Expect spectacular sea views and super-fresh seafood including lobster, prawns, oysters, langoustine and ray at this spot overlooking the beach in the smart resort of S'Agaró. The salmon tartare with avocado is exceptional. Two courses from €60 (£50). Esperit Roca If you want to get a taste of the Roca brothers' legendary El Celler de Can Roca but can't wait two years for a table, this new, Michelin-starred venue north of Girona city offers the 'greatest hits' from El Celler. Try 'turbot trilogy', featuring grilled turbot fin, turbot loin and turbot carpaccio, along with 'toda la gamba' ('all of the prawn'), which focuses on the part that diners often discard: a crispy prawn head in a silky fish velouté. Eight-course tasting menus from €139 (£115). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
