My husband and I went to an all-inclusive resort. He drinks, and I'm sober, but I didn't feel like I was missing out.

30.06.2024 - 13:17 / insider.com

The last time my husband and I visited an adults-only, all-inclusive resort was over a decade ago. My memories of that trip are hazy, filled with drinks at the swim-up bar, wine-fueled dinners, and feeling a bit hungover each morning. Since then, I've chosen an alcohol-free lifestyle, but my husband still drinks.

Recently, we traveled to Sandals' newest resort in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and I was a little nervous about flexing my sobriety muscles in an environment where the booze would be flowing and my husband would be drinking it.

As it turns out, the trip was one of my favorites ever. St.Vincent and the Grenadines is a beautiful country, Sandals' newest resort is stunning, and being sober to fully experience it all was a true joy. The trip only solidified my decision to live alcohol-free and made me proud of how far I've come since beginning my sobriety journey nearly seven months ago.

Here's what it was like to stay at an all-inclusive resort as a sober person , and how I navigated my husband's decision to drink alcohol while I abstained.

I wasn't sure what to expect visiting an all-inclusive resort for the first time since I stopped drinking, but Sandals was incredibly accommodating. Many of the bars had zero-proof cocktails and mocktails on the menu, I drank tons of fresh juices and coconut water, and after requesting my in-room refrigerator be stocked with club soda and grapefruit juice, I had festive things to sip on while in my room.

To my surprise, there were just as many options for alcohol-free drinks as there were alcoholic ones, including two separate coffee shops that made amazing lattes.

On our five-night trip, we spent two full days at the resort. While resort days would have previously involved me floating on a raft or sitting at the swim-up bar drinking cocktails, I focused on the activity schedule instead.

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From kayaking to artisanal soap-making, there were plenty of things to do that didn't involve alcohol. I even spent a morning making friendship bracelets and sipping an iced latte with other guests while my husband had a few beers by the pool.

Evenings were a bit more challenging, as my husband would go from wine at dinner to cocktails at the bar, and I struggled to know what to do when drinking felt like the focus. Luckily, there were also evening events, like Caribbean dance shows and poolside movies. Sticking to some of my favorite bar orders, like club soda with a splash or juice or ginger beer, made it easy to stay alcohol-free , as did having nighttime activities to pay attention to.

Waking up without a hangover is a part of sober travel that will never get old. On the two days we left Sandals to do excursions on the island, I