Sober Summer: A Guide to Vacationing in Recovery

Additionally, different kinds of vacations lend themselves to being sober vacations like hiking or trekking trips, and meditation, wellness or yoga retreats. There are also sober resorts in Mexico and sober cruises to different locations all over the world. Sober tourism is an increasingly booming business, and sober traveling companies are becoming more abundant. If you are newly sober and fresh out of holistic rehab, reconsider leaving home for your vacation and plan a staycation instead. You have certainly earned a rest after working so hard to be substance-free, but this is not an ideal time to break out of your newly established schedule.

Long-Term Sobriety Wins

• If you’re up to it, consider venturing out of your comfort zone a bit and indulge in new, healthy experiences.
• Each vacation package includes keynote speakers, 12-step meetings, 24-hour fellowship, Al-Anon meetings, and excursions.
• Let’s face it—maintaining a healthy, nutritious diet isn’t always the first thing on our minds when embarking on a road trip, but maintaining your self-care practices should still be a top priority.
• Keep your sponsor on speed dial or set up a group chat on Facebook with your sober living roommates and check in at an agreed time every day.
• An entire industry has grown up around recovery that ensures this is the case.
• Feeling anxiety about traveling while sober is natural, especially if it’s your first time getting away since you started your recovery journey.

From domestic destinations like Nashville to international adventures in Mexico, Canada, Tanzania, Morocco, and Iceland, Hooked provides daily itineraries for each of the places they explore. Travel Sober also provides travel experiences for individuals in 12-step recovery programs, including their families and friends. Travel Sober offers lots of options—from domestic and international cruises to African safaris—fit for a range of budgets. Looking for a last-minute summer getaway or planning a future trip that doesn’t involve alcohol. Whether you have just discovered your new life in recovery, or you have been in the process for some time, remember to enjoy the ride, but don’t forget to pack your recovery toolbox! Continue to practice saying no, remember to check in with yourself and stay grounded– whether it’s through journaling or meditation.

Recognizing Emotional and Physical Risks to Maintain Sobriety

A number of free smartphone apps are available to help you locate meetings and get support while you’re on vacationing in recovery the go. Also bring along the phone number of your sponsor and a few trustworthy friends. It’s always a good idea to let those in your support network know you will be traveling and may be in need of some extra support. Once you’ve reviewed the most likely triggering scenarios, it’s time to decide how you will react to them. You can learn from other people’s experiences by following the tips they used to stay sober on their travels. Vacations offer the chance to relax, explore, and create cherished memories.

Remember, you can call 24/7 if you need help

Equally important to the steps above is knowing things you should not do with your planned vacation. Avoid these missteps to stay on track with your recovery while on the road. The agency also says more than 3,000 North Carolina residents have been rescued or supported by more than 1,200 urban search and rescue personnel, with recovery efforts aided by National Guard and active duty troops. North Carolina has also received $100 million in federal transportation funds to rebuild roads and bridges washed out by the storm.

• An example of this would be waking up first thing and utilizing prayer and meditation, and book ending your day with prayer and mediation before retiring.
• Erin is proud to be a person in long-term recovery, having over 11-years of continuous sobriety, and finds a deep and meaningful purpose working in the field of addiction recovery.
• Hooked, founded in 2021, offers alcohol-free travel that’s meant to inspire self-discovery through healthy hands-on experiences.

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• If necessary, schedule self-care right into your vacation plans.
• Traveling while sober presents a lot of new obstacles, and temptation is everywhere.
• But when you’re in recovery, the better rule-of-thumb is to stay connected to your sober friends, therapist, sponsor, group leaders and supportive family members.
• You can combat your fear of missing out by substituting these experiences with something equally memorable.

If you choose to travel on your own or with family members, it’s a good idea to stay in touch with your support system back home. This way, you’re less tempted to just check out of reality (and check out of your sobriety). Keep your sponsor on speed dial or set up a group chat on Facebook with your sober living roommates and check in at an agreed time every day. This may help remind you that you have people counting on you back at home and a vacation is not a free pass to give in to cravings or relapse.