Where to take a babymoon is a common question for expecting parents. After all, this is your last chance to get away before your family grows and your entire travel mindset changes. Here we cover three top babymoon destinations, one on the west coast, one out east, and one along the beaches of south Florida. Each offers relaxation mixed with plenty of dining and entertainment options.
We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.
Pacific Northwest
Photo: Checubus/Shutterstock
The Pacific Northwest leads our list of top babymoon destinations because here you can indulge in the culinary and cultural riches of Portland and Seattle while also escaping to the great outdoors. Oregon’s coastline offers many state parks perfect for long beach walks and picnics in front of the surf, such as Nehalem Bay State Park and Oswald West State Park. Here, you’ll trade both the heat and the crowds of beaches to the south for wide-open sand and dramatic rock cliffs that amplify the sound of the crashing waves. In perhaps the most perfect babymoon activity in the history of babymoons, stop into the Tillamook Creamery in Tillamook, where you and your partner can gorge on cheese and ice cream to your heart’s content.
Portland’s bohemian vibe is easily channeled into a laid-back urban stay. Sleep in late, grab brunch at The Daily Feast or Cheryl’s on 12th, and willow away an afternoon browsing way too many books at Powell’s City of Books.
Seattle’s Pike Place Market is the best market in the US to celebrate, well, anything really, but the impending arrival of a baby, in particular. Here you’ll find vendors hawking baby jumpers, small thank you gifts for the two family members that actually followed through on what you listed on your registry, and wellness products like supplements and natural skincare, all within a quick stroll from one another. Ample unique dining options present themselves, most notably The Crumpet Shop, which dishes out actual British crumpets from a takeout window located a two-minute walk from the first-ever Starbucks Coffee. And of course, there’s the famed Pike Place Chowder, which is definitely worth the wait. One thing to note about the Pike Place Market — if sensitive to the scent of seafood, arrive after 8:00 AM and scurry through or around the portion of the market focused on raw fish.
Where to stay on a babymoon in the Pacific Northwest
Photo: Airbnb
The best place to stay for a babymoon in Portland is the Heathman Hotel (from $141 per night). Located right downtown, the Heathman is known for well-trimmed, high-end accommodations and tailored service akin to staying at a close friend’s home. Plus, each of the activities and spots listed above are a short walk away. The hotel is pet-friendly, has an onsite cafe, and is quite walkable to anything downtown. Be sure to hang out in the library for at least a cup of coffee and potentially an entire day of pretending you’re Sylvia Blackwell.
If you prefer to stay in Portland outside of downtown, opt for an Airbnb in the Laurelhurst or Buckman neighborhoods. This area, just across the Willamette River from downtown, is close to everything and offers the Portland bohemian experience in all its glory — the epic Pod 28 food truck court, long strolls through Laurelhurst Park, and plenty of classy establishments at which to dine including Screen Door Eastside and The Slide Inn. We recommend the cozy Pine Street Guest Cottage for a babymoon stay, a well-heeled architectural dream that provides plenty of space to lounge, a patio on which to watch the city go by, and the utmost level of cleanliness.
In Seattle, the Hotel Monaco (from $250 per night) puts you downtown and is a five-minute walk from Pike Place Market. The rooms are clean and modern, and of equal importance, they’re quiet — a must for proper babymoon resting. The hotel’s valet and concierge service can include hotel and activity recommendations texted to you by the staff.
If you prefer to stay closer to the Space Needle, this top-floor apartment ($125 per night) offers views out over Elliott Bay and is a quick hop to the needle and the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. There are also loads of boutique properties available between there and the heart of downtown.
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Photo: BODY SENSE DAY SPA/Facebook
Cape Cod was practically built for relaxation. For those in New England or the northeastern corridor, it’s accessible via car within a day’s drive, putting you along an iconic seashore with mellow waves, delicious seafood, and a hard stop on the hustle and bustle of big city life. Of course, being in this environment calls to mind one primary activity — getting a massage. We recommend the spa Body Sense Beauty Clinic which offers a couples Swedish massage that will put you and your partner in the right frame of mind.
Responsible parenting begins with encouraging and fomenting responsibility and personal growth in your children. You can get ahead of the curve on Cape Cod by planting the seed for your child to become a sailor or at the very least, someone who is comfortable with and accustomed to living by the sea. By this, we mean lounging waterside at Skaket Beach, Marconi Beach, and Old Silver Beach, at a rate of one beach per day. All that work should of course be followed by a healthy lunch at the Spoon and Seed or a classic Cape Cod dinner at the Old Yarmouth Inn.
Where to stay for a babymoon on Cape Cod
Photo: Expedia
A beachside cottage does the trick in Cape Cod. This comfortable and well-heeled cottage ($397 per night) gives you access to a private beach for your partner and yourself to lounge without feeling conscious of time or people. Down in Harwich, this cottage ($200 per night) comes with a boardwalk right to the sand. The cool waters of Nantucket Sound await just outside, and the home comes with bikes should you wish to pedal to dinner.
If you prefer a hotel stay, opt for the Cape Codder Resort and Spa in Hyannis (from $315 per night). Cruise the onsite lazy river, if you’re up to it, but definitely take advantage of the hotel’s spa and the loads of nearby shopping. The hotel is quiet, near the highway and the airport, and is in a prime location from which to escape to the (semi)wild outdoors that Cape Cod is known for.
Miami Beach, Florida
Photo: Expedia
Miami Beach makes our list of top babymoon destinations because there’s nowhere better to flat-out spoil yourselves. Lincoln Road is the spot for an early morning stroll to breakfast at Crema before a lazy walk through Soundscape Park. Miami Beach is the best place to shop in all of Florida, whether that be for baby or for yourselves. You’ll find everything you need along Lincoln Road, including mall standards and local standouts like Wings Beachwear. But really, Miami Beach is all about where you stay — especially on your babymoon.
Where to stay for a babymoon in Miami Beach
Photo: Expedia
Self-spoiling can be done to excess at the Nobu Hotel Miami Beach (from $349 per night) and the Eden Roc Miami Beach (from $249 per night). Guests at the Nobu enjoy a specialized in-room dining menu, easy access to the hotel’s high-end spa service, and a private pool that is ideal for laying out without many people around. The hotel is nearby to the beach, to famous shops like Market Miami Beach and restaurants including the beautifully-named Matador Room, but it’s removed from the South Beach nightlife strip so you won’t have to worry about late-night revelers disturbing baby or momma’s slumber.
The historic Eden Roc Miami Beach gives you the chance to stay where celebrities stay, in a relatively affordable manner. Nat King Cole debuted his song “Mona Lisa” in a ballroom here, and both Elizabeth Taylor and Katherine Hepburn have been known to tuck in for a night. 