5 Vacation Ideas For Cash-Strapped Couples [EXPERT]

You don't have to travel far; you just have to travel together. Want to reignite the sexual fire in your relationship? It may be time to hit the road.

Want to reignite the sexual fire in your relationship? It may be time to hit the road. A survey by the U.S. Travel Association found a weekend vacation is more likely to spark romance in a relationship than giving a material gift. Of the 1,100 American adults surveyed, 72 percent reported that traveling improves their sex life and strengthens their romantic relationship. Yet, the New York Times bestselling book The Normal Bar reports that 75% of all American couples have never taken a romantic vacation. 

It is easy to understand the benefits of a week-long vacation in a romantic beach villa. But you don't have to travel so far from home or spend a lot of money to reap the romantic benefits of traveling together. Here are five ideas for a simple weekend getaway that will offer all the sexual benefits of an exotic vacation — without busting your bank account. For each romantic getaway idea, we've included ideas to turn up the heat for an unforgettable weekend.

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1. Take a spontaneous roadtrip. One of the biggest romantic benefits of traveling together comes from the surplus of time together. A vacation allows you to talk, connect and rediscover your love for one another. A roadtrip is an ideal scenario for enjoying long conversations with your lover while exploring the world together.

Pick a destination no more than two or three hours away from home. A few hours in the car can be great fun, any longer can start to feel tedious. Look for a small town in your region with something special to offer: a great restaurant, a historic site, a winery or brewery or an artisan workshop that offers tours.

Take the opportunity to learn something new together by printing out the Wikipedia article about your destination and reading it out loud as you drive. Allow the road trip to help you feel free spirited. Crank up the radio, stock up on fun car snacks and open the windows wide. Amp up the erotic excitement by pulling over on a secluded road and making out (or more!) in the backseat of your car.

2. Find your muse. Seeing beautiful sites is one of the benefits of a romantic getaway. You don't have to travel far to get inspired by beautiful art. Most regions have a few towns that are known for art galleries or perhaps a city near you has an art museum. Dress up in your best clothes and spend the afternoon wandering the galleries together. Take the time to discuss art that catches your eye and be specific about what you find inspiring.

Taking the time to learn what you both find beautiful and inspiring will inspire you to see the beauty in one another. Consider buying a small piece of art for your home — there are often very talented artists selling original works on the streets outside of museums.

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Also stop into the museum store or a local art supply store and buy a paintbrush. When you get home, treat your lover's body like a work of art. Dip the paintbrush in warm water and run it up and down their body, creating a featherlight caress and bringing your lover's entire body to attention! Follow this full body warm up with slow, sensual lovemaking. Keep reading ...

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Vacation Time!

Greetings from Chicago! Everyone’s still sleeping, and I thought I’d post a quick update while I had my morning coffee.

My flight got in yesterday afternoon. Ben and Mitchell were waiting for me at the airport, and after depositing my bags in the trunk of Mitchell’s girlfriend’s beat up old Volkswagen, we drove to the apartment he’s temporarily sharing with her and a roommate in Lincoln Park. I dropped off my stuff, freshened up, and then we left the car and walked out to get lunch.

“Cara is at work,” he explained on the walk, referring to his girlfriend. “I drove her in this morning so I could take the car. And Desiree, her roommate, is in Indianapolis this weekend visiting her family.”

It was a short trip to our destination, a Hawaiian joint. I was excited, as I’d never eaten Hawaiian food, and from what little I had heard about it—plate lunches featuring seemingly random combinations of foods from different cultures, and poi—I was intrigued. Even more intriguing? How many dishes on the menu contained SPAM, and how hard Mitchell was trying to convince us to order them.

After lunch, we wandered around the neighborhood, and Mitchell and Ben, both of whom were acting like they’d been in Chicago forever instead of three weeks and four days, respectively, pointed out landmarks. When we got back to the apartment, Cara was home from work, and we sat around for a couple of hours, drinking beer and chatting.

I feel like a traitor to Ursula saying this, but Cara is kind of cool. And really funny. And she and Mitchell have this chill, easy vibe with each other. If I were meeting them for the first time, I’d think they’d been together for years. I hadn’t expected that.

When it was time for dinner, Cara and Mitchell faux bickered over where to take us for deep-dish pizza.

“Who’s the Chi-Town native here?” Cara asked, effectively winning the argument. We hopped on the train because everyone had been drinking and made our way to the restaurant.

I am digging both Chicago and Cara so far, but I have to say, when it comes to pizza? I am a thin-crust girl, through and through. Today, sightseeing and then a just-the-two-of-us date with Ben. He says we’re going somewhere awesome. Hmm, where could it be? I can’t wait.

Posted at 8:01 AM

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