People who have taken part in addiction treatment and have put drugs and alcohol behind them are often ready to get out and live the life they missed due to drug addiction or alcohol addiction. Travel is one of those experiences and as long as you plan ahead of time, there should be no issues regarding maintaining your sobriety.
Many of our clients who have gone through alcohol detox, alcohol abuse detox, or any type of drug addiction treatment often ask us about traveling now that they are in recovery. Since travel can be good for mental health, we certainly encourage the activity and offer a sober vacation idea or two in the process.
Traveling in Recovery
The sober traveler can enjoy destinations just as much, or in some cases even more, than those that partake in drugs or alcohol. There are plenty of things to do and places to go where drugs and alcohol need to play no part. Below are a few ideas to consider.
Top 7 Travel Destinations for Sober People
There are both specific destinations that are great for sober people and types of activities for the sober traveler, too.
- Hiking and Camping: A good sober vacation idea is hiking and camping. When you visit a State or National Park, you can plan your day around activities, like rock climbing or bird watching, as opposed to meals, which can often involve drinking for people not engaged in sober living practices. Staying sober on vacation can become simpler when you are packing all of your food and drink prior to the trip, and will not be frequenting stores or restaurants where alcohol is sold.
- Theme Parks: A lot of theme parks and similar vacation destinations Like the Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Orlando Florida may not be alcohol-free, but a lot have minimal alcohol-forward venues due to a large number of children visitors. Regardless of the legal status of marijuana products in any particular state, many have no-drug policies, too.
- Sri Lanka: There are many travel destinations around the world where it is easier to stay sober on vacation due to a large percentage of the local people not drinking alcohol due to religious or cultural reasons. Sri Lanka is one of those places with a lot of interesting sober activities.
- San Antonio Texas: A little close to home for North American travelers, San Antonio is a great historic city with a lot of family-friendly activities. This equates to a lot of sober activities, too, like touring the Alamo.
- British Columbia: This west-coast Canadian province is a well-known spa destination. Visitors to British Columbia can avoid alcohol while they relax in steam rooms, saunas, hot tubs, and ice pools. Sober holiday goers can enjoy relaxing massage treatment therapies, solariums, and cozy fireplaces, too.
- Self-Guided Trips: Road trips planned with a sober friend can take away the possibility of being pressured to drink by other members of your party. One tip if you want to travel sober is to make sure you are with supportive friends.
- Costa Rica: Central American countries are another area of the world where people do not feel pressured to drink when they travel to this group of countries. Costa Rica, Guatemala, Columbia, Belize, and the surrounding countries all have plenty to do without having to drink alcohol or do drugs.
Tips for Maintaining Sobriety on Vacation
Sober vacation destinations can be found in every corner of the world. So no matter whether you want to stay close to home on your sober vacation, or explore a new place you’ve never been, pack your bags and your mental relapse prevention plan and you’ll have an amazing time. For tips on staying sober while on vacation, call us at TruPath any time.
