How to Have a Sober Vacation in California
You’ve spent so many vacations “three sheets to the wind”, out of control, drunk or intoxicated. This has been your experience so often that even if you could remember what you did, you still couldn’t remember what order. After all, vacation used to be the perfect excuse to indulge in excessive alcohol. Maybe since then, you’ve become sober. You gave up your life of drugs and alcohol. Getting sober is hard enough, but how can you have a vacation in California or anywhere else now and not give in to the desire to drink? The best way to this is to look very carefully at the many “sober vacation” options available.
You might be surprised at the number of vacation options you have available to you from the various “vacation providers” when looking for a sober vacation in California. These providers are only too aware of your desire and need to remain sober yet still have a great time. Organized sober vacations are not only readily available but are becoming more popular all the time. We all know how easy it is to fall prey to the bar at the ski lodge or on the cruise ship.
Sober vacation packages are designed specifically to avoid anything that might trigger a person to drink. They include activities such as yoga retreats, spa treatments, camping trips, even group travel abroad to places like Costa Rica. Read on to find out how you can have a sober vacation in California.
Sober Vacation Options
Alcohol-free vacations come in many shapes and sizes. You may be able to create your own sober vacation plan, but if you are in recovery an organized vacation may be your best choice. Consider these alcohol-free options or contact your nearest travel agent or vacation package provider.
Cruises
You might be surprised at how many of the different cruise ships have a room reserved just for “Friends of Bill.” With cruise packages, groups of sober travelers typically occupy a block of cabins for mutual support. This allows you to go to a 12-step program on-board, stick together with others who are in recovery when dining on or off the ship and when off the ship sightseeing. There are several sober cruise packages available that allow you to have a good time in an alcohol-free environment.
Camping
What better way to stay far away from your favorite vices than to take a camping trip with several of your friends from a sober community such as Alcohols Anonymous? When the weather is warm and the skies are blue, it’s time to grab the backpack, tent, and the rest of your camping gear and head off into the sunset. You can discover places where you can have a sober vacation in California like Yosemite, Joshua Tree, or Zion National Park, where you can camp in an alcohol-free environment.
Yoga retreats
There is nothing more zen than settling in for a little self-care. With some research, you should have no problem finding several yoga retreats in California that offer weeklong or weekend retreats where you can exercise your body and mind in a completely alcohol-free environment with others who are in recovery. The mutual support and assistance from the people working at the retreat can make for a fun, relaxing, and sober vacation in California.
Travel vacations
Many travel agents offer sober vacation packages that put you together with a group of people all looking for a sober vacation. You could go to Costa Rica, South America, even Europe depending on your budget. These packages are typically filled with alcohol-free activities that keep you busy from dusk to dawn. Some, who understand that those in recovery may be struggling financially, even offer payment plans so you can travel without having to pay for it all at once.
Stay Active
The most important thing when going on a sober vacation in California or that starts in CA is to make sure you stay busy. Go on day-long excursions, join in alcohol-free activities, just try not to plan to spend time idling away on the beach. As inviting as this might sound, too much unoccupied time on your hands can easily become a trigger.
You Can Always Go to Meetings
The last thing anyone in recovery needs is to go on vacation without access to a 12-step meeting. Many of the organized sober vacations in California have meetings built into them that make it possible for you to attend at least one per day. In the event your sober vacation in California doesn’t include meetings, you can typically find one nearby by using the NA or AA websites.
Even if you are having the sober time of your life, the triggers are still out there such as the hotel or cruise ship bar. Having the ability to go to a meeting can help cut these triggers off before they have a chance to take root. You can use these meetings to talk about what’s going on, meet new people, and make new friends who are fighting the same past addiction as you.
A New Way to Vacation
One of the best things about going on a sober vacation in California is that it can be a fantastic learning experience. You will be learning how to take on the challenges of a new environment, free from the negative impact of alcohol. When you go on an organized sober vacation, you’ll most likely be with others in recovery who can become your support group just as much as you will become a part of theirs. Their company can help keep you safe so that you can still enjoy a fabulous vacation that is completely alcohol-free.
Going on a sober vacation in California is an excellent way for those who are still trying to figure out how to make it living on their own while staying sober. Sober vacations include a range of activities designed to keep you away from the temptation of alcohol-fueled parties and bars.
Going on vacation sober is going to be challenging for the first few times, but in time you may find yourself looking forward to being able to remember what you did on vacation. Be sure you go with people you trust, loved ones who can hold you accountable, and someone who can be your “NOT-drinking buddy”! Replace the bars with scenery, people watching, educational tours, or thrills like skydiving or bungee jumping.
There are plenty of options to vacation sober, all of which are worth it in the end. At Opus Health, we value real-life experiences beyond recovery from addiction. We believe you can still have fun and enjoy the world, without needing to rely on substances for anything.
If you or a loved one need help to overcome addiction alcoholism, call us at 949-625-4019
