9 Best Babymoon Destinations in the US

The red rocks of Sedona are fast-becoming a bucket-list trip in the U.S., completely separate from the draw of the Grand Canyon (the Grand Canyon’s South Rim is only 110 miles north of Sedona). Spend the week at L’Auberge de Sedona, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, where the overwhelming landscape inspires every element of the hotel, from the spa treatments and wellness approach to the suites’ design. The 11-acre property offers private tours of the famed Sedona vortexes, healing-focused treatments at L’Apothecary, and cottages with private terraces and open-air showers.

Watch Hill, Rhode Island has gotten a lot of attention recently—Taylor Swift owns a mansion here, which is only adding to the city’s cachet. Brimming with cachet of its own is Ocean House, a luxurious New England relic overlooking the Pacific Ocean. For a romantic trip just a three-hour drive from New York City, upgrade your room at Ocean House to one of their 20 gorgeously appointed signature suites. Expecting mothers will find the perfect refuge at Oh! Spa—try their mother-to-be massage, or consider a couples’ massage for you and your partner.

Miami is always a good idea—and that’s especially true for the couple who wants to achieve tropical bliss while staying in the U.S.. If you’ve been cooped up inside and need some city time, Miami is just the place, from wandering the Design District and Wynwood where public art shines to taking to the sandy shores and glistening pools of South Beach. Head to The Betsy Hotel for a memorable, art and design-centric stay—come for their alluring art deco design, stay for the rooftop spa and pool (cabanas encouraged).

Just 90 minutes from Boston, Kennebunk celebrates the slightly salty, ocean-sprayed outdoors on the coast of southern Maine. The major draw here—apart from the romantic walks on the beach—is White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property with a revitalizing spa. When you’re not curled up by your suite’s fireplace, trying a prenatal massage or Eastern-inspired healing treatment at White Barn Spa, or exploring the town’s iconic landmarks, enjoy high tea on Sundays at the hotel (because who needs cocktails when you’ve got tea sandwiches?).

Santa Barbara is one of the most calming destinations on the West Coast. There’s something about this intimate Spanish Colonial-style city with a palm tree-lined waterfront that makes you feel instantly at ease. From craft eats at restaurants like Bouchon and The Lark to the exquisite waterfront accommodations at Rosewood Miramar Beach, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, Santa Barbara has it all. Reserve one of Rosewood Miramar’s beach house suites for a standalone cottage right on the water.

Related: Santa Barbara Is Seeing an Exciting Luxury Resort Revival

West of Charlotte, North Carolina, not far from both the South Carolina and Tennessee borders, lies the Highlands of North Carolina, nestled into the idyllic Blue Ridge Mountains. Old Edwards Inn & Spa, a Relais & Château property, has an award-winning spa and an 18-hole golf course, designed by Tom Jackson, in full view of the mountains. Request a guest estate and spend a week at Old Edwards Inn & Spa letting the mountains (or the world-class golfing) inspire you.

Our only complaint of babymoon ideas is that some of the trips don’t cater quite enough to the mother-to-be. One of the reasons spa retreats make for such successful babymoon destinations is because there isn’t a lot of alcohol to be found, the focus is generally on wellness and balance, and the vacation pace is intentionally slow. And what a lot of couples need during the months leading up to their baby’s birth is to slow down and be present through each step of the process. Slowing down and honing your presence is exactly what you’ll focus on at Lake Austin Spa Resort, just 20 minutes outside Austin, with the spa situated right on the water and delectable meals prepared with in-season produce from the resort’s own garden.

For the couple who wants to escape into a vacation completely unlike their day-to-day life, try an adventure babymoon to The Resort at Paws Up. The all-inclusive Montana ranch sits on 37,000 private acres replete with more than 100 hiking trails, upscale cuisine (they’re welcoming former chefs from The French Laundry for a culinary reunion in 2021), and an activity list long enough to thrill any outdoor enthusiast. The Resort at Paws Up caters to couples looking for a romantic escape filled with new experiences to bring them closer; stay in one of the resort’s couples’ homes (from the “sophisticated Montana woodland hideaway” to luxurious honeymoon glamping-style tents). 

Where’s the last place you’d go when pregnant? Wine country. Well, hear us out on the benefits of a babymoon in Willamette Valley. While, of course, the region is known for its pinot noirs, Willamette Valley is also known for its spas, natural healing properties, and magnificent Pacific Northwest beauty. Stay at The Allison Inn & Spa for a PNW spa week; the spa offers multisensory treatments inspired by natural, Oregon-sourced ingredients.