My husband and I went to an all-inclusive resort. He drinks, and I'm sober, but I didn't feel like I was missing out.

  • My husband drinks alcohol, but I've been sober for nearly seven months.

  • Recently, we visited Sandals' newest all-inclusive resort in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

  • I was nervous about how it would go, but we both fully enjoyed the trip.

The last time my husband and I visited an adults-only all-inclusive resort was over a decade ago. My memories of that trip are hazy, filled with drinks at the swim-up bar, wine-fueled dinners, and feeling a bit hungover each morning. Since then, I've chosen an alcohol-free lifestyle, but my husband still drinks.

Recently, we traveled to Sandals' newest resort in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and I was a little nervous about flexing my sobriety muscles in an environment where the booze would be flowing and my husband would be drinking it.

As it turns out, the trip was one of my favorites ever. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a beautiful country, Sandals' newest resort is stunning, and being sober to fully experience it all was a true joy. The trip only solidified my decision to live alcohol-free and made me proud of how far I've come since beginning my sobriety journey nearly seven months ago.

Here's what it was like to stay at an all-inclusive resort as a sober person and how I navigated my husband's decision to drink alcohol while I abstained.

The author sitting at an outdoor bar, wearing a pink dress and sunglasses on her head and holding two drinks.
Peters found there were plenty of non-alcoholic options while on vacation at an all-inclusive resort.Courtesy Terri Peters

I wasn't sure what to expect when visiting an all-inclusive resort for the first time since I stopped drinking, but Sandals was incredibly accommodating. Many of the bars had zero-proof cocktails and mocktails on the menu, I drank tons of fresh juices and coconut water, and after requesting my in-room refrigerator be stocked with club soda and grapefruit juice, I had festive things to sip on while in my room.

To my surprise, there were just as many options for alcohol-free drinks as there were alcoholic ones, including two separate coffee shops that made amazing lattes.

On our five-night trip, we spent two full days at the resort. While resort days would have previously involved me floating on a raft or sitting at the swim-up bar drinking cocktails, I focused on the activity schedule instead.

There were plenty of things to do that didn't involve alcohol, as varied as kayaking and artisanal soap-making. I even spent a morning making friendship bracelets and sipping an iced latte with other guests while my husband had a few beers by the pool.

Evenings were a bit more challenging, as my husband would go from wine at dinner to cocktails at the bar, and I struggled to know what to do when drinking felt like the focus. Luckily, there were also evening events, such as Caribbean dance shows and poolside movies. Sticking to some of my favorite bar orders, such as club soda with a splash of juice or ginger beer, made it easy to stay alcohol-free, as did having nighttime activities to pay attention to.

The author standing on a beach on a sunny day.
Peters found she had more energy on excursion days.Courtesy Terri Peters

Waking up without a hangover is a part of sober travel that will never get old. On the two days we left Sandals to do excursions on the island, I woke up bright and early to get breakfast and meet up with our tour guide.

Not feeling exhausted and nauseous on long bus rides, beach walks, and waterfall hikes made my choice not to drink feel worth it, and I didn't envy the people who couldn't wait for their first drink of the day to chase away last night's drinking headache.

Food arranged on a wooden slab, with a bowl in the center.
Peters enjoyed the food on her vacation.Courtesy Terri Peters

The food at Sandals was truly amazing, with dining options including its staple Japanese izakaya-style restaurant and a Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-exclusive restaurant, Buccan, which served Vincentian food in a family-style setting. A pro tip for non-drinkers traveling to an all-inclusive resort? Make sure the resort is known for its food — not just its bar menus. Each evening, I'd focus on the delicious food in front of me rather than waiting for my wine glass to be refilled, and it was way more rewarding.

It's tough traveling together when one person drinks and the other doesn't. There were times during our trip when I felt as if everyone but me was feeling tipsy and I was the solo non-drinker, which felt like a true bummer.

My husband and I had a few big discussions about alcohol during the trip, from digging deeper into the reasons I stopped drinking in the first place to discussing how his drinking impacts my own feelings. It's always tough to have hard-hitting conversations with the person you love most, but the trip provided a great opportunity to open up some discussions we'd not had previously.

A swim-up pool with two sun loungers.
Peters' room had a swim-up pool.Courtesy Terri Peters

Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which just opened in March, is truly among the most beautiful resorts I've visited. Our room had a swim-up pool, and it was lovely to use the semi-private swimming area daily and enjoy such a beautiful view.

Whether using the cruiser bikes provided by the resort to get from one part of the grounds to the other or eating lunch on a porch taking in views of the rainforest and beach, I felt overwhelming gratitude for my sobriety and all it allows me to enjoy.

The author and her husband taking a selfie on a beach at sunset, both smiling.
Peters and her husband enjoyed traveling together.Courtesy Terri Peters

Tough conversations aside, my husband and I grew closer as a couple on our all-inclusive trip. Being in such a beautiful, adult-only atmosphere and bonding together without our two kids around was truly special, and I'd do it again, regardless of whether either of us consumed alcohol during the trip.

My biggest advice for couples embarking on a similar journey is to give each other space to follow your own convictions and be respectful of how your actions impact one another. At the end of the trip, we walked away better as a couple, both from having experienced an all-inclusive resort at this stage in our lives and from taking in the beauty of Saint Vincent.

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