Has anyone done this...surprised someone completely with a vacation?
I'm toying with the idea of doing this for DH...like either 1) planning it all and just giving it to him all planned out or 2) not telling him where we are going until I dont know, maybe the week of?
He has a passport, so logistically that is not an issue. And its not a place where we would need specific gear/clothing.
Just wondering who's done this? How it worked? and where you went (for fun!)?
nectarine / 2243 posts
Our honeymoon was a complete surprise for me. I mean, obviously I knew we were going somewhere, but my husband didn't tell me where until we were sitting in the airport lounge and he handed me a guidebook for where we were going.
He did tell me what type of weather to pack for though 
grapefruit / 4988 posts
This is a cute idea, although I would want to know that I'm taking a vacation (i.e. at least tell him when you guys will be going). I haven't done this but I have completely planned out at least 3 vacations now for our family and I know my DH has really appreciated it. In all cases, I planned the dates with him (and in our case, the locations) but then I dealt with all the planning of flights, hotels, activities, etc. The ones I planned were all Disney vacations (parks/cruise) so there was a decent amount of prep involved, particularly with reservations, fast passes, and touring plans. DH said each time how much he enjoyed being able to just go and follow my lead.
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
I think I could totally do this for DH and have it be a blast, but I would hate having it done for me. So I think it would depend on the recipient. I have planned date nights and I usually plan most of our vacations, so DH has always been happy with it and it wouldn't be too strange.
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
For our first anniversary I did this. We were still long distance so I had to tell DH to at least bring his passport. He found out the destination at the airport when we checked in. The only thing he was dissappointed in was that I didn't pick an all inclusive Western hotel. We both missed A/C and TV, but overall all we had a great time.
grapefruit / 4545 posts
@Littlebit7: This is amazing...LOVE it...
@catlady: I'm definitely the planner as well when it comes to our family vacations. And our couples trips. He's weird and likes to have say on stupid things...but the big stuff I plan and purchase. I'm type A...
@gingerbebe: Initially this is what I was toying with...did I want to do this so bad bc I think HE would like it or because I would LOVE to have someone do it for me once. I think if I totally kept him out of it except for the dates he'd love it. But if it was like half involvement, it might frustrate him. Not sure if that makes sense.
Part of why I want to do it is that I travel a ton internationally for work, and have gotten to see some incredible places. DH is much more of a lay on a beach guy...except for Italy. He always makes comments when we watch anything Italy about how badly he wants to go there. And I just know from a practical standpoint we likely wont make the choice to take our one vacation to Italy in any given year for some time. Because we'll likely want to make it a big trip - therefore the girls will need to be older.
But to isolate it, just do Rome, and whisk him away for 4 nights...I think would be awesome...
persimmon / 1101 posts
Theoretically it sounds awesome! I will say that even if my husband talked to my boss and got time approved without me knowing it, I'd be a little upset not to have the opportunity to tie up all my loose ends and might have to spend some of the vacation working.
ETA Never mind, it looks like he would know that he was going SOMEWHERE. In that case, heck yeah!
nectarine / 2243 posts
@Mrs D: Yeah it was. I had delegated the honeymoon to him to totally plan (and I am the sole vacation planner for our family. I overplan, over research, overanalyze. So this was a lot to let go!)
To his credit, he did pick the destination, however he did hire a travel agent who specialized in honeymoons abroad. But that worked out well for everyone
Whisking off to Rome for a long weekend sounds amazing. And as you mentioned, a huge longer trip to Italy won't happen for a while (because...kids) so why not at least scratch the itch a little now!?!
kiwi / 518 posts
@Mrs D: Ha - I already do 98% of the planning, so unless I truly didn't tell him where we were going there would be little difference for us! I totally wish someone (he) would do this for me though!
grapefruit / 4545 posts
@babypugs: Luckily DH is a partner in a law firm, so he can somewhat easily address things remotely (as he often does) AND his dad works on most cases with him...so I could loop him in on the surprise and he could help me manage the work side of things...
@Littlebit7: exactly...I feel the only way we'd ever indulge in this is if one person was spontaneous and didnt talk the other one out of it! 
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
@Mrs D: That sounds awesome, except for the 4 days part. Even just to see Rome, between the travel time, I feel like it would be so rushed and crazy! Italy definitely has that vibe where you really want to soak it in, yanno? If I were going to whisk away for a long weekend and it was going to be Europe, I would do Paris or London - anywhere that can do direct red-eye flights.
Or wild card, Montreal, since its a French feel and closer/faster.
BUT, on the other hand, going to Italy for a super quick trip may fuel DH's obsesh even more and make him determined to really go back ASAP.
grapefruit / 4545 posts
@gingerbebe: I did Rome in 4 days myself, as a part of a 11 day trip to Italy. Of course you cant see everything, but I didnt expect I would see everything.
The good news is we are both seasoned travelers...so we do pretty good at rebounding from flights. And Rome is a direct red eye for us. So its not terrible.
I am one of those no good rotten people who hate Paris. French countryside, all the way...but I'd be ok never going back.
apricot / 374 posts
My husband surprised me with a weekend trip back before we were married. He put some bogus events on our google calendar so I wouldn't plan anything else that weekend. I can't remember if he alerted me that we were going anywhere mid-day Friday or maybe it was Thursday so I had time to pack? Either way, very last minute. I was expecting to go somewhere local and was very surprised when he drove to the airport! It was a great relaxing beach weekend down in FL
nectarine / 2148 posts
My SIL surprised by brother with a cruise. He didn't know until they showed up at the airport! She contacted his boss to get him the time off, packed his bag, and I think said they were doing a family thing in town (near airport), which was going to explain why her mother was driving. It was really cute and my brother was completely surprised.
pomegranate / 3127 posts
I had no idea the thing with bosses being in on the surprise actually happens! 
I mean, on one hand it sounds super considerate... but on the other hand, I recently read an advise column where one of the letter writers was a young professional with controlling parents who did exactly that, so their child could not get out of spending the holidays with them. That poor kid.
Anyway, DH sort of surprised me with a vacation this summer, but I'd already taken the Friday off because DS's school was going to be closed. We just made a long weekend of it. The vacation itself was kind of awful, because that's when we found out DD gets carsick in traffic. But the gesture was really sweet!
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
@Mrs D: woah they have directs to Rome from the D now? That changes things then!
pear / 1767 posts
My husband did this for me before we were married and before kids. He told me that he had something planned for my birthday and to keep open an entire long three day weekend. He brought me to the airport and then told me where we were going. I thought it was great fun!
pomelo / 5258 posts
DH and I sort of eloped and I knew he missed having a bachelor party. For his 30th I planned a surprise trip to New Orleans. He knew we were going somewhere but not where. He also didn’t know that I invited 8 of our friends. So one appeared while we were waiting at the airport, one at our layover, two while waiting for our ride, etc. He loved it. Ah, pre-kid life.
@Mrs D: sounds like a fun trip!
pomelo / 5866 posts
I surprised DD with a day at Disneyland (California Adventure). We were there for a layover on the way to the PNW and I told her after we landed and arrived at the hotel the night before. I got a great reaction...on video! I was supposed to keep the fun bonus day a surprise from DH but I ended up telling him a few days before.
I would love for DH to do a surprise trip for me!
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
Why not? Life is too short to wait for the right time to do things!
honeydew / 7235 posts
Yes!! I surprised DH last year and booked everything on my own! So fun. I didn’t tell him where we were going until we were at the airport. He has usually been the one to do this in the past.
clementine / 787 posts
@Mrs D: I think this is wonderful. I had a work trip to Rome and took my DH. Granted we currently live in Europe so we didn’t have crazy jet lag. But we spent a long weekend before I had to start my work trip and we adored it.
Not certain if you’ve considered other trips - understand you said you travel internationally - but if you’ve never been - I fell in love within Budapest. Less people, very affordable and quirky - influences of Hungarian culture, western cultures and communism. People are amazingly friendly too. If you haven’t been - would totally recommend it for a surprise get away - particularly if DH likes more modern history.
grapefruit / 4545 posts
@gingerbebe: YES!!! Delta has one n/s each way each day! Amazing right? I agree, a trip that short and flight that long absolutely required n/s flights. We can now get to Paris, Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt and Rome n/s!
@Shantuck: so fun!!!
@Corduroy: I have been debating asking one of our couple friends to come with! I think it would be so fun...
@looch: amen sister!
@hellobeeboston: did he love it? Was he shocked? and for fun...where did you go!?
@MrsJBeeG: ohhhhh I love love love budapest! I have been lucky in that my company has two locations near budapest so I have been there twice. I often tell people its really really high up there on my faves list for Europe (there are just so many great ones)...people who have never been to Budapest are like "really?" but those who have been totally get it.
My only issue with it and a short weekend is its relatively difficult to get to...we have to take the earliest flight from the states to make a connection and get in to BUD before dinner time. Which wipes out a whole day...and truthfully the early flight from the states is damn near impossible to sleep on (since its basically 4pm-midnight travel time)....
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