A special thanks to our friends at Marriott Spartanburg for inviting us! As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

As much as I love our family trips, sometimes the kiddos need one-on-one mama love. This mama needs solo time with each of her boys, too! London and I had a tough week, so we hopped in the car for a quick vacay-turned-staycay at the Marriott Spartanburg in South Carolina (less than a three-hour drive from Atlanta, BTW). 

Why “turned-staycay”? It poured the entire weekend… sigh. But everyone at the Marriott was so lovely to both of us, it’s a gorgeous hotel, and M Club was basically our private luxury lounge for the weekend. It made staying in and snuggling up a welcome treat. Here’s how we made our own fun:

Enjoy good food. The Marriott in Spartanburg actually has some of the best eats around. The restaurants are amazing, and I love that Sparks Grill doesn’t feel like a typical hotel restaurant. Oh, and since we were snacking all weekend long, it’s a good thing the Mind Menu at M Club has snacks and beverages filled with mind-body goodness. I wish I could have the Brain Booster and Slumber Shot every day! And let’s discuss the avocado-hummus tostadas. (Actually, we can’t. I ate them.) In better weather, you can walk right over to Cribs Kitchen on Main, Nacho Taco, or The Kennedy. But I was perfectly happy where I was.

Move your bodies. I have it on good authority that jumping on the bed counts as exercise, even if Marriott’s beds are so comfy I’d rather curl up than bounce. I managed a solo sheltered stroll around the gorgeous hotel grounds. Steps are steps, whether in a 24/7 fitness center (don’t forget the sauna and steam room after your workout) or on a fab marble staircase. How many times can one make a dramatic entrance? Several, as it turns out. I’d been planning to get my salsa on at Bands & Beats at Barnet Park, but maybe next time…

Play, play, play. We would’ve loved to run around in Renaissance Park, but at least high-speed wi-fi in the M Lounge made London’s allotted screen time fun instead of frustrating. And I really love that he found a buddy and they played “spy kids” all over the hotel. The staff was so sweet to them – kids get to be kids here and that makes me feel so good. Actually, adults get to be kids too. Giant Jenga, fireside games, pillow fights, tickle fests… next time, we’ll catch some live music at Chapman Cultural Center. This time, London and I needed to sing to our own tune.   

I was bummed about the weather because there’s a ton to do in Spartanburg. We’d planned on some shenanigans at SpeedKarting Indoor GoKarting right across from the hotel. And there are all kinds of events like at places like Hub City Bookshop, Spartanburg Art Museum, the science center… yeah, definitely going back. But sometimes, being rained out is just what the doctor ordered, and Marriott was the perfect place for cozy mama-son bonding time. We’ll be back, Spartanburg!

Thank you for Blake Shultz for the photos during our stay! I’ll cherish them forever. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend him. You can check out his work + contact him here.