6 Essential Tips for an Unforgettable Moms Trip for the Weekend

Itching to give yourself some me-time away from the kids? Don’t feel guilty. Enjoy some time with your mom friends with these essential tips on how to make your moms trip unforgettable!

This post about the Essential Tips for an Unforgettable Moms Trip for the Weekend was written by travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.

Most people think that once you have children, you won’t have the time to go on a moms trip and even do a bit of self-care because everything has to be done with the entire family. But I realized that was wrong.

When I was pregnant with my oldest, I was encouraged by several new Moms to join PEPS Portland. It’s a support group for Seattle-area parents.

I joined, and my group bonded so strongly that we still see each other regularly three years later. They are the people I share my parenting highs and lows with first, and they have continued to support me through the birth of my second child.

Revisiting Our Mom’s Trip

Last year, we decided we needed a Mom’s trip and chose one of the most incredible Pacific Northwest getaways. We drove to Central Washington and had a blast!

So this year, for our Moms’ trip, we decided to cross the border and head to Portland, Oregon.

Most of us had been there before, and we knew it was a laid-back city with lots of good food and quirky fun. It’s a 3-hour drive from Seattle, a comfortable distance from our families.

Like some of us before, most women in my group took Friday off from work. They could head to Portland in time for lunch, eat at Pok Pok Thai restaurant, and then check into the Sentinel Hotel.

We picked this hotel because one of the Moms in our group is 8 months pregnant, and not only was it centrally located in Portland, but it also featured a restaurant and a Starbucks (in case we didn’t leave the property.)

The crew for our moms trip! — Getting pedicures while sipping wine and eating cupcakes was a highlight of our trip!

These moms on this moms trip need to have some wine. — They had an extensive wine list and even offered mimosas!

Don't forget to pamper yourself on your moms trip. — The birthday cupcakes were secretly ordered during the day, and the staff at Comma presented them while we sang Happy Birthday!

Shopping and Pampering

They had a lazy morning of sleeping in and then headed to breakfast. I joined them on Saturday at 1 p.m. They were just finishing their naps (a must for a Mom’s weekend getaway), and we decided to shop.

Nordstrom was just a few blocks away, so we did some shoe shopping. Then, we headed a few more blocks to Nordstrom Rack for more shoe shopping! I was so impressed that I didn’t head directly to the children’s department and shop for myself. This hasn’t happened in years!

We had 3:30 pm reservations at Comma for pedicures. This place is seriously amazing. Not only were we able to get wine and mimosas, but they also offered chair massages and delivered cupcakes to us while we got our pedicures! The staff were so friendly, and we were able to truly relax. In fact, they had some large chairs available for napping while waiting for everyone to finish up. Next time I’m in Portland, I’m definitely making an appointment here!

A cozy room is a moms trip must-have. — I found my room at Sentinel Hotel to be decorated beautifully!

At this point, I needed to pump. Thankfully, my room at Sentinel was ready, so we headed back to the hotel, just half a block down the street. I was really impressed with how spacious the room was. I loved the whole vibe of the hotel, and it was perfect for our Mom’s weekend.

Coffee and Books

After I finished, I met everyone at Starbucks downstairs. It was supposed to be a Starbucks Reserve that offered wine and nibbles, but they told us they no longer were doing that. That was a bummer. But we got some caffeine and headed to Powell’s Books, just a few blocks away.

It's not a moms trip if you don't buy anything for your kids. — Whenever I visit Portland, I always visit Powell’s Books to check out their travel-themed children’s books.

If you’ve ever been to Portland, chances are you’ve passed by Powell’s. It’s one of the most famous used books store ever. It’s an adventure in itself, as there are many levels and staircases, and getting lost in the different sections is easy.

I spent most of my time in the children’s section looking at their books about different states and countries and the rest of the time in the travel section. Had I been alone, I could have easily spent another hour perusing the books. Thankfully for my wallet, it was 8 pm and time for us to search for food.

Good Food for the Good Times

The Lebanese food at Zaatar during our moms trip. — The Lebanese food at Zaatar was so flavorful and easy to share!

Mediterranean Exploration

We tried to go to Mediterranean Exploration, but it was a 2-hour wait (they didn’t accept reservations.) We were too hungry to wait, so we tried a few other places, but they also had long wait times. I forgot that Portland restaurants don’t usually accept restaurants. I think it’s part of their hipster vibe. We ended up at Hamlet, a bar specializing in pork products and cocktails. Our drinks were amazing, and the small plates were surprisingly good. My favorite item was their butter. It tasted homemade with a bit of salt. The staff wasn’t the friendliest, but the snacks and drinks were great. Unfortunately, this bar was permanently closed years ago.

Zaatar

But we were still hungry. We found a Lebanese restaurant called Zaatar, the perfect place for our group! There was no wait, and the staff was super friendly and helpful!

We ordered a ton of food and were able to try a bit of everything. It was incredibly tasty! We even ordered baklava to go so we’d all have a midnight snack. We headed back to the hotel about 10 pm and crashed.

We visited Blue Star in Portland during our moms trip. — Blue Star Donuts in Portland offers unique flavor combinations for various palettes.

Blue Star Donuts

It was another morning of sleeping in, taking our time getting ready, and packing up. I did a quick pumping session and then headed to Starbucks downstairs to fuel up for our day. When we had all gathered, we walked a few blocks to Blue Star Donuts.

They consider their products donuts for adults. I tried them last year with friends and was impressed with their flavor combinations. Their line is consistently out the door. My friends and I made lists on our phones of every donut we wanted to order. We all were planning to share with our spouses and kids, but we were surprised just how many we ended up ordering!

Waiting in line? This moms trip is no match for our patience as moms! — We waited 45 minutes in line, something we never would have attempted with our 3-year-olds!

Pine State Biscuits

The final stop of our Moms weekend was Pine State Biscuits. We thought the line wasn’t too bad until we realized the entrance was around the corner! But it gave us plenty of time to chat and think about what we wanted to eat.

It was lunchtime, so I thought I better get something with protein, so I ordered the McIsley, a biscuit sandwich that featured fried chicken, pickles, mustard and honey. I also got a fried green tomato on the side. I tried ordering biscuits and gravy to go (so I’d have family dinner ready to go) but was informed that they can’t sell biscuits to go on weekends because they have a hard time keeping up with making enough biscuits for those in line.

The biscuits during our moms trip was amazing! — This was the sole biscuit baker and one of the hardest-working employees anywhere!

McIsley at Pine State Biscuits during our moms trip. — Here is the McIsley in all its glory!

The food came out surprisingly fast. We had enough time to lurk in the dining area and grab a table. The McIsley was a great mix of salty, sour and sweet, and it was quite filling. I loved the crust on the fried green tomato and would definitely order both again. I hope to come back here on a weekday next time to score biscuits and gravy to take home.

Pine State Biscuits in Portland during our moms trip. — The biscuit with jam looked so yummy and comforting!

To More Moms Trips!

After lunch, we figured we should probably start the 3-hour drive back home to the Seattle area. We had such a memorable Moms Trip in Portland that was both fun and relaxing.

While I miss our family trips and visiting a white sand beach or historic buildings, this trip was a breath of fresh air. Spending time with other moms was not only fun but also enriching and reassuring.

I remembered how important it is to take time out to nurture friendships and take care of ourselves. I came home feeling energized and more focused.

Some me-time before we part ways on our moms trip. — Enjoying girl time at the Comma was definitely a favorite for us!

6 Ways to Create Your Ultimate Moms Weekend

Pick a hotel that offers late checkout. That way, you can take your time getting ready in the morning and just relax in bed.
Do an activity you love. For us, we all enjoy shopping. And we love it even more with the freedom of not having strollers or lugging around snacks for kids.
You can explore what’s near you, like going to Napa Valley for wine tasting, basking in infinity pools in San Diego, enjoying a sumptuous meal around great restaurants in Santa Monica, or dancing to live music in New Orleans.
If it’s your first time, you might also want to try new experiences just within your town.
Make an appointment at a salon or spa. Getting massages and nails done at Comma was definitely a highlight of our trip.
Try new food. My friends and I are so used to mealtimes with 3-year-olds that it was so relaxing to be able to sit back and truly enjoy tasting an array of foods many of us hadn’t tried before.
Bring earplugs. Sleep is a priority, so wear earplugs to ensure you won’t get woken up by loud neighbors or garbage trucks.
Plan your next getaway. To ensure that it actually happens again, start talking about when/where your next weekend will be while you are relaxed, and remember how important it is to recharge.

6 Ways to Create the Ultimate Moms' Weekend

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