53. Is It Worth Paying for a Family Retreat? (What Traditional Travel Gets Wrong for Moms)
When Monica Virga Alborno sits down behind the mic on The WandHERwild Podcast, she doesn’t shy away from the questions modern mothers quietly carry. This time, she dives straight into the one almost everyone thinks about but rarely says out loud: Is a family retreat actually worth paying for, or is traditional travel more your speed?
She begins this episode with two reflection questions she believes every parent deserves to ask themselves: When was the last time your whole family rested at the same time, including you? And second: Are you looking for something slower, deeper, and more holistic than the norm?
Those two questions set the tone for an honest and grounded look at why traditional travel rarely provides mothers with the restoration they’re hoping for, and what makes a family retreat fundamentally different.
A Podcast Growing Beyond Expectation
Before diving into the heart of the conversation, Monica shares a milestone she’s still celebrating: The WandHERwild Podcast is now in the top 10% of podcasts globally, in barely over a year. Gratitude saturates her words as she thanks listeners for being part of this community, for the ratings, reviews, and support that make the show discoverable to more families.
But gratitude isn’t the point of the episode. Today’s focus is on truth-telling, especially about the gap between what moms hope travel will be and what it actually becomes.
Where the Seeds of Family Retreats Began
Monica brings listeners back about a decade, to sub-Saharan Africa, where she was managing operations across 26 countries in a high-performance, high-stress career. With access to travel perks, vacation days she fought hard for, and the ability to stay almost anywhere in the world, she tried it all: the exclusive resorts, the luxury hotels, the curated experiences.
But something in her was shifting.
Whenever she walked out of the noise of corporate life and into a supposedly restful vacation, the sudden stillness felt jarring, not nourishing. Instead of relaxation, there was restlessness. The silence didn’t feel peaceful; it felt uncomfortable. Mornings were spent checking emails. Afternoons were padded with cocktails or overbooked itineraries meant to distract from the internal noise she carried.
And becoming a mother only intensified it. The mental load, the internal chatter, the logistics, the planning, the invisible labor, they all traveled with her.
It took her years to understand something that would eventually define Wanderwild:
Rest doesn’t come from changing your location. Rest comes from changing the experience.
Why Traditional Travel Doesn’t Restore Moms
Over the next portion of the episode, Monica breaks down the many reasons traditional vacations don’t work for mothers, at least not in the way they hope they will.
1. Going from adrenaline to stillness doesn’t work
When moms move from daily overwhelm into immediate “vacation stillness,” their minds don’t magically quiet. Everything that was spinning in their heads at home still spins on the trip. Without rhythm or decompression, rest cannot root.
“You’re going from adrenaline to stillness — and that’s not how our bodies work.”
2. Moms are still the planners, even on vacation
Where are we staying? What are we eating? Does everyone have sunscreen, snacks, clean clothes, nap times aligned, a spare diaper? Is everyone happy?
Mothers don’t escape the mental load by traveling. The mental load comes with them.
3. Sensory overload is real
City breaks, all-inclusive resorts, theme parks, cruises, they’re full of movement, noise, pushing crowds, bright lights, and stimulation.
Not exactly the recipe for nervous system regulation.
4. The feeling that you’re “parenting in another city”
Monica hears this from her community constantly. She’s said it herself. It’s relatable because it’s true.
“Traveling with kids shouldn’t feel like parenting in another city — but for so many families, it does.”
5. Rage-booking and misaligned travel
Most people book vacations because they’re desperate for a break, not because they’re aligned with what they actually want. They choose destinations because they saw them online or because they feel like they should go.
Then they arrive and wonder why the experience wasn’t restorative.
What Monica Discovered After 80+ Countries
The turning point came when she started traveling differently. She shares story after story of what shifted her:
The spontaneous trip to Sardinia with a car and no plans
The cottage in rural Ireland with ten family members, nights spent playing board games and watching the stars
The holistic wellness retreat in Ibiza that changed the way she approached rest
Each experience taught her the same thing:
There is another way to travel, one that feels deeper, more nourishing, more connected.
These experiences became the foundation of Wanderwild’s family retreat design.
What Makes Family Retreats Worth Paying For
Monica speaks with conviction as she explains why family retreats offer something traditional travel simply can’t. These elements were intentionally woven into the Wanderwild experience, based on what had finally restored her in her own life.
Nature & Slowness
Time without an agenda. Space to breathe. Open landscapes where children lead themselves into play and curiosity.
Freedom from logistics
Meals planned. Childcare provided. Support is available at every turn. No endless decisions.
“Retreats remove every barrier standing between a parent and true rest.”
Community as medicine
Sharing circles. Connected meals. Present conversations. Community is, as Monica says, “the natural medicine for maternal health.”
Personalized support that actually feels personal
This is not a generic service. It’s a warm, intuitive, human connection, someone who knows your name, your kids, your preferences, and what you need before you need it.
Earth-to-table meals
Nutritious, comforting, kid-friendly options that eliminate the biggest mental load question of all: What are we eating?
Nature-based childcare
Not entertainment. Not overwhelm. Childcare that honors kids’ rhythms, curiosity, and regulation, giving parents real, guilt-free rest.
Wellness for dads
Monica emphasizes this intentionally. Family well-being is not just about mothers.
“If you have a partner who’s a father, you know how important it is for him to feel supported, too.”
Picture of a woman and her daughter relaxing at our summer retreat.
The Real Value: Long-Term Family Bonds
Monica makes a point that stops many listeners in their tracks:
“I’m going to know my kids as adults longer than I will know them as little children.”
This is at the heart of Wanderwild.
Retreats create the kind of shared experiences that shape family culture long after kids grow up.
These memories matter.
The bonds built during slow, connected experiences last.
Is a Family Retreat Worth It? Reflection Questions
Monica returns to the two questions she began with:
When was the last time your whole family rested at the same time, including you?
Are you looking for something slower, deeper, and more holistic than the norm?
Your answers hold the truth.
2026 Retreat Dates + Black Week Savings
For families ready to reimagine their vacations:
Winter Mother & Child Retreat
Feb 14–17, 2026 — Hudson Valley, New YorkSpring Family Retreat
April 3–6, 2026 — Sebastian, Florida
Black Week will also offer 5% off all 2026 retreats — up to $300 in savings.
Details go out to the email list first.
She ends with an invitation to join the virtual community — a place where mothers gather monthly to reconnect to their creativity, slow down, and be in conversation with one another. It’s only $7/month and open year-round.
Want more episodes like this? Listen to The Wand(HER)wild Podcast and connect with our community over on Instagram @wandherwild or through our digital events at wandherwild.com and retreats at wanderwildfamilyretreats.com.
