I went to an all-inclusive resort 8 months into my sobriety. I stayed sober by drinking mocktails and taking advantage of activities.

Sandals had a great selection of , food and wine went hand-in-hand, so it was refreshing to really focus on the flavors in the food at the resort rather than drift through each meal slightly tipsy and be left with little recollection of what was served.

I filled my downtime at the resort with activities

I spent many years trying to moderate my drinking and find a happy medium that would allow me to have my nightly wine but not feel like garbage the next day. As a sober person, the burden of worrying about when to switch to water or whether I’m talking too loud because I’m tipsy are now non-issues, and I feel a freedom I wish I could impart to others.

Visiting an all-inclusive resort as a non-drinker was a great experience for me — something I can’t wait to do again. While I worried I’d feel like I was missing out on the value of an all-inclusive being sober, I realized the real benefit was the incredible scenery, delicious food, and relaxing activities. To my surprise, I didn’t need a drink in my hand to enjoy everything the resort had to offer.