Mountain Honeymoon
#1
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Mountain Honeymoon
My fiance and I are looking for a mountain/ski lodge type resort to go to for our honeymoon (Oct. 2017). We had our hearts set on Alaska but it seems like October is a bad time to plan to visit, most things are shut down during that month. It would be nice to be somewhere semi secluded but able to take day trips to explore nearby cities or towns if we decided to. I love the idea of somewhere all-inclusive like you would find in Mexico (although not required) but everywhere I've found is anywhere from 1,000-3,000 per night which just isn't feasible. We're open to any ideas!
#2
Having just returned from a 10 day trip to Yellowstone, I don't think you could do any better than one of the great hotels there. Lake is posh, Mammoth & Old Faithful more rustic, but it would depend on the specific dates in October as they close that month for the winter. And they book completely, may have already, but worth a look.
https://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm
https://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Several options in Washington State spring to mind: Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum, Wa, also, there are several resorts in Winthrop or Twisp (north Cascades) and some lovely places to stay in Leavenworth, WA. None will resemble in the least an all-inclusive stay in Mexico. There are no nearby cities for these places, but perhaps you would be interested in the small towns in the area.
#4
Three suggestions -
- Whistler, British Columbia. A couple of (gorgeous) hours from Vancouver, plenty of affordable accommodation, lots of activities, spectacular scenery. Add a couple of days in Vancouver before/after and you're set.
- Yosemite and the gold country. Yosemite Valley is spectacular, and just west of Yosemite, California Hwy 49 runs north and south through marvelous scenery and numerous picturesque and historic towns left over from the 1849 gold rush. The area is an up-and-coming wine producing region too, with wineries all over the place. You can fly into or out of either San Francisco or Sacramento airports.
- Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge. Spectacular Mount Hood sits at the top of the beautiful Hood River Valley, home to orchards and vineyards busy in the fall harvest season. The valley ends at the town of Hood River in the Columbia River Gorge. The Gorge itself features numerous waterfalls and vista points. Hood River is a lovely little town, a big wine and craft beer center; an hour or so east is the eclectic Maryhill Museum and Stonehenge replica out in cowboy country. Portland airport is very convenient for this area.
Congratulations!
- Whistler, British Columbia. A couple of (gorgeous) hours from Vancouver, plenty of affordable accommodation, lots of activities, spectacular scenery. Add a couple of days in Vancouver before/after and you're set.
- Yosemite and the gold country. Yosemite Valley is spectacular, and just west of Yosemite, California Hwy 49 runs north and south through marvelous scenery and numerous picturesque and historic towns left over from the 1849 gold rush. The area is an up-and-coming wine producing region too, with wineries all over the place. You can fly into or out of either San Francisco or Sacramento airports.
- Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge. Spectacular Mount Hood sits at the top of the beautiful Hood River Valley, home to orchards and vineyards busy in the fall harvest season. The valley ends at the town of Hood River in the Columbia River Gorge. The Gorge itself features numerous waterfalls and vista points. Hood River is a lovely little town, a big wine and craft beer center; an hour or so east is the eclectic Maryhill Museum and Stonehenge replica out in cowboy country. Portland airport is very convenient for this area.
Congratulations!
#6
I haven't been to the others but Yosmite would make a fine choice, dependent on reservations at the very honeymoon-worthy hotel in the valley, the Ahwahnee (currently known by a bogus name, the Majestic, but never mind). Again, book now.
http://www.travelyosemite.com/lodgin...osemite-hotel/
http://www.travelyosemite.com/lodgin...osemite-hotel/
#7
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With your parameters in mind, I contemplated the states you listed, and a couple of others, and I can't tear my thoughts away from Park City, Utah.
It's only 30 miles from Salt Lake City, which really is a pleasant city that has all of the amenities. And if lodging costs are too great IN Park City, you could surely afford to stay somewhere nearby that meets your wishes.
October certainly wouldn't bring the full brunt of anything winter, but SLC is bound to be filled with changing seasons at that time.
Ski season won't even open until November, generally, so who knows what things are like in the Park City area in October.
At any rate, you have scenic Salt Lake City 30 miles from there, and the Great Salt Lake not far away either.
I've been to SLC in October and found it quite beautiful. At least research that general area to see if it fits your interests.
It's only 30 miles from Salt Lake City, which really is a pleasant city that has all of the amenities. And if lodging costs are too great IN Park City, you could surely afford to stay somewhere nearby that meets your wishes.
October certainly wouldn't bring the full brunt of anything winter, but SLC is bound to be filled with changing seasons at that time.
Ski season won't even open until November, generally, so who knows what things are like in the Park City area in October.
At any rate, you have scenic Salt Lake City 30 miles from there, and the Great Salt Lake not far away either.
I've been to SLC in October and found it quite beautiful. At least research that general area to see if it fits your interests.
#8
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You mentioned WA, but would OR be a possibility? If so, Sunriver Resort, just outside of Bend is wonderful. Not AI, but a beautiful setting with fantastic hiking nearby, and Bend is just 15-20 minutes away.
#9
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Thanks for the suggestions, keep them coming Actually anywhere is open to thought. I could only tag so many locations in my original post...we're just trying to find the perfect place for us to go!
#12
October is an interesting month here in the NW... not still summer, not yet winter. And early Oct. can be quite different from late Oct. Snow can *start* to accumulate in the *upper* elevations of the mountains anytime between the later part of Oct into late Nov.
In the Cascades (near Seattle, Vancouver, Whistler, Portland) there is a very good chance of rain (or a very early and short-lived snow flurry) or warm sunshine (with warm days/chilly nights.) It's an off-season in most resorts in the area, so lots of things close after Columbus Day (Canadian Thansgiving) and don't start getting back into gear until American Thansgiving (Nov. 24 this year).
Skiing likely wouldn't start until very late Nov.(if lucky) or more often, in December.
As you move eastward from the Cascades (eastern OR, eastern WA, ID, UT, MT you have increasing chance for sun (warm days) and chilly-cold nights.
An excellent place to check historical weather patterns of individual days within months is at https://weatherspark.com/ .
There are so many possibilities including: Sun Valley in ID, Park City in UT, Whitefish in MT (near Glacier National Park), Lake Tahoe area in CA & NV, Jackson Hole, MT, and central to eastern BC, and Bend area in OR.
Are you looking for solitude in the mountains? Or to be in a mountain resort town? What is the image of a resort you have in mind? Are you looking to hike or mountain bike, or sit in a comfortable lodge? (too early to ski).
In the Cascades (near Seattle, Vancouver, Whistler, Portland) there is a very good chance of rain (or a very early and short-lived snow flurry) or warm sunshine (with warm days/chilly nights.) It's an off-season in most resorts in the area, so lots of things close after Columbus Day (Canadian Thansgiving) and don't start getting back into gear until American Thansgiving (Nov. 24 this year).
Skiing likely wouldn't start until very late Nov.(if lucky) or more often, in December.
As you move eastward from the Cascades (eastern OR, eastern WA, ID, UT, MT you have increasing chance for sun (warm days) and chilly-cold nights.
An excellent place to check historical weather patterns of individual days within months is at https://weatherspark.com/ .
There are so many possibilities including: Sun Valley in ID, Park City in UT, Whitefish in MT (near Glacier National Park), Lake Tahoe area in CA & NV, Jackson Hole, MT, and central to eastern BC, and Bend area in OR.
Are you looking for solitude in the mountains? Or to be in a mountain resort town? What is the image of a resort you have in mind? Are you looking to hike or mountain bike, or sit in a comfortable lodge? (too early to ski).