Fodorites! Please help us pick a May 2001 honeymoon spot!
 

Okay, team! Here is a challenge for the seasoned travellers of the Fodors forum! <BR> <BR>THE OBJECTIVE: To help two to-be-weds pick an amazing honeymoon destination. <BR> <BR>THE BACKGROUND: <BR>*We plan on leaving for honeymoon on May 16, 2001 and staying for 10-14 nights. <BR>*The wedding will be in North Carolina, where we have lived for the past 3 years. <BR>*The happy couple will be 22 years of age at the time of the trip. <BR> <BR>PLACES WE'VE VISITED (but not necessarily together): <BR>*Paris, London, Rome, Venice, Florence, Cancun, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver BC, essentially all of California and Pennsylvania, and parts of North Carolina. <BR> <BR>THE TASTES, PASSIONS AND PURSUITS (otherwise known as stuff we enjoy): <BR>*A relaxing, romantic atmosphere. <BR>*Places to walk around, sightsee, and shop a bit. <BR>*Places to enjoy nature (bodies of water, gardens, forests, and the like). <BR>*Good food. <BR>*Little bits of history to enjoy. <BR>*Lodging that has character, and is a little more colorful than your typical "place to sleep" hotel. <BR>*We also enjoy riding bikes and things like snorkeling, but in moderation with loafing around and shopping :) <BR>*We love live music and dancing, but we're not hard core "nightlife" party people. <BR> <BR>THE GUIDELINES: <BR>*California and Pennsylvania are essentially out of the game, but any suggestions for good spots are most appreciated. <BR>*We would like to keep costs under $3,000 for the whole trip. <BR>*We can get inexpensive student rates on airfare through TWA throughout the world (continental US, Mexico, US Virgin Islands, and beyond.) <BR>*All suggestions, from tropical island to northern forest, are welcome. <BR> <BR>We will just have graduated from college and had a wedding in a single week, so we're really looking to relax and have a fun time of things. We don't feel any need to be totally secluded from the rest of society, so absolute solitude is not necessary. <BR> <BR>Sorry for the long list of information, but hopefully it will give everyone a clearer idea of who we are and what we might enjoy. I look forward to hearing from you all! <BR> <BR>*lily*

I'm sure everybody else will be suggesting Hawaii as well but I figured I would be one of the first. We were just there and there were a ton of honeymoon couples. There is everything you want from sightseeing, snorkeling, outdoors, and relaxing. The general trend of most couples seemed to be going to Kauai for 5 days to just relax and rest by the pool (which it sounds like you will definitely need with the week you have) and then to Maui for the last part. Many couples we talked to were also stopping on the way home, or had already in San Francisco for a 2 or 3 night layover. If you are into socializing I have to say we also met a ton of people who we met for drinks and went out with on various nights. <BR>Another suggestion is Aruba. My brother went there and they had a wonderful time. It was pretty reasonable, beaches are beautiful, there is nightlife with the casinos, and being on the east coast it is a little closer. <BR>Good luck with everything.

<BR>Aruba is wonderful.How bout an all-inclusive? Would be around your budget.Also ,how about a cruise? Love them-you get to go to many ports and don`t have to unpack and drive to see many interesting things.

Hello again! <BR> <BR>That is something I should have added to the guidelines... <BR> <BR>While neither of us has ever been on a cruise, we're going to leave that style of trip for another time...so no cruises for us... <BR> <BR>The suggestions are wonderful! I hope to hear more :) Thanks again! <BR> <BR>*lily*

Sorry...forgot to mention :) <BR> <BR>We're also not too big on the idea of all inclusives. We like to get out and sample the local specialties, and we would feel guilty if we didn't eat food we had paid for :) <BR> <BR>Again, thanks :) <BR> <BR>*lily*

Bermuda would be my pick--one of the most beautiful romantic islands I've ever been to...gorgeous beaches, flower covered stonewalls lining narrow roads (navigated by moped...tourists can't rent cars), snorkeling right off-shore or on reefs or wrecks, history (ruins of forts), shopping with a British slant, pink-stucco white tile roofed "bungalows". All this plus it's not far off your coast. Your only problem may be 10 days for under $3,000. Paradise is expensive!

I second Bermuda. It seems to meet everything you are looking for but can get pricey depending on where you stay. At that time of the year the weather is PERFECT! Congratulations and have fun planning.

I would pick Oaxaca, a wonderful colonial town in the southern part of Mexico in the interior. Chock full of beautiful 16th century colonial buildings, wonderful restaurants, interesting small hotels, incredible architectural sights, museums, etc, and a great craft center for shopping. You could combine with some nights at the beach, in Puerto Escondido or Huatalco. <BR> <BR>I'm not sure what the weather is like in May. A fun web site to visit, even if you don't use any of their offerings, is differentworld.com, which gives tours of various pretty unique hotels by location. We were in Oaxaca last December, stayed in a B&B called Las Bugambilias, and the other guests actually included a honeymoon couple from North Carolina.

Two suggestions: <BR> <BR>1. The Lake Country in England. The villages are beautiful and scenery spectacular. The Wordsworth Inn in Grasmere is very romantic. Hiking, biking etc. is very popular there. <BR> <BR>2. Ireland. Again, many quaint villages and lots of history. It would be a good time of year to explore and not have to be too tied to a schedule. <BR> <BR>Good luck!

Two suggestions: <BR> <BR>1. The Lake Country in England. The villages are wonderful and the people are friendly. Biking and hiking are very popular. The scenery is magnificent. The Wordsworth Inn in Grasmere is very romantic. Meals are reasonable and shopping is plentiful. <BR> <BR>2. Ireland. Same as above. It would be a good time of year to travel before the crowds hit.

Being only 22 makes renting a car almost impossible. If you could rent a car I would have suggested Ireland. It would have all you are looking for. <BR>With a graduation and wedding all in a week, you will need relaxation more than you can imagine. Therefore, <BR>Burmuda or Jamaica would be my pick. <BR>Get the dinner plan with the hotel. It will be worth it even if you don't eat all your meals there. Much cheeper than paying your own way. You may not want or be able to move for a week. <BR>Good luck, Enjoy.

My vote is for Maui. It seems to meet all of your requirements.

I'd suggest Key West. My husband and I went for a week in early June and had an incredible time. We were married young, like you (at 23), and unfortunately had absolutely no money for a honeymoon. We travel to Europe a lot to see his family, but that's not really honeymoon-like. Well, after 8 years of marriage, we finally had our honeymoon in Key West. <BR> <BR>You definitely don't need a car, although we did rent one to drive up the Keys for a day. It's so relaxing. There's tons of snorkeling, jet skiing, fishing charters, etc., etc. A bit of history thrown in here and there. Lots of romantic B&Bs to stay in. Food was wonderful--I never really liked seafood before our week in Key West, nightlife was great. <BR> <BR>Checkout www.keywest.com--there are a gazillion B&Bs with websites you can check out. We had a one-bedroom apartment with our own jacuzzie on a small private balcony. www.lazylanecottages.com.

I would definitely vote for Ireland, too. You can rent a car if you're under 25 over there, but usually only from the smaller car rental agencies. And you most likely wouldn't be able to find out about those until you arrived. Belfast would be a better bet for that than Dublin. However, you can always take the train around. <BR> <BR>If you do rent a car, whether it's north or south, tell the rental agency you want to cross the border. It's rarely a problem any more (they used to charge), but if you don't tell them and then have problems across the border either way, your insurance won't cover you.

No idea if TWA flies to either one, but I highly recommend both Costa Rica and St. Lucia. Both have gorgeous natural beauty, are relaxing, romantic, have good food, have some incredible places to stay with loads of character, are a bit "off the beaten path," and are very tropical and can be done within your price range and without renting a car. <BR> <BR>On St. Lucia, Ladera Resort is incredible, with open-air rooms that have personal plunge pools. This place is pricey but worth it -- even the least-expensive rooms have jaw-dropping views of mountains and the Caribbean. You may be able to get package deals that include airfare to make it less expensive. There are two lovely beaches nearby (with snorkeling), lots of waterfalls, a gorgeous botanical garden, a rainforest with hiking trails, and a volcano. Other nearby activities include mountain biking and horseback riding. The restaurant at Ladera is amazing and there are some other good restaurants nearby as well. Many people split a honeymoon on St. Lucia between Ladera and another resort on the more northerly side of the island, which may also help bring down the cost. Do a search on the Caribbean forum using the word "Ladera" for more info, and check out www.ladera-resort.com. Even if you can only stay there for a few nights, I highly recommend it. <BR> <BR>Costa Rica is also amazing and is less expensive than St. Lucia and other Caribbean islands, and has the additional attraction of lots of wildlife such as monkeys, toucans, scarlet macaws, etc. There are a few places that I highly recommend, including Villa Caletas located on the Pacific coast with gorgeous ocean views (http://www.distinctivehotels.com/hot...etas/index.htm), Vista del Valle outside of San Jose (www.vistadelvalle.com), and, for a splurge, Lapa Rios on the Osa Peninsula in the south (www.laparios.com). There is lots more information on Costa Rica in the Latin America forum. <BR> <BR>

<BR>Forgot to add: If it were MY honeymoon, I would choose one of two places in Europe that I haven't been yet -- either the Amalfi coast of Italy (Positano, Capri, etc.) or the island of Santorini in Greece! Lots more info on these on the Europe forum. <BR> <BR>By the way, you are picking a great time of year to go to any of these places. <BR>

Hi and congrats, Lily, <BR>Two recommendations: Charleston and Quebec City. All the history you could want, beautiful, romantic cities, nice people, reasonably priced accommodation, great shopping (especially Canada with the current exchange rate), flowers, water (the harbor and St. Lawrence River respectively), great, make that really great, food, good access to natural areas, lots of charm and character. With your budget I'd recommend using your own car and saving on airfare; your budget also pretty well eliminates Europe IMO. <BR> <BR>Charleston may be a little too close to home but it sure is nice. An alternative recommendation would be New England, with a blowout first couple of nights in New York.

I would also suggest a visit to Great Britain exploring the countryside. You could stay at B & B's which are not only more romantic, but also cheaper than hotels. Renting a car in Europe should not be a problem--and you should even be able to do it beforehand. You should also be able to get extremely cheap airline tickets in May. You won't have the stress of a foreign langauage but you'll be in a country that is just different enough to be exciting. If you go, be sure to visit Wales. The castles and walks by the ocean in Wales are some of my best memories of Great Britain. <BR>I'm also in the midst of planning my honeymoon. We're going to France in September! So good luck, and be sure to let us know where you decided to go! <BR>

Lily, Congrats <BR>I would like to suggest Hawaii, there is a reason why everybody goes their. The hard part is what island to choose (Kauai,Maui,Hawaii-"The Big Island"). <BR>My other choice would be Florida, It would be a much shorter flight. <BR>Happy planning. <BR>Mark

Lily, would look at the west coast of Ireland or possibly Wales. Accomodations can be reasonable in Wales, lots of walking and beauty and some pretty castles. If you wanted more lively then Ireland though it's also more expensive, I think. Another idea might be Eastern Maryland. Closer to home, I would suggest Sanibel/Capriva on the Gulf Coast of Florida--there's a resort called the South Seas Plantation that would be ideal for a honeymoon on Captiva.

If it were possible to come up with some kind of objective scoring system, I think Hawaii would win by a large margin. It really is the perfect honeymoon destination (biased from personal experience). <BR> <BR>However, if you could swing it, I would spend the time in northern Italy. The Italian lakes, particularly Como, Orta and Garda as well as Lugano, are quite magical. Sounds corny, but read through the archives on them in the Euro forum and see how often that word is used. Finally had the chance to attend the wedding of a friend there last fall, and it was near surreal. So many other things to see and do in the area, Swiss/Italian Alps, Tuscany, even French Riviera and Paris if you take the train or intra-Euro flights or drive.

Congrats...We are in this stage of planning a honeymoon also, and are excited about Santorini, Greeece. While it may be pricey to get there, it should be relatively affordable once there. I can not wait and welcome anyone else's tips for making this a great trip. Enjoy this very exciting time! Suzanne

The Italian lakes region would be really amazing. I attended a wedding there last fall. This area has a really unusual, almost magical feel to it. (Check the archives from the Euro forums and see how often the term 'magical' is chosen as a descritor). The possibilities are endless: Lake Como (Bellagio, Como, etc.), Lake Lugano, Lake Orta, Tuscany nearby, even side trips to French Riviera and Paris are easily arranged.

I agree with Bermuda. Look for a smaller cottage style or inn place; not elbow beach or princess. Ie "the pink cottages" or if you must stay at a commercial place go to the Sonesta.

I second the vote for Amalfi, Italy. Incredibly romantic, you don't need a car. It is less expensive than Positano as well. Best wishes.

Lily, <BR>What an exciting fun time for you! <BR>I'd like to put in my vote for Costa Rica. Lisa made excellent recommendations on hotels. Check out Manuel Antonio area too! Lovely beaches, a great National park for walking/hiking and animal watching, very friendly people, etc. Also, you would not have to spend hours and hours on your honeymoon just trying to get somewhere!

pass on Aruba...it's just ok, and i stayed at the Hyatt Regency. it reminds me of AZ.

How exciting, Lily! <BR> <BR>You've gotten some wonderful suggestions from the other posters! <BR> <BR>To the mix, I would add Puerto Vallarta (you can search and learn more on the Latin America boards) and Florida (Destin, etc.). <BR> <BR>Best of luck on the upcoming wedding!

...

Hi Lily! <BR>My vote is for St. Lucia or Costa Rica. <BR>St. Lucia IS simply beautiful and you don't have to stay on the resorts. There are plenty of cabs to take you wherever you want to go or you can hire a cab for a day and they will take you all over the island. Of course, you have all the watersports and beach. My boyfriend and I stayed at the Windjammer Landing Resort. We had a great oceanview with a balcony and sun deck. The resort is surrounded by gardens and little walkways. It's like being in nature but with all the modern amenties! There are all types of tours to take depending on how relaxed or adventurous you want to be to see the island. (You can see the entire island in 8 days easily.) The entire trip cost us about $3000 for 8 days in April and that includes everything right down to postcards to send home! <BR>While I have not been to Costa Rica, I have a friend that goes every year and she absolutely loves it and highly recommends it!

I would HIGHLY recommend the Cayman Islands. It is by far the most beautiful tropical island I've ever been to. It's pricey but you should be able to find something in your price range. We stayed at the Hyatt but Treasure Island looked good too. The island is very safe and we had no problems. Best Wishes!

Several suggestions: <BR> <BR>When we got married a couple of years ago (in May), we tried to pick the most romantic place we could find and after lots of discussion finally got married on Maui. Lovely place, great restaurants, great diving, lots to see and do - although Hawaii (Big Island) was even better, with the volcano, the huge diversity of geology and landscape, and our favourite hotel (so far) the Kona Village Resort (expensive, but we only stayed there two nights - we toured the island). Kuai is also wonderful, although there isn't so much to do. <BR> <BR>Sorrento (where we spent our first anniversay). Not quite as pretty as some parts of the Amalfi coast (which are easy to visit), but a better location. It is on a train line into Naples (stopping at both Pompeii and Herculaneum), you can catch a bus down the Amalfi coast (the naples' region is not a place you'd want to drive - they are crazy even by Italian standards), and there are regular boats to nearby capri (well worth a visit) and into Naples. Some excellent restaurants too - some of them incredibly cheap. We also visited Mount Vesuvius, and the volcanic area of Solfatara (with its sulphurous steamy blowholes), and various Roman ruins. Lots to do, and May is the perfect time to visit - good weather, but not too hot or crowded. <BR> <BR>Scicily is a good alternative. Lots of history, and volcanic activity, but a bit more relaxed. <BR> <BR>Coming from Ireland, I'd have to say, what would you want to go there on your honeymoon for!?! But, it is a great place, with lots to do, and I suppose it has a certain romance and charm to it (or is that just the people...). Best bits are Galway (a really happening small city, in a wonderful landscape), Kerry (esp. Dingle), West Cork (esp. Kinsale for its restaurants), Kilkenny with its castle, and Dublin (for a bit of culture....). Also, despite what one earlier writer said, it is less expensive than the UK (where I live now). <BR> <BR>I love the Alps, especially Switzerland, but a really interesting (and rather cheap) place to visit is Slovenia - a lot like Austria and northern Italy (both easy reachable) with a very 'Ruritanian' feel to it. Very quaint (in most parts) and romantic. <BR> <BR>Enjoy, <BR> <BR>dfx.

BERMUDA, BERMUDA, BERMUDA!!!! Been there many times including my honeymoon. By the sound of your tastes, passions and pursuits, this place is perfect for you. Incredible lush gardens, crystal blue romantic beaches, mopeding your way around the island. Oh, take me back to Bermuda!! Happy Honeymoon!

If Grand Cayman is ranked at the top of the list of Most Beautiful Tropical Islands, then where on the list do you put Maui, Kauai, Lanai, Oahu, Tahiti, Bora Bora, St. John, Grenada, Nevis, Bermuda, Martinique, Anguilla not to mention Bali, Phuket and so on (all of which are prettier)?

I'll second that Wondering!! The beauty of the Caymans is under the water, not above. The island itself is one of the least attractive of the islands we've visited. Scrub growth, not very pretty. We stayed at the Hyatt as well--its beautiful, but Grand Cayman, no.

I think I read that US citizens can now travel to Cuba? I haven't been there myself yet, but many friends have and they all tell me it is a GREAT place with extremely friendly people. <BR>Or go to Vietnam, I was there this January and it is a gem that still is relatively unspoilt. Very cheap also, so whatever you spend on the airfare you save again on extremely cheap accommodation and excellent food. <BR>Bali is always nice, too. <BR>In Europe, May is a perfect month to visit Greece or Spain. <BR>

If you want to stay stateside (where airfare will be cheaper) try The Mount Washington Hotel, in New Hampshire--beautiful turn of the century hotel with unbelievable food, unbelievable view of the mountains. Tons of activities if you want them (hiking, golf, tennis, horseback riding--i could go on) and yet you could also do nothing at all and be perfectly happy. Not sure what rates are like now, but a couple years ago when i was there they were pretty reasonable. Some friends of mine spent their honeymoon there too and said it was absolutely perfect.

If you want to stay stateside (where airfare will be cheaper) try The Mount Washington Hotel, in New Hampshire--beautiful turn of the century hotel with unbelievable food, unbelievable view of the mountains. Tons of activities if you want them (hiking, golf, tennis, horseback riding--i could go on) and yet you could also do nothing at all and be perfectly happy. Not sure what rates are like now, but a couple years ago when i was there they were pretty reasonable. Some friends of mine spent their honeymoon there too and said it was absolutely perfect.

I think two places that fit for you are two places in Italy. <BR>The Cinque Terre- Monterossa Al Mare or Vernazza are great places for swimming, walking and relaxing. <BR> <BR>The other is the beautiful Italian Vacation spot of Riva on Lago di Garda. What a great place. They have bikes, Canyoning,learn how to sail board, tour the lake, great shopping, walking at night is a treat and a wonderful history.

My two cents worth - You don't have enough money budgeted to go to the European locations, unless you stay in cheap, not very nice places and budget very little for food. I think a honeymoon should be all out fabulous. I would go along with a previous poster who suggested Charleston. We added Savannah, & Jekyll Island Georgia to our honeymoon in Charleston. Stayed at a wonderful B&B in Savannah, Best Hotel in Charleston and great resort in Jekyll Island. We ate at excellent restaurants every nigth. We used frequent flyer miles to get there, but the whole absolutely 1st class trip was certainly under $3000. It was a perfect mix of beach (Jekyll Island), Charm (Savannah) and history (all three places). There are beautiful gardens to vistit, relaxing beaches, lots of historical tours. You could drive it easily from North Carolina and save the transportation costs. Good luck, and let us all know what you decide.