Fodorites! Please help us pick a May 2001 honeymoon spot!
Jul 25th, 2000, 08:22 AM
#1
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Fodorites! Please help us pick a May 2001 honeymoon spot!
Okay, team! Here is a challenge for the seasoned travellers of the Fodors forum!
THE OBJECTIVE: To help two to-be-weds pick an amazing honeymoon destination.
THE BACKGROUND:
*We plan on leaving for honeymoon on May 16, 2001 and staying for 10-14 nights.
*The wedding will be in North Carolina, where we have lived for the past 3 years.
*The happy couple will be 22 years of age at the time of the trip.
PLACES WE'VE VISITED (but not necessarily together):
*Paris, London, Rome, Venice, Florence, Cancun, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver BC, essentially all of California and Pennsylvania, and parts of North Carolina.
THE TASTES, PASSIONS AND PURSUITS (otherwise known as stuff we enjoy):
*A relaxing, romantic atmosphere.
*Places to walk around, sightsee, and shop a bit.
*Places to enjoy nature (bodies of water, gardens, forests, and the like).
*Good food.
*Little bits of history to enjoy.
*Lodging that has character, and is a little more colorful than your typical "place to sleep" hotel.
*We also enjoy riding bikes and things like snorkeling, but in moderation with loafing around and shopping
*We love live music and dancing, but we're not hard core "nightlife" party people.
THE GUIDELINES:
*California and Pennsylvania are essentially out of the game, but any suggestions for good spots are most appreciated.
*We would like to keep costs under $3,000 for the whole trip.
*We can get inexpensive student rates on airfare through TWA throughout the world (continental US, Mexico, US Virgin Islands, and beyond.)
*All suggestions, from tropical island to northern forest, are welcome.
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.
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!
*lily*
THE OBJECTIVE: To help two to-be-weds pick an amazing honeymoon destination.
THE BACKGROUND:
*We plan on leaving for honeymoon on May 16, 2001 and staying for 10-14 nights.
*The wedding will be in North Carolina, where we have lived for the past 3 years.
*The happy couple will be 22 years of age at the time of the trip.
PLACES WE'VE VISITED (but not necessarily together):
*Paris, London, Rome, Venice, Florence, Cancun, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver BC, essentially all of California and Pennsylvania, and parts of North Carolina.
THE TASTES, PASSIONS AND PURSUITS (otherwise known as stuff we enjoy):
*A relaxing, romantic atmosphere.
*Places to walk around, sightsee, and shop a bit.
*Places to enjoy nature (bodies of water, gardens, forests, and the like).
*Good food.
*Little bits of history to enjoy.
*Lodging that has character, and is a little more colorful than your typical "place to sleep" hotel.
*We also enjoy riding bikes and things like snorkeling, but in moderation with loafing around and shopping
*We love live music and dancing, but we're not hard core "nightlife" party people.
THE GUIDELINES:
*California and Pennsylvania are essentially out of the game, but any suggestions for good spots are most appreciated.
*We would like to keep costs under $3,000 for the whole trip.
*We can get inexpensive student rates on airfare through TWA throughout the world (continental US, Mexico, US Virgin Islands, and beyond.)
*All suggestions, from tropical island to northern forest, are welcome.
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.
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!
*lily*
Jul 25th, 2000, 08:40 AM
#2
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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.
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.
Good luck with everything.
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.
Good luck with everything.
Jul 25th, 2000, 08:54 AM
#4
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Hello again!
That is something I should have added to the guidelines...
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...
The suggestions are wonderful! I hope to hear more Thanks again!
*lily*
That is something I should have added to the guidelines...
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...
The suggestions are wonderful! I hope to hear more
Thanks again! *lily*
Jul 25th, 2000, 09:00 AM
#6
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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!
Jul 25th, 2000, 09:42 AM
#8
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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.
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.
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.
Jul 25th, 2000, 09:50 AM
#9
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Two suggestions:
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.
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.
Good luck!
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.
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.
Good luck!
Jul 25th, 2000, 09:58 AM
#10
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Two suggestions:
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.
2. Ireland. Same as above. It would be a good time of year to travel before the crowds hit.
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.
2. Ireland. Same as above. It would be a good time of year to travel before the crowds hit.
Jul 25th, 2000, 10:30 AM
#11
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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.
With a graduation and wedding all in a week, you will need relaxation more than you can imagine. Therefore,
Burmuda or Jamaica would be my pick.
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.
Good luck, Enjoy.
With a graduation and wedding all in a week, you will need relaxation more than you can imagine. Therefore,
Burmuda or Jamaica would be my pick.
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.
Good luck, Enjoy.
Jul 25th, 2000, 12:40 PM
#13
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jul 25th, 2000, 12:44 PM
#14
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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.
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.
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.
Jul 25th, 2000, 01:03 PM
#15
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jul 25th, 2000, 01:09 PM
#16
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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.
By the way, you are picking a great time of year to go to any of these places.
Jul 25th, 2000, 01:22 PM
#17
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Hi and congrats, Lily,
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jul 25th, 2000, 01:28 PM
#18
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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.
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!
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!
Jul 25th, 2000, 02:56 PM
#19
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Lily, Congrats
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").
My other choice would be Florida, It would be a much shorter flight.
Happy planning.
Mark
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").
My other choice would be Florida, It would be a much shorter flight.
Happy planning.
Mark
Jul 25th, 2000, 05:25 PM
#20
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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.
