Honeymoon Planning for US in February 2014
 

Hello Forum Members !!!!!

Have read a lot about this community n i think its time for me n my fiance to put up our honeymoon query !! We from New Delhi, India, and are planning to visit US ( Beach n city night life combination) from 24th Feb for approx 14 days Beach-City combination !! (A beach like Hawaii-Muai/ miami-florida/ etc with city like NY/LA/vegas)
I would want you experienced comments on :

1). Is this the best time to Visit the US beaches and cities in terms of weather, off/peak season !!
2). Which coast or beach would the most suitable for this time keeping in mind that we would not want too hot or too cold, so a stable weather to enjoy the at the beach with some water sports please !!
3). Please help us make an itinerary for these 14 days including a beautiful romantic beach honeymoon followed by a crazy adventurous city with brilliant nightlife !!!!!
4). n what budget shall we be hoping to end up for a week in any of the beaches at a nice resort or villa !!! We are planning to spend approx $3500-$4500 for the honeymoon excluding the travel tickets !!

ANy other inputs will be greatly appreciated please !!!

Thanks a lot in advance !! :)

Kunal

First off, no place in the USA will be "too hot" in February. On the contrary, most places will be "cold". Cities in the southern part of the country will be "mild" with occasional days that could be deemed "hot" but mostly you probably won't have guaranteed "swimming weather".

FYI - New York can be downright cold/snowy in February as will any cities in the norther half of the country. Miami can be too cool for swimming in February and that also goes for any coastal location within the mainland USA.

If you want guaranteed swimming weather in February your only US options are Hawaii or the US Virgin Islands (in the Caribbean). The downside is both Hawaii and the USVI's are "expensive" locations and you'll have added airfares which will use up a substantial portion of your budget.

Speaking of budgets, you are also going to find that your $3,500 to $4,500 budget for 14 days is on the low side even if it doesn't include airfare. At $4,500 that comes to only $321/day - you can easily spend that much just on a basic hotel room in most major US cities so you won't have money for food, drinks, activities, etc. $3,500 comes to $250/day which just isn't realistic for the type of honeymoon you describe. you are either going to have to shorten your trip (perhaps one week) or increase your budget.

In Feb the only place in the US with guaranteed swimming wether in Hawaii.

Some places in southern FL may have water warm enough - but there is no guarantee.

As for the rest of hte country it is winter.

NYC will be cold often with snow - sometimes a lot - 2 feet or more. Prices will be low since it is off season but you will want to focus on indoor activities and will need winter cothing (heavy coat, hat, scarf, gloves, snow boots, heavy sweater and warm pants - wool or cords). You may be lucky and get all days in the 40s (perhaps 5 celsius)but it could be the 20s - and at night you can get temps below zero (farenheit, not celsius).

LA also gets winter - not cold - but chilly with quite a bit of rain.

Have no idea of the cost of plane tickets from where you are - but your budget sounds very slim for crazy adventurous nightlife (which can easily be a couple of hundred $ per night for 2 people) and anything but very basic budget accommodations.

For warm weather that time of year your best choice is Hawaii. If you are willing to rent a condo rather than stay in a hotel that can cut your daily costs by a fair amount (just because you have a kitchen does not mean you have to use it - toast does not count as cooking). Also many condos come with washers and dryers enabling you to pack lighter.

yes, Hawaii would have to be it. YOu can't swim in February off Florida IMO. I used to live in LA, and winter was winter, we even had winter coats (at least a raincoast with a lining), and used the heater. Sure, once in a while you heard of some weird heatwave where it is 80 in January, but that's not the norm. Las Vegas is even colder, of course.

I do think California wouldn't be bad in winter, as long as you can drop the beach idea, it's a lot nicer than a lot of places. If one must have beaches, go to the Caribbean or Hawaii or Mexico, etc.

Sorry - not to be confusing:

Temps in the 20s would be minus 5 or 6 centigrade

Zero farenheit would be minus 18 centrigrade

You wold get that anyplace in the northern US.

I think you should go to Hawaii...with two weeks you could do Kauai or Maui and Oahu and make Honolulu your city time. The budget is slim, especially if you are looking for this February, because a lot of the cheaper good places are already booked, leaving the more expensive or not so good places. A condo would help cut food costs. Package deals including airfare might also be a good idea. Save the U.S. East Coast (New York/Florida) for a different trip (April/May or September/October would be better for those.)

Hawaii is great for honeymoons. Or anytime!

Hawaii/San Francisco

While we love Hawaii- and it's the best for beaches, etc - here in San Diego - we have mostly sunny and 70 degree days on the beach in Feb (occasional rainstorm blows in but usually gone in a day or two) - but the water will be in the low 60's. Fine for some of us - and surfers with wetsuits - but not as warm as Hawaii.

Palm Springs/Palm Desert - two hours away - is almost always warm too. :)

Actually - while it seems like it's always 70 near the beaches in SD - to moi - in Feb - it can actually get down to 60 - but it can also get up to over 80. :)

see for 2013: http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/san...weather/347628

TO OP - I don't mean to deflate your bubble but based on the desires you outlined on this thread and the similar one you have on the Caribbean forum your "wish list" is not realistic given your relatively small budget even though you said it doesn't include airfare (and I'm assuming by airfare you mean the flight from New Delhi to the US.

If you want to visit more than one city or do a combination city and beach vacation in the US you are going to incur additional airfare that could eat up a significant portion of your $3,500 to $4,500 budget. Your budget come to between $250 and $321 per day for a 14 day stay. You'll spend at least twice that amount for the two of you to fly between most US mainland cities and significantly more getting to/from Hawaii (assuming you want a guaranteed warm weather destination for part of your trip.

If I were you, I'd scale back your wish list and pick just one spot for your honeymoon (say Miami if you want "warm") and enjoy what that city has to offer. If you are intent on visiting the US for your honeymoon look at the cities you can reach look at the cities you can reach in the most cost efficient way from New Delhi and choose the one that most interests you and your fiancé. then try to maximize you time in that city on your limited budget.

Hello Everyone !!! Thanks a lot n lot for your dedicated detailed explanation n helpful cautious advice !!!

Being my honeymoon I am keeping all options open in these 4 forums as iam flexible to go any place which fulfile this small wish list we have which is why I have posted in US, Mexico, Caribbean too :) As every forum as its own experienced travellers who can help us flter out the confusions sonner than we can ourselves :)

I have finalized the choices for 14 days :
Hawaii
Hawaii + San Francisco
Mexico n Costa rica
Maldives
New Zealand !!

I have revised the budget upto $5000 now :)
Any views on these final options will be highly appreciated :)

Thanks a lot for ur time everyone :)

Kunal :)

are you planning that itinerary for 14 days?

Two weeks at a nice place in February (high season) in the Maldives might cost you more than $5000.00

February in San Francisco can be wet, but it seems like every year there is about a week or two in February with sunny and lovely weather. It has gotten more that way in recent years.

New Zealand get two exclamation marks. Does that mean that it is first choice?

If you want a warm beach in February, you should be looking south of the equator. Either Australia or New Zealand will work.
Will and Kate chose the Seychelles. They paid $5000 per night but you should be able to find something in your price range.