Hi, I've been looking over the site and feel a bit overwhelmed. My fiance and I are in need of planning our honeymoon for late this June ASAP. We were first considering a cruise, but too expensive for our budget. There are so many places that I would someday like to go, but would like advice for our one and only honeymoon. Would like to do some relaxing, but also some site seeing and adventure. Need a fun and relaxing vacation that wouldn't be overly expensive. Please respond ASAP.

Thanks!

Hi Tami,

Where is your starting point? Budget? Length of the honeymoon? Any favorite activities? Want a relaxing beach type trip? Sightseeing and great restaurants? Or maybe hiking and more outdoors? Give us some clues and hopefully we can guide you in your search for a great honeymoon.

Our starting point is Michigan, but airline tickets aren't a problem as long as in the continental US. We are a young couple 25 so we enjoy relaxing, outdoors, and also a bit of a night life. Our length of trip would be a week to 10 days. As far as budget, we haven't set an exact amount. We can't go overboard, but we don't want a cheap and uneventful honeymoon either. My problem is we would enjoy a lot of types of activities, just over-whelming to narrow down at this point! Thanks for the help

Tami,
Since airline tickets are not a concern you have many wonderful choices. Your circumstances and interests sound a lot like ours when we honeymooned (although it was 16 years ago!). Here are some of my ideas.

San Francisco--you don't need a car and it's a beautiful city with a range of hotels, resaurants, site seeing and night life.
Sante Fe--Fly into Albequerque and take a beautiful one-hour drive up the Turquoise Trail to SF. Nearby is an outdoor Opera, huge open air market, Bandolier State Park, Taos and lots of outdoor activities. Lots of hotel and restaurant choices.
North Lake Tahoe-stunning scenery, many hotel/condo choices. Lots of nightlife on the south shore.
Jackson Hole, WY - Same as all the above plus a very short drive to the Tetons and Yellowstone.
Boston - Again, same as above. Plus it's a great walking city.
Finally Martha's Vinyard or any quaint coastal town in Maine.

Not to make your choice more complicated, but my husband and I had a similar dilemma when we got married, and took our 10-day honeymoon in Oregon. We started in Portland, a very clean, beautiful city with lots to do, then drove along the Columbia River Gorge--lots of areas to hike, several waterfalls, AMAZING scenery. We then drove along the coast and spent a couple of nights in Cannon Beach (the water was too cold for us Southerners to swim in, but again, AMAZING scenery!). It was a great honeymoon, wouldn't change a thing, and if you pick your hotels wisely, not too expensive.

I'd think twice about the Santa Fe idea. I've been to New Mexico in June and it can tend to get a little on the hot side since it's in the desert.

The other ideas all sound great though. Portland is a wonderful city, but I'd also consider Seattle. Seattle has a lot to see and do. Good nightlife and wonderful scenery. Fly into Seattle and tackle this area for a few days before taking a ferry up to British Columbia (Vancouver & Victoria) or to the San Juan Islands. I was in the San Juan Islands last Memorial Day and it was great. Not much for nightlife, but a relaxing setting for a few days on your honeymoon. And Vancouver is quite the cosmopolitan city and offers great parks and outdoor activities.

As for the cost, I think you'll find that your money will go a lot further if you choose the Pacific Northwest as opposed to San Francisco. Don't get me wrong, San Francisco is one of my favorites, but is quite costly.

Don't knock out the idea of a cruise altogether. They're often less expensive than you would think when you consider that your food and entertainment is included in the cost. Inquire with a travel agent about your cruise options that time of year and find out if there are any deals going on.

I agree with Sam & Tom. Cruises can tend to be a bargain as opposed to doing everything on your own. Many of the cruises to Mexico are quite reasonable and if airfare isn't a problem, then getting to LAX for the cruise departure wouldn't be an issue. If you don't think you can afford a cruise, definitely don't consider going to San Francisco...just a few meals out and a hotel room for an evening will eat up your entire budget. I second the idea of the Pacific Northwest. It's a great region to explore.

Definitely consider the Pacific Northwest. You can't beat it for the beauty. You'll have to be careful about expenses though, unless you travel on up into British Columbia, which I definitely recommend. Whister is great in the summer. Very nice hotels and restaurants. Your money will go alot further with the exchange rate. The farthest north you can fly is Seattle and it's a beautiful 3 - 4 hour drive up there. I'd also make time for Victoria. The RBC museum is great and a whale watching excursion is fun. The ferries can be a pain, but it's worth the time it takes to get over there.

San Francisco is on the pricey side, but with wise planning it can be done. It's a wonderful city with lots to see and do. You don't need a car, but can still visit some quaint places by ferry. I think it would be a great honeymoon destination.

By the way, we did a honeymoon cruise. We liked it, but felt that we would have preferred doing our own thing on our own schedule. We would also have liked a nicer stateroom, but it was too pricey for us back then.

I agree with the above post. Go to Canada where your money is going to stretch further. The Banff/Lake Louise area would be an ideal spot for a honeymoon. Congratulations!

I agree with the poster just above me. Your money will go a lot farther in Canada, and it is so gorgeous in the Canadian Rockies...

Go to Banff, Lake Louise/Mirror Lake and Jasper. Beautiful mountains, with hiking, canoeing, etc.; the Canadian Pacific Hotels are wonderfully romantic and comparatively inexpensive (compared, that is, to their equivalents in the US). You will love it!!!

How about Mortreal and Quebic City in Canada. I loved Quebic - one of the prettiest places I've ever visited. Would be a very romantic honeymoon location - like being in Paris, just a lot closer and cheaper.

But I do have to second the vote for the Seattle and San Juan Islands area - be perfect if you enjoy the outdoors.

I love the ideas that you're receiving. The Seattle and Vancouver area is one of my favorites. And the San Juan Islands would be such a peaceful getaway for a couple days for newlyweds.

I also love Quebic City. Such choices...just keep in mind that none of these northern locations will bring you much in terms of warm weather. Assuming that this is not an issue for you, then I don't think you could go wrong with these suggestions.

Please let us know what the final decision is! Fodorites are so often asked advice, but rarely get any feedback.

Great ideas. Keep driving distances in mind since your air travel needs to remain within the continental US. If you pick Canada, you'll want to fly into the closest US airport you can find.

Vancouver and Victoria are both beautiful places and your money goes a lot further because of the exchange rate.

I forgot to say that you could fly in and out of Seattle and take the ferrie to Victoria stay a couple of days and then take the ferrie to Vancouver if you desire.

Thanks to all that have posted suggestions!!! I am trying to take it all in. I have a question. What is the weather like up there middle/late June?

I am still welcoming all suggestions!

The weather is never hot up in that region, so if you plan on soaking up the rays out by a pool while drinking maragaritas...look elsewhere. But if you want a great place to explore and enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors, then it's a wonderful choice. I guess it just depends on how you envision your honeymoon.

Hi tami!You should consider Akumal Mexico.Get a flight into Cancun rent a small car and drive south,about 1hour,easy drive great places to stay very affordable,laid back,not like cancun,lots of adventures very close, fabulous beaches,Mayan ruins to explore Mexico's best kept secret.Any questions e-mail me....Drew

While I'm not familar with the exact area in Mexico that is being suggested, I have to warn you that many of the more remote areas of Mexico tend to be less than glamourous and the idea of eating tacos off of a beach might not be your idea of a romantic honeymoon. I just want you to know what you're getting into before heading off to Mexico. Some people love traveling there, while others would never go back. But I suppose that's the case with most places.