My fiance' and I still have to plan a honeymoon for September. I have enough airline miles to get us anywhere in the US including Hawaii for free, but after buying a house, we still don't have much to spend on lodging and food. I want to lie on the beach; he wants great seafood and scuba diving. I'm thinking Hawaii or California since it's hurricane season around Florida. Any suggestions??
NikkiK

California ocean water temps. are chilly. Try Maui.

You often hear honeymooners comparing grand hawaiin resorts on this forum. If you search a little you will find that hawaii is filled with hidden gems and can be done rather affordably if you do your homework. Hell you could camp and scuba....get an amazing condo, or rental. There's nothing more romantic to me then hiking the NaPali Coast, Kauai and floating in those colors of green and blue, or eating a picnic dinner between swims and sunset at Makena Beach, Maui. Or just exploring Big Island as affordably as you can...which although we haven't made it there, I know you can pull of a grand tour of the island without getting sucked into the resorts. You can enjoy the resorts on an anniversary trip back! Aloha, g'ou

hawaii!!! i got there by using the ffmiles otherwise it would have been out of reach. pick one island, i vote for kauai or maui and RENT a condo for a week -it will likely save you money over a resort hotel, it will enable you to have private meals when you want. go to some of the cyber rental sites. there are plenty of units on vrbo.com also check out greatrentals.com and cyberrentals.com (think i got all the names right) Get location and compare to a guide book, moon handbooks or maui revealed etc... Make sure you confirm that there will be air conditioning NOT ALL CONDOS HAVE IT. check for individual properties by looking at hawaii posts using the hawaii sort feature at the top of the page. mehalo!

RE: Hawaii

Most condos don't have A/C because you usually don't need it. The combo of ceiling fans and the constant breezes have always kept us pretty cool.

I agree, condos are a great way to go for saving money. We stayed at condos on Kauai and Maui and like to travel cheap with hiking, snorkeling, and beaching, all free. Here are my very detailed trip reports:


Maui
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34436140

Kauai
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34508517

Big Island
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34542623

Hawaii in September was great! Not as hot as in the dead of summer, cooler at night...lovely weather and warm calm water.

Our ocean front condo on Maui was around $800 for seven nights, one bedroom, clean, full kitchen, gorgeous views, wonderful! (Kihei Surfside, see my trip report) Just buy some groceries and fresh fish and barbecue away for next to nothing. And all of nature is open to you for free (okay, except scuba diving). I freaking love Hawaii.

love
roxy

Another point with regards to Hawaii is that it can be VERY expensive to fly there...so why not put your miles to their best advantage and go while you can fly for free!

My youngest had somewhat the same choices last year and is sorry he didn't do Hawaii. You've gotten great answers- and the airfare point is a clincher.

Nothing against Hawaii, but as a southern California, I do want to say that September is generally our hottest month, and water temps will be pretty warm. Maybe not tropical, but it is our best beach month.

We stayed in Kauai, Princeville Resort at Sea Lodge A2 last summer at the end of July and begining of August.

Sea Lodge A2 is a quiet little condo located in the first building in the corner on the 1st floor, no hauling luggage up and down stairways. Great views and decorated really nice, trail to a secluded beach outside.

We had a great time, very romantic Honeymoon Suite.

I found their web site from my stuff. www.kauaisealodgecondos.com I talked to Kalea.

Please let them know I referred you, maybe they will give me a break when I go next year.

Ally

Hurricanes (typhoons) also occur in Hawaii and California as September is hurricane season everywhere.

That said, I wouldn't let it interfere with my choice of location.

ALthough September is warm and a beautiful month for anywhere along coastal California, there really isn't any Scuba Diving here... so head for Hawaii! (I don't ever remember a hurricane here! Hurricanes in California?)Gotravel... tell me more!

Maui, Maui, Maui!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If a condo does not appeal to you, look into the Kaanapali Beach Resort, it is on the best beach in Maui, right next to the Sheraton at Black Rock an awesome snorkel spot!!!! It is the most reasonable lodging on Kaanapali beach.

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!

Hopefully you only get married once! We bought a house before we were married and were rather strapped for our honeymoon too. We skimped and went to the Bahamas. It was okay. Years later, we made it to Hawaii, (pregnant and with a toddler). I think if you only have one honeymoon, and you have the free miles, enjoy your honeymoon and go to Hawaii. It is far from the east coast and it is not someplace you get to afford to go to all the time. And you don't have kids yet! So enjoy and look into the condo suggestions above!