Where are you going on your honeymoon?

[FD21Bride]

Hey all....my fiancee and I need ideas for our honeymoon. We have around a $4,000 budget and just can''t decide. We''ve tossed around Alaska, Hawaii, Vegas and even Montana.

I don''t like super hot and humid weather....so any ideas?

Where are you going or where did you go and how was it? Would you go back again?

Thanks

 

[MelissaSue]

Perhaps Northern California?

I don''t know where we were going. We were going to go to Europe for two weeks, primarily France. But since we are buying a house, we have decided to look for a cheaper option and one we can do in a week. Right now.. it looks like we may be going to Disney World! (Fla)

 

[JessesGrl]

We went to a beautiful all inclusive resort in Mexico, we spent 3700 on the room/airfare and then about another 600 on extras like swimming with dolphins, snorkeling ect. We stayed at Secrets Capri in the Mayan Riviera- we had an excellent time...although it is now in bad shape due to the hurricane that came through a few weeks after we left

 

[njc]

We did 2 weeks in Hawaii for about $6k. You could get it down to around $4k easily though. We stayed at some pretty nice hotels and went to 3 different islands, but it was worth it to us. Every hotel in Hawaii is nice (its Hawaii! Nothing is bad there!!!) and here is a thread from a while back that talked about staying in condos and what not and prices. Also do a search... Hawaii is pretty popular with PSers!

 

[lmurden]

Costa Rica!

 

[lovelylulu]

i have a fantasy of going to bora bora -- though i''m not sure how humid that is

 

[flopkins]

We''re going to Hawaii. First week in Kauai, then Maui for a few days and Honolulu on the way home! Yay! We (or I) wanted sunny and beachy, and since we''re on the West Coast the flight is shortest to HI, compared to the Carribbean...

If you want non humid and non hot - depends what time of year you''re looking at -when is your wedding?

MS''s idea of California''s a great place! (if I do say so myself

) If you want Nor Cal, you can do San Francisco, Napa/Sonoma for wine tasting, Monterey for the Aquarium, lots of hiking type stuff in Muir Woods, ...

So Cal you can do Santa Barbara for beaches and hiking, Los Angeles, Disneyland... San Diego for the Zoo ... the possibilities are endless!

 

[JCJD]

We went on a wonderful Carribean cruise. Hot, but not humid even in June. Our ship was the Carnival Conquest.

 

[eks6426]

We went to Petite St Vincent in the Grenadines last July. It was paradise. Your own private cottage--and only 22 of them on the whole island. They bring your food to your cottage. You communicate with a flag system--yellow flag means "we need something--and you put on note in the pole" red flag means "leave us alone."

We went snorkeling, hiking & a lot of beach time in the hammocks in the shade. Cost $3900 for 8 days 7 nights --includes all food & most beverages....not including airfare. We used frequent flyer miles.

Here''s the link http://psvresort.com/

PSV is not for the social types...there''s very little socializing...just lots of time to be with your honey!

 

[lovelylulu]

island: as soon as i read your post, i forwarded it to my man. it sounds dreamy!!!!!

i might never want to come back...

 

[eks6426]

loveylulu

This was the view from our patio of our cottage. I want to go back! In fact, my husband and I are now fantasizing about going there for our anniversary...but it''s not going to happen this year.

If you have more money, you might want to check out Peter Island in the British Virgin Islands. It looked dreamy--we just couldn''t swing it financially.

 

[jcrow]

IslandDreams- now we all know where your avatar pic came from!!!

 

[lovelylulu]

island: i think that i love the place you stayed. those cottages are so perfect. it''s my dream!!!!

do you know if people can donate frequent flyer miles -- i might have to register for some

 

[Tybee]

Oh Island Dreams,

Wow, that sounds fantastic! And right up my alley!
FI and I are having a ''weddingmoon.'' We''re getting married at Caneel Bay in the USVI and staying there for a few days after the wedding. No phones and no TV''s, but not nearly as private as your place sounds!


I was recently talking to a friend who had a destination wedding in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. They stayed there for a week with all their guests, then the two of them jetted off for a ski trip at Whistler! Can you imagine? Lap of luxury I tell you! Best of both worlds.

 

[Odilia]

Went to the Alps. It was beautiful and we loved it!

 

[rms]

we just got back from a 7 night trip to Puerto Vallarta. Package included airfare and a fantastic all inclusive resort which has it''s own beach. Every room has a gorgeous ocean view. Total package cost was well under $3K. And the fabulous thing about PV this time of year and pretty much through April is that the weather is unbelievable. High eighties to low nineties (perfect by the water), low humidity, blue skies. My DH made all the arrangements, and all I did was show up

.

 

[BrightSpot]

My FI & I are doing a weddingmoon in Jamaica. We''ll be married at an all-inclusive resort, then will stay there for a few extra days (either at the resort where we were wed or the resort next door to it) for our honeymoon. I''ve heard it''s pretty hot AND humid, so that might be out for you, FD21Bride.

SanDiegoLady, a honeymoon in Italy sounds fabulous!

 

[codex57]

Went on a cruise to the Caribbeans. Splurged on spa treatments and still came in under $3500. I don''t think I''d go again.

Like you, I''m not a fan of the hot and humid. I''ve been to Hawaii and while it can get hot and humid, it wasn''t when I last went (in August no less). Definitely go back there again and it''d make a great honeymoon location. I loved Alaska and am bugging my wife to go with me, but I dunno if it''d be as romantic.

NYC might be cool, but it can also get hot and humid in the summer. For a shorter trip, San Diego might be a good idea? Where are you from? California has a ton of nice places. We don''t get humid here. If I weren''t from California, I think this would be a great honeymoon place. SF is also really nice and romantic and you can take a short getaway to Nappa Valley.

 

[BrightSpot]

Date: 11/28/2005 11:31:58 PM
Author: SanDiegoLady

Date: 11/28/2005 9:38:20 AM
Author: BrightSpot
My FI & I are doing a weddingmoon in Jamaica. We''ll be married at an all-inclusive resort, then will stay there for a few extra days (either at the resort where we were wed or the resort next door to it) for our honeymoon. I''ve heard it''s pretty hot AND humid, so that might be out for you, FD21Bride.

SanDiegoLady, a honeymoon in Italy sounds fabulous!

We had friends go to Jamaica.. oohahh. They loved it. I have always wanted to go to Italy and after having seen the movie Under the Tuscan Sun and after having talked to our friend Cliff Robertson over dinner (who went on and on and on about how romantic it was to film there) we decided we wanted to go... lol I want to spend a week on the mainland and a week on Sardinia and La Maddelana.. Steve said even as a little boy it was breathtaking.

Wow, that sounds so romantic! I hope you''ll post some pics of your trip when you get home!

FD21Bride, when are you getting married? NYC is wonderful in the spring & fall (especially the fall), but I don''t know that I''d recommend it as a honeymoon destination in the summer. It''s no fun when it''s hot here...

What do you want to do on your honeymoon? Do you want to be active & see lots of sights, or just relax & enjoy your new hubbie''s company?

 

[jcrow]

Date: 11/22/2005 1:15:17 PM
Author: IslandDreams
We went to Petite St Vincent ...

We went snorkeling, hiking & a lot of beach time in the hammocks in the shade. Cost $3900 for 8 days 7 nights --includes all food & most beverages....not including airfare. We used frequent flyer miles.

sorry to bring this thread up again, i know how old it is, but i have a question for islanddreams.

islanddreams- you mentioned most beverages. can you elaborate? we are looking at this place and want the scoop. thanks! oh, and how bad is the plane ride from barbados to Union Island?

 

[lovelylulu]

jcrow: because of those amazing pictures island first posted a long, long time ago, fiancee and i decided it would be our dream honeymoon. we just got finished making all the travel arrangements.

i believe the flight from barbados to union island is $335 per person. so kind of pricey. but look at where you get to go

It''s also my understanding that alcohol is not included, except for some welcome to the island beverages. but, we''ve discovered some interesting advice -- purchase duty free alcohol, perhaps some local rum, and all the mixers anyone could desire are provided by PSV. also, i''m sure if you want wine with dinner, they''d have a selection.

Island could certainly answer your questions a lot better, but i hope that helps.

 

[eks6426]

jcrow--They included basics like coffee/tea/water/fruit juices,pop at lunch etc. If you wanted alcholic beverages you had to buy them from the bar except at lunch when you could get a lot of rum punches (highly recommend!). We actually bought some rum on our stop in Barbados and used fruit juice to mix our own cocktails. We also brought some champaign/wine that people had given us. The staff brings you a cooler with ice cubes in it every day. We asked for a 2nd one to keep our stuff cold.

The bar prices were not too bad...probably $5-6 for a drink like a pina colada. They add them to your bill at the end.

The plane ride from Barbados to Union Island was an adventure. The plane was small--maybe 12 people and very cramped. On the way there, the seats were bench seats like on a school bus. They had seat belts but I don''t think we used them. I am pretty short...5''4" and I had to sit with my knees up because there wasn''t enough room. My 6''3" husband sat with his legs sideways in the aisle the whole time. That being said, the scenery was really beautiful. I enjoyed flying over the water and watching the Tobago Cays. There were a few bumps because of clouds but overall it was a pretty smooth flight. On the way back we had a different and bigger plane which had normal seats and standard leg-room. It was the same airline company both times, so I guess it just depends on the plane.

A funny story though...on Union Island there are lots of wild goats. We actually had to circle around the island once while the island kids clear the goats off the runway. We had to laugh at that.

The boat ride from Union to PSV is great. Very nice boat with all the luxuries.

 

[jcrow]

thank you both so much for the info. i didn'' know if i should start a new thread on this or not. maybe i should have

in any case.... so it''s legal to buy alcohol in barbados and fly it to petite st. vincent? does wine come free with dinner?

the little plane ride sorta freaks me out. i looked at the flight website and it listed 4 different planes that go to and fromt PSV.

some other random questions: bugs? how bad? i was reading another resort that warned of scorpions

.
how about the temp. i know there''s no ac. but i assume there''s none because you don''t need any?
and there are no pools, right?

 

[eks6426]

jcrow--

no free wine with dinner....sorry. that's why we brought our own to use when we ate at our cottage which we did most of the time. Yes, you can buy in Barbados and bring it to Union Island. You have to declare it at customs. We bought 1 bottle and had no problem.

think of the plane ride as an adventure and go with that. maybe a nice cocktail in Barbados would help

Bugs---I never saw any scorpions so no worries there. The thing that got me were the sand fleas...you can't see them but once they bite they really itch. They are mostly out at dawn & dusk. I picked them up on the first non-rainy night by taking a sunset walk...then walking around the island and over some seaweed that had washed up on the beach (stay away from these!). (They mostly sweep it off the beach but we took a "shortcut" through an area that was not considered the swimming beach) I got a lot of bites that night and to be honest, they did drive me a bit nuts. We did not take any more sunset walks after that and I didn't get nearly as many bites after that. I think the conditions were just right...a lot of rain the day before then sun so all the critters came out. Mosquitoes weren't too bad. I do recommend you bring some bug spray (get the high DEET stuff) and spray from the knees down just to help ward off the sand fleas. I think there was some in the room too. Also, bring whatever helps you with itching after bug bites. Also, you can ask for mosquito netting for your bed if they are in issue then.... jcrow--just so you know the sand fleas were in Barbados too.

Temperatures were pretty temperate. I was never really hot unless out in the sun in the middle of the day...then of course I was pretty much getting in the water. At night, the cottage caught the breezes pretty well and there was also the ceiling fan. It was however humid all the time (towels don't dry all the way if you hang them out), so if you are used to sleeping in a dry enviroment it might make you feel warmer than normal.

Another note on the bugs--at night we liked to burn candles or leave lights on since it got dark around 6:30pm...but we learned that if we didn't close the glass sliding doors, the bugs were VERY attracted to our candles or lights. We spent our first night swatting at the flying insects after we attracted them to our cottage.

Bring flashlights....walking to & from the dining area at night definitely needs a flashlight.

oh yeah, and no pools is correct. But you have the whole ocean as your pool. The owners have a really cool looking pool, but it's not for resort guests.

 

[jcrow]

thanks! you have been really really helpful! right now we are trying to decide between PSV and Ti Kaye. and who knows, something else might pop up along the way.

i really hadn''t thought of a flashlight... need to remember that, and of course bug stuff.

i live in louisiana so the humidity is no problem.

yeh the scorpions on another resort''s website freaked me out. the site said something like...scorpions are found throughout mexico. we try to keep them out but the occasional scorpion will show up

 

[eks6426]

The thing I really liked about PSV was the total and complete privacy. You absolutely have no other cottages looking in on you.....


Yikes on the scorpions in Mexico. I''m going there for my 1st anniversay July 3. We''ll be in Tankah Bay just north of Tulum (2 hours south of Cancun).

 

[lillei]

I love that this post came up!!! We just booked our honeymoon 2 days ago, and I am soooo excited. Since we are getting married at the end of October, I was desperately nervous of our odds of running into a hurricane. I know that October isn''t prime hurricane season, but either way, I didn''t want to chance it. I''ve heard way too many horror stories, and certainly didn''t want our honeymoon to turn into one of those....no matter how laughable it may have been in the future.

We decided on Aruba as it is out of the hurricane belt, and rarely gets any rain. Although the all-inclusive option was expensive, I''m glad to free my mind of the constant worry of budgeting while away on our vacation. The resort that we are staying at is called the Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino, and looks absolutely fabulous! The resort takes up a whole city block....it has 4 pools, 6 bars, 15 restaurants, and over 100 stores. Yay!!!! It even has it''s own 40 acre private island that has 3 beaches as well as a bar and food. A water taxi runs from 7a-7p; it picks you up right in the lobby, and then 7 minutes later you''re on the island. I don''t have the link handy, but if you run a search, it comes right up. FYI: Click on the Marriott website when doing the search if you want to go to the official link. Also, if anyone has ever stayed there before, please let me know how your experience was. I did much research already, and although the reviews were all positive, I think I would trust you PS''ers more!

 

[jcrow]

island= this is the website where i saw the scorpion warning. it''s under the faqs. i am sure you''ll be fine.
http://www.verana.com/

 

[flutterby]

I am so excited about our honeymoon! We are going to la casa que canta in ixtapo(SP???). It is pricey, so we are only going for 4 nights. We wanted a smaller boutique hotel instead of a large all inclusive. Only for this special vacation. All inclusives and large hotels definatley have their benefits!

www.lacasaquecanta.com

 

[eks6426]

jcrow--verena looks wonderful. I definitely added that one to my "possible anniversary" trip list. If you go there instead of PSV, I''d love to hear the details.