I am getting married in late-December, and my fiancee and I are completely stumped on honeymoon ideas. We have a honeymoon budget of $3000–but this means that my dad is giving us a check for $3000. We’d rather spend less of it on the honeymoon and more of it on our rent and living expenses. So please, any anecdotes, experience, or advice regarding cheap, pleasant (sunny?) USA honeymoon locales would be GREATLY appreciated.
Further complication: our honeymoon week will fall smack dab during the holidays, which makes some destinations lousy. (Such as New Orleans, which we were thrilled about until we found that the Sugar Bowl takes place during the second half of our honeymoon, and we ain’t sports fans…)
Hmmmm…any ideas? Where did Uncle Cecil and the various married moderators go on their respective honeymoons? Please share…
Akash
P.S. Never thought I’d be asking the SMDB about this, but this new-fangled Internet thing is making me do things I’d never thunk of.
There is a place here in Florida where you can rent the entire Island for like $1500. You get a huge 3 bedroom house for a week and you can do whatever you want since it is your island!! I will try to find more info on it for you…
Anyway, I think this would be a great time, but who the hell am I. If you want to spend much less money, spend two days in Orlando. Go to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. Best damn theme park ever!!! Plus great hotels and many things to do on International Drive.
I didn’t have a honeymoon–just the wedding night, and back to normal life.
Have you thought of going to somewhere in the Southwest, like New Mexico or Arizona, and spending the time at a resort?
(I’m really trying to think of sunny places in the US during the holidays)
There are tons of desert resorts all around the Southwest that will most likely be having specials around the holidays–and these places have spas so your beloved can get a massage and all those other kinds of girly things.
What about Florida? Santa Barbara, California?
Santa Barbara may be something to look into. Nice B & B’s around, small & romantic… check it out.
We happened to get married here, and honeymooned elsewhere, but we know of other couples who did the honeymoon thing in…(drumroll)…
Charleston, SC. In December it’s not too cold, and the place is all decorated for the holidays so it’s really pretty. There are carriage rides, home tours, museums, an aircraft carrier to visit, the beach (admittedly you won’t be swimming in December, but still pretty). We flew our family and friends down for a weekend in December for our wedding. 'Twas nice.
Don’t know what New Orleans is like in December, but that comes to mind. Santa Fe might be nice. How about Key West? never been, but heard it’s lovely!
Also, Walt Disney World is in fact getting to be a sorta big honeymoon destination, if that’s your style…
The flight cost will vary, of course, depending on the distance traveled.
But personally, I love San Diego. It’s a beautiful, clean, young city with plenty of things to do. When the fiancé and I first got together, he was living in that area, and we spent several weekends in the downtown area. I really love it down there, and wouldn’t mind even moving there.
and you may consider adding a cruise with it. Late Dec and early Jan. are slow time for cruise. I took my family of five on the Big Red Boat in Jan. for $1200 out of Cape Canaveral. Good food, good time, see the Bahamas, go snorkeling, meet new people, shop.
Bear Nemo suggested Sanibel, it is beautiful, but I can’t stand the rich, old, shitty drivers that monopolize the daytime roadways on the west coast of Fla.
later, Tom
Let’s see we can basically eliminate the Northern half of the US.
Sanibel and Captiva are nice. I stayed at South Seas Plantation an Captiva a couple years ago and it was very nice and reasonable. I think we paid around 4-500 apiece(2 couples) It was June though and we brought our own food.
If you go get Bon for a charter captain(he rocks) and anything you catch they will prepare at one of the resort’s restaurants for like $15 bucks. AWESOME!!!
As far as San Diego everyone I know who has been there loves it!!
you like to ski? How about Whistler-Blackcomb resort near vancouver. You can have a ton of fun and your $$ really stretch in Canada. They have every type of activity and hotel right there on resort (dogsledding anyone?) – you never have to leave.
Bear_Nenno Thanks for the tips! I’ll look into the websites you provided and see how much cash they want to suck from us. : )
Popokis5, et al We will be flying out of Salt Lake City where our 2nd reception will be held. Salt Lake is a pretty big airport now and it serves most destinations for a reasonable fare if you book early enough.
Thanks all for the tips and suggestions! Please keep them coming!
Akash
If you have the time and you don’t mind hours in the car, you could try a road trip honeymoon. We drove down the Pacific Coast along Highway 101. We alternated camping with staying in hotels and it wasn’t too expensive.
On the other hand I don’t think it would be as fun in December, the weather might not be all that great. But it is cheap. From salt lake you could head south and visit the SW during the comfortable time of year.
I know you said USA, but from Utah, Mexico is just a hop, skip and a jump. It’s also cheap. And warm.
USA, I’m with Ruff. San Diego is a great place, for all the reasons Ruff stated.
If you like to ski, the Rockies are right there-except for it can get expensive–
Congratulations on your marriage!
Niagara Falls is the best. Enjoy the tacky town and it’s odd idea of soouvenirs, then take The Maid of The Mist boat ride to the base of the falls, and ESPECIALLY go for the walk behind the falls.
