Ah the honeymoon! Your first vacation as newlyweds, a once-in-a-lifetime trip to indulge on just for two! But where to go? What to do? We’ve got eight hot honeymoon trends to consider if you want that oh-so romantic getaway post-big day!
1. GLAMPING! Yep, that’s short for glamorous camping! It’s great for those who love the great outdoors but want a little luxury too and for couples who want an active honeymoon. Perfect for domestic travelers since we know not everyone has a passport and it’s easy to get to if you have a short window of time to enjoy together. Consider places like, Dunton Hot Springs in Colorado – located in a romantic ghost town across the mountain from Telluride. They’ve got luxury tents, gorgeous rustic cabins, and everything glamping should be – lots of adventure in the great outdoors. You can fly fish, horseback ride, hike, mountain bike, rock climb white water raft and even take archeological tours of the nearby desert.
2. If you are an adventure seeker, then you’re in luck, ADVENTURE HONEYMOONS are all the rage so your options are growing! This is for those who lead an active lifestyle and can’t imagine doing nothing on a beach for a week. You could hit a city and see a sporting event, go on safari and stay at one of the luxury tent camps, do a bike tour of a foreign country, take a helicopter to the top of a glacier, or even dive the Great Barrier Reef. Anything on your bucket list can be on your honeymoon checklist!
3. For the utmost privacy and to get away from the big hotel chains, consider renting a PRIVATE VILLA instead! Private owners or villa rental companies will help you find the best place for you. You can typically book with staff or without (chefs, butlers, housekeeping and even activities directors). This travel style is very private and great for both people who want lazy days or highly active schedules. Europe or the Caribbean are peppered with private villas for your honeymoon pleasure, but really anywhere in the world you’ll find homes you can rent by the week for the trip.
4. Or if being left alone in a villa is a little too slow paced for you, then consider ALL-INCLUSIVE where you’ll likely make all kinds of new friends! These great no stress packages are perfect for those who want to know in advance what they’re spending, especially if finances and spending is a sore spot in your relationship. Although these aren’t cheap trips, you’ll be able to budget almost to the dollar of what you will spend on location.
5. And if you just can’t wait for the honeymoon, consider getting away for a MINI-MOON or even a PRE-WEDDING MOON. A mini-moon is a shorter trip, right after the wedding if you can’t get enough time off to take that big trip then or you want to wait for the right season to touchdown on your dream vacation. Think of this as a long weekend to recover together. And a pre-wedding honeymoon is just as it sounds – a chance to get away together for a long weekend during the wedding planning process and reconnect, remind each other why you’re marrying one another, despite the stress of planning the big day.
6. And if you do have time for a longer honeymoon, then consider COUNTRY HOPPING when you go! It’s a great chance to see a whole region in one part of the world. You can travel by tour or package to save and see a lot at once or simply opt for a change scenery to keep things interesting for the active traveler. It’s also a good way to compromise on places you both do or don’t want to go to.
7. And if you can’t decide where that is – you could always GO WHERE THE STARS GO! Some of the celeb hot spots to consider for your honeymoon include: St. Lucia (think Matt Damon and his wife Luciana at Sugar Beach, or Kendra and Hank at Jade Mountain). Or perhaps The Seychelles (islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa), where Prince William and Kate Middleton went for a very private honeymoon.
8. Then, no matter where you opt to go, consider hiring a HONEYMOON PHOTOGRAPHER while you’re there! You’ll make beautiful memories and capture them with minimal effort. Book out an afternoon to see the sites while a pro captures your photos (you’ll be thankful for coming home with more than just selfies). Talk to your hotel about great local wedding photographers who might do it for cheap on a weekday afternoon.
All Photos by Beautiful Day Photography.
Happy Travels!
