By Gina Pantina
Does picking the perfect honeymoon destination make you feel stressed instead of excited? Or do you regret where you chose to go on your honeymoon five, ten, or twenty years ago? In today’s world of perfect pictures and elaborate social media posts, picking the perfect honeymoon destination can feel like added pressure rather than the relaxing reward it’s supposed to be after saying, “I do.”
Whether you just got engaged, or have been married for thirty years and are wishing you could “redo” your honeymoon, the following five tips will help you and your partner choose the perfect honeymoon destination.
1. Go where you’ve (both) never gone before!
As wonderful as it is to show someone you love your favorite places, it’s even more thrilling to visit a new place with your special someone for the first time. You and your partner will get to discover, together, what there is to love about a new culture, from specialized food and drinks to site-specific excursions, without one person always feeling like they are playing catch up to the other person’s previous experiences.
2. Choose a place you never thought you’d be able to go.
Maybe it’s an African Safari; maybe it’s an overwater bungalow in French Polynesia; maybe it’s a wildlife adventure in Antarctica; whatever your ultimate dream vacation would be, use your honeymoon as the excuse to make it happen.
Don’t put it off as a “someday” destination any longer, because as we’ve all learned from the last two years, we should travel when we can and where we can, given the unpredictability of the world. You want to be able to look back on your honeymoon with thoughts like, “I’m so glad we went there when we could,” and not, “I wish we had gone there when we could/had the time/didn’t have kids yet/etc.”
Even when the world doesn’t set the travel restrictions, “life gets in the way” more often than we realize it will, so take the dream trip while you can!
3. Discuss each other’s expectations for your ideal honeymoon.
If you envision days lazing on the beach, but your partner doesn’t like to sit still and needs some adventure, you need a destination that can blend the experiences you both want.
Sometimes exploring a new city is ideal for one partner, while the other partner, who might want to relax more, would be happy staying at a hotel with a great spa in the midst of that bustling city. Most destinations can meet the expectations of both people, but first, being aware of each other’s expectations is key to planning a honeymoon that will make you both happy.
4. Do your research (or have a travel advisor do it for you).
While going somewhere new for both of you is ideal, knowing what to expect sets you up for a successful vacation instead of one that feels like a disappointment.
If you are choosing to go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights, but you are getting married in June and want to honeymoon right after, you are going to be disappointed when you get there and the sky never gets dark enough to see them.
Similarly, if Italy is your ideal destination, but you’re traveling in August, you may find many shops and restaurants closed for the month, or at least part of it, as August is traditionally when Italians take their vacations.
Doing your research, or working with a travel agent, will help you avoid these scenarios.
5. Make the choice yours and your partner’s, and no one else’s.
If you’ve read this far, you’ve likely solicited advice from friends and family so far as well. Like anything, everyone you talk to will have an opinion on where you should or shouldn’t go, but keep the ultimate decision between you and your partner.
Maybe you are Disney enthusiasts and even though you’ve been to Disney World countless times, your dream honeymoon is staying in a concierge suite at the Grand Floridian; do it! Especially if it will be a new experience for you both, and is something you both get excited talking about.
In the end, you want to go wherever you can most confidently look back on with no regrets. And if you do have regrets about your honeymoon, use this list to plan your redo today!
Whether you are just beginning the planning process, or you’ve already chosen a destination, your Love of the Magic Vacations Travel Advisor can assist you in achieving the honeymoon/vacation of your dreams with no regrets!
Blog post was written by Gina with Love of the Magic Vacations. For a free, no-obligation quote, click here to get started!
Pin this for later!
