Wedding Blog
I think my ideal honeymoon would involve a three week European tour filled with a combination of exploration and relaxation. This, however, is not possible for us at the moment *makes a sad face*. We have neither the available time off, nor the funds.
Despite foregoing our dream trip, I really want to take a smallish vacation after our wedding because:
I guess we would be open to a trip to Mexico, but I’ve been there, done that, and it’s kind of scary over there right now anyways. So now, I’m trying to come up with some possible locations in the US (or close vicinity) to throw into the suggestion pot (Mr. Beagle is coming up with his own possible travel locations… you could say I’m just cheating by asking for your help 
).
So here’s what we have in mind:
It will take place at the end of October/beginning of November. We will probably only have a few days to a week available, so we would like to spend as little time traveling as possible. We’re not interested in Vegas and skiing might not be a good idea either (me = klutzy). We’re open to cold or hot weather locations, but please bear in mind that we’re from Texas… the coldest it gets here is maybe 30 degrees Fahrenheit, for like, one day. We would like something that includes relaxation and sightseeing so that we can do either if we choose. Oh, and we would like to get out of Texas.
Where did/will you go on your honeymoon? Where would you suggest we go?
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How about Arizona? You could stay in Scottsdale for a few days at a resort, hit up the spas, and relax by the pools. They also have delicious food there at many of the great restaurants! Then you could go to Sedona and see the beautiful scenery there and relax at a cute B&B or small hotel. Then go up to Flagstaff & see Route 66 and hit up the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
I don’t know if this would be too far but you could find cheap airfare into Charleston and the drive an hour ot Kiawah. http://www.kiawahresort.com/
It is a semi tropical island resort where you could get a great mini-moon experience. It is also a nature preserve you can kayak and see dolphins and ride horses on the beach.
Savannah, GA! It is one of my favorite cities of all time, and certainly my favorite one in the States. The food ALONE is worth traveling there for, PLUS you’re right on the coast. It’s beachy fun plus southern hospitality at it’s BEST!
Miss Beagle,
I have one word for you: Hawaii. October/November is still during possible hurricane season so the Mexico/Caribbean idea might not be the best idea. Hawaii is perfection year round. While the temperature is usually 85 degrees, it has breezes and light rain in the afternoons that make it feel much nicer than Texas. There is tons of sightseeing to do. Splurge on a helicopter ride (or set up a registry so one of your guests can pitch in for it) and I promise you won’t regret it. There are waterfalls, hiking, beach chairs (my idea of relaxation), and Pearl Harbor if anyone is a history buff. It takes a few hours to get there but it’s so worth it.
Definitely somewhere with for-real fall leaves. I grew up in Texas and moved to Seattle after college and was just floored by the big trees, but I can’t recommend Seattle that time of year, the chance of constant drizzle is just too high. Those farms in Connecticut type places always look gorgeous, maybe it’s not so rainy there and you can still get that gorgeous fall-feeling.
Hmmm… if you don’t want to travel far, I’d ditto New Mexico, Arizona or maybe even Utah. Hiking in Moab (UT)? Taos?
Another pseudo-european idea might be New Orleans?
We’re going to honeymoon in Vermont, and I can’t stress how amazing it is there in the fall. Not to mention, it’s the perfect place to relax and do nothing, but there are plenty of other things to do including hiking, canoeing, horseback riding, etc., and Vermont has some of the most amazing restaurants (and also some good shopping areas!).
B&B’s can be found at great rates and I haven’t been to a place in Vermont that isn’t beautifully scenic.
For the fall, I’d for to a New England state. They have SEASONS there (unlike us in Texas).
How about Asheville NC? You can tour the Biltmore (and it’s winery). It’s a good town to hole up in a cabin with a fireplace. The Oak Grove Inn is really cool. Also, the downtown is really eclectic and artsy and there are tons of great restaurants! My husband and I went here on our minimoon!
Napa is a great place to visit. That is actually where my FI proposed. They have great food, and scenery, and it’s a great place to just relax and check out from your life. We stayed at the Candlelight Inn. I highly recommend it. The breakfasts there (b/c it’s a B&B) are to DIE for!
I was going to suggest Asheville too!
I would second Napa, or Seattle…I’m dying to go to Seattle!
I find it funny that cjs would suggest New England b/c I ended up in Austin, TX around that time last year. LOL
I second Savannah - went last July it is beautiful and the food IS great.
There’s always La Isla de Encanto - Puerto Rico. You have a rain forest, beaches, mountains, El Viejo San Juan,that huge observatory in Arecibo and BACARDI. (Ok I’ll admit I favor the island b/c my family is from there). Cabo Rojo is also beautiful one of the most famous beaches on the island.
Moab, UT?
It’s what we did for our mini-moon. We stayed at this fabulous bed & breakfast that had its own pool and hot tub and did some hiking & some out doors stuff but they also have TONS of spas and good food to live it up. Plus, as it’s a dessert area, it would likely still be pretty temperate then.
Go to Denver, CO! As a fellow (now kind of former) Texan, I promise you that it’s not too cold there during October and it’s BEAUTIFUL! People are so nice out there! If you go, check out the Red Rock amphitheatre.
Tickets on Southwest are pretty cheap from Austin to Denver too!
If you want a little European feel, you might consider Quebec City. A little slice of France in Canada!
Savannah, Asheville, or Charleston would all be great places for a long weekend or minimoon. Great restaurants, fun areas to walk around, romantic B&Bs or inns to curl up in, and good potential for a day trip to go hiking in the mountains or on the coast, if you have time. And it wouldn’t take too long to get to any of them from Austin, depending on flights.
Belize Belize Belize! It would be a quick flight for you guys from Texas! We connected through Texas - look into it — Ambergris Caye. do it do it do it! (There are also a few threads on the boards that are talking about Belize, search Weddingbee and you’ll find a few!)
We’re mini-mooning Vegas for 5 days. I wasn’t crazy about it but $900 which includes air and hotel at a 5+* hotel for both of us was too good of a deal to pass up. We’re getting tickets to see some shows on points and treating ourselves to a day at the spa.
Vancouver BC is nice. But maybe not for that time of year. Lots of rain. Same goes for Seattle.
wow - we are in the exact same boat. Wedding is on Halloween this year - and we are still unsure about what we are doing right after the wedding. It would be so nice to take a mini vaca after all the crazy planning and working of his past year - it has been sooo hectic! We have thought about doing a b&b for a few days within driving distance, also talked about doing key west - been there so many times already though…its a toughie…. we are also planning a euro trip - Italy and Greece - last week of May 2010 - for 2-3 weeks…that will be a fun trip to start planning post wedding we cannot wait!!!! Right now I am def. leaning more towards a few days of downtime within driving distance to decrease all stress of planning any trip right after and to save more money for the “real” honeymoon!!! Good luck!!
I think it’d be fun to go to California. FH and I went to San Diego last October and the weather was so nice. You could start there and drive up Hwy 1, hit some nice places. Otherwise just staying in SD, SF, or Napa would be a nice honeymoon.
I would suggest like some of the others Asheville, NC or Charleston, SC. Another place we are considering (I’m not familiar with their weather during Oct/November) is the San Juan Islands off the Washington coast.
There are some great ideas here! I also suggest San Deigo, Napa, New Mexico and New Orleans. Good luck with your trip planning.
I was also going to suggest Quebec (Montreal and/or Quebec City) for a “since we can’t go to Europe right now” alternative.
I’ll second the suggestion for San Diego! It’s usually pretty nice here in the fall and there’s plenty to see and do if you want to be active (or you can just relax). Sedona, AZ is great, too. My fiance and I went there last October and it was absolutely beautiful! You can’t go wrong with Puerto Rico either! No passport required (I don’t think), GREAT food and lots to see and do.
vancouver BC! you can get a sneak peak at the olymipic village! and it’s BEAUTIFUL
I have a kind of cheesy idea but bear with me… What about Disney World?? Stay at one of the nice resorts witha pool so you can relax and sunbathe when you want but when you want to have fun you can kick back and have a great and goofy (no pun intended) time! :-). Also it is super affordable right now and there won’t be any kids there in late october/ early November. I went once in November and it was dead (in a good way!). Good luck with whatever you choose!
FI and I are renting a cabin in Gatlinburg TN
- should be really pretty in October.
Come to San Diego! The weather will be great and there are tons of things to do!
i’d suggest savannah. mr bop and i went there for our 1st anniversary and really loved it. the food is wonderful. the downtown area is really lovely + rich in history. we hope to return!
Jackson Hole, WY This would be a nice place to hole up for a few days and relax. There is a great lodge/resort and that time of year would be off season, so the prices would be better.
Sonoma County, CA Go wine tasting and relax. We are going here for our honeymoon and I can’t wait. You can get up in the morning, taste some wine, eat lunch, take a nap, taste more wine, and then more eating. This area is also much, much cheaper than Napa Valley and is just as great, you can even spend some time in San Francisco for a couple of days.
I say do Mackinac Island. Quaint Michigan town in the middle of leaf falling season, its sure to be amazing.
the finger lakes in upstate new york - absolutely GORGEOUS that time of year, and you can go on wine tours!
Like many said before here, Napa/Sonoma would be great. Puerto Rico will be another alternative. No passport required and you can get there fairly quickly from TX.
i second mackinac island. it’s a great island with no cars. and you can bike around and enjoy lake michigan. it’s beautiful. stay at the grand hotel!
Santa Barbara! It’s gorgeous, the weather is great and there is a ton to do (beach, water, mountains, wine, food, shopping, museums, nightlife–or do nothing at all)!
Ooh, ooh, how about new orleans? It’s so romantic, so affordable and has so much culture. It’s perfect for a short trip!
You could fly to Boston, spend a few days in the city, a few days on Cape Cod (or Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket), and a few days at a bed and breakfast somewhere where there are pretty leaves (Vermont maybe?).
I would also suggest Charleston or Savannah…both are really nice that time of year. I highly recommend the 1895 Inn if you are in Savannah.
Toronto and Montreal are both really cool cities with gorgeous surrounding areas….Go in the summer and the weather is BEEEEautiful!
Chicago has not been mentioned. That is where we are going There is so much to see there! Also Montreal - I loved the atmosphere of that city.
Yea for Chicago (my hometown)! 2nd choice, San Francisco!
Wow, I’m overwhelmed with the responses!!! Thanks for all your suggestions so far. @leenie: I haven’t been to Seattle either, but I’m dying to go!!! I love rainy days, so I don’t think I would mind it much. But it may not be the right place for our honeymoon :)@cjh: I know! I’ve never seen real seasons! Or really, a true fall (we skip that one in Texas)!@LatteLove: Me too!!!@HumarockBride: I love Belize!!! That’s actually where we took our last vacation (Ambergris Caye)… it was so beautiful and we had so much fun! @Laurlyn: We’ve never been, actually. I think Mrs. Balletflat took her honeymoon their… so I’ll have to wait for her recaps :)@Mary: @mklove: We love New Orleans! We’ve actually been a couple of times (and since we’re looking for somewhere new, we won’t be going for our h.m./m.m.), but it is absolutely rich with culture and great food. *Sigh*
For all the New England Bees: When does Fall end and winter being up there? I was thinking it would already be snowing (being a silly Texan and all) by the time we honeymoon/minimoon)?
Beagle: I’m a native NY-er, so I hope I can help with seasons! Honestly, it really depends. There have been a few Halloweens where I had to wear my winter coat over my costume, but last fall, my mom was reporting they had days in the 70s and 80s through October.
I think it’s safe to say that winter won’t officially start until mid-November, generally speaking. I think you would be safe with end of Oct/beginning of Nov.
I second the Key West suggestion. We spent our honeymoon there, wonderful.
We’re going to Santa Fe from Austin - probably flying into Albequerque and driving an hour up to Santa Fe. American also has direct flights to Santa Fe from DFW. It’s definitely close to Texas, but very different in feel and climate! Plus, if you drive up to Taos, the mountains are beautiful. We also considered New Orleans, but decided on Santa Fe.
In New England, the end of October is usually past the peak of the leaves. I went to college in Boston and it would usually peak around the 2nd weekend of October - earlier up north, and a little later to the south. I went up to the Finger Lakes of NY State at the beginning of October this year, and it was the peak of leaf-changing then. You might be a bit late by the end of October. As for snow, who knows! It usually starts around November, but the past few years have been difficult to predict.
Hawaii if you want the beach, surf and sand or any of the New England states if you want something cooler with lots of history behind it. Both would be equally as fun!
If it is October, I would recommend New England…stay in a little bed and breakfast, enjoy the leaves.
Hawaii is also beautiful and I believe October is a great time to travel there (the weather is beautiful and it is not high season so you want have to give up your first born to be able to afford it)
Key West is also a fabulous place. My only concern would be hurrican season, depending on travel. But they have cute Bed and Breakfasts as well and the people there are all super friendly
Savannah, GA or Charleston, SC are both such great cities. I went to college in Charleston and always managed to get REALLY cheap tickets– 40 dollars on Airtran (but that’s from Atlanta)! Asheville, NC is also a great place, althought it would be a little colder. Another idea is Sedona/Grand Canyon in Arizona..Sedona is GORGEOUS and great for relaxation ou can do some reallyyy cool things at the Grand Canyon like taking guided tours on horseback through the canyon or taking a helicopter/biplane ride over the canyon! Or maybe Costa Rica??
If you want fall foliage, what about Virginia? Washington, DC, Richmond, and Williamsburg would make a great week-long trip. We had amazing color and weather into early November last year. You could have a mix of city sites and bed and breakfasts and could even tour a vineyard.
go to San Fran and Napa Valley! a friend of mine and myself spent a 4-day weekend there this past spring and it was great! not very expensive, and we had a great time!
What about going to Niagara Falls? I’m going for the first time next weekend, and I am so very excited about it.
we honeymooned at disney world and LOVED it. amazing restaurants, and you can either be crazy and see all the parks, or you can relax at your hotel or walk around downtown disney, etc. downtown disney has a club section, if you’re into nightlife… the hotels are all beautifully themed and we took one day to walk around the hotels as a break from the parks. each hotel has quiet pools, which are usually just adults, and then a few main pools where all the kids are. highly recommend it! and i think they have a deal with southwest right now where the 2nd plane ticket is free.
also suggest san diego/los angeles, san francisco/napa.
San Francisco was beautiful when I went at the end of October last year. Simply amazing. We also went to Sonoma & wine country. I didn’t get to spend enough time out there and can’t wait to go back. The small town of Petaluma was just so charming as well!
I second New England/Quebec. It’s a beautiful area that time of year, and there’s so much to do and see.
Those all sound like great suggestions. I would definitely recommend a national park and then hole up in a cute bed and breakfast somewhere near there. Or forget the whole flying anywhere and find a really cute place within driving distance that you can go back to again and again.
I suggest San Diego. The weather is amazing year round and you can choose between relaxing, sightseeing, partying, and doing sporty stuff each day! Some possible activities:
-Mission Beach is awesome for beginner surfing
-the air craft carrier is great for people who like war/history type stuff
-La Jolla cove is fab for laid back yet upscale beach going and easy snorkeling
-The gaslamp district is the place to be if you’re into upscale nightlife and/or restaurants
-PB is the place to be if you’re into frat boy night life
-Old town for history and mexican food
-Skate boarding or biking on the boardwalks around Mission beach and Pacifc beach is awesome
-Biking the silver strand is awesome, especiallyif you take a detour and bike on the sand at low tide
-The mexican food is amazing
And it’s sunny ALL THE TIME.
I’m also on board with National Parks. If you consider Zion (souther Utah) you HAVE to stay at the Zion Mountain Resort. It’s perfection, especially in the off season.
Charleston, SC for sure!!! I love my hometown! Seen The Notebook? The Legend of Bagger Vance? The Patriot? All were filmed here!
Oooh I am between Charleston and Asheville. If you just want to be a shut in with your man, Asheville NC might be good (its such a small town…but if you are just wanting to snuggle up and enjoy each other’s company/enjoy the fall leaves…its great!) The Tupelo Honey Cafe is delish…and of course you can tour the winery at the Biltmore, always fun!
[...] The Week-After-Moon: I Don’t Know Where to Begin by Miss Beagle [...]
If you’re looking for seasonal weather, try Park City, UT. It’s really pretty and quaint, even if you don’t ski (which I do not… also clumsy). UT gets really gorgeous fall foliage, and it usually doesn’t start really snowing until around Thanksgiving. If you’re looking for more mild weather, I would also recommend SoCal. San Diego is beautiful always, and I got married in Nov. last year in Newport Beach and it was perfect weather. Tons of nice little B&Bs or fancy hotels to stay along the Orange County coast too!
We’re going to Maine. Neither of us have ever been, and it’s supposed to be gorgeous. Added bonus: some of the best fresh seafood in the world. We’re going in the summer, though, so it may be too chilly by October…
Key West is a favorite destination of ours as well, and the weather will still feel nice in the late fall. Some great little B&Bs, too.
Vermont, the Finger Lakes would be great-depending on the weather, the leaves should be about to fall, just past peak. Even if there aren’t leaves anymore, it’s still really beautiful up here. It’s supposed to start snowing up here around December. Sometimes earlier, most times later-depending on the year. I would recommend coming up here if you’ve never been!
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Mrs. Beagle, Austin
Age and Occupation: 26, Electrical Engineer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Finance
Engagement Date: July 12, 2008
Wedding Date: October 2009
Venue: Church Ceremony/Reception at The Waterford House
About Me: I am a true, but rare, Austinite---I was born, raised, and continue to live in this great city! Although
I am an engineer by day, I feed my inner creative side through crafting, sewing, and obsessing over Martha Stewart. I love coffee, my mister, NPR, and exploring all the nooks and crannies of Austin.
I can't wait to share my adventures in DIY and wedding planning with all of you!
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