Top Summer Honeymoon Choices

We are right in the heart of wedding season, so that also means honeymoon season. While couples may dream of that romantic beach trip shortly after their wedding, it’s also hurricane season. This runs from June 1 to December 1 for all of our favorite Caribbean islands, like Jamaica, St Lucia and Antigua. So what other options do couples have? Here are our favorite summer honeymoon with lower risks of weather issues.

1. Aruba- It sits south of the hurricane belt, so couples won’t be stressing about their trip being cancelled. Beautiful beaches, vibrant nightlife and it’s known for its local cuisine. Our top picks in Aruba are boutique resort Bucuti & Tara, Hyatt Regency and Marriott.

2. Hawaii- The hardest choice is which island? That depends on what you are looking for, but Maui tops the honeymoon list with great beaches, restaurants and some great activities for when you get tired of the beach.

3. Greek Islands- Nothing is more romantic than the Greek Islands, jaw dropping views from your room or restaurant. While Santorini and Mykonos are the most well-known island hopping is a great idea. Though avoiding August is a good idea as it’s the peak of high season.

4. Tahiti- This is the ultimate in romantic locations, also where island hopping is key and a stay in an over the water bungalow will make you the most envied bride in your circle of friends. This is a location where we like to do a “surf & turf” stay. What’s that you ask? One island staying in a room with its own pool and then finish up with the over the water bungalow.

5. Windstar Cruises- No mega ships here, their flagship Windsurf is a 310 passenger sailing yacht and that’s their biggest ship. European sailings to smaller uncrowded ports, active Alaska sailings, their Tahiti itineraries are a perennial favorite of Brides Magazine. All their ships have watersport platforms, swim, kayak, paddleboard, so you can channel your inner Beyoncé.

Get Your Hula On!

Hawaii, for those of us east of the Mississippi is one of those once in a lifetime or once every few years type of trips, well 4 year ago we made our first trip to Hawaii. We were there for around 2 weeks and spent 2 days in Honolulu and time on Kauai and the Big Island. 2 week+ vacations are hard to plan for; work, family constraints and kids' activities make that hard. I love to find the "best bang for the time & money".

If you only have a short time and want to see all the islands I would suggest Norwegian Cruise's Pride of America, sailing weekly out of Honolulu. You will get to see all the islands, with overnight stays in Maui and Kauai, plus on the Big Island you will stop in Kona and Hilo. Add a few days pre-cruise in Honolulu and you can see all the islands in 9 days!

For those who would never consider a cruise, here are my top reasons to consider sailing on the Pride of America

1. You can't see all the islands in 9-10 days. Well you could but mostly you would see the inside of airports and not seeing the unique beauty of each island.
2. Hawaii is expensive Since they are islands, most food supplies must be shipped in, so food is expensive in the islands. With cruising your food is included in your fare, making it easier to stay within your budget.
3. Golfers rejoice Golf on every island and there are plenty of excursions to keep your non-golfing partner or spouse happy!
4. Unpack once, hitting more than 2 islands, packing and repacking becomes a real chore, especially if you are travelling with the kids.
5. Two stops on the Big Island, Kona is great for hitting Hapuna Beach and snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay, while Hilo is much closer to Volcano National Park.

Cruising on the Pride of America, offers you a great way to control your budget, get a taste of all the Hawaiian Island and saves you the headache of repacking and multiple airports.

He Said, She Said A Guide for Honeymooners

Church and reception location are booked, the bride and groom need to start thinking about the honeymoon. Today most couples have travelled together and probably have a good idea what each other thinks is a "perfect vacation", but this is a major milestone in your life together. In the end are you going to really remember those centerpieces from your reception? The memories of your honeymoon will last a lifetime, so not only choose carefully but consider each others travel likes/dislikes.

Sure you see all the beach locations, because you need to relax after that wedding. But what if you or both of you get bored sitting on a lounger all day? Plan the honeymoon that is right for you, not what your friends did or some commercial is telling you to do. There are plenty of beachy options that offer sightseeing and activities other than just staying at a resort. The Hawaiian Islands fit the bill perfectly.  

Maybe a large ship cruise isn't what you have pictured for a honeymoon. There are numerous lines that offer unique experiences on a more intimate ship. Longer stays in port so you can experience the city after the sun goes down, Azamara Club Cruises that is their specialty. Want a personal yacht like experience where you are really pampered, Seaborne, Windstar and Silverseas are the lines to look at. Want to experience the South Pacific, Paul Gauguin Cruises are the experts there and the pricing includes your airfare from Los Angeles. Plus it is easy to add on a few nights staying at a hotel with the over the water bungalows before you fly home.

More adventurous, Costa Rica or Peru. The stories you could tell your future children about seeing the sunrise over Machu Picchu or white water rafting in Costa Rica before heading back to your luxurious resort?

More of a art/history honeymoon can be yours by going to one of the great capitals of Europe, Paris London or Rome are great choices.

And before we start booking the honeymoon that is perfect for you, this special advice to the bride. I know you may want to use your married name, but I will pass on the words of advice my travel professional gave to me 23 years ago, leave it till you get back you don't need to stress over getting all the paperwork off to the passport office to amend it. And you know she was right, I would never of had my passport back in time. Where did we go? Munich, Innsbruck and Vienna.