Where Should I Go on My Honeymoon?

Explore the world of romance that awaits the two of you on your honeymoon

Beach couple
Massimo Colombo/Getty Images.

In the midst of wedding planning, the question arises: Where should I go on my honeymoon? We all agree that it's the big reward waiting at the end of the event. Knowing there's finally going to be time alone together to travel on the best vacation of your life (to date) should keep you going through the stressful periods leading up to it.

If you're the person in the couple mainly responsible for honeymoon planning and wondering, "Where should I go on my honeymoon?"

WHOA. Stop. Right. Now.

Forgetting that there are two of you now is a mistake you don't want to make. So drop the "my honeymoon" phrase from your vocabulary right now and start referring to it as "our honeymoon." Thinking "Where should we go on our honeymoon?" is good practice for marriage. So is agreeing on what's the most important element in making a travel decision.

Plan Your Honeymoon Based on Budget

While dreaming about faraway places is fun, if you don't have the funds to get there, it's wise to travel within your budget.

Pick Your Honeymoon Location Based on the Month or the Weather

No one wants their trip to be a washout (despite the fact you'll happily spend a fair amount of time in your room). So it makes sense to suss out the weather conditions before you go.

You can find out the best places to go during every season of the year: summer, fall, spring or winter. Plus did you know there's even a time of year called "Couples Season?"

Plan Your Honeymoon by Interest

Did you fall in love because you have so much in common and love to do the same things? If so, great. Nonetheless, you may have different expectations regarding when to go, how much you can afford to spend, and the length of time you can be away from home. Taking this quiz, either together or separately, can help you refine where to go and focus on your honeymoon style.

Choose Your Honeymoon Based on Accommodations

Do you know the difference between a motel and an inn? A resort and a ship's cabin? What's an all-inclusive? Is a camping honeymoon right for you? If your honeymoon represents one of the first times that you've traveled from home, understand the choices available.

Plan Your Honeymoon Based on the Destination

This is the fun part. After all the discussions and now knowing when you want to go, the type of accommodations that will make you happiest, and what you'd like to spend your time doing on your honeymoon, it's time to pick a destination. The place where you will start to make the memories of your married life together.

In the USA

If you live in the United States, do you want to stay relatively close to home? If you don't live in the USA, is it your dream to honeymoon here? If you answer yes to either question, you might want to honeymoon in a city, at the beach, or in Hawaii.

In the Tropics

Since some like it hot - and you may never be in better shape than on your honeymoon and eager to show off your bod - many couples choose beach vacations. Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, and Central America are among the most popular destinations.

Other Destinations

Many couples love taking honeymoons in Europe, but you can have a romantic vacation anywhere in the world.

Should You Plan (or Agree to) a Surprise Honeymoon?

A surprise honeymoon is a honeymoon where one member of the couple selects the destination and makes the travel arrangements — transportation, lodging, activities — without sharing the details with his or her significant other until they depart.

Most couples enjoy planning their honeymoon together. Yet there are reasons why a surprise honeymoon can make sense. When one half of the couple is deeply involved in wedding planning, the honeymoon is usually the last item on a priority list. 

Surprise Honeymoon Tips

  • Pick a destination both of you will enjoy.
  • Do tell your significant other when you've booked the honeymoon and provide the departure date. That's one less detail for him or her to worry about.
  • If you think your spouse to be would prefer to pack, deliver a weather report that doesn't reveal the destination.
  • If you really want to keep your plans a surprise, store the info in a place he or she would never look, such as a folder labeled "fantasy football" on your computer.
  • Top off the surprise honeymoon with another surprise, a wedding-night gift.
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