Dane Bramage

Come this September, I will no longer be single. So, the question of where to honeymoon has come up. My family can get us just about anywhere in the Continental US/Mexico. So, we are trying to figure out where to go.

I figured there was no better resource then the collective concious that is the TFP.

So... take the poll then let me know why you chose what you chose.

Thanks!

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Dane Bramage

I'm shooting for Cabo, but my fiance thinks Mexico is nasty. It's the Cancun syndrome

Anway... what do y'all think?

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Every passing hour brings the Solar System forty-three thousand miles closer to Globular Cluster M13 in Hercules — and still there are some misfits who insist that there is no such thing as progress.
Kurt Vonnegut - Sirens of Titan

JustJess

I haven't actually been to Monterey, but all I hear is how beautiful it is, how romantic... Plus, it's warm but not overpowering - meaning there's lots of outdoorsy things to do too.

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Charlatan

Go to Cabo and sit on the beach.

The resorts are nothing like the rest of Mexico. Better yet, go to Cuba or Jamaica and sit on the beach.

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maleficent

In the Napa Valley in california - there's an amazing inn (Castle in the Clouds) it overlooks two of the best wineries in California (Silver Oak and Opus One) the place itself is beautiful... the rooms are gorgeous...service is exceptional it's a hideaway but you can get pretty much anywhere...

day trip thing to do -- hot air balloon tour over the wineries... day usually ends with a lovely picnic lunch...


Otherwise - i'd go with British Columbia - scenery is amazing... and it's canada...

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feelgood

I'm gonna agree with your fiance, Mexico wouldn't be a really good idea.

Plus, I'd stick to someplace within United States because at this time, Canada wouldn't be a good choice because of the exchange rate but that's just me.

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maleficent

technically american's aren't allowed into Cuba... It's an amazingly beautiful - and affordable country to visit... the people are so wonderful.. .the water and diving are amazing... did I mention it's affordable?

and you can get there pretty easily if you take a detour thru canada - your passport doesn't get stamped when entering cuba... so.. .no one has to know

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snowy

Carmel/Monterey is gorgeous. That would be my pick. Lots to do, lots of places to hide away if you so wish.

Personally, I'm going to the Carribean for my honeymoon (at least that's the plan so far).

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The_Jazz

Whoever thinks Monterey is warm hasn't been there. It's a beautiful little town, but the whole pennisula can get really cold in the summer, especially close to the water. I've been lucky enough to play at Pebble Beach several times, and I learned the hard way to expect 50 degrees and foggy in mid-July. Once you're a few miles inland it warms up very fast, but the whole point is to be close to the water, IMHO. You also probably want to stay out of the water unless you have a wetsuit. That said, the whole place if very neat, and if you go you should spend some time exploring the little towns nearby like Carmel. And some of the best golf in the world, if you play and have the money.

My vote went for San Diego. Granted, you're not going to be getting in the water there, either, but there are lots of very neat things to do there, like the Padres' new stadium, lots of galleries and neat shops and great places to eat. It was certainly the best of all the choices that I've visited (everywhere except Sedona and Bell).

Personally, I vote for the Carribean. You can get down there pretty easily, and there are lots of affordable places to stay, especially if you stick fairly close to Puerto Rico. My wife and I went to the British Virgin Islands for our honeymoon and absolutely loved it. Once our kid(s) are old enough to leave with the grandparents for a week, we're going to go back and charter a boat and just do some sailing. If you can afford it, that's what I recommend, but that's me. You could also try the Florida Keys, but I'm a big fan of just sitting on a beach and relaxing. I don't want to have to do much more unless I want to.

Congratulations, by the way!

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Dane Bramage

I would consider that, except that it'll be the end of September. Hurricane season. I had friends that spent the first weekend of thier honeymoon in a closet while the resort was destroyed by hurricane. Then they got first class accomodations on an army hellicopter as they were evacuated. I know it's very unlikely, but not a risk I'm willing to take.

Besides, my FI hasn't ever been to the West Coast, so it's a mission for me to get her out there.

Thanks for the input. I look forward to more opinions.

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Every passing hour brings the Solar System forty-three thousand miles closer to Globular Cluster M13 in Hercules — and still there are some misfits who insist that there is no such thing as progress.
Kurt Vonnegut - Sirens of Titan

The_Jazz

Enjoy the earthquakes and fires!

__________________
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin
"There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush
"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

Grasshopper Green

I'd vote for Mexico. I loved it when we went for our anniversary. I've never been to Cabo San Lucas, so I can't speak for that, but Puerto Vallarta is lovely And it's on the west coast, so the risk of hurricane is minimal.

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amonkie

I put in a selfish vote for Sedona, Az - Arizona born and raised here.


Sedona will be absolutely beautiful temperature wise at that time of year ... Phoenix and Flagstaff are both within 1-1.5 hours drive. Of all the places I have been in my lifetime, Sedona remains my favorite.

If you are looking at west Coast, another place you might consider is Kenwood Inn, in the Sonoma Valley

http://www.kenwoodinn.com/

A friend of mine went there for a weekend vacation once and told me that is where she chose to go on her honeymoon - from seeing the pictures, I can certainly see why.

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Calling from deep in the heart, from where the eyes can't see and the ears can't hear, from where the mountain trails end and only love can go... ~~~ Three Rivers Hare Krishna

greytone

I can not say I have been to everywhere on your list, but I would prefer somewhere romantic for a honeymoon. Save the sightseeing for another trip. September should give you pretty good temps just about anywhere on that list, as long as you are adaptable. I loved Santa Fe when I was there for a conference in the spring. I walked 6 blocks one morning to go to church in a knit shirt. When mass was over it was snowing. I ran back to the hotel. I would also put in kudos for Victoria and Carmel. Definately stay in Carmel and not Monterray. Go to the Aquarium and do the 17mile drive and stop for a drink at on the 18th green at Pebble beach before heading back to Carmel. Napa and Senoma might be great too. But there you would spend a lot of time checking out the wines. Best to have a driver. I found a such a good place for dinner in Petaluma I went back the next night. That was a nice place to stay between the two valleys.

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Rodney

Monterey/Carmel? Lots of pretty scenery, but as the jazz says, it isn't all _that_ warm, and the water's pretty cold. And choppy. And it's pretty expensive. What you'd do there is drive around and see the scenery, visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium (fantastic) and Point Lobos (also fantastic), eat in some pricey restaurants and stay in some pricey inns. Carmel's kind of a mounted and stuffed simulacra of an art colony, maintained for the well-off.

I live on the other side of the Monterey Bay, at Santa Cruz, where the weather is a lot warmer (and the water is a _little_ warmer). If you wanted to do the central coast, I might suggest more of a road trip thingie, starting in old time beach town Santa Cruz (surfers, amusement parks, elephant seals, old hippies and street freaks), continuing into Monterey-Carmel, proceeding down Hwy 1 for the incomparable scenery, stopping at Cambria for more arty stuff (actually, I like Cambria a lot) and the Hearst Castle tour, then on through San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara (beaches with actually warmish water) and finally fly out through LA. Only about 350 miles point to point.

Aside from that Seattle's worth seeing. Hell of a town, lots to see, five volcanoes on the horizon, and more. It's a lot like San Francisco, only friendly and -- these days -- quirkier.

San Diego's fun, and you can take a run in Tijuana and down the coast if you like. Hell, you can take a street car to Tijuana from downtown SD, or you could the last time i was around. The beach scene is cool, downtown is fine, the zoo is spectacular, and Balboa Park is moderately awesome. Good food.

You're considering a honeymoon in Bend? What the hell is in Bend?

Haven't been, personally, but Vancouver gets a good reaction from everybody I know who's visited. Like Seattle, it's a big city right on the water, only the surrounding scenery's even more impressive.

Gnzo

Dane, First off congratulations!
Secondly, Victoria! My wife and I spent 7 days up there last October. It is a beautiful city. Personally, I think Cabo is over rated, but really it depends on how you like to vacation. If you like to sit around by a pool, drinking and soaking up the sun, Cabo is a better choice. But if you like more of an intimate romantic atmosphere, Victoria IMHO is much better. Also, are you a seafood lovers? Victoria's seafood is unreal. We stayed in a condo overlooking the harbor. One evening we went down to the docks, bought some prawns and halibut (all caught that day) stopped and got a bottle of wine and had a great evening in. Speaking of wine, there are tons of wineries with some amazing wine 45 minutes North of Victoria. Butchart Gardens, possibly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been should not be missed. We actually flew into Seattle, had lunch at the great little sandwich place in Pike's Place Market that I love to eat at when I am there. Grabbed our rental and drove up to BC. It's an easy drive with great scenery. There are many of things to share with you about Victoria but one that strikes my mind is that the climate is perfect in September. On the other hand, September is right smack dab in the middle of Hurricane season. My wife and I do a lot of traveling and although one could argue that there are to many places in the world to visit the same place twice, we just can say enough good things about our time in Victoria and can't wait to go back.

Hope this helps you.

snowy

Hey now, there are LOTS of things in Bend these days...great restaurants, great shopping, lots of outdoor activities even when it's not snowy, and AWESOME beer--I mean, it's the home of Deschutes Brewing. It's also home to Bend Brewing, Bend Distillery, and Cascade Lakes Brewing is just up the road in Redmond. Not to mention the beautiful mountain scenery It's definitely one of my favorite places to visit, and if you like the mountains and the high desert, I highly recommend it. Bend has grown a lot since most people were there last.

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astrahl

Being a California girl from SF, I'd say SF. The culture, the romance, the sites...the city just has a aura to it.

Other than that...Monterey. The foggy mornings and cool weather is SO romantic. The beaches, while chilly are gorgeous. Long drives up and down the coastline. Utterly amazing.

I SO miss California. And for the earthquake/fire stuff... ss'ahelluva lot better than hurricanes and tornadoes!

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Poppinjay

I picked Victoria, BC. I'd love to write in OBX. There are parts of it off the beaten path that are amazing. The regular parts are still lovely, albeit touristy up until October.

Other than that, I'd also echo Mal's Castle In The Clouods. I checked out the website and do believe I am smitten.

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