Real Honeymoon: Maui, Big Island, and Oahu

Married in October, 2010, Naomi and Jamie, from Montreal, were smart in wanting to avoid the cold for their honeymoon.  So they up and left for much warmer waters in Hawai'i in December.  With the spirit of adventure in them, they wanted to make sure they were surrounded by nature and have plenty of access for hiking.  So for their honeymoon, they did an island hop and visited Maui, Big Island, and Oahu.

A-Bay

Some of their goals for their honeymoon were to have a good combination of sightseeing and relaxing so they were able to hike, see the North Shore villages, visit the rainforest, snorkel and more.

Akaka Falls

Hotel Hana Coastline

The three factors that were most important for them for their honeymoon were that it had to be fun, relaxing and breathtaking.

North Shore Oahu

Naomi and Jamie were kind enough to share some of their favorite memories from their honeymoon.

• Favourite hotel: Hotel Hana Maui
• Favourite hotel room view: JW Marriott Ihilani (Ko Olina, Oahu)
• Favourite beach: Mokule'ia Beach (Oahu)...also best spot to realize you're standing on the crash site of Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and co.
• Favourite turtle sightings: Black Sand Beach (Big Island) & A-Bay (Big Island)
• Favourite place to get stuck in a flash flood: Tiny mountainside road to Kahakuloa Village
• Favourite candy: Chocolate Donkey Balls (Big Island) and coconut M&Ms
  
• Favourite ice cream: Dole Pineapple Plantation (Oahu)
  
• Favourite spot to watch the sunset: Marina in Lahaina (Maui)
• Favourite breakfast: French toast with coconut syrup
• Favourite lava tube: Volcano National Park (Big Island)
• Favourite free facial: Steam vents at Volcano National Park (Big Island)
• Favourite interactive natural phenomenon: Sleeper (magic) grass
  
• Favourite rainbow-coloured tree bark: Hana Highway (Maui)
• Favourite restaurant: Mama's Fish House (Maui)
• Favourite place to swim face to face with a turtle: Hanauma Bay (Oahu)
• Favourite TV station: Maui Visitor Channel 7
• Favourite place to watch surfers: Sunset Beach at Sunset (North Shore, Oahu)
• Favourite dessert: Chocolate-haupia pie at Ted's Bakery (North Shore, Oahu)
• Favourite place to watch a barefooted, sprinting torch-lighter: Buddha point at Hilton Waikoloa (Big Island)

Real Vacation: Negril, Jamaica!

James and Christina wanted to visit a destination that was different from the hustle and bustle of their usual big-city vacations and settled on Negril, Jamaica.  

They loved staying at the Grand Pineapple Resort which is right on Seven Mile beach.  Upon their arrival they were upgraded to a cottage overlooking the gardens.

To get a greater feel for the local people and culture, Christina and James recommend hiring a local driver and planning a day trip away from the resort.  

"I don't think we could have picked a more perfect location." says Christina, "We fell in love with Jamaica, its food, its people, and the beaches.  The Jamaican people are some of the most welcoming people we have ever met!"

Real Honeymoon: A Tour of Europe - London, Paris, Munich, Venice, Florence and Rome

Cat and Jeerun had a whirlwind European Honeymoon, visiting London, Paris, Munich, Venice, Florence and Rome.  After hearing about how fabulous Europe was from their friends and family, they thought it would be the perfect destination for their honeymoon.

"Paris and Rome were amazing because of all the sights there were to see," says Jeerun, "We also really enjoyed Munich because we caught the tail-end of Oktoberfest.  I enjoyed the beer and Cat enjoyed the food.  Venice was very romantic but also very crowded due to all the tourists."

Jeerun and Cat loved that they had the freedom to be on their own schedule; they could wake up early to catch an excursion if they wanted to go on a tour or just wander around the cities at their leisure.  

For couples considering going on a similar honeymoon, Cat and Jeerun would suggest staying on the main island in Venice, especially if your visit to Venice is short.  They stayed on Lido Island and it was a bit time consuming traveling from Lido Island to the main island.

Overall their honeymoon just as they'd hoped: fun, memorable and romantic!

Real Honeymoon: Napa

Heather and her husband wanted their honeymoon to be a bit of a road adventure that included some of the things they love: wine, food, and natural beauty.  When they saw the Carneros Inn in Napa, CA on the list of options I sent to them, they wanted to stay there the second they saw the photos.

Napa ended up being the perfect destination for them - gorgeous natural beauty and close to home but far from busy Los Angeles. "The people in Napa were sweet and generous.  The food was some of the best we've ever had and we loved that so many restaurants supported local farmers," says Heather.

They also loved the special honeymoon amenities they received, "We got a free nights' stay at the Carneros Inn and were delighted at all the free champagne!  Every restaurant or pool-side lounge on the hotel property offered us free bubbly with every visit.  All Carneros Inn guests were treated handsomely at local wineries too, with free wine tastings and discounts."

For those couples who are normally busy or have hectic schedules, I recommend that couples plan their destination, hotel and little else, "My husband and I are busy bodies, but we were surprised at how little we wanted to do.  It was nice planning the day's activities based on how we felt when we woke up."

They truly loved Napa and the Carneros Inn - it was a peaceful, restful and delicious way to spend their honeymoon!

Real Honeymoon: Australia

Brooke and Brandon had always wanted to go to Australia so they pulled out all the stops for their honeymoon.  They visited Cairns, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, and spent three nights in each city.

Brooke and Brandon loved that each place they visited was very different and are glad they were able to see so many destinations.  Brandon had never been outside the US and loved that Australia didn't feel as intimidating as other international destinations they were considering for their honeymoon. "We didn't experience any culture shock, it didn't feel overwhelming, and it made for a great experience!" says Brooke.

Another highlight of the trip were the hotels. "All the hotels were beautiful! They really made it feel like an extravagant trip.  Their locations were great, making it easy to tour the cities.  The staff were always very friendly, easy to talk to, and ready to help," says Brooke. 

 Their favorite moments were spent scuba diving, walking through the cities and visiting a wildlife sanctuary in Sydney where they could pet and feed the animals. 

Brooke and Brandon offered some great tips for couple considering going to Australia for their honeymoon, "With only three days in each city, we had to prioritize what we really wanted to do.  Talk to the staff at your hotels, the people you sit next to on the plane, or even waiters/waitresses and employees at the stores you shop at for local attractions or fun restaurants and activities you wouldn't normally hear about.  The people we ran into were very nice and definitely made a difference in the trip!"