Real Honeymoon: Brazil

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

I was totally happy to get another Real Honeymoon submission from South America, and the very first honeymoon in Brazil! The post made me even more excited about the possibility of going back to Brazil for the FIFA World Cup 2014. (Shhh… don’t tell my mom quite yet ; ) – I think we’ll find out whether we get tickets at the end of next month or early November.) Anyway, read all about Lacey and Travis’ awesome honeymoon in Rio below:

When and where did you honeymoon? 

We honeymooned in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June of 2013.

How long was your trip?

We stayed 5 nights and 6 days.

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We wanted to go somewhere with beautiful beaches and interesting culture to explore. Rio de Janeiro was on both of our travel wish lists so it was a perfect place to pick for our honeymoon.

The best part about our honeymoon was… 

Either the day we saw the Christ the Redeemer statue and took the gondolas (yes two) to the top of Sugar Loaf mountain, or the day we spent relaxing at the pool and the beach since we never have time to relax! We also had a great time exploring the over 200 year old Jardim Botanico where we saw wild monkeys.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change… 

We would probably stay one or two less days in Rio de Janeiro and see another city in Brazil. You can do all of the must see sights in about three days so the remaining time is spent enjoying the beach and nightlife.

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Where You Should Honeymoon in September

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Once Labor Day Weekend is over, September can be one of the best months for travel, namely because many families stop traveling after their kids go back to school which makes the prices go down a bit. So what are the best September honeymoon destinations? Although you’ll probably want to avoid the Caribbean due to hurricane season, there are lots of other great places to visit in Europe, the Americas, and Oceania.

Here’s a run-down of Lonely Planet’s four destination recommendations for September with, of course, plenty of additional commentary from yours truly.

Barcelona

Barcelona is one of those cities that truly has it all: tons of culture, great nightlife, amazing food, and, oh yeah, a beach! Barcelona is still plenty warm in September, so you can spend your honeymoon sightseeing in the mornings, taking a daily siesta on the playa in the afternoons, and then eating paella and drinking sangria all night long. I also recommend signing up for a bike tour to get a good feel for the city. However, as wonderful as Barcelona is, the city does have a reputation for petty crime, so just remember to be aware of your surroundings, especially in crowded touristy areas like Las Ramblas.

The beach in Barcelona

Park Güell in Barcelona

To make your September honeymoon even better, consider combining Barcelona with another cool city in Spain, such as the beach town of San Sebastian (5.5 hour train ride from Barcelona) or the gorgeous Balearic Islands (one hour flight from Barcelona).

Croatia

Once the busy summer tourist season dies down, Croatia is a wonderful honeymoon destination for early fall. While the water may cool off a bit, you can still enjoy warm weather in the seaside towns of Dubrovnik and Rovinj, and finding accommodations on the islands of Hvar and Dugi otok will be much easier.

If you do decide to honeymoon in Croatia, don’t forget to spend a day visiting one of my favorite places in the entire world: Plitvice Lakes National Park. The beautiful scenery will just blow you away.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Hvar, Croatia

California

Of course I am biased towards my home state, but even Lonely Planet thinks it’s a great September destination! Because we tend to get a late Indian Summer each year, September/October are definitely the best months for visiting San Francisco, and it’s also a great time for relaxing in Wine Country or driving down the coast to Big Sur, San Luis Obispo, or Santa Barbara. The beach towns in Southern California (e.g. Malibu, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, etc.) are fantastic honeymoon destinations, too. If you want any specific recommendations of where to go/what to do in California, feel free to message me directly.

McWay Falls in Big Sur

The views of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco never get old

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Our Next Big Trip: Brazil 2014?

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

In 2009, it was backpacking around South America for 2 1/2 months.

In 2011, it was visiting my sisters in Denmark and Spain.

In 2012, it was our honeymoon in Asia.

In 2013, it was our friends’ wedding in Ireland.

But as of right now, it’s the first time in awhile* that Aaron and I haven’t planned our “next big trip,” and it’s starting to freak me us out!

One of the ideas that we’ve been kicking around (yes, pun intended) is going back to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Aaron and I spent a little over a month in Brazil in 2009 and covered nearly everywhere that we had wanted to go: Manaus in the Amazon, the hammock boat trip to Belém, Jericoacoara, Natal, Maceió, Salvador, Rio, Búzios, and finally Foz do Iguaçu.

Brazil 2009

However, we didn’t have the greatest weather while we were in Rio, so we knew that we’d have to go back some day. And really, what better time is there to visit Brazil, the country that absolutely worships soccer, than while it hosts the World Cup?

Okay, okay, yes, there are plenty of better times to visit Brazil, we know. We are aware that the price of everything there will surge. We know that the host cities are going to be extremely crowded. We’ve read about (and experienced**) street crime and other potential dangers. The first round of matches will take place in June, when it will be winter down in the Southern Hemisphere.

But despite all of the negatives, we still can’t help but be intrigued! I used to play soccer growing up and was lucky enough to go to a World Cup game in 1994 at nearby Stanford, but Aaron has turned into quite the soccer fan himself recently and I think that he’s even more enthusiastic about the possibility of going to a World Cup match in Brazil than I am!

So by no means are we going to go through with this idea for sure, but I did just want to mention that starting today you can register online to apply for tickets. And if you want more information about the ticketing process, check out this page.

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Honeymoon Destination Recommendations for… Wine Lovers

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

It’s been quite awhile since I wrote my last Where To Go? post, so in honor of my good friend Stephanie who’s visiting San Francisco this week and in the midst of planning her own wedding, I thought it would be quite appropriate to cover a topic that’s dear to her heart: wine.

The following is a list of honeymoon destination recommendations for wine-loving couples created by myself, someone who knows little to nothing about wine.* Since I am faaaar from being a wine expert, let’s just say that everywhere on the list is known for great wine, and hopefully my non-wine related comments will help you decide whether a particular location suits your particular honeymoon interests. Pour yourself a glass, and let’s begin!

1) South Africa

The Cape Winelands, South Africa

I’m starting off the list with the place that I want to visit the most. South Africa really has it all: beautiful beaches, incredible wild life and safari opportunities, and the infamous wine regions of Constantia, Stellenbosch and Paarl. It’s not a budget-friendly destination (especially if you want to go on safari as well), but if you’re going to go big on your honeymoon, I think South Africa would be absolutely fantastic.

2) Argentina

I guess that’s what Malbec looks like?

On the other end of the budget spectrum, Argentina’s Mendoza region is another perfect honeymoon destination, especially if you love steak and a good Malbec. While Argentina may not be as cheap as it used to be, it should still be significantly less expensive than a honeymoon in either South Africa or Europe. Keep in mind though that Argentina is a huge country, so if you want to check out Buenos Aires as well as Mendoza, you’ll need to book some additional flights.

3) Australia

The beautiful Hunter Valley

If you’re going down under for your honeymoon, you’re in for a treat because Australian wine is delicious, and you don’t have to travel far from Sydney if you want to experience the wineries first-hand. You can easily take a day trip to the Hunter Valley region in New South Wales, and then sleep off your hangover on Bondi Beach the next day.

4) France

A winery in Bordeaux

There are three things that the French sure know how to do properly: food, wine, and romance. What else do you need during your honeymoon? The correct answer (at least for me): Beaches. Fortunately, the French Riviera is just a short flight or train ride from Paris so you can have the best of both worlds, as well as Champagne, Burgundy, Loire Valley, and Bordeaux in between. Stay tuned for an amazing Real France Honeymoon post coming up in a few weeks from a very food and wine-savvy couple.

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Real Honeymoon: Argentina

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

I’m a huge fan of South America, so I was very excited when my friends Christine and Tommy decided to go to Argentina for their honeymoon. Since they were planning on traveling in December, they made the right choice to go to the southern hemisphere where it was sure to be nice and sunny. The details of their trip throughout Argentina and a couple of their beautiful photos are below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Tommy and I left for our honeymoon in Argentina in December of 2012. We went to Buenos Aires, Patagonia/Bariloche, and Iguazu Falls.

Bariloche, Patagonia

How long was your trip?

Our honeymoon was 12 days. We felt like we could have had a couple more days, but you can easily spend time in two places versus three, and have plenty of time to see everything.

Hi Christine!

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We got married in December and wanted to go somewhere warm for our honeymoon, so we were looking in the southern hemisphere. Since we got married in Hawaii, we didn’t want to do a beach honeymoon. We’d heard great things about Argentina, so we decided to give it a shot!

Buenos Aires

The best part of our honeymoon was….

The boat ride at Iguazu Falls. The falls were unlike anything I’d ever seen. You only need to go for a day and you can see all of the falls and do the boat ride. We stayed at the Sheraton on the Argentinian side, its definitely not a luxury hotel but its super convenient.

I’d also recommend going to a tango show in Buenos Aires, we loved the one that we went to!

We also used a travel agency called Jacada. They were amazing in terms of recommending hotels, restaurants, and taking care of all of our transportation to and from airports. All of their employees spoke English (which was great for my husband and I who don’t know much more Spanish than, “Gracias.”) In addition, included in their package is a one day personal tour of the Buenos Aires which we loved. We really felt like we got to see the city and since our tour guide grew up in Buenos Aires, she was able to fill us in on the history and politics of the city.

Iguazu Falls

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Real Honeymoon: Argentina

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

This week is the first South American Real Honeymoon on Peonies to Palm Trees, and I’m so excited to share Ashley and Jason’s awesome trip to Argentina! I’d definitely recommend Argentina to anyone who likes cosmopolitan cities, good wine, and red meat. Don’t get me wrong, vegetarians will also have a great time in Argentina, but steak lovers will be in heaven. Enjoy!

When and where did you honeymoon?

Jason and I left for our honeymoon in Argentina a few days after our wedding in June 2012. While in Argentina we traveled to Buenos Aires, Salta, and Mendoza.

How long was your trip?

Our honeymoon was two weeks! I always recommend getting off as much time as possible—it seems like one of the few times where work will give you a lot of time off!**

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

In some ways, the decision to go to Argentina was made for us. We had never traveled to the southern hemisphere, so we searched where we could go on miles in the southern hemisphere—Argentina was the best option! While it felt like a random choice at the time, Argentina clicked with us! We fell in love with the country.

The best part of our honeymoon was….

If I had to pick just one, the best part of our honeymoon was visiting Mendoza, the Argentinian wine country. The wineries were all so beautiful and the wine was so different than what you find in Napa/Sonoma. One day we took an amazing horseback ride with “Finca Las Lechuzas” to various wineries—it was magical!

There were so many other amazing parts too! In Salta we drove north to Purmamarca to see the “Hill of Seven Colors” and salt flats—they were stunning!

In Buenos Aires, per the suggestion of a local, we took the “Hop On, Hop Off” bus. It turned out to be a fantastic way to see the entire city!

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

Two things! First, we were shocked at how expensive it was to fly between cities in Argentina. It’s a huge country so if you don’t have a lot of time, flying is generally the best option. Along the trip we heard of new overnight buses with full reclining seats—I may have checked those out in hindsight. Second, in Buenos Aires we rented a Jetsetter apartment. While very cute, we missed having suggestions of what to do in the city that a concierge or other guests can provide.

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Honeymoon Destination Recommendations For… Serious Beach Bums

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

You know how the surfers in the Endless Summer movies spent their days searching for the perfect wave? Well, I wish I had more time to travel the globe in search of the perfect beach.

Fortunately, I’ve already visited some pretty spectacular beaches over the past 28 years, so I am going to share with you a list of some of my favorites*. Hopefully the list will help the beach bums out there decide where to go on your honeymoon:

1) Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Australia

Whitehaven Beach via Damien Dempsey

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Whitehaven Beach. Located in the Whitsunday Islands (which is FULL of incredible beaches), Whitehaven is quite aptly named because it has the softest, whitest sand that I’ve ever seen in the world. My friends and I were told that brushing our teeth with the sand acts as a whitener, but in retrospect that probably wasn’t the best idea for us to do. That aside, it is the most spectacular beach I’ve ever seen.

2) Cap Juluca, Anguilla

Cap Juluca via Tiarescott

Popular with celebrities like Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston, the pristine beach at the Cap Juluca resort makes it a quintessential honeymoon destination. It’s also just a short boat ride away from nearby St. Maarten, so you can just check it out for a day if you don’t want to stay at the resort. Okay, okay, I know we all WANT to stay there, but it’s just really expensive, that’s all.

3) Playa Cristal, Colombia

I was blown away by Playa Cristal because of the clearness of the water and the beautiful backdrop of the lush jungle. You can hire a boat in Taganga to take you to the beach. Unfortunately I couldn’t bring a camera with me to the beach because our next stop was Playa Brava where we actually swam to shore, slept on the beach overnight, then hiked out of Parque Tayrona the next day and hitched a ride back to Santa Marta, so bringing electronics along was a no-no. You’ll just have to trust me that the beach was so wonderful that it made my list of top 3 beaches in the world.

4) Playa Blanca, Colombia

Playa Blanca, land of magical beagle puppies

Yes, yes, another Colombian beach. I don’t know if I’ve expressed how much my husband and I love Colombia yet on the blog, but we highly recommend going there if you love beaches, friendly people, and good food. You can reach Playa Blanca from Cartagena in one of two ways: hire a private boat down by the fish market (just hold your nose while you’re there – it really stinks), or sign up for an “organized” day tour. It seems like the organized day tour is less than ideal though because it only brings you to the crowded part of the beach, so go with the private boat for a more relaxing experience.

For honeymooners who want to rough it, you can spend the night in hammocks at Hugo’s. My husband and I thought it was the greatest place ever because 1) it was BEAUTIFUL, 2) it was the first time we slept in hammocks during that trip so the novelty made it fun and not back-breaking yet, and 3) we woke up in the morning to a litter of beagle puppies that were born overnight. Beagle. Puppies. In. Paradise. Probably one of the best days of my life.

5) Lake Mckenzie, Fraser Island, Australia

Lake Mckenzie Beach via Sensenmann

The colors of Lake Mckenzie look totally fake, but I assure you, this is really, really what the lake looks like.

6) Lanikai, Oahu, Hawaii

Lanikai Beach via Cristo Vlahos

A friend of mine who was living in Honolulu at the time took my husband and me to Lanikai, a beautiful beach that isn’t terribly overcrowded with tourists. Do yourself a favor and pick up some Leonard’s malasadas to eat when you get to the beach. A perfect combination.

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Honeymoon Destination Recommendations For… Adrenaline Junkies!

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Peonies to Palm Trees

It’s pretty obvious that just because a honeymoon destination is really popular, it doesn’t mean that it’s right for everyone. One of the reasons why I started this blog in the first place is because the internet is full of websites that can tell you where to stay and what to do once you choose your honeymoon destination, but there aren’t enough sites that will help you decide where to go based on your personalities, time allowance, and budget.

Hopefully this ongoing “Where To Go?” series of blog posts will help you and your fiancé make your own destination decision with plenty of confidence and excitement. So without further ado, where do I suggest that adrenaline junkies go on their honeymoons? See my top 3 recommendations (on 3 different continents) below for extremely extreme couples:

1) Queenstown, New Zealand

Queenstown is the city to visit if you like all things extreme. Not only is the city itself absolutely beautiful, full of good restaurants, nice hotels, and some of the friendliest people in the world, the adrenaline-pumping activities that the city has to offer are endless. You can spend your days skydiving, bungy jumping (do the Nevis – it’s the highest in NZ!), mountain biking, white water rafting, and parasailing, or you can take it easy with scenic hikes, cruising on Lake Wakatipu, and wine tasting. During the winter, you can also ski and snowboard on the Remarkables mountain range.

I also highly recommend going on a Shotover Jet boat ride and then getting some cocktails at the Minus 5° Icebar. Is the icebar overpriced and crowded? Sure is. Do you get to wear borrowed jackets and gloves? Yep. Do the photos make it all worth it? Absolutely.

Other fun things to consider doing are the street luge course and the ledge swing, but just a heads up about that ledge swing harness: it hurrrrts.

2) Interlaken, Switzerland

Hey Derek!

If Queenstown is the #1 adventure destination in the world, then I’d say that Interlaken comes in a close second. Just replace the Remarkables with the Swiss Alps, and Lake Wakatipu with Lakes Brienzsee and Thun, and you’ll find that the two cities are very similar.

Again, the backdrop of the city alone would be enough to make Interlaken a popular tourist destination. However, it also offers world-class skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and tons of fun summer activities like skydiving, hang gliding, bungy jumping, white water rafting, and rock climbing.

Since I had already done most of those extreme activities in Queenstown before I visited Interlaken, I decided I should do something a bit more unique when I was in Switzerland. I chose to go canyoning.

So, what is canyoning anyway? Well, first you start out wearing a sweet wetsuit, jacket, lifevest, and helmet. Then you basically just end up following your guide down a series of waterfalls with a combination of hiking, jumping, swimming, and rappelling skills. It’s all a bit blurry to me now, but I remember that everyone had a great time.

Although I was just a backpacker when I visited Interlaken, my husband was lucky enough that his firm flew him out there a few years ago for a weekend hike. Yes, we live in San Francisco, and his law firm flew everyone out to Switzerland to go for a weekend hike. I was just a little jealous, to say the least. Anyway, they stayed at a very beautiful hotel called The Victoria-Jungfrau, and it sounds like it would be perfect for honeymooners. He said that the cleaning staff were like ninjas because he’d leave the room for a few minutes, and by the time he came back it would be spotless.

One drawback to both of our Switzerland experiences, neither my husband nor I remember anything remarkably positive about the food. However, he did mention that there was a Hooters next to his hotel. Just where you always imagined eating during your honeymoon, right? The legend told is that the people who purchased the land adjacent to the hotel wanted to build a gift shop, but the hotel shut them down because there was already a shop in the resort. To get their revenge, the neighbors built the most spiteful (yet profitable) thing they could think of… a Hooters restaurant.

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