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Honeymoon Hotspots

Updated Feb 03, 2020

| By Alison McGill

Found your honeymoon hot spot yet? Here are five of my favourites!

One of the best things about my job is the travel opportunities I’ve been afforded. In my time at Weddingbells, I’ve done my fair share of jet setting, all in the name of honeymoon research (rough job, but somebody’s got to do it!). We like to spread the love around our editorial department, with different editors visiting different destinations to bring you the scoop on romantic hot spots. Sara is just back from Paris; Jenn is currently exploring the Cook Islands; Jami is heading to St. Lucia next month; and I will be visiting the Bahamas in June.

At Weddingbells, our philosophy about honeymoons is that it should be your ultimate dream vacation! It only happens once, so why not splash out and plan the trip of a lifetime! I realize this is all budget permitting, but if you can, try to put as much in your honeymoon budget as possible to make your dream vacation a reality. Here are my top five recommendations:

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Honeymoon Hotspots

Maui. All the Hawaiian Islands are beautiful, but I found Maui to be extra-magical (it is routinely voted the “Best Pacific Island” in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards). I am not much of a beach girl, but the thing I loved about Maui is there was so much more to do than hitting the surf. There are amazing spas here, luxury shopping (hello, Louis Vuitton!), great food, the famous drive to Hana, and of course, all the usual sun, sea, sand and surf things to do. Hawaii has long been a honeymoon favourite, and it wasn’t until I went there that I realized why: it’s exotic, romantic and mysterious.

Walt Disney World. I am a total Disney kid, visiting WDW at least once a year, sometimes twice. I LOVE Disney and think the sprawling Florida resort has something for everyone. There are four theme parks, three water parks, 23 resorts, five golf courses, two spas and countless delicious dining options. You can play, relax and indulge your romantic side. We did a photoshoot at WDW, running in the current issue of Weddingbells, and while on-site saw plenty of newlyweds sporting bride and groom mouse ears! It’s super-popular for honeymoons and you will have a super-fun time!

Scotland. I might be a little biased on this one as it is an integral part of my family history (my Mom was born in Glasgow), but I guarantee Scotland will take your breath away. You can have it all here: city buzz and amazing country life. The two main cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh, are only an hour apart and are brimming with history and amazing shopping! Rent a car and drive from one of these grand cities into the country, being sure to hit historic St. Andrews, the Isle of Skye and Loch Lomond. Check out this new website launched by Visit Scotland, extramilescotland.co.uk, an interactive site designed to help you plan your highland fling.

Bermuda. Shimmering pink sand beaches and azure waters are the geographic hallmarks of this beautiful island. This very British isle is super-clean, super-safe and so easy to navigate—you can easily drive the length of it on a rental scooter in less than two hours. The Bermudans also make this island extra-lovely. They are so friendly and hospitable; they want to make your stay in their homeland the best vacation you’ve ever had.

London. If it’s a bustling city honeymoon you want, you can’t beat the British capital. I don’t think there is another city quite like it in the world. So cosmopolitan, so historic, so multicultural—London truly has it all. My last visit there was in 2005, and I was completely blown away by the amazing food! London has really turned into a culinary capital in the last 10 years. You will shop, sightsee, theatre-go, eat, drink and be merry to your heart’s delight in Londontown. It’s a little pricey, but so worth it! It’s a city you will become addicted to; and you will be planning your next trip back before you even reach Heathrow.

This article was originally published on Apr 02, 2007