Beaches

[ugadevil]

Would anyone recommend certain beaches for a newlywed couple? I'm trying to figure out a honeymoon location and Mrs. Ugadevil to be really wants to go somewhere with a beach. Initially, we were talking about going somewhere in Europe, like Spain or Greece, but it's just not in the budget. So now we're looking for something more tropical. It wouldn't have to be a place with tons of stuff to do for families or anything, just something romantic and fun for a young couple.

[Shammrog]

Would anyone recommend certain beaches for a newlywed couple? I'm trying to figure out a honeymoon location and Mrs. Ugadevil to be really wants to go somewhere with a beach. Initially, we were talking about going somewhere in Europe, like Spain or Greece, but it's just not in the budget. So now we're looking for something more tropical. It wouldn't have to be a place with tons of stuff to do for families or anything, just something romantic and fun for a young couple.


If you want close, go to Destin, FL. Beautiful beaches and nice places to stay.

[billybreen]

Would anyone recommend certain beaches for a newlywed couple? I'm trying to figure out a honeymoon location and Mrs. Ugadevil to be really wants to go somewhere with a beach. Initially, we were talking about going somewhere in Europe, like Spain or Greece, but it's just not in the budget. So now we're looking for something more tropical. It wouldn't have to be a place with tons of stuff to do for families or anything, just something romantic and fun for a young couple.

I've always been a big believer in Bermuda.

[AtlBluRew]

Check out the Anse Chastenet resort in St. Lucia. It's beautiful and the food is terrific. I stayed there 18 months ago and had a wonderful time. It's especially good if you scuba dive, as I do. Two caveats: it's located only 12 degrees above the Equator, so it can be HOT there, and the property is very steep, so you will be getting some exercise going up and down the hill. The rooms at the top of the hill are definitely worth the climb.

www.ansechastenet.com

[ugadevil]

I forgot to mention when I'm looking to do this. It would probably be in April or May, if that affects the recommendation anyone would make.

[ohioguy2]

St. Martin or going the other direction, Hawaii esp. (watch the spelling attempt on this one) Ka'Anapali Beach--what a place--

[2535Miles]

Have you considered San Diego? La Jolla is pricey but beautiful and has a lot to offer. There are road trips galore once you're in Souther California.
You can check out the seals (http://www.lajollaseals.com/), in La Jolla.
The San Diego Zoo (amazing zoo if that's your thing). If you go, make sure you say hi to Janey (http://www.myspace.com/janeyape), an amazing orangutan that will interact with you if you bring shiny objects. She loves looking in women's purses and is fascinated by just about everything but cell phones!
You can take the train to Santa Barbara, then drive to Solvang, CA. If you're a wine and beer lover, it's a must.

Let me know if you're considering San Diego, I'll be happy to talk.

Enjoy!

[Shammrog]

Have you considered San Diego? La Jolla is pricey but beautiful and has a lot to offer. There are road trips galore once you're in Souther California.
You can check out the seals (http://www.lajollaseals.com/), in La Jolla.
The San Diego Zoo (amazing zoo if that's your thing). If you go, make sure you say hi to Janey (http://www.myspace.com/janeyape), an amazing orangutan that will interact with you if you bring shiny objects. She loves looking in women's purses and is fascinated by just about everything but cell phones!
You can take the train to Santa Barbara, then drive to Solvang, CA. If you're a wine and beer lover, it's a must.

Let me know if you're considering San Diego, I'll be happy to talk.

Enjoy!

I second that - San Diego is a wonderful place to visit!!!

Don't know much about the beaches, per se. The water is frighteningly cold, though, so not the necessarily optimal if you go in the water.

[2535Miles]

I second that - San Diego is a wonderful place to visit!!!
Don't know much about the beaches, per se. The water is frighteningly cold, though, so not the necessarily optimal if you go in the water.
The water is ridiculously cold year round, definitely not the place to go if you enjoy ocean swimming.

[cato]

Have you considered San Diego? La Jolla is pricey but beautiful and has a lot to offer. There are road trips galore once you're in Souther California.
You can check out the seals (http://www.lajollaseals.com/), in La Jolla.
The San Diego Zoo (amazing zoo if that's your thing). If you go, make sure you say hi to Janey (http://www.myspace.com/janeyape), an amazing orangutan that will interact with you if you bring shiny objects. She loves looking in women's purses and is fascinated by just about everything but cell phones!
You can take the train to Santa Barbara, then drive to Solvang, CA. If you're a wine and beer lover, it's a must.

Let me know if you're considering San Diego, I'll be happy to talk.

Enjoy!

April and May are not the times to visit San Diego. You might luck out on the weather, but you could get stuck with low 60's and rainy in April and low 60's and cloudy in May. If you want beach weather, September is the sweet spot. However, compared to the Atlantic, the water is almost always cold.

[2535Miles]

April and May are not the times to visit San Diego. You might luck out on the weather, but you could get stuck with low 60's and rainy in April and low 60's and cloudy in May. If you want beach weather, September is the sweet spot. However, compared to the Atlantic, the water is almost always cold.
cato's got a good point. I'd say it's not a good time to sit on the beach because weather is hit or miss early Spring. We call it May Gray and June Gloom. Either way though you're looking at less than an inch of rain (on average) for those months so it's still not a bad time to do some of the other things (zoo, desert, hiking, seals, Solvang) but you'll definitely take a chance on the sunshine and warm temps. I love summer but August and September are the best times.

[aimo]

Sanibel Island, Florida

[Lavabe]

I read the thread title, and thought you had just created a thread devoted to the 1988 flick by the same name, starring Bette Midler.:eek::eek:

[Windsor]

Clearwater Beach, FL

You would be out of 'spring break' zone and before the invasion of the families...rent a nice condo on Clearwater Beach or Sand Key. The weather should be beautiful and we are 90 minutes from "Olrlando Attractions" if you are so inclined.

[captmojo]

Do honeymooning couples need a beach? Am I missing something?

Why? I wouldn't think that anything other than privacy, food(optional) and shelter would make that requirement list. :rolleyes::D

[allenmurray]

There are some incredibly beautiful beaches in Puerto Rico.

[Cavlaw]

I would strongly recommend Kiawah Island, SC. Perhaps not in April, though, as the water might not yet be warm. Otherwise, a fantastic location.

[ForeverBlowingBubbles]

If you go anywhere besides Wrightsville Beach, NC - you've made a mistake.

[bluebear]

My wife and I love the Keys...

The beaches overall are average but the beach at Bahia Honda is pretty nice..Key West is fun for a night out..and overall about as tropical as you can get without leaving the continental US...

[Deslok]

St John, USVI. Heck, if you stay at Caneel, you can easily head down to Honeymoon Beach. Or you can rent a house(IMO the preferred option) down there and traipse around the various beaches on the island.

[DukePA]

I adored the Baja Penninsula in Mexico. Cabo was a lot of fun and there are some cool low-key small resorts north of Cabo. We stayed at Buena Vista and just loved it. It's on the Sea of Cortez and truly beautiful. There is also La Paz that has a slight European feel to it.

As much as I love my beach (Emerald Isle), I can't recommend it in April or May if you want warm beach time.

[CathyCA]

Barbados

[cato]

I adored the Baja Penninsula in Mexico. Cabo was a lot of fun and there are some cool low-key small resorts north of Cabo. We stayed at Buena Vista and just loved it. It's on the Sea of Cortez and truly beautiful. There is also La Paz that has a slight European feel to it.

As much as I love my beach (Emerald Isle), I can't recommend it in April or May if you want warm beach time.

FYI -- stay clear of northern Baja these days (i.e., just south of San Diego). Lots of violence and kidnapping going on.

Sadly I've never been farther down south on Baja. I understand that there are wonderful places (plus Cabo).

[rthomas]

Go green. St. John's. This is the place.

http://www.maho.org/

[SouthgateWindsor]

Haven't tried the green resorts mentioned, but St. John's IS a gorgeous island.

Also, easy to get to, no language barriers, and the exchange rate isn't a problem.

[fadero]

rent a house north of corrolla....where you have to have 4 wheel drive to get there. One of my favorite spots in the state.

[jimbonelson]

fortuna beach, grand Bahama island the beach is beautiful there is a natural reef maybe 50 feet off the beach that offers a wonderful snorkeling experience
and whydham owns this resort and it is all inclusive

[Indoor66]

How about Marco Island, FL. On the Gulf of Mexico, about parallel with Miami and beautiful white sand beaches and wonderful sunsets - along with terrific shelling for those moments you are not otherwise occupied.

[arydolphin]

My wife and I went to Aruba for our honeymoon in March 2007. We stayed at the Bucuti resort and had a fabulous time. It was a smaller resort than many others on the island, which was great because the beach at the resort was very big and we could always find a good amount of space on the beach to relax. Also, the restaurants in Aruba are very good, and the people are extremely nice. Here's the link to the Bucuti: http://www.bucuti.com.

Also, since you're in Georgia at the moment, it bears mentioning that the flight from Atlanta to Aruba is about 3-3.5 hours, which isn't bad at all. We booked our package through Aruba4U, their website is http://www.aruba4u.com. Also, pretty much every place on the island will accept US dollars, which made things very easy for us. Finally, it is in the Caribbean but outside of the hurricane belt, which was very important to us. Have fun planning your trip!

[dukemomLA]

Sanibel Island has been mentioned. So I'll add to that Siesta Key, off Sarasota, FL. (and Venice Beach is a short drive away -- a great place to dig in the sand for shark's teeth).

Out of the U.S., I'd 2nd St. John's. Fabulous.

[crote]

If you want close, go to Destin, FL. Beautiful beaches and nice places to stay.

The correct answer was the first one in the thread. Destin is awesome.

I'm not that well traveled, but I've been to the Caribbean, Mexico, the Outer Banks and the Atlantic coast, and none of those places even come close to the beauty of the are around Destin. Sand the color and texture of sugar, beautiful water, and warm weather. Very, very tough to beat.

For a honeymoon, Destin itself may not be the best location, though. It's really built up and increasingly crowded and touristy. However, there are a bunch of really great towns nearby that have all Destin's advantages of natural beauty and none of its drawbacks.

The first place I'd suggest you look is Seaside (http://www.seasidefl.com/), which is about 45 minutes down the road. It's a planned community built along the lines of an old-fashioned beach town. If you've seen The Truman Show you're already familiar with the town, since that's where most of the movie was filmed. They have small beachfront cottages perfect for honeymooners available for rent, and the town itself has several nice restaurants and is a fun place just to stroll around. Highly, highly recommended. The beach is nice, too, and not very crowded.

If you can't find accommodation in Seaside, you might check out Santa Rosa Beach or Grayton Beach, which are nearby.

[tommy]

For newlyweds, you can't do better than the Hawaiian island of Lanai. There are only two hotels on the entire island, and they're both awesome, and completely different. The one on the beach, which is the Four Seasons at Manele Bay, is tremendous -- all you would want in a beach resort. But there's also one inland, called The Lodge at Koele, that provides an unbelievably beautiful experience too, in more mountainous terrain. Incredible golf there too, and you really feel like you're away on retreat. Maybe split time between the two resorts.

[Channing]

St John, USVI. Heck, if you stay at Caneel, you can easily head down to Honeymoon Beach. Or you can rent a house(IMO the preferred option) down there and traipse around the various beaches on the island.

you beat me too it. Don't even consider the westin. Either do caneel or rent a house. However, that can get pretty pricey, especially for newly weds. There are some great all inclusive resorts on the Dominican Republic. I went to one at Punta Cana that was very reasonable (I think it was about 1300 a person for the whole week - a 4/5 star hotel, all food and alcohol included, and the flight was included in that). The beaches are great, and EVERYTHING is taken care of.

[Deslok]

you beat me too it. Don't even consider the westin. Either do caneel or rent a house. However, that can get pretty pricey, especially for newly weds. There are some great all inclusive resorts on the Dominican Republic. I went to one at Punta Cana that was very reasonable (I think it was about 1300 a person for the whole week - a 4/5 star hotel, all food and alcohol included, and the flight was included in that). The beaches are great, and EVERYTHING is taken care of.

I have a slight advantage(and further reason) for loving St. John. My parents have had a home down there and I've been visiting at least once a year for almost the last 30 years(including a trip down this summer). And since I was able to get my ticket down and back as part of a round the world ticket, the time down there will cost me... food and gas. That's it(well, I'll probably also be taking some friends over to the Baths, so the ferry over to Virgin Gorda will have to be taken care of too).

Is the school year done yet? Can I hit the beach now? I don't want to wait another month.

[Exiled_Devil]

you beat me too it. Don't even consider the westin. Either do caneel or rent a house. However, that can get pretty pricey, especially for newly weds. There are some great all inclusive resorts on the Dominican Republic. I went to one at Punta Cana that was very reasonable (I think it was about 1300 a person for the whole week - a 4/5 star hotel, all food and alcohol included, and the flight was included in that). The beaches are great, and EVERYTHING is taken care of.

I found Punta Cana to be very buggy - gnats and such.

I will chime in with Hawaii - Lanai, Kauai are both wonderful and not as commercial as Oahu or Maui.

I was underwhelmed about the beaches in SoCal - they are not as nice as Hawaii beaches and tend to be at the bottom of cliffs of varying heights (with some crowded exceptions)

If you are on the east coast, I will echo the suggestions of St. John. It beats any continental beach in the US.

Exiled

[RelativeWays]

Destin's a great choice. White beaches and turquoise water everywhere you look. When I was a wee lad, I spent most every summer in Pensacola FL and my parents would steal away a few days in Destin. Its become something of a resort town so its not cheap, though that may be relative to your other choices.

[DevilAlumna]

I love beaches, all kinds. Good choice, the future Mrs. will need some R&R after the stress of the wedding. Be sure to go somewhere that allows room in your budget for some fun activities beyond just a nice hotel room and a bottle of champagne. Rent an ATV or jet ski, go parasailing, get a massage -- you'll remember those activities as much as where you stay; plus it will give you something to plan around and talk about.

Wherever you go, you might consider renting a condo location or timeshare, so you have access to a kitchen - saves having to trek out for breakfasts and lunches everywhere.

As for locations -- I actually like Ft. Walton beach over Destin -- at least back in the early 90's, there were fewer condos, so more wide-open stretches of land between clusters of people. Dunno if that's still the case.

For Hawaii, I loved the Big Island -- much more to do than just lie on the beach and sun yourself (which is good, don't get me wrong, but for a week of honeymooning, would get old fast, plus a bad sunburn will put a fast end to hopes of lots of canoodling.) Good snorkeling, good eats, out of the way places to drive to (and canoodle unseen on a remote beach.)

I also just got back from a week in the Puerto Vallarta area (on the north side, beach area called Destiladeras.) The beaches there are also lovely -- white sands, easily-surfable waves, very swimmable water. I could recommend some areas to check out, if you're interested. April is the last month of their "high season," so by May 1, the prices in the area drop substantially. (And no hurricane season worries there.)

But my favorite beach in the world is "lovers beach," here (http://www.matamanoa.com/).

[ugadevil]

I'm enjoying reading everyone's suggestions so far. I'll offer some feedback on some of the suggestions. First, while Florida has plenty of great spots, I doubt we'll end up going there for the honeymoon. By that point, we'll be living in Orlando, so I think we'll be looking to do something outside of Florida for a week. Also, after spending time in Georgia, Destin became the typical vacation spot that my fiance always went to during the summer, so I'm looking for something a little different.

My fiance spent a couple weeks in Hawaii last summer and LOVED it. She has said on many occasions that she would go back there in a heartbeat. Again, I'm considering it, but I'd like to go somewhere she's not as familiar with. She's also interested in going to the Caribbean, and I am too. I have some close friends who honeymooned in Jamaica with an all-inclusive package and they had a great time.

However, I think I'm the picky one in this situation. So far, my top three choices have been: Santorini, Spain, and Rio de Janeiro. I'm pretty sure that none of those are realistic options, but I can still hold out hope :D

[Shammrog]

I'm enjoying reading everyone's suggestions so far. I'll offer some feedback on some of the suggestions. First, while Florida has plenty of great spots, I doubt we'll end up going there for the honeymoon. By that point, we'll be living in Orlando, so I think we'll be looking to do something outside of Florida for a week. Also, after spending time in Georgia, Destin became the typical vacation spot that my fiance always went to during the summer, so I'm looking for something a little different.

My fiance spent a couple weeks in Hawaii last summer and LOVED it. She has said on many occasions that she would go back there in a heartbeat. Again, I'm considering it, but I'd like to go somewhere she's not as familiar with. She's also interested in going to the Caribbean, and I am too. I have some close friends who honeymooned in Jamaica with an all-inclusive package and they had a great time.

However, I think I'm the picky one in this situation. So far, my top three choices have been: Santorini, Spain, and Rio de Janeiro. I'm pretty sure that none of those are realistic options, but I can still hold out hope :D

Jamaica is cool; very pretty. But it gets more than a little bit "rough" when you leave the resorts.

Turks and Caicos have a great rep, as does Aruba. You may get some bargains to Aruba given the backlash over Holloway. Also, Atlantis in the Bahamas is supposed to be spectacular; but I have heard it is frighteningly expensive, both for the trip and lodging and for meals/drinks once you get there.

If you would consider a cruise, I highly recommend one of the "mega-ships" of Royal Carribean. SPECTACULAR, relaxing, and a lot of fun. We did that for our honeymoon.

[devildeac]

Also, Atlantis in the Bahamas is supposed to be spectacular; but I have heard it is frighteningly expensive, both for the trip and lodging and for meals/drinks once you get there.

If you would consider a cruise, I highly recommend one of the "mega-ships" of Royal Carribean. SPECTACULAR, relaxing, and a lot of fun. We did that for our honeymoon.[/QUOTE]

Perhaps not frighteningly expensive, but nonetheless, expensive. I indulged my wife and two daughters a few years ago and they know that trip won't happen again on my credit card:o:(. (But, I still love them:D)

[DukeUsul]

My wife and I honeymooned in St. Lucia. We loved it. This is the kind of vacation where you stay at an all-inclusive, go sailing and snorkeling, take a hike up into the jungle to see waterfalls and sulphur springs. The island itself is pretty poor, so you won't spend much time with locals.

My in-laws have had a timeshare in Aruba for the last 5-6 years, and my wife and I have gone with them almost every year. We love Aruba. It is very different from the rest of the Caribbean though. It has a strip along the western coast of fine, white sandy beaches. The rest of the island is very desert-like. Rocks, sand and cactuses. It's not the tropical/sub-tropical jungle you'd get in the rest of the Caribbean. Some of the activities you can do (other than the usual beaching and water-sports) are horseback riding and ATVing through the rocky part of the island. We love the fact that we feel safe everywhere on the island (this is why the whole Holloway thing is so weird). Aruba is the kind of place where you can just rent your own car or motorcycle, and do your own thing, go anywhere, and enjoy the island. The best part is you can get cheap Heineken anywhere (it's a domestic beer :-).

Here's the beach. White, fine sand and clear blue water.
http://www.daveandlisaahern.com/images/IMG_6206%20(Small).jpg

And here's the other side of the island. Yes those are wild goats.
http://www.daveandlisaahern.com/images/IMG_0961%20(Small).jpg

Here's me and the wife at an abandoned gold mine out in the middle of nowhere.
http://www.daveandlisaahern.com/images/IMG_0943%20(Small).jpg

[Clipsfan]

I'm enjoying reading everyone's suggestions so far. I'll offer some feedback on some of the suggestions. First, while Florida has plenty of great spots, I doubt we'll end up going there for the honeymoon. By that point, we'll be living in Orlando, so I think we'll be looking to do something outside of Florida for a week. Also, after spending time in Georgia, Destin became the typical vacation spot that my fiance always went to during the summer, so I'm looking for something a little different.

My fiance spent a couple weeks in Hawaii last summer and LOVED it. She has said on many occasions that she would go back there in a heartbeat. Again, I'm considering it, but I'd like to go somewhere she's not as familiar with. She's also interested in going to the Caribbean, and I am too. I have some close friends who honeymooned in Jamaica with an all-inclusive package and they had a great time.

However, I think I'm the picky one in this situation. So far, my top three choices have been: Santorini, Spain, and Rio de Janeiro. I'm pretty sure that none of those are realistic options, but I can still hold out hope :D

I went to Punta Cana (which has been discussed here) and thought it was a tremendous value. I highly recommend Santorini if you don't have budgetary constraints, but otherwise that would be really rough. Personally, I think my next vacation will be back to Hawaii due to its overall appeal and the weak dollar.

[ugadevil]

Anyone ever been here (http://www.sandals.com/main/antigua/an-home.cfm)? It looks awesome.

[dukestheheat]

Suggestion:

I just got back from St. Thomas (Great Bay Ritz-Carlton, of course) and that is a great place for this in my opinion. I went down there to kiteboard but the wind just didn't blow enough to keep the FLIPPIN kite in the air so I spent a lot of time teaching about 20 people how to sail.

Just it seems like a great place for you and the future DUKE FAN WIFE to go for the honeymoon.

Go for it! Congrats to you and best wishes to her. Teach her the Duke fight song and you have my blessings.

dth.