Unique honeymoon ideas for all budgets

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Jun 30

For many decades it seemed the most popular honeymoon destinations were tropical beach resorts. But if you’re like me, you want to do something just a little different for your honeymoon. There are thousands of unique honeymoon ideas out there, but when I was doing research for my own honeymoon, I found that most of them were out of our budget. But instead of throwing in the towel and settling for a beach resort, we got creative and came up with these 4 ideas that I want to share with you.

Because I know you’re curious, we ended up going to Scotland for our honeymoon. However, our other ideas we have since done as anniversary trips.

Airbnb

So many destinations seem out of reach because the cost of accommodation is too expensive. Sure, there are cheaper motel options but many times they don’t create that romantic atmosphere you’re looking for on your honeymoon.

Airbnb’s are a fantastic way to still get to your destination and spend a fraction on accommodation costs. Many places available to rent are unique, modern, and add to the overall experience of your honeymoon. You even have the option of choosing places that you have all to yourself with a full kitchen. This can help make your honeymoon even more affordable by preparing many of your own meals - like breakfasts - instead of going out to eat three times a day!

This is the option we choose for our honeymoon. We planned two weeks in Scotland and I booked three different Airbnb’s in advance. Pricing out the difference between hotel vs. Airbnb accommodation is what made the trip feasible for us to do. So just because it seems like an impossibly expensive country to go to, check out Airbnb before giving up your dream!

Camping Trip

What better way to relax than to step out into nature? Honeymoons don’t have to be all about being catered to and treated like kings and queens. Sometimes the best way to relax is to be in seclusion with no one else around you.

The best thing about camping is that you can choose to do as little or as much as you want day by day. No schedules to adhere to, no timelines to consider, and no reservations to rush off to. As you wake up with the sun next to your partner each morning, you decide whether it will be a day of relaxing on the beach, hiking up a mountain, or simply snuggling in your hammock all day at your campsite.

If you’re looking for a campground that creates an intimate, secluded atmosphere I recommend Mahood Lake in British Columbia, Canada. It’s a bit of a drive down gravel logging roads, but the trip is worth it! The lake is surrounded by tall mountains, the campground is completely treed in, and there are many beautiful hikes in the area.

Road trip

Road trips are one of the most flexible ways to get away for your honeymoon. You can choose to camp at night, find hotels along the way, or even book an Airbnb in advance. And during the day while you’re exploring, you have the freedom to pull over and see something that caught your eye, or just keep going! The possibilities are endless and tailored to your preferences.

One of my favourite areas for road trips to and through are the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Whether your trip takes you from Jasper to Banff, from Banff to Vancouver, or even up to the Yukon, the scenery will take your breath away! It also helps that there’s a little bit of everything to do; hiking, white water rafting, museums, beer tasting, gourmet food, hot springs, abandoned town tours, wildlife watching, etc.

Staycation

After our wedding we chose to take a few days off from work and have a staycation. I’m going to be candid here, I thought this was going to be lame and went into it as a “pity” honeymoon. But I still think back on those few days with extremely fond memories!

After the rush of the wedding, it was so nice to have a few days as newlyweds to do whatever we wanted. We warned our friends and family that we wouldn’t be answering our calls or texts and to pretend we’re out of the country on a “real” honeymoon.

We took the opportunity to explore our city and do the things we always meant to do. We filled our evenings at home with delicious foods, cuddling in front of the TV, and playing video games. It was a great way to spend time together in the ways we always say we will, but never make the time to do. Plus, it’s sometimes nice to take a break from the “real world” but still get to sleep in your own bed at night!!