The Stay-At-Home Honeymoon

You’ve picked out the perfect dress, cake, and caterer. The band is booked and you’ve already chosen the photographer. You’ve got your whole wedding planned, except for the honeymoon. What happens when you can’t go on that exotic trip, but must stay local? Can a stay-at-home honeymoon be just as fun and romantic as a trip to Hawaii or Italy? With a little planning and effort, you’ll find that your memories of your local honeymoon will be just as treasured as anyone else’s.

When planning your honeymoon, a good place to start is your local newspaper. Most newspapers have a calendar or happenings section that list any special events that will be taking place. For those honeymooners on a tight budget, free summer concerts planned by the recreation department are a great idea. If you can afford it, classes (wine tasting, dancing, etc.) are a great way to spend time together while broadening your horizons. Your newspaper may also list lectures, museum exhibits, plays, - all of which might be fun activities for you to share with your new spouse.

Searching online can help you find attraction guides for your area. You may come across “tourist” spots that you’ve never visited before, or perhaps didn’t even know existed. Some good websites for city guides include www.citysearch.com, travel.yahoo.com, and cityguide.aol.com. If you have trouble finding resources online, your local bookstore or library is sure to have some guides to your city. You can also try calling your local tourism department—if there isn’t one for your city, try your state’s department of tourism. The Chamber of Commerce might also be of help. If all else fails, visit some of the local hotels to see if they have brochures for attractions in your area.