Warm Weather "Honeymoon" Spots?

I'm not a big traveler and I've never been to Hawaii but would like to someday.

That being said, if I were you and had my pick of basically any timeshare, I would find one that was not so popular...maybe ask the timeshare people for a "gem" that they can recommend. I would want to go somewhere really special and out of the way. JMO. Congrats girlfriend and have FUN!!!!

The Eastern Seaboard offers a LOT of options. When are you looking to go?

Texas has a lot of great options too. South Padre Island and Galveston Beaches are really nice.

I personally like Miami and South Florida.

Hope you have a blast! Congrats on 12 years of marriage!!

If you want to stay in the same time zone? Dominican Republic. Florida Keys/Key West,
Puerto Rico.

Hawaii is beautiful but a 6 hour time difference and a LONG flight from DC....

I've wanted to go to Bermuda.....

I've been to Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Rico and Hawaii (several times, four islands.)
Hawaii is by FAR the best. The cleanest, purest, safest, most beautiful, best food, best people. It's also the most expensive and furthest from the east coast (probably a ten hour flight?) but in my opinion absolutely worth it!
If this is a once in a lifetime trip I would suggest Maui. It has a nice balance of natural beauty and towns with plenty of good restaurants, gorgeous resorts and shopping. Oahu is a close second because although the Honolulu/Waikiki area is more urban and the beaches are more crowded there's a lot of history there, nightlife and Pearl Harbor is pretty cool.

Adults only all inclusive in/near Cancun, Mexico. Check out the Excellence properties . . . I swear you won't be sorry! I know want to use a time share, but still - check it out (as well as some of the other adults only places like Valentin, Sun Palace, Le Blanc, Secrets Sun Capri, etc.). My folks had a time share and often spent more on their vacations than we did!

We went Couples in St Lucia for our honeymoon (in 1989) and we LOVED IT!
They changed the name a bit since then but it's still beautiful.

https://www.theromanticholiday.com/

we honeymooned in maui (hawaii) and can't wait to get back, we started a vacation fund so we could save up to afford to bring the kids... still saving but it is totally worth it!

Do you want to just lounge in a resort next to a pool, doing nothing more strenuous than lifting your glass of wine or your exotic cocktail to your lips? Or do you want to snorkel, walk or hike, visit museums or historical sites?

We've lived in many places. From DC, places like Venice aren't really much different (time-zone wise) than Hawaii. We lived just outside Venice in a small Italian village for nearly 3 years while dh was stationed at an Italian Air Force Base and we'd go back there, or to Tuscany, in a heartbeat. The islands of Burano and Murano were lovely.

We also lived on the island of Curacao for 2 1/2 years while dh was assigned to the Dutch Navy as the American military liaison. Curacao is less tourist-y than Aruba. The Seaquarium is great, a smaller sea encounter than places like Sea World, and there are scuba diving lessons available right nearby. Snorkeling was amazing - the ocean is the most gorgeous color.

We liked Key West, but it's pretty crazy and has a party atmosphere going on much of the time. Lots of fun, though, and great seafood.

New Orleans was a favorite spot. We did a couple of tourist things, like take a barge tour of the bayou to see alligators, but mostly we wandered - not so much on Bourbon Street (although we did go to Preservation Hall to hear the music) - but to the old cemetery, the winding streets, the lovely old buildings. We ate about a hundred po' boys. We took a local cooking class (there are lots that are advertised) and learned to make authentic Étouffée, bread pudding, and gumbo. It was a lot of fun, and a beautiful city to see.

Now we live in Hawaii (due to dh's job). We're on Oahu. Every day I am amazed by a gorgeous new flower or tree that I have never seen and could never have imagined. We hiked Diamondhead on Mother's Day Weekend (my dh flew our ds out, from Texas, for a surprise visit!), and we also saw the Arizona Memorial. This year will be the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. When I look out of our bedroom window, I can see the entire Pearl Harbor and it's a beautiful sight. The museum and memorial were sobering and somber, but very powerful. We have enjoyed the beaches on the North Shore though we don't go there often due to the traffic.

Puerto Rico is another favorite. Old San Juan is a lovely place to stroll, and the El Yunque Rain Forest is amazing to see. It's the only North American rain forest.

I can't tell you about any resorts, because we make it a practice to never stay in them. It's our feeling that you're really not experiencing the island or the locale; instead, you're experiencing what the resort corporate ownership has designed for you. We love staying in small bed-and-breakfasts, or local hotels, and eating street foods, and never eating in restaurants that advertise "American breakfasts" or other things that indicate that they cater to tourists by making food that we could get at any diner in the US.

So, think about what you want to do: explore, or just be catered to and pampered, or see something new, or see wildlife or art, or eat new food.

Feel free to pm me with any questions.

Maui. It's heaven.

Updated

Maui. It's heaven.

Hawaii is heavenly.

Aruba
Punta Cana
Hawaii (Oahu or Maui)
Miami Beach

Enjoy!!

Southern or Eastern Caribbean

We went to Mexico, and it was perfect. Outside the US, but not too far away in case we needed to get back in an emergency. We stayed halfway between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, I think it was in Playacar? We stayed at an all-inclusive resort (adults only) and some days just swam, ate, drank, and relaxed and other days we went on excursions like kayaking, snorkeling, going to ruins, a booze cruise in Cancun, etc. I would definitely go back again.

I would have grandma take the 3 kids on vacation for a while. I would stay home with my husband. 😂... Sedona Arizona is really nice. Its not that creative, but its really really nice.

How nice of your parents!

Hawaii is good, but I think the Caribbean is better. WAY better. It's also closer to you. But not sure if the weather will nice there during the winter. I've been to Hawaii in November and December and the weather was really nice -- 80s to low 90s.

We've been to Caribbean which was nice but I dream of Hawaii. That's where I would go, hands down. Congratulations on 12 years! What a lovely gesture from your parents

Based on your criteria, I wouldn't do Hawaii - it's just as many time zones away as Western Europe! You'll have massive jet lag.

Caribbean Islands are great and you do feel like you're a world away even though you're maybe 3 hours from D.C. My husband won a trip some years ago to a Couples-only resort in Jamaica and we loved it. Definitely a lovely break from kids. We hung out on the beach and also walked up Dunn's River Falls with a guide and went into the town, so there was some exploration along with the lounging. The Mayan Riviera in the Yucatan is great especially if you like the option of the pyramids along with the beaches. I went to St. Maarten years ago - loved it. There's fun shopping on the Dutch side and great food, and of course great food on the French side. You can rent a car and drive around the island if you want. Normally I would recommend Puerto Rico - it has everything from rain forest to historic sections to Phosphorescent Bay - and I love the fact that it's another culture/language but with English readily available, but sadly you have to check on the status of the Zika virus. A colleague of mine is in grad school in St. Kitt's and it's truly lovely. Friends of ours have a time share in Bonaire, which is farther away - and they say it's great for snorkeling/scuba but not for sit-on-the-beach. It's more a desert climate. I loved Cozumel - great snorkeling for beginners on one side, challenging conditions on the other, and there are excursions to the mainland for visiting the Mayan ruins. I would NOT opt for a family resort - you really want a honeymoon and not a bunch of kids running around!

A lot of people love the Gulf coast of Florida for beaches as well as cultural stuff (concerts, museums).

Are you a AAA member? A lot of people forget about their free travel service - and they always have deals and they do the research for you.

geez if your parents are offering and kids will be taken care of, go to the caribbean, anywhere. the beach is the same. you will relax. love on each other a lot, and have a drink or ten. just go.
as for hawaii or europe, im with you. unless you have two weeks to spare, don't do it.

Maui is awesome, but it costs a fortune to go there. Even with accommodations covered, you'll find it is no travel bargain. We went to Cancun a couple years ago at Thanksgiving and loved it! Beautiful beaches, wonderful people, lots to do or not do.

Bahamas....Mexico....Belize. Awesome experiences. And make sure to follow through because you deserve it.

Hawaii is amazing. WAY better than the Caribbean but it is a substantially longer flight and pricier once you are there.