My fiancée and I are getting married mid-July, and starting to brainstorm honeymoon destinations. Looking for somewhere with a balance of relaxation and adventure. We’re most likely going to stick with some place in the lower 48, but we’re trying to avoid the gulf area since we can go there anytime. Our budget is around $3,500 at this point. Thanks in advance.

It does suck to be so stressed you gotta get back and take a vacation from a vacation.

Maybe somewheres with cooler temps would be a nice break.

If that sounds like y’alls kinda thing.

https://mtprinceton.com/

Easy fly in/out rent a vehicle, can branch out to other locations

It has changed a good bit since I first started going there 35 years ago. If you go there, pickup some booze and snacks (or 420) to bring in to save money.

Good luck

Fly into Boston, rent a car & do a loop of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire
Not sure if there are nonstops from B’ham to Boston

Blackberry Farms in East TN. I know it ain’t cheap, but it may fit the budget for a few nights.

Personally, I do Boston area and Maine often enough and if it weren’t for secret military lodging probably wouldn’t frequent, not much different to me than the eastern shore Alabama, specifically Daphne, Sea Cliff, Point Clear to Weeks Bay area.


I think this is a gem though and Blows NH and Vermont away, ESPECIALLY in leaf watching season !

https://www.opalcollection.com/sagamore/

Its one of the reasons I go to Bass Pro’s Big Cedar Resort so often, very similar feel in many regards.

I’d be asking honey what she wants to do or else chances are you’ll be hearing about it in the future.

Yep

Santa Fe New Mexico. Good restaurants, great downtown and shops, nice hotels/resorts, good sightseeing/history, lots of outdoor activity like hiking, trout fishing, indian sites, Los Alamos site of Mahattan Project etc....

I like Red River area but there are so many places, many I’d rather have my own truck and gear. I was ASSuming they were flying and renting a car. Traveling from Bama out west via a vehicle can eat up so much time it’s ridiculous and you can find yourself in a hella jam if things go south.

The Keys.

Go west young man. Stay out of Yankee land.

Some of the national parks out west.

My wife and I just did this except we flew into Hartford , which I recommend, it's the second largest air port in New England . We got a non-stop out of Nashville . Boston is very expensive and a hard place to drive in. We hit all 6 New England states lot to see up there , a lot of history and pretty country.

I left out Cali because its Cali but there are some damn good spots to enjoy out there in the uppers

For God sakes, stay outside Boston and take the train in. I pretty much do the Freedom trail and a Sam Adams thing over and over whilst there. I could give less than a fluke about Harvard and such. Plymouth settlement is cool at Thanksgiving.

Hot Springs Arkansas is a good place with plenty to see and do that won't break the bank. My wife and I have stayed at the tree houses linked below, they were built with honeymooners in mind.
https://www.arkansas.com/articles/hot-springs-treehouses-offers-place-stay-among-canopy

Maine would be nice that time of year

Depending on how much time you have, a California trip would be great. Southern Cal is awesome that time of year. San Diego will be mid 60’s-mid 70’s during the day. LA will be mid/upper 70’s-low 80’s but nonexistent humidity. Go east into the desert…Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, etc, it’ll be 110-120 but no humidity and you won’t sweat. Go north to Yosemite, San Francisco, etc. My parents did a trip similar to that and took the train between LA and San Francisco and loved it

These all sound like great trips for someone who has been married 10+ years. I am just thinking if its my honeymoon I want to party like rockstars not visit national parks.