6 Affordable Honeymoons For Couples Who Just Can’t Drink Enough Wine
SHARE
@traceyweaver
If you and your forever lover-to-be are chasing the honeymoon dream of sipping your favorite vintage of wine, know that it doesn’t have to break the bank. Although the average honeymoon costs are in the $4,000 range, we think it can be done for less. Yes, even when it includes drinking your weight in locally made vino. Whether you want to spend on travel or accommodations, these destinations will inspire you to pop the cork and get planning.
Close To Home
Perhaps the flight to Burgandy or Bordeau puts French wine country a little far out of your honeymoon budget, but there’s no need to burst your little love bubble. You and your wino partner can toast your marriage with great bottles in beautiful locales without crossing an ocean. So if you’d rather put the bulk of your budget into drinks, plates and a luxe hotel room, try wine country at home in North America.
1. Napa, California, U.S.
Napa has the romance, the scenery and probably a pool at your hotel. Rooms run the range, depending on how much you’d like to spend, but the crown jewel is the wine train. Try the Romance on the Rails package for a tour of wine country, multi-course meals and, of course, plenty of sips.
2. Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Oh, Canada, who knew your wine country was so beautiful? Just outside of Vancouver, the Okanagan Valley offers nearly 10,000 acres of wineries set among the beautiful British Columbia mountains. You can choose between cute bed and breakfasts or polished resorts, but accommodations won’t run you much past $200 per night.
3. Willamette Valley, Oregon, U.S.
Pinot noir is the bottle to order in Oregon’s wine capitol. There are more than 500 wineries here in the Cascade Mountains. Best explored by car, the valley is quieter than Napa and there are entire guest houses for rent right within the rows of vines.
Far Away
If your heart is set on a far-flung celebration, here’s where to head if air travel will use the majority of your travel budget. While your accommodations might not be five-star outside of the States, kicking off your married years by tasting classic wines in even more iconic destinations will make thread count irrelevant.
1. Lyon, France
You could keep spending the big bucks in Burgandy or Bordeau, or you could go to Lyon, where the average price of an Airbnb stays well below $100. Lyon wines are full reds, like Syrahs, or rich whites, and the region’s rosés are known as the “wine of kings.”
2. La Rioja, Spain
One lucky thing about La Rioja is that you won’t want to spend much money on anything but wine here. The deep yummy reds are the reason to pull out your wallet, although your camera will get plenty of use if you decide to explore nearby monasteries and churches as well. Family-run hotels are more affordable and will give your honeymoon homey touches, too.
3. Tuscany, Italy
It would likely be less than $100/night to rent a quaint studio apartment love nest in Florence. You and bae can explore nearby vineyards by day and bring home your favorite bottles of Chianti (a regional specialty) to pair with your own gourmet pasta creations by night.
Next on
