{Honeymoon} Hawaii versus New York

Nick and I weren't thinking much about a honeymoon. Mostly, I was worried about him actually being at our wedding! Air Force training gets delayed all the time, and his original end date was only a month before the wedding. We were waiting until he graduated from pilot training and got his follow-on training dates before discussing honeymoon details. His training dates are pretty much non-negotiable, so we didn't want to chance having to reschedule or postpone. He got his dates a few weeks ago and we definitely have some time to go on a honeymoon. I have had such as stressful and weird year, that I would love to end the celebration of our marriage with a week alone together away from our house, TiVo, and computers, etc.

Originally, we were both leaning toward Hawaii. I spent an amazing two weeks on the Big Island during high school studying marine biology, and Nick had vacationed on Kauai and loved it. Plane tickets to vacation locations are surprisingly cheap right now, I'm sure due in part to the country's economic crisis. However, we hadn't been saving for a trip that much and at first glance it didn't appear to be inexpensive enough. If it were warmer, we would definitely head to the Outer Banks, North Carolina, our favorite vacation spot, but if we're going somewhere in the winter I'd like for it to be super warm. So we were still brainstorming...

A got a text from a good friend currently vacationing in NYC and something got me thinking, wow, it would be so cool to be in New York City for Christmas day. We could go to mass together, order Chinese food in. It would be incredibly cool and romantic to spend our first married Christmas all bundled up together in the city. I always thought I would move there after college, but Nick kind of changed my plans, so how cool to go together for my first visit. It wouldn't be too expensive, and we love exploring new places.

Then last might, Nick was checking on package deals on Hotwire and it looks like we could afford to go to Hawaii after all. Now, I am so torn. There are so many pros to both trips and I think both would make really memorable honeymoons for us. Hawaii would be so warm, and uber-relaxing for me after these next few stressful weeks. It might be weird to spend Christmas in such a warm place, but it is definitely our dream to go to Hawaii for our honeymoon. We so aren't prepared clothingwise, but a quick trip to J.Crew resort might fix that.

However, I just can't help thinking NYC in Christmas would be ah-mazing... just how cool. We might never get the chance to go to the city during this time of year again, and our favorite thing to do is explore new, cool places especially cities. New York would be the perfect location to do that! Plus, Christmas mass at a beautiful Catholic church in the city would be an unforgettable first Christmas. In the four years we've been together, we've never seen each other on Christmas day; I'm always in Indiana and he is in Missouri. What a great way to celebrate our first Christmas.

Sidenote: you know how some say you should go on a vacation with someone before you decide if you are meant for each other? Well, Nick and I are great together on a vacation. We might argue and bicker when we are at home, but send us away and we will almost immediately get along fabulously. It is so cool and one of my favorite things about us.

Nick has left the choice up to me and I have to decide between the two asap. What would you do? Take a winter city vacation? Or spend a week relaxing near an active volcano?

Photos © The Knot.

Comments

[Stephanie]

NYC. Hands down. No question. Read your post again. It's obvious where your heart is :)

I'm getting all mushy just thinking about NYC over Christmas for you!

[tina]

I vote for Hawaii. 1) NYC will be very expensive. 2) NYC will be cold. Every single one of my married friends encouraged me to take a relaxing honeymoon. I ignored of their warnings, re: how tired I'd be, as I'm used to burning both ends of the stick. Much more so than them. OMG. Was I tired. I took a 3 hour nap the day after the wedding and I kid you not, I took at least an hour nap every single day of the honeymoon. And I don't nap. If you're anything like me, you won't be able to sit still in NYC. Too much temptation! However, if you're in Hawaii, you won't feel like you're wasting your honeymoon if you're napping on the beach.

[notsojenny]

Hawaii! not just because it's warm and sunny and awesome and where i want to go on my honeymoon, but because it's more of an exotic trip. it's something you'll be able to justify "because it's our honeymoon".
but NYC? you can go there another year and be just as happy there... because it's part of the contiguous it just feels more like a reasonable any time vacation.
that's my 2 cents.

[Heather]

You can get travel insurance through USAA. It covers if his orders change or whatever. We did it for our honeymoon I think it costs like 10% of the total cost of the trip. They will refund you all your money. We were nervous about his training too. He winged on 5/30 we married 6/7 and went on a honeymoon right after. He also broke his foot 3 weeks before the wedding and took his PT test running in a walking cast for 2 miles so he could have his wings at our wedding. I would have loved to have seen that...

[Heather E.]

Oh, both would be awesome honeymoons :) Bryan and I want to do Vancouver because we love going out and exploring together. For me I feel that Hawaii is somewhere you can take your kids later on for family vacations :) Bryan's family is from New York so we were out there for Christmas two years ago and it was awesome! It was my first time in the city and I loved it! I was hoping for a white Christmas ( I am a California girl) but mother nature decided to give them the 4th warmest Christmas ever! Ha. It was still great to go to Mass in a super old church (get there early! we had to stand!) and see the huge trees and everything. New York at christmas is awesome. Then again so is Kauai... :) Not much of a help, am i?

[Tara]

First off- yay for having the timing work out for a honeymoon!

I would say Hawaii without a doubt. For this reason... you will want to do nothing but relax and be mellow! We were so incredible tired and in desperate need of relaxing after our wedding... And I totally did not think we would be like that. It was so nice to just lay by a pool or the beach and reflect/nap/enjoy the quiet.

NYC would be an amazing trip at Christmas and it is on our list of vacations too. I personally think that this might be a great 1st anniversary vacation... It might be too "busy" for right after the wedding?

Ultimately- go with whichever you are the most excited about and will find the most relaxing.

[nate reynolds]

Based on your post, I bet I know where you ended up ;)

Amanda and I honeymooned on Kauai and it was great. We almost planed a Christmastime trip to NYC this year - how funny would it have been to run into you guys there?!?! See ya in a few days!!

[Jessica Lynn]

your wedding is getting so close! steph is so excited and i cannot wait to see the results!