Episode Transcript
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j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (00:00):
Hello and
welcome to All Things Travel.
The month of February celebratesall things love, and that means
engagements, weddings, and anoverall focus on your
relationships.
Today we're going to highlightour top honeymoon destinations,
perfect for all of you whocelebrated your relationship
this month.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (00:19):
Listen
in with travel advisors and
destination experts, Ryan andJulie.
I'm your travel professor,teaching you everything you need
to know to have a magicalvacation.
And she's a Disney loving,Maryland mom of three, and a
specialist in family travel.
Whether we're discussingincredible destinations, top
vacation tips, or sharingpersonal stories, it's always
(00:40):
all things travel.
All right, Julie, how are youdoing?
We are recording the middle ofFebruary.
How is life?
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (00:53):
Well,
we're gearing up for a lot more
snow this week,
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (00:56):
Yay
winter
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (00:57):
I hate
winter so much.
I really thought we were goingto get like zero snow this year
because I had gone out and madesure I had snowsuits and hats
and gloves and boots foreveryone.
And I was like, oh good, I'll doall this and it's not going to
snow.
And I think we've had snow likeevery week.
The kids have just not gone toschool.
(01:20):
It's not fun.
I don't like it.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (01:22):
All
right,
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (01:23):
we're
keeping busy.
It's been a super fun week forwork because Disney Cruise Line
finally started booking their2026 itineraries.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_1919 (01:31):
tomorrow
as we're recording it opens for
the general public so I'm gonnabe on early Getting some cruises
booked.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (01:38):
Oh, I'll
see you there.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (01:39):
Okay.
Maybe you can book mine for me.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (01:42):
Well, I
booked my family's cruise and so
excited.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_19 (01:46):
everybody,
this is Julie's texting me back
and forth as the cruise linesopen.
I'm working on these cruises formy clients.
Oh, here's all the stuff I'mplanning for my trip.
So it's a very good balance,right?
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (02:00):
It is.
We've been wanting to do aMedCruise for so long.
And I finally
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (02:04):
I know
you have.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (02:06):
be the
year.
You know, I've been waiting forDisney to drop these itineraries
for so long.
And I remember screenshottingthem to you.
This one's it.
This one's it.
I'm so excited.
So I can't wait to share moreabout that, as we get closer to
it.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (02:17):
I had
a client who is a frequent
cruiser with me, mostly in theCaribbean with Disney Cruise
Line, and she has kids aboutyour kids ages.
And she asked, can I do theMediterranean Disney Cruise
Line?
Do you think?
And I'm like, I bet you can,because I know somebody who's
doing it.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (02:34):
Does she
need a travel agent?
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (02:36):
We're
good.
We're good.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (02:38):
Okay.
So back to honeymoons, this islike
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (02:41):
Yes.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (02:42):
thing
now.
people plan these super bighoneymoons and, Sometimes we're
lucky enough to be a part ofthat planning.
I know I've planned some reallyawesome out of the box ones the
past year or two.
And I remember when I gotmarried, which wasn't that long
ago, it was 10 years ago.
I feel like everyone just wentto Mexico.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (03:03):
Yeah.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (03:03):
had no
idea what we were doing.
So I think it's a great idea forus to highlight destinations
that are not Mexico, but spoileralert, Mexico is on the list.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (03:14):
And
for me, when I think about
planning a honeymoon for folks,it's really, how can we
maximize.
focusing on being together so Ithink it does lend itself to an
all inclusive type situation acruise or Guided travel where
all the variables are taken careof and you just have to focus on
(03:34):
Enjoying travel with each other.
So I like some of these optionsthat you put together julie
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (03:41):
Yeah.
And at the end, I have a coupletips and they're mostly
questions to ask yourself as acouple about what we want out of
our honeymoon and how that'sgoing to help you narrow it
down?
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (03:51):
Yeah,
great, well, why don't you start
us off what's the first locationyou have for us
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (03:56):
So we're
going to start with
international destinations andthis one is like the top of my
list because it's fairly easy toget to.
The flight time there is prettyintermediate from most parts of
the U.
S.
we are talking about St.
Lucia and
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (04:11):
Nice
Mm
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (04:13):
Grand St.
Lucian.
Sandals does have two otherresorts that are nearby.
One is a little quieter.
One is on a little bit of adifferent landscape, but I like
the Grand because it offers alot of activities.
also a lot of other allinclusives there if you're not a
Sandals.
fan but that's the one I
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (04:32):
hmm.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (04:33):
Some of
the best things that you're
going to do in St.
Lucia, the things you thinkabout that are most iconic are
going to see the pitons, drivinginto the volcanoes, going to the
mud baths, the waterfalls,sunset cruises, rum tastings,
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (04:47):
Love
it.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (04:48):
ATVs,
jeep, jeep rides.
there's so much adventure thatyou can do, but if you've got a
week there, it's very easy tospread that out.
And enjoy a lot of relaxing timeon those really beautiful
beaches.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (05:01):
I love
that and, you know, if sandals
isn't your thing to be honest,if you are a couple who are
going to go celebrate romanceand your relationship, you can't
go wrong with sandals.
they just do such a great jobwhen it comes to couples.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (05:17):
And if
you were interested in a
destination wedding, and youbook your trip at Sandals, you
get your wedding included.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (05:26):
Yeah.
Absolutely.
Alright, so let's talk about alittle bit more of an exotic
location the Maldives.
We talked about the Maldivesabout a year ago on this show
And it was for a honeymoon, I'mthinking of a place like the
Waldorf Astoria Maldives, whichis a nice luxury resort.
Think about those over the waterbungalows.
(05:48):
that private island as a resort.
now the travel experience hereis going to be a little more
challenging, but completelydoable.
you obviously do need apassport.
You have very long flights,usually two, depending on where
you're coming from, but you canplan stopovers in Dubai or
Thailand or Sri Lanka, to addsome more adventure to your
(06:09):
honeymoon.
when you think about Maldives,it's all about being pampered
and top level of luxury, but youcan also have some adventure.
So it's Nurse shark swimming,snorkeling, any type of water
activity is perfect in theMaldives all year long.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (06:27):
let's go
across the pond, away from the
beaches for a little bit.
this?
has been one of the most popularhoneymoon destinations for my
clients recently, and that'sItaly.
Everyone wants to go to Italythis past year, Whether they're
going on a cruise or a landtrip, we've been working on that
one a lot.
So, Italy.
similar to the last twolocations, quick reminder, you
(06:48):
still need a passport.
You probably have an overnightflight.
and you probably want to planfor this to be a longer trip.
You don't want to go to Italyfor five days.
You want to go for a minimum of,seven, eight to 10 to 14 days.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (07:04):
unless
you have been to Italy multiple
times and you're going to justenjoy one specific area.
I think that's okay, but mostpeople are not at that level of
travel.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (07:15):
Yeah,
especially not on your
honeymoon.
And you're thinking you'recoming off of getting married
and all that wedding planningyou want to have, just not be
rushed.
so you also want to think about.
The other two we mentioned werethere were all inclusive resorts
available in Italy.
That's obviously not an option.
Now, we can build you an allinclusive package that includes
(07:36):
your hotel.
Excursions, your tours, yourtrains, your transfers, all
these extra things that you addin.
So we can present that to youthat feels like an all
inclusive, but do know thatthere's going to be so much in
addition to just a hotel cost.
some of the top places that youwant to go and the things that
you want to do there be Rome,going to see the Colosseum, the
(07:59):
Vatican, maybe a cooking classin that area.
Ryan always talks about Gettinglost in a good way.
And I think Rome is a greatplace to do
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (08:06):
it's
the perfect place to do that.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (08:08):
right?
Get lost and find some pizza.
Sounds great.
Heading down to Naples and goingto Pompeii.
Usually Naples is more like astop through on an itinerary,
but still a great place tovisit.
down towards the Amalfi Coasttowards Sorrento, Positano, all
those beautiful coastal towns.
Make your way over to Capri andthe Blue Grotto.
(08:30):
Go to Anna Capri and thefunicular ride.
the pictures that come out ofthe Amalfi Coast are beautiful.
Think about including Florenceon your trip.
It's pretty close to Rome.
You can do some vineyard tours,go see the Accademia, the
Palazzo Vecchio.
Ryan's been there.
I remember he had all thoseawesome pictures from the
vineyards a couple of years ago.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (08:50):
Yes,
absolutely.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (08:52):
to keep
going, head over to Venice and
do a gondola ride.
Go to the glass blowing factoryover the Murano and Barano
Islands.
There's so much to see in Italy,there's no way you're going to
do it all in one trip.
So depending on your length oftrip will depend on what we can
include in it.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (09:07):
I love
that.
Now let's head to one of myfavorite European destinations,
and that is Greece.
I'm thinking of staying atplaces Like the Perianthe Hotel
in Athens, the Royal MekonianResort at Mykonos, Secret Legend
Suites in Santorini.
It's going to not just be goingto a resort.
(09:28):
You're going to have trains,flights, transfers, and with
some of these places besides theflight, you may even have a
ferry stop.
depending on how you want to getto those islands, you might want
to consider pairing Greece witha MedCruise.
that's a good way to see theislands of Greece.
in Athens, doing a city tourwith the Acropolis and the new
(09:48):
Acropolis Museum.
is always on the list, shoppingand strolling around the Plaka,
which is the old part of thecity in Mykonos, doing a food
tour.
being in Mykonos and Santorini.
I was there a few years ago.
No Photoshop needed.
Those places look exactly likethey do in the photos.
(10:10):
Mykonos.
You walk around and your jaw isjust.
On the floor with thewhitewashed walls the blue trim
and the pink flowers.
Santorini.
Then doing a sunset cruise andalso doing a winery tasting.
One of the fun things aboutSantorini is it sits on a
volcano.
Santorini, the island is avolcano, so you have very
(10:32):
different soil there.
And so the wine has very uniquetaste.
I want to go back, maybe not fora honeymoon even, but I want to
go back.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (10:41):
you
painted an amazing picture and I
was like, Oh, I wish that was onmy MedCruise itinerary.
it's definitely on the travelwishlist, if anyone didn't
already have it on their travelwishlist, they should after that
description.
I know I kind of downplayed thisone earlier, but I'm going to
throw Mexico in here becauseit's an affordable honeymoon
destination.
More affordable than Italy andGreece and probably even St.
(11:04):
Lucia and definitely theMaldives.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (11:07):
but
what I will say before you is
these resorts that you aresuggesting are upper level as
far as levels of service.
So this is not thestereotypical, which there's
nothing wrong with that, but foryour honeymoon, maybe you're
looking for something a littledifferent.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (11:24):
Yeah,
absolutely.
the resource that I think aboutwhen sending clients for a
honeymoon to Mexico are AtelierPlaya Mujeres, Secrets Maroma,
the Banyan Tree Mayakoba.
I mean, these are more elevatedresorts and there are so many
levels of resorts that it'seasier for us to find something
at your price point that isstill going to feel elevated and
(11:46):
not like a party scene if that'swhat you don't want.
it's a little easier to travelhere from most destinations in
the U.
S.
It's going to be a shorterflight.
It may be a direct flight.
I know for me from Baltimore,it's a direct flight.
With it being all inclusive, itcan be a lot more affordable.
you might want to add anexcursion or two, get off
property, But that's not goingto add as big of a cost as, you
(12:10):
know, Even comparing, obviously,like going to Italy and Greece,
like we mentioned.
A couple of the top excursionsin Mexico would be going to see
the Mayan ruins, swimming in thecenotes, snorkeling, but also
just hanging out, relaxing onthe beach, and enjoying that all
inclusive feel.
other great thing about Mexicobeing a little closer is you can
make that trip a little shorterif you need it to be.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (12:31):
Hawaii
obviously makes a fantastic,
Honeymoon destination.
thinking of the Royal HawaiianHotel on Waikiki Beach, the
Grand Hyatt Kaua'i Resort andSpa, which I've actually been
there, I was staying next doorto Marriott, and that has the
best beach on the island ofKaua'i, the Grand Hyatt does, So
(12:52):
travel experience, obviously thegood thing here is no passport,
but for most people, a longerflight, depending on where
you're coming from Islandhopping I think is a lot of fun
and a great way to see Hawaii,but it does add more travel
time.
It adds more variables.
So if your goal was to relax onyour vacation, you may not want
to do it here, but I definitelysee the value of going to
(13:15):
multiple islands while you'rethere.
there are no all inclusiveresorts on Hawaii, so you are
going to be looking at rentalcars.
excursions, different thingslike that.
And that's okay.
a good travel advisor can helpput all that stuff together.
So you don't have to stressabout anything.
So let's talk about the thingsthat you could do.
Hiking Diamond Head, seeingwaterfalls, Waimea Gardens on
(13:37):
the North Shore, Pipeline Beach,all those things on Oahu,
Waikiki, obviously snorkeling,water sports, surf lessons a
luau in Hawaii, which is a must,my favorite island, which is
Kauai, seeing the Nepali coast,Doing a sail and snorkeling on a
catamaran.
It's just amazing.
Poipu Beach on Kauai is a lovelyspot and that would be where
(14:00):
that Hyatt is.
in Maui seeing the beaches andsome of the island's, uniqueness
like the road to Hana.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (14:07):
And I
love, Ryan, how you pointed out
that Grand Hyatt resort has thebest beach on that island.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (14:14):
It
really does.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (14:15):
it shows
our value, right?
I didn't just pick randomresorts
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (14:18):
Yeah.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (14:19):
stay
here.
I'm picking ones that I know aregoing to be great for my clients
for a good reason.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (14:24):
Yeah.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (14:25):
there.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_19194 (14:25):
Because
Kauai is very rocky, and so
there aren't a lot of resortsthat have an actual sand beach.
So, for instance, the Marriott,Kualoa Poipu Beach, which was
next door that I was at, has oneof the best pool complexes in
the United States.
you're still gonna love it, butyou're not gonna have a beach.
But you go next door to theHyatt, and And there is an
(14:48):
opportunity for beach, but moreof a standard pool.
So it's kind of, you know, what,what are you looking for?
And, and wanting out of thattime there.
Well, Julie, before we talkabout more spots in the United
States, I have an ironic wherein the world is all things
travel, because when I looked atmore recent locations to pop up,
(15:08):
Mililani town.
on the island of Oahu it isstraight north of Pearl Harbor,
Pearl City, kind of in betweenPearl Harbor and the Dole
Plantation, we love to see spotslike this pop up and listen to
all things travel.
So I'm going to put you on thespot here, Julie, if we're
meeting our listener fromMililani Town, what is a place
(15:31):
on Oahu that you want to seewith them that maybe you didn't
see with your family on thislast trip?
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (15:37):
Did you
say it has to be on Oahu?
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (15:40):
Well,
that's where it is.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (15:41):
the most
sense.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (15:42):
Yeah.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (15:42):
the
pipeline beaches.
I did not get to stop at any ofthose,
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (15:46):
You
guys kind of zip through that
because of the kiddos, right?
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (15:49):
they were
asleep in the back.
We couldn't just get out.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (15:52):
So
here's what we're going to do.
We're going to drive up to theNorth Shore.
We're going to stop at MililaniTown, pick up our listener.
we're going to head up to thePipeline Beaches, check out the
surfing, spend some time on thebeach.
We're going to hit Haliva, havesome lunch at the Beach House.
I hear their pork sliders arethe best in the world, and we're
going to have a great time.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (16:11):
I love
that.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (16:13):
hey,
Oahu, we are so excited that you
are listening to All ThingsTravel.
Do us a favor, reach out toJulie or I, and you can do that
via email or on our website,allthingstravelpodcast.
com, because I want to send youa little aloha love all the way
out to Oahu for being featuredon the show today.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (16:33):
some
really popular and great
domestic destinations forhoneymoons.
The first one is going to beCharleston, South Carolina.
this is kind of like a laid backtown, very historical It's great
for a quick getaway.
if you are super busy at workand can't get a lot of time off
after your wedding.
A lot of people take a lot oftime off when they're planning
their wedding.
you could do a quick weekendgetaway.
(16:54):
You don't need a passport.
It's likely a short flight oreven a drive depending on where
you're located.
So those things make it a greatdestination.
some of the top things that Iwould recommend you do in
Charleston are a culinary crawl.
I'm going to give you a coupleof the best restaurants to see
that should be on your list whenyou go there.
The Husk and Fig, The Ordinary,and Fleet Landing.
(17:18):
And then there's also some greatneighborhoods you should go to
like King Street and East Bay.
If you want to see some historyof the city, you've got to go
over to Rainbow Row.
There's some pastel colored 18thcentury townhouses, which kind
of give you a hint into the pastof Charleston.
You can wander through theBattery, where the majestic
antebellum mansions line thewaterfront.
(17:39):
There's the famous Gibbs Museumof Art Waterfront Park, White
Point Gardens.
a nice, relaxing weekend getawaywith some great food and great
sights.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (17:49):
I had
a friend in graduate school,
whose husband did, his culinaryschool training in Charleston
and he just raved aboutCharleston as a culinary scene.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (18:01):
Love
that.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (18:02):
on my
list.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (18:03):
Okay,
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (18:06):
to
Savannah.
staying in a place like theHotel Barbados Savannah.
It's gonna be a quick weekendgetaway, likely a short flight,
especially if you're on theeastern side, of the United
States.
walking through the historicaltown, you've got the grand tree
lined streets with 18th and 19thcentury mansions.
You can marvel at thearchitecture of the historical
(18:28):
churches, the history with theCivil War, Just a lot of culture
there in savannah when it comesto history dining.
You've got the old pink house ahistoric restaurant serving
dishes like shrimp and grits andfried green tomatoes.
You've got leopold's ice creamYou've got the gray which offers
a sophisticated take on southerncuisine And a restored get this
(18:52):
Greyhound bus terminal julie.
I think that would be kind offun And for seafood lovers,
you've got the Wild Dock Bar,which is a must visit, offering
fresh, locally sourced seafoodwith stunning marsh views.
So again, you've got thatsteeped in southern history and
southern culinary traditions.
(19:13):
both of these places sound likea great way to celebrate your
honeymoon.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (19:17):
across
the country, to Napa Valley,
California.
And this is one that wasn'tforefront in my mind, but when I
came across it, I was like,yeah, that is a really great
honeymoon destination.
The flight might be a little bitlonger than Savannah or
Charleston, just depending onwhere you are in the U.
S., but that means you can stillmake it a pretty short trip.
Some of the best things thatyou're going to want to do there
are obviously focusing on thevineyards.
(19:40):
Go do a wine trail and visit abunch of different vineyards
throughout your stay, samplingthe wines, taking tours.
There are some really greatMichelin rated restaurants out
there.
La Tocque is a Michelinrecommended gem over in Napa
Valley.
It's intimate.
There's a lot of family ownedestates nearby.
You can really get in depth withwhat's going on and this
restaurant is right in thatarea.
(20:01):
with a Michelin star, thatsounds amazing to me.
French Laundry, which has twoMichelin stars, so it must be
amazing.
another really fun thing to doin Napa Valley is to take a hot
air balloon ride all over andsee that valley.
So that is like a very romantic,but again, very relaxed getaway.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (20:20):
So
we've got a couple tips when it
comes to planning a honeymoon.
The first is if you have aninternational destination coming
up, have your passport ready.
if you're unsure about that,listen to next week's episode,
I've got some pointers for you.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (20:33):
Oh, what
a good teaser.
All right.
And then the next things I wantto say are Asking yourself some
questions and, you know, as acouple, do you want more of a
leisure honeymoon?
Do you want more of an adventurehoneymoon?
Do you have a lot of time totake off?
Or do you have just a weekend totake off?
Those two questions are going toreally help you narrow down
(20:54):
where you want to go.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (20:56):
So
another thing to consider when
it comes to finances.
What if you paid for yourwedding on a credit card with
travel points and you can helpmake that, honeymoon more
affordable, or if somebody ispaying parts of the wedding for
you maybe strongly suggest thatthose would make a great wedding
gift.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (21:15):
Right.
Those travel points could
ryan_1_02-16-2025_1 (21:16):
absolutely.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (21:18):
what an
amazing way to have an
affordable honeymoon.
a lot of people like to do ahoneymoon fund on their bridal
registry.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (21:26):
I love
that.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (21:27):
thing
too.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (21:28):
Yeah,
absolutely.
And then obviously, as you and Ialways say, plan early, you're
going to be taking the time toplan your wedding.
Far out in advance, don't forgetabout the honeymoon, having
those ideas locked down or evenjust saying, This is when I want
to travel.
This is where we want to travel.
Let the travel advisor put thattogether for you.
(21:49):
the earlier you plan, the betteroptions you have.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (21:54):
You want
to plan a trip to an amazing
destination for your honeymoon,but don't know how to get
started as your travel advisors,we work with you to create a
customized itinerary for yourvacation and take the stress of
planning away so you can focuson the fun and creating
memories.
You can reach us atallthingstravelpodcast.
com and click on the contact ussection.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (22:16):
We
look forward to talking to you
next week on all things travel.
When we discuss European entryrequirements, online passport
renewals, and the real ID, allthese important updates.
We'll go over it all.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (22:39):
All
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (22:41):
One
last place,
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (22:42):
favorite
place.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (22:43):
Next
favorite place.
j_1_02-16-2025_191948 (22:45):
Yeah,
because you love Greece so much.
this one is kind of like, I putit in the international, but it
doesn't belong in theinternational.
ryan_1_02-16-2025_191948 (22:51):
I was
about ready to say our last
international destination andthen I looked and I'm like,
wait, what is going on here?
So, contrary to popular belief,Julie Hawaii is part of the, 50
United States.
So, but