Once the wedding is over, it’s time to relax and enjoy the honeymoon together, taking a break from all the months of stress and planning but if you have spent all your budget on the big day, or just want something a bit different from the traditional beach and sunshine get away, Katie Jones from orlajames.com has put together these alternative honeymoon destinations.

Get away to the great outdoors

Rather than spend money on a luxury hotel and pool, why not spend time together away from it all in the great outdoors and go camping. It doesn’t have to be a wet and muddy field in the UK, you could book two weeks in a national park in the USA, but still just disconnect from the world and spend time in nature together.

Stay at home

Here is a radical idea, go back to the original purpose of the honeymoon period which was to stay at home and get to know each other as a new couple! Take a staycation and shut yourselves away at home, perhaps do some DIY projects together around the house or just take some day trips. Spend time doing hobbies together and just switch off the phones and TV for the week.

Stay local

Why not avoid spending big on flights and use the money saved to book into a really nice hotel or spa resort closer to home. As a honeymooning couple you will get upgraded and treated well anyway so save your flight costs while still living the highlife of luxury.

Take a road trip

Rather than fly to one all inclusive resort and stay in the same place for two weeks, why not hire a car and see more of whichever country takes your fancy? You can take food and camping gear with you, get away from it all and save money and just follow the points on the map. It’s a great way to bond and spend time sightseeing to your own agenda and timetable.

Take to the sea

If you have the skills and knowledge then why not charter a boat and sail away yourselves for a really private get away experience. You could pay for a cruise holiday if you don’t have sailing skills but then you would miss out on the privacy of your own ship and it will most likely end up costing a lot more money in the end once you factor in food and drinks.

Gambling trip

For a honeymoon with a difference why not set aside some of your wedding budget to then go and splash out on the tables at a gambling holiday somewhere like Las Vegas! For a really alternative honeymoon spend it on the roulette tables and see which of you has the most luck. Just make sure you both agree on the spending limits before you set out, to avoid your honeymoon resulting in arguments over money. 

Hobby-based honeymoons

If you like to be quite active then why not opt for a hobby-based honeymoon rather than a simple holiday. If you are both yoga fanatics then go on a week-long yoga retreat together, for example, or book a wine tasting tour of a French region. There are all kinds of retreats or hobby focused holidays available so why not spend time together working on the hobby you both love, as an alternative to a traditional honeymoon.

Volunteering honeymoon

For those of you who like to give something back to the community then why not dedicate your honeymoon week to helping out your local charity as a volunteer. You could both take part in a local community project helping to clear a patch of wasteground, or fundraise for a local animal shelter, whatever project takes your fancy and it will make your honeymoon even more memorable.

River boat

Another option for a more slow-paced honeymoon would be to hire a canal barge or river boat and spend a couple of weeks pottering around on the water, perhaps travelling up from one village to another and spending the day sat in quiet riverside pub gardens enjoying the peace and quiet, as well as the local scenery.

As you can see, a honeymoon definitely doesn’t have to be an expensive beach holiday, there are plenty of alternative destinations you can opt for which are more creative, more adventurous and also cheaper on the budget potentially. Whether you go caving, mountaineering, volunteering at a homeless shelter or stay at home to paint the spare room, the key to any honeymoon is spending time together away from the rest of the world.