F&*%!$ Honeymoon.

[tawni8806]

Ok...Heres my dilema. We thought we had everything done for our honeymoon. This is what we had planned, all our reservations are made, but I am having second thoughts, because of all the driving. It doesnt seem relaxing enough to me. PLUS: Whenevr we are in the car together for long periods of time, we tend to get tired, and bicker with one another.

Yet, my FH and I would LOVE to go on a roadtrip and with gas prices, our child, and my FH going to school full time, I feel like we wont have the chance to do it again. We have budgeted $2,000 for our honeymoon.

This is what we have planned:
9th DAY ONE:
From Portland to Sacramento

SLEEP

10th DAY TWO:
From Sacramento to Los Angeles
9.5 Hours, 600 Miles
Sight See
Sleep

11th DAY THREE:
STAY
Price is Right at 1:00
Hollywood Tour
Sleep

12th DAY FOUR:
From Los Angeles to San Diego
2.5 Hours, 150 Miles
Sea World
Sleep

13th DAY FIVE:
STAY
Go to Mexico
The beach
Sleep

14th DAY SIX:
From San Diego to Pinole
8 Hours, 500 Miles
Sight See
Sleep

15th DAY SEVEN:
From Pinole to Portland
10.5 Hours, 670 Miles
HOME

I don't find this relaxing and I proposed this all inclusive honeymoon package to Cancun with an oceanfront room. $1,750 for 6 nights, from August 9th-August 15th. This is with airfare, meals, drinks, and our room. It's at Oasis Palm Beach in Cancun, Mexico.

http://www.oasispalmbeach.com/

*FH is scared of planes, and feels like we willspend way more out of our budget with drinks, and souvenirs, but the way I look at it, we wont go more then 100 or so bucks, and with a honeymoon sometimes you have to go above and beyond. He has ridden in planes several times before, so he can survive. He also can get pills!! lol.

What do you think is the best option?

[tawni8806]

Can I also add that our wedding is in...ONE MONTH!!!!!

[uptowngirl]

That is hard! I personally would prefer the all-inclusive-fly-to-Mexico trip - but if your FH hates flying I don't know what to tell you! LOL!

I have done the Portland to Mexico drive - one of my college roommates and I left Portland at about 8pm (the first night of spring break) and made it to San Diego by 4pm the next day - but that was taking turns driving through the night. We had a week to play and then did the marathon drive back. It can be done!

Also you guys could head north and check out Seattle, Bellingham (one of my favorite places in the world) and Vancouver BC. The drive is shorter so you would be able to spend more time playing and less time driving...


And YAY!!! for the one month mark!

[Brian's Bride]

I'm biased because we spent a week at an all-inclusive in the Riviera Maya (1.5 hours south of Cancun). It was sooo relaxing and we didn't want to go home! And like you said, they make pills for air-sickness! The beach, the buffets, the DRINKS! What more could you want?!?

Otherwise, your proposed road trip DOES look like a lot of driving, maybe you could cut Mexico out and spend your time between LA and San Diego...

[tawni8806]

The mexico drinking age is 18 by the way, and we both need that. Haha. We want to to go to Mexico either way, it'sjust about the all-inclusive, or the drive and stops along the way.

Canada MAY be an option, depending on the drinking age, haha.

[tawni8806]

I'm biased because we spent a week at an all-inclusive in the Riviera Maya (1.5 hours south of Cancun). It was sooo relaxing and we didn't want to go home! And like you said, they make pills for air-sickness! The beach, the buffets, the DRINKS! What more could you want?!?

Otherwise, your proposed road trip DOES look like a lot of driving, maybe you could cut Mexico out and spend your time between LA and San Diego...
If we drove though, we would be going to Tijuana instead of Cancun.

Mexico is just for shopping and drinking.

how much was your all-inclusive trip?!

[MrsBold]

That sounds fun! The traffic here is horrible so I doubt you would have much fun.

As for the all inclusive thing, as long as you don't drink too much you should be fine. The meals tend to be good, plus they usually have buffets. With gas going up you would probably still manage to stay within budget with the resort.

[tawni8806]

By the way: Here is the website I would be looking at getting an all-inclusive trip from: http://www.resortvacationstogo.com/

Anyone know of it?

[Brian's Bride]

Our honeymoon (AI resort w/direct flight out of O'Hare) came to $2800. So you'd be getting a REALLY good deal! We booked ours through Apple Vacations back in February in the middle of a snowstorm. I was sick of waiting for the price to go down so I just pulled the trigger!!

Are you sure you'd want to stop at Tijuana for your honeymoon?!? LOL. Make sure you bring your boots along. I hear there are hypodermic needles just strewn about town. Seriously! Wearing sandals there is not recommended...

[tawni8806]

Our honeymoon (AI resort w/direct flight out of O'Hare) came to $2800. So you'd be getting a REALLY good deal! We booked ours through Apple Vacations back in February in the middle of a snowstorm. I was sick of waiting for the price to go down so I just pulled the trigger!!

Are you sure you'd want to stop at Tijuana for your honeymoon?!? LOL. Make sure you bring your boots along. I hear there are hypodermic needles just strewn about town. Seriously! Wearing sandals there is not recommended...
Hahaha. I know. Ive been there before, FH hasnt. There is just really good shopping.

I really wanna do the All-inclusive. I need to talk to him. He's going, lol. Im just worried, because do you think we would need a car rental? That would definetly put us WAY over. I dont know whats around the area.

[PGDesigns]

Basically, there is one major strip in Cancun filled with hotels, shopping, and dining. Most things were in walking distance, and for the ones that weren't, we rode the bus. With the traffic I saw there, I'd definitely avoid renting a car. We saw so many wrecks the week we were there.

[stressedoutbride]

I love cancun...the place that i have been to which I highly recommend is called the GR Solaris.its a 4 star all inclusive hotel...the restaurants are amazing and the service is fenomenal...u would think its a 5 star one...i have been to other all inclusives and so far this was the best! cheaptickets.com is where i found it... and it was like 1500.00 for everything...this is my choice for a honeymoon even though i have been there already...:D

[Ninedays9]

I like the resort idea better. That's what I would pick even though I've never been on a plane and am a little scared of being on one.

One of the bad things about road trips is paying to park everywhere you go. If the area you go is anywhere as bad as Chicago (where I went on a road trip with some friends), the cost will rack up quickly. Plus there's bound to be toll booths along the way. We paid probably $150 in parking and toll booth fees, and we were only there for one day and gone one night.

I also agree with you about not being able to relax as much on a road trip. There's something about being in a car for a long time and trying to figure out where you're going that makes people cranky. Plus, you're going to be need to stop to get food, so that adds more cost. I'm not trying to make road trips seem bad 'cause we had a blast going to Chicago, but it's not really something I'd want to do on my honeymoon.

[nellaj]

I am a road trip junkie so all that driving actually appeals to me!!! Your first honeymoon you planned sounds like a dream vacation to me minus the Mexico part. I am not much of a beach bum and would prefer to sight see.

I second the Vancouver road trip! Vancouver is fantastic, has great shopping, and a great nightlife if that is what you are into. Plus us Canuks are the best :P Victoria is close to Vancouver as well and it is a BREATHTAKING city! There is so much to do there. The drinking age in Canada differs per province, but it is 19 in British Columbia. Have fun choosing!

[Dani]

We did a road trip! From Illinois all the way up as high as Billings Montana to as south as San Diego. We want to do it again....we did camp along the way (I was a sport about that one). There is so much to see while driving...the longest we drove a day was about or so hours, we had a blast.

[WebLady]

I don't like to fly so I would be leaning towards the road trip. Maybe you guys could pick just a couple of places and stay longer so you would have less time in the car?

Good luck :)

[bichonlvr]

I say road trip...but dear job why Pinole??? Why not just spend more time in one place...just because it is a road trip does not mean you have to go to that many places?!?!

Like you could stay in the San Diego area, hit up the zoo, sea world, Old Town, go to the beach a few days, etc.

[mtigercat]

I would say the all inclusive trip. Reason being...you don't want your honeymoon to be one big argument. Think of all the things that could set your schedule off. (construction, wrecks, plain ol traffic, heaven forbid-car trouble) that would tend to make an already cranky, tired person worse. the all inclusive would get you to your destination and allow you more time to relax and enjoy your time away together. I just see it as being less stressful, less chance for something to go wrong.

[acidcookie]

I love road trips, but after all the wedding planning the last thing I'd want to do is drive and drive and drive and be cooped up in a car. Go relax somewhere!

[RosieAngel]

I'd choose the resort, definitely! You don't want to spend your honeymoon tired and irritable!

[TangoWedding]

I looooove road trips. LOVE them. However, with your plan, it sounds like you'd be doing more driving than relaxing. And that's especially true driving through SoCal.

You have listed that you'll drive for 8 hours and then sight-see. Then another day drive like 10 hours and sight-see. After 10 hours in a car, who would want to walk around and go sightseeing? I'd imagine you'd end up just wanting to go to your hotel and crash. Driving that much will be taxing on your mind, your body, and apparently, your relationship.

I'd recommend the all-inclusive. Much more relaxing and honeymoonish!

[firespirit]

How much is the total cost for the drive with gas, hotels, food and drinks?

The price for the all inclusive really sounds like a good deal!

[tawni8806]

How much is the total cost for the drive with gas, hotels, food and drinks?

The price for the all inclusive really sounds like a good deal!
We budgeted $2000 originally for all that. With the gas, hotels and activities, it really would be about the same price.

[Heywie]

I would definitely do the All-inclusive over the driving. For the most part, I hate being in a car. Traffic down here is AWFUL! You also have so many things planned that you may not really get to enjoy any of them. You will be exhausted!

Tijuana is not in good shape right now. They've been putting out warnings in San Diego about traveling to Baja right now because there has been a lot of drug wars and unrest. People have been kidnapped and shot at in daylight. I don't mean to scare you, but I grew up in San Diego and went to TJ often, and I won't go down there right now for fear of something happening.

Don't all-inclusives include your drinks, too? That sounds like a bargain to me! I say talk to your FH about having a relaxing time together in Cancun versus an exhausting road trip!