The Do’s and Don’ts of Honeymoon Travel, According to Real Couples

Planning the perfect honeymoon is an exciting part of celebrating your nuptials but it can also come with a certain amount of stress. Should you consider an exotic destination or opt for a trip a bit closer to home?

While the answer depends on you and your partner, a few tips can make it easier to plan the honeymoon of your dreams. To find out some of the must-do and must-skip elements of a great honeymoon, we interviewed three couples who recently returned from their trips.

Originally featured in the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Credit Cards from Chase “Honeymoon for Heroes” program in 2020, these couples are essential workers who postponed their wedding plans at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly two years later, they’ve managed to have the honeymoons they each dreamed of using the 200,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points they received as part of the campaign. Here are their been-there, done-that tips for making your honeymoon as special (and personal) as possible.

Do Take Into Account What’s Most Important to Both of You

One of the hallmarks of a fantastic honeymoon is a trip with something to offer both partners. Whether you plan to explore cultural sites, check out a Michelin-starred restaurant, or lay on the beach soaking up the sun, your honeymoon should represent both of your wishes equally.

Making a list of your top destinations is a great place to start. It can help you narrow down your options and decide what type of honeymoon you’d like. From there, we recommend identifying a few activities to help you plan each day of your trip.

Do Explore Historic Sites 

Whether you and your partner are history buffs, or you just enjoy scenic locations, visiting local highlights can be a meaningful addition to your trip. For Emily and Antonio, who are based in San Francisco and decided to spend their honeymoon in Mexico last July, exploring historic sites made their trip more memorable.

They explain that “visiting the ruins of Teotihuacán and the Museo Nacional de Antropología were both incredible because it makes you realize all of the amazing things happening in ancient civilizations and it really gives you some great perspective.” 

While your options depend somewhat on your destination, it’s worth carving out time to explore the things that make the area you’re visiting unique.

Do Opt for a Honeymoon Adventure

Honeymoons are also a great time to be adventurous. From bungee jumping to swimming with sharks, and everything in between, trying something new can take your trip to the next level. 

Kaila and Erica, a couple from New York who spent their honeymoon in Turks and Caicos in July 2021, decided to take full advantage of the islands’ pristine beaches. “The most memorable experience of our trip was a snorkeling excursion we booked. We had so much fun exploring the ocean together,” they share. 

The concierge at your hotel can offer great tips for local adventures, and they can even book your excursions. Checking out travel guides on sites like TripSavvy can also help you uncover some fantastic options.

Don’t Be Afraid to Think Outside the Box

For a truly unforgettable experience, we recommend getting creative. Carrie and Paulo, another New York couple who first met in nursing school, did just that when they decided to go on a fishing adventure last July. 

“Our most memorable experience was feeding the tarpon at Robbie’s of Islamorada. Paulo leaned over the pier with a fish in hand, and a six-foot tarpon breached the water to grab it! Paulo pulled his hand out of its mouth right in time,” Carrie recalls. 

Getting recommendations from friends and family can help you come up with some out-of-the-box ideas, and asking for suggestions from locals can uncover suggestions even travel guides don’t share. 

Don’t Assume You Need to Leave the Resort

If you’ve taken a resort vacation in the past, you probably know that experts recommend planning at least one or two day trips during your stay. While this is generally good advice, feel free to overlook it if it doesn’t work for you. Erica and Kaila discovered this to be true when they left the resort to have dinner at a local restaurant. 

“We both wish we skipped the one dinner off the resort,” Kaila shares. “I wouldn't typically say this when traveling, but we found the food at the resort to be much better and the transportation to and from the restaurant was a bit challenging to coordinate.” 

Finding affordable flights is another honeymoon “do” and the right credit card can make this easier. With the Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Cards from Chase, you can earn points that don’t expire and get rewarded both in the air and on the ground.

Rapid Rewards Plus Cardmembers now have even more opportunities to earn toward future travel with the new card benefits launched this past fall, like 2x points on local transit and commuting purchases, including rideshare; internet, cable, phone services; and select streaming purchases. With perks like two EarlyBird Check-in® credits per year, and 25% back on inflight purchases, Cardmembers get even more out of their everyday travel and spending for future adventures.

What’s more, every point earned with the Rapid Rewards Credit Cards count toward the coveted Companion Pass®, Cardmembers can bring a travel companion of their choice to fly with them for free (excluding taxes and fees from $5.60 one-way), every time they purchase or redeem points for a flight. Companion Pass is good for the remainder of the year you earn it plus the following calendar year so the savings can be huge depending on how many trips you take together.

Keeping a few pro tips in mind is a great way to prepare for your honeymoon and make the most of your time with your partner. Above all, remember to rest, relax, and enjoy each other’s company—that’s a guaranteed way to turn your trip into a lifelong memory.

All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply and can be found at Southwest.com/rrterms.