Who Needs a Minimoon? You do!
Who needs a minimoon or mini getaway? I know I could always use a weekend away. Right now, I am sitting at my parents cabin with a lake view, my favourite summer weekend activity. Sometimes a change in scenery is all you need to feel inspired. Whether or not you can’t afford to get away for a longer honeymoon or you are just waiting a few months after the wedding – I strongly suggest a minimoon. Even next weekend if you can swing it.
HOW TO: Decide where you should take your Minimoon
Of course my first suggestion would be to reach out to me at the bottom of this post (or another travel agent) and then they can help you find your perfect destination. That being said, I know you might be a DIY kinda couple so don’t worry I have my favourite destinations below. The first thing you should decide with your significant other is what kind of experience you are looking to achieve. Are you looking for a relaxing getaway after the stress and busyness of wedding planning? Are you looking to spend time exploring with each other as newlyweds? What’s important to you: great food, beaches, lots to do, etc?
Of course if you both have different ideas in mind, that’s okay! There is plenty of room to compromise. But getting on the same page of what you are looking for upfront will make everything a lot easier. Ever watched an episode of house hunters where the couple has opposite wish lists? Sometimes I feel like my honeymoon consultations are like that haha. In case you haven’t talked to me before, I say that with no judgement either because my husband and I couldn’t be more different!
What to Consider Before Booking
Every couple is different but here are a few rules I personally like to follow when booking minimoons for my clients. I do make exceptions for the perfect destination though! I have Pirates of the Caribbean ringing in my head like.. “they’re more what you’d call guidelines than actual rules”
.
- Don’t book a flight more than 5 hours away for less than three days. I am going out on a limb here to say up to five hours in good though! This is something the USA has embraced that Canada just hasn’t yet. It is very common to get away for 3-4 days to Mexico or somewhere else but in Canada we feel like anything less than a week is “not worth it”. Lets reframe our mindset!
- Keep the flights under 40% of your budget. I know 40% sounds high, but it is realistic. Especially up here in Canada when flights are always more expensive than they should be. I try and encourage all my clients to stick to this rule because it is easy for flights to end up eating up the budget.
- Don’t forget to look for day trip opportunities. Maybe you and your significant other decided that San Francisco would be the perfect destination (for example). So you might google “things to do in san francisco”. While that works (and will probably list 1000+ things to do), it might be worth it to also google “day trips from San Francisco”. Trust me, you don’t know what you don’t know.
Favourite Destinations for Minimoons
One of my favourite things to do is come up with new destinations and showcase all they have to offer. Seriously, it is one of the best parts of the entire job (other than, you know, working with you). So here is some of my top ideas for your upcoming minimoon.
Victoria, BC
Fun fact: did you know Victoria has been voted the most romantic city on Canada 6 years in a row?! The more I researched, the easier it was to see why. All my time spent in Vancouver over the past few years, I can’t believe I never prioritized making it to the island. Islands are always romantic destinations (in my humble opinion) but the mix between old colonial charm and nature makes this destination truly special. How much more romantic could a walk be than strolling through the Butchart gardens? Or maybe you prefer to spend the day sailing on a whale watching tour.
San Diego, California
Unsurprisingly, another coastal destination. Something about the ocean is just seriously so romantic. San Diego has over 70 miles of coastline for you to enjoy. More into arts and culture than the beach? San Diego is one city with 9 different art districts. It doesn’t need to take up your whole day to explore either, take an “old town trolley” for a two hour ride downtown and you will be amazed by how much you learn about “America’s Finest City”.
Portland, Oregon
Portland Oregon is the ultimate hipster (do people still use that word?) getaway. WARNING: It may inspire you to go vegan and live in a tiny home once you leave. There is something about Portlands energy that is so magnetic. More than that though, there is a lot of things that you can do in Portland as well. Visitors will enjoy strolling through Washington Park filled with gardens, museums and magic. Portland is definitely a foodie town and there is nothing more romantic to getting food with someone you love, amiright?
Quebec City, Quebec
Can I level with you? I kind of feel guilty including Quebec City in this list because I already listed it as one of the top 8 cities in Canada and the USA for a weekend getaway. That being said, truly believe it deserves to be on this list. We can’t all jet off to Paris for the weekend but most of us can head to Quebec City if we really really want to. And we should want to. Walk around downtown through “old Quebec” and you will truly feel like you are in France. Stop at every bakery you see and eat a Croissant for me.
Napa Valley, California
Only one hour from San Francisco, Napa Valley deserves to be a destination on it’s own. Here is a fun fact, only 4% of the wine made in California comes from Napa Valley. Does that surprise you? It doesn’t make the most wine in California but this region arguably makes the best wine in California. Wondering what there is to do in Napa Valley (other than tour vineyards and drink amazing wine)? I am so glad that you asked. Although the destination is centered around wine (you should take a wine train tour – seriously), you can also enjoy beaches and hot springs around the region. You can even book an Africa Style Safari here – this is a MUST EXPERIENCE by the way – I don’t care how much like wine.
What Next?
You can take this information and plan your own trip if you like, but if you want my help, I am kind of an expert at this. Book a consultation with me below or use my contact form to get in touch. Head to my about page to learn more about me. Or, take a peek at my services menu. Whether you book through me, another agent, or DIY (I do highly recommend using a travel agent though, read more about why here), I hope you have an amazing minimoon and are feeling inspired to book a quick getaway with the one you love!
PS: none of the fields are required by the way, but the more specific you are, the more helpful I can be right out of the gate.
