Thursday, February 23, 2017

Five Perfect Honeymoon Tips

Words by Emily Bernard

Headed on a honeymoon? Make the most of your romantic getaway with these five easy tips from Emily Bernard, co-founder and chief brand officer of PlacePass.com. Whether you’re headed to Paris or Playa del Carmen, these simple suggestions will leave you feeling like a VIP and bring out the ultimate in honeymoon bliss.

1. Share the Good News

If there’s ever a moment to steal the spotlight, this is it! Hotels, restaurants and tour companies love when their customers are celebrating special moments – especially a honeymoon. Add a polite note in your reservation to indicate that you’re on a honeymoon and you might receive an extra amenity or two. En route to our honeymoon in the Canadian Rockies for example, my husband told the flight attendants we were celebrating and they spoiled us with a complimentary champagne toast (okay, I told my husband to tell them, but it still counts)!

2. Reserve an Activity or Excursion

Couples are increasingly looking to connect to their honeymoon destination in a meaningful way; whether through a cooking class, outdoor excursion, wine tasting or even a historical guided tour. We hear from our PlacePass honeymooners that these kinds of romantic activities are among the most memorable moments on the trip. Experiences bring couples closer together, especially if the activity is new! Some of our most popular honeymoon experiences for warm-weather destinations include snorkeling, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and surfing lessons. In colder climates the focus is often on food and wine. We recommend scheduling your excursions a couple of days into your trip, as you’ll probably want to relax and catch up on sleep after the big day!

3. Charge Up

You’ll be snapping a lot of selfies – make sure your phone doesn’t run out of juice right before the perfect sunset shot. Pack a portable USB charger to keep your devices ready while you’re on the go. The WireCutter has a good roundup of the many options out there. I’m a fan of the Anker PowerCore products in particular, which pack serious power without lots of weight.

4. Stay Healthy

Don’t let a cold or the stomach flu interrupt your plans! The basics always apply (wash your hands, drink lots of water and try and get plenty of rest), but there are a couple of extra precautionary steps to take if you’ll be traveling overseas. Your first stop should be the CDC’s Traveler’s Health site to brush up on any special concerns for your destination, including immunizations as well as food and water safety. Be sure to bring a few extra doses of your prescription medications in case your return flight is delayed and don’t forget your contraceptives – it may not be easy to get your preferred brand overseas.

5. Embrace the Unexpected

Even the best-laid plans can still go awry, so don’t let travel snafus get in the way of a good time. Flight a bit delayed? Took a wrong turn in the Uber? Room not ready? Take a deep breath, a step back and then see what you can do to sort things out. The more you and your partner can relax and embrace the unexpected, the more rewarding your honeymoon will be. After all, just like the wedding, it’s those candid, unplanned moments that make for the best (and often hilarious) memories years down the road.

PlacePass is an online tour and activity portal that allows travelers to quickly find and compare thousands of fun activities in more than 180 destinations. Whether you want to book a helicopter to fly over the Grand Canyon or tour the Lord of the Rings movie set in New Zealand, PlacePass’ unique online platform saves hours of research by comparing travel experiences and putting them all into one convenient place, so you can do anything anywhere in the world. If interested in making your traveling plans easier and more effective, visit placepass.com.

Photo Courtesy of (in order of appearance): Arnel Hasanovic (first), Tim Stief (second), Tord Sollie (third).