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COVID Honeymoon- Florida Beaches

knottiedd15f318b0243a8fknottiedd15f318b0243a8f member
First Anniversary First Comment
edited February 2021 in Honeymoon Discussions
Hi All-- 
We were going to Honeymoon in Playa Del Carmen after our October wedding but with the new restrictions and guidelines we don't think thats the best idea... i.e. we don't want to get a COVID test in MXO to get back into the USA.

So we want to find somewhere else. A little about us-- we picked PDC because we want the beach, a resort style pool but also want to be able to go hiking and explore since we are busy bodies and can't sit on a beach for too long. Since our wedding is in early OCT we think the only place we can really go to is Florida for beach weather we can count on. My issue-- there's hundreds of beaches in Florida-- which one should we pick? Is there one that has beautiful sites to see close by also? We like Zip Lining, parasailing, hiking, swimming, etc. We do still want a resort feel for a hotel since we've never done that before. If it matters we'd be coming from Tennessee. Hawaii would be our dream but with COVID we think we need to stick to something closer and more affordable. Budget is around 3-4K.

Thanks!
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Re: COVID Honeymoon- Florida Beaches

  • MyNameIsNotMyNameIsNot member
    First Comment First Anniversary First Answer 5 Love Its
    Have you considered postponing your honeymoon for a few months? It's likely that vaccines will be widely available and travel restrictions will be changed by October, but especially by next spring. 

    October can be dicey for Florida, since it's the height of hurricane season. Even if you don't get a storm, if there's a storm somewhere, you might get stuck with no sun or less favorable beach conditions. IMHO, the prettiest beaches are 30A, Destin and Pensacola. The water is clear and the sand is white. But, they're on the panhandle, so you're not going to get the summer weather in October. I think average temps are in the 70s, probably not warm enough to swim. 

    If you go south, below about Tampa, you can expect the warmer summer weather. The keys are beautiful, but the beaches are mostly manmade and a bit more rocky. It's a great location for snorkeling and water activities, though. There are some barrier islands off Ft. Myers that are really beautiful, but a bit more secluded and low key. You might not find so many resorts and activities there. 
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  • CasadenaCasadena member
    First Comment First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    Naples and Marco Island have great beaches and some resorts.  There is lots of kayaking and parasailing and stuff like that.  Siesta Key also has phenomenal beaches and some water sports but the island itself is pretty secluded and more of a small town feel.  
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  • short+sassyshort+sassy member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    I'd do some research now, but keep your options open until it's a little closer.  Like @MyNameIsNot mentioned, by the time it is Oct., travel restrictions and rules might be much more opened up for PDC by then.

    I also wouldn't necessarily count out Hawaii.  They are hurting for tourist dollars and I've seen some really affordable packages.  My H and I were recently looking at a 10-day Hawaiian cruise with Norwegian in 2022.  Including airfare from New Orleans, it would be approximately $2K.

    From what I've heard, HI doesn't have any or very many all-inclusive type resorts.  I don't think FL does either.  Before COVID, my H and I went to FL gulf beaches a lot and there aren't any there.  It's awesome and fun.  We always stay at condo hotels that are right on the water and with a balcony that overlooks the ocean.  But I wouldn't call any of them a "resort feel".  And hanging out at the beach or other water activities is about all there is to do.
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  • knottiedd15f318b0243a8fknottiedd15f318b0243a8f member
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    Thank you all! I truly appreciate your advice and yall have given me a lot to think about!
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