After months of wedding planning, the idea of doing very little on your honeymoon can sound wonderful. But if you’re the sort of couple who’d happily interrupt a pool day for a great meal or a live show, the Southern US gives you plenty to work with.
These four honeymoon destinations each set a different pace. You could spend your days walking through Charleston, head to Alabama’s Gulf Coast for the beach, plan your evenings around music in Nashville, or let New Orleans take you from jazz to a late dinner. Here’s how to choose the one that feels most like you.
Charleston is a city to take slowly. Its historic streets, pastel houses and waterfront make an afternoon walk feel like a plan in itself. Start in the French Quarter, wander past Rainbow Row, then head towards The Battery for views of the harbour. You can stop whenever a café, gallery or shop catches your eye.
There is plenty to do beyond the city centre, too. Spend a day at one of the nearby beaches, or take a boat trip if you want time on the water. Back in Charleston, make dinner the event: this is a good place to try Lowcountry seafood and leave the rest of the evening open.
Stay to consider: Wentworth Mansion, for a historic stay in the heart of the city. Explore Charleston has more on the area and its accommodation.
If you want sand and sea without spending every day in the same sun lounger, look at Gulf Shores and neighbouring Orange Beach. You can keep things simple with a beach morning and a seafood dinner, then make the next day more active with kayaking, cycling or a dolphin cruise.
Gulf State Park gives couples room to walk or ride, while the coast is the main reason to linger. The appeal here is having a beach honeymoon you can shape around your energy. Go out on the water one day; stay put and watch the sunset the next.
Stay to consider: Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, if you want a beachfront base. See Alabama’s Beaches for activities and local planning information.
Nashville makes the case for a honeymoon with late nights. You could catch a show at the Ryman Auditorium, spend another evening in a smaller listening room, and still find a new place to hear music the following night.
The Bluebird Café is one to look into if you enjoy hearing songwriters perform their own work. During the day, visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum or the National Museum of African American Music, then leave enough time to dress up for dinner before the next show.
Nashville suits couples who want to come home with a shared playlist and a few stories about the performances they saw together.
Stay to consider: Omni Nashville Hotel, for a downtown base close to the city’s music venues. Visit Music City is a useful starting point when planning your evenings.
New Orleans is for couples who like a city that stays lively after dinner. Start with a jazz performance at Preservation Hall, then spend another evening exploring the venues on Frenchmen Street. Give yourselves time to wander through the French Quarter, too, but don’t feel obliged to fill every hour.
Food deserves just as much space in the itinerary. Try gumbo, po’boys and other local favourites between shows, or book a dinner you can make a whole evening of. A streetcar ride and a museum visit offer an easy change of pace the next day.
This is the pick for couples who would rather decide over breakfast what the day holds, knowing there will always be somewhere to go when night falls.
Stay to consider: Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter, or Hotel Saint Vincent if you prefer a base away from its busiest streets. New Orleans & Company has guides to the city’s neighbourhoods and music venues.