Honeymoons on the Cheap
Carefree escapes for two—from the Jersey Shore to the South China Sea.
SUMMER
 |
The Kimber Modern in Austin, Texas.
(Photo: Courtesy of Venue) |
KEY
Beach ...
Adventure ... 
Snow ... 
City ... 
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Eight miles off the coast of the main island, Vieques remains one of the most unspoiled white-sand spots in the Caribbean. Take a night swim in the bioluminescent waters at Mosquito Bay.
Stay at: Hix Island House (from $255; hixislandhouse.com).
Get there: 6.5-hour flight via San Juan; from $940.
Mui Ne, Vietnam
A former fishing village with white, gold, and red sand dunes, Mui Ne claims to be Vietnam’s sunniest spot. Take a kite-surfing class at Jibe’s Beach Club and zigzag across the South China Sea.
Stay at: The Sailing Club Mui Ne (from $70; sailingclubvietnam.com).
Get there: 21-hour flight to Ho Chi Minh City, plus 4-hour drive; from $2,020.
Cape May, New Jersey
Relaxing comes naturally in Victorian Cape May, but dedicate one active day to sampling some of the Eastern seaboard’s best fishing; spend four hours saltwater fly-fishing for striped bass with Captain Ray on the Tide Runner (flyfishingcapemay.com).
Stay at: Congress Hall (from $169; congresshall.com).
Get there: 3-hour drive.
Mount Hood, Oregon
Mount Hood is the only spot in the U.S. where it’s possible to ski during the summer. If you’re truly hard-core, strap on some crampons and climb the mountain—then snowboard down.
Stay at: Timberline Lodge (from $225; timberlinelodge.com).
Get there: 6-hour flight to Portland, plus 90-minute drive; from $438.
Novia Scotia, Canada
Sea kayak through the Bay of Fundy, hugging the amber-hued cliffside and ancient trees of the Joggins Fossil Cliffs. (NovaShores Adventures leads day-long tours.)
Stay at: Gillespie House Inn (from $119; gillespiehouseinn.com).
Get there: 2-hour flight to Halifax, plus 3-hour drive; from $584.
St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
St. John is baking hot in the summer, but also cheaper and blissfully quiet. Head to Waterlemon Cay, and snorkel with sea turtles, starfish, and stingrays.
stay at: The Eco-Tent and Estate Concordia Studios (from $80; maho.org/concordia.cfm).
Get there: 4-hour flight; from $542.
San Ignacio, Belize
Trek through the tropical forest of the Pine Ridge Mountain Reserve, delighting in the waterfalls, orchids, and brilliant-hued toucans. The wonders at nearby Cahal Pech are man-made; you’ll marvel at the ruins of the 2,000 year-old Mayan temples.
Stay at: Chaa Creek resort (from $160; chaacreek.com).
Get there: 6.5-hour flight; from $840.
Cusco, Peru
Once you adjust to the Andean altitude of almost 11,000 feet, Cusco is a great town for ruin scrambling. Start small by roaming Sacsayhuamán, a pre-Colombian fortress in the hills above the city; next, hop a train to tour the lost Incan city of Machu Picchu.
Stay at: Libertador Palacio del Inka Cusco (from $254; libertador.com.pe).
Get there: 9-hour flight; from $2,116.