Susan's Honeymoons / Romantic Travel Blog

Avoid summer's swelter by heading to verdant Ireland. Cooled on its west coast by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea on the east, Ireland seems like a smart place to spend part of summer or an entire honeymoon.

What to See In and Around Dublin

• Dublin for Romantics
  Top 10 attractions for honeymoon couples and other pairs of lovers
• Powerscourt Estate
  A glittering jewel of the Emerald Isle

Where to Stay

• The Shelbourne
  Dublin's landmark hotel
• Four Seasons Dublin
  Posh and pampering
• Hunter's Hotel
  A classic country inn

Northern Ireland

• Belfast & Beyond
  The Troubles are over, and the fun has begun.

_{Image of Hunter's Hotel © Susan Breslow Sardone, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

This request recently arrived via email:

I am searching for a warm-water place where I can take my wife on a sensual vacation, which to me means the following:

1. It is all-inclusive
2. It has a private pool where we can skinny dip
3. It offers beaches where she can go topless
4. It allows us to swim naked in the ocean

Find out what adults-only resort I recommended,, designed exclusively for honeymoon couples and other sensualists.

_{Image appears courtesy of the resort designated.}

Vacation time is more or less around the corner. With astronomical gas prices, airline costs going up, and pricey hotel rates threatening to burn through your vacation budget, can you still plan an affordable honeymoon or romantic getaway?

Yes! Find practical answers on how organize your vacation travel to spend less without sacrificing fun, style, or romance here:

How to Vacation for Less >

_{Photo of beach at The Reefs Hotel in Bermuda © Vincent Sardone, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

The Today Show has selected the five couples that will compete in its 2008 "Race to the Altar," and you can meet them here. Beginning on Wednesday, May 14 they'll be engaged in reality-show type competitions to determine the couple that wins the wedding dress, the tuxedo, the rings, the ceremony and reception, the honeymoon... the whole shebang in TODAY Throws a Wedding: Race To The Altar.

European delivery programs — for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and even Bentley motor cars offer honeymoon couples and other romantics a unique opportunity to order a new car in the US or Canada, pick it up in Europe, drive it on vacation, and have it shipped home afterwards.

Depending on the marque you buy, European delivery program perks can include free or discounted airfare to the factory, complimentary hotel stays, meals, and tours.

It's a brilliant way to secure a new car, explore Europe without paying high rental-car fees, and vacation on the continent in spite of the weak dollar.

Find out more >

_{Image © BMW.}

Planning a summer honeymoon or romantic getaway? Prefer not to swelter in the sun? Then consider Colorado.

The resplendent Rockies welcome lovers to experience the magic of the mountains. Some couples initially may find themselves as dizzy from the Colorado altitude as from love. But not to worry; you'll adjust. Especially if you make plans to stay in one of these...

Top Colorado Hotels

• Arrabelle - the newest luxury hotel in Vail
• The Broadmoor - the classic resort in Colorado Springs
• The Little Nell - a favorite celeb spot in Aspen

_{Image> Pool cabana © The Broadmoor.}

Couples taking a summer vacation or honeymoon often wish for nothing more than a secluded resort on an exotic island surrounded by water. Explore some of the world's most beautiful and remote here....

• Fregate Island in the Seychelles
• Peter Island in the British Virgin Islands
• Cook Islands in the South Pacific

_{Image © Fregate Island.}

Wondering what it all means, or what to give before you're ready to get serious? Way before the engagement, wedding, and honeymoon, read All About Promise Rings. You'll get the 411. Promise.

Also see:
Shop for Promise Rings Online

Increasing numbers of couples are considering marrying, going on a honeymoon, or simply vacationing in Belize. If you don't mind heat and humidity and want an adventurous tropical vacation in Central America, Belize may be perfect for you.

See: Belize Photo Tour >

Read: Belize Adventure >

Visit: Inn at Roberts Grove >

One of the most beautiful places on earth, Tahiti seduces honeymoon couples and others with its glorious islands, clear turquoise waters, extraordinary hotels, breath-taking sunsets, and French Polynesian charm.

Writer Cynthia Blair took a trip to paradise and came back to describe its natural wonders, its water sports, its culture, and even what to pack for a honeymoon trip to Tahiti.

Tahiti Honeymoon Hotels
Wondering which hotels in Tahiti might delight you most? Says Cynthia:

"Le Meridien Bora Bora is the best for a honeymoon. It’s on its own island, and it has a private white sand beach that borders the lagoon on one side and a manmade lake on the other. The dramatic main building is a spectacular structure, and it serves as an eye-pleasing contrast to the thatch-roofed overwater bungalows that stretch out over turquoise waters.

"Intercontinental Resort and Spa Moorea offers the best facilities, including the unique Moorea Dolphin Center and every type of water sport a honeymoon couple might want to participate in, right on the property.

"Radisson Tahiti is the island's newest honeymoon hotel, serene and luxurious. It has a black sand beach, spectacular views, and a gorgeous pool.

"Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa offers an intimate honeymoon experience; its small size gives it the feeling of a boutique hotel, rather than a full-scale resort. The ambiance is peaceful and private, best for those who want a honeymoon that shuts out the rest of the world.

"Sheraton Tahiti features a great lobby and a convenient location, but is primarily a standard hotel without the true beach experience associated with a trip to Tahiti. It's fine for corporate and family events, but lacks the truly romantic honeymoon feeling of the other hotels."