Adventure Honeymooning North America

We traveled around the world for our adventure honeymoon but we have barely scratched the surface of our own country. We’ve stayed everywhere from five-star resorts in Asia to tree houses in South America and found we gravitate toward properties that embrace the great outdoors (especially when there is a Jacuzzi involved.) We dream of continuing our endless honeymoon throughout North America, and when we do these five Glamping properties are at the top of our list!

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Moab Under Canvas, Utah

Southern Utah has some of the most extreme landscapes in America, but Moab Under Canvas has smoothed its rough exterior for unfettered bliss. Adjacent to the geological wonders of Arches and Canyonlands National Park, this luxury camp has a front-row view of the red plateaus and craggy canyons. Its deluxe and suite tents are perfect for honeymooners with more sheltered locations, spectacular views, en suite bathroom, and fireplace. The Under Canvas team can arrange nearly any desert adventure or cultural outing you crave from walking in the footsteps of dinosaurs to river rafting the Colorado.

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The Resort at Paws Up, Montana

A ranch that doesn’t involve roughing it, Paws Up treats honeymooners to the pampering they need in the wild west. Built with newlyweds in mind, their Honeymoon Tents and Homes have ultimate privacy and romantic amenities. Book one of the homes and it comes with welcome champagne, a couples massage, a private wagon ride, and a candlelight picnic for two. Take advantage of the rivers, mountains, and their endless list of summer and winter activities like hot air ballooning, horseback riding, skiing, dog sledding, and more.

4 Primland
Primland Resort, Virginia 


If Virginia is for lovers, Primland is their romantic escape. Set on 12,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the landscape is made for relaxation and invigoration. Soak at the spa, horseback ride, enjoy a round of golf, stargaze from the observatory, or lounge in your chic cottage. Named one of Condé Nast Traveler’s Top 100 Resorts in the World, they are sure to give honeymooners the five-star treatment.

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Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado

A truly unique destination, the resort is a restored Rocky Mountain ghost town, from the days of miners and covered wagons. Using existing historic buildings and period-inspired architecture, Dunton Hot Springs and River Camp marry its rugged past with modern enhancements, like a holistic spa, screening room, vineyard, and fine dining restaurant. Their Mountain Romance Package pulls out all the stops with a luxurious cabin adorned with flowers, chocolate-covered strawberries, and champagne, a 75-minute massage, unlimited use of the hot springs and sporting equipment from mountain bikes to cross-country skis. If your heart is racing at Dunton, it’s not just the altitude.

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Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort, Canada


If North America seems too close to home for a honeymoon, try Nimmo Bay. Only accessible by air or water, this swath of British Columbia is where rainforest and glacier meet for untouched beauty and sophisticated adventure. Wake up with an outdoor rain shower and breakfast in bed…helicopter to a secluded island for a champagne picnic…kayak alongside humpback whales and sea lions…hike atop a 6000′ glacier to enjoy oysters on ice…your wildest wish is their command.

Anne and Mike Howard are creators of the around-the-world honeymoon blog HoneyTrek.com and Trip Coaches for anyone looking to travel the world safely, affordably and off the beaten path. You can follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @HoneyTrek.

Top Ten Coolest Glamping Honeymoons

I have to start off by saying that glamping just might be one of the worst words ever invented. Despite my disdain for the word, however, I can’t deny my love for this travel trend, mainly because it combines two of my favourite things: the great outdoors and a comfortable bed. Even though glamping is usually associated with tricked out safari tents, the trend has grown to include airstream trailers, tree houses, geodomes, and even teepees. There are so many options available now for the glamping enthusiast that it would be impossible to round up all the awesome glamping accommodations out there; so instead, here are my picks for what I think are the top ten coolest glamping honeymoons:

For the Art Lovers: El Cosmico (pictured above)

Location: Marfa, TX
Price: $65/night (safari tents); $80/night (Teepee); $110 -$150/night (trailer)

Marfa may have less than 2000 residents, but this tiny town has a big reputation in the art world and is something of a mecca for the modern art lover. For honeymooners coming to Marfa to check out Prada Marfa, the Donald Judd sculptures, and the Marfa lights, a stay at El Cosmico is a must. Something of a tourist attraction itself, El Cosmico offers three types of accommodations – safari tents, Sioux teepees, and refurbished vintage trailers – as well as year round workshops, retreats, and cultural events.

For the Architecture and Design Nerds: Tree Hotel

 

Location: Harads, Sweden
Price: $669 – $700 (for 2 people per night)

Leave it to the Scandinavians to make camping an architecturally interesting activity. Designed by some of Scandinavia’s leading architects, the Treehotel was created as a “place where nature, ecological values, comfort and modern design are combined for an exciting adventure”. In addition to the 5 beautifully designed rooms (the blue cone is not pictured above), the nearby tree sauna ensures that all guests have a truly relaxing stay.

For the Urbanites: Grand Daddy Hotel

 

Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Price: $150 – $265/per night

If nature really isn’t your thing, but you still love the novelty of camping, then the Grand Daddy Hotel in Cape Town is the perfect glamping destination for you. Centrally located on Long St., the Grand Daddy’s rooftop airstream trailer park provides all the kitsch you desire without any of the roughing it part. And with the Sky Bar conveniently located right next to the trailers, you never even have to leave the roof (although I highly recommend that you do).

For the Nature Lovers: Kolarbyn Eco Lodge

 

Location: Skinnskatteberg, Sweden
Price: from $60/per person per night

For those looking for an experience that’s more akin to camping, but with just slightly more comfort, there’s Kolarbyn Eco-Lodge. Billing itself as “Sweden’s most primitive hotel”, guests stay in forest huts with with 2 hard beds, sheepskin rugs, and a wood-burning fireplace. It might not be luxurious, but it does look cozy!

For the Winter Enthusiasts: White Pod

 

Location: Les Giettes, Switzerland
Price: $387 – $635/per night

Have you ever dreamed of sleeping in an igloo? Well if winter is your thing, the Whitepod hotel in Switzerland can make all your cold weather dreams come true in comfort and style. These geodesic domes come with views of lake Geneva, wood-burning stoves, soft carpets, and large beds with luxury linens; making them the perfect place to put up your feet after a long day of skiing. I hate winter and even I want to stay here.

For the Romantics: Treehouse Point

 

Location: Issaquah, WA
Price: $120 – $215/per night

Does a honeymoon up in the trees sound romantic to you? If it does, then you’ll want to consider Treehouse Point in Washington state. With five cozy fully furnished tree houses to choose from (Trillium is my favourite), it’s the perfect romantic hideaway for you and your love.

For the Traditionalists: Paws Up Resort

 

Location: Greenough, MT
Price: From $1075/per night (includes all meals)

As one of America’s top glamping resorts, I couldn’t do a glamping round up without including Paws Up, now could I?  If you want a luxurious glamping experience in the truest sense of the word then Paws Up is the place for you. With a camp butler, heated washroom floors, and king sized feather beds, this is glamorous camping at its finest. And to make the experience at Paws Up truly decadent, a visit to the tented Spa Town is a must.

For the Free Spirits: Free Spirit Spheres

 

Location: Qualicum Bay, B.C.
Price: $155 – $225/per night

These sphere shaped accommodations suspended in the trees of the B.C. rainforest aren’t for everyone, especially those prone to motion sickness (they rock and sway in the breeze), but for the more free spirited honeymooners, they are a truly unique experience in themselves.

For the Road Trippers: VW Surfari

 

Location: from $100/daily
Price: Los Angeles, CA

Couples looking to hit the open road and camp along the way can kill two birds with one stone by renting one of the VW Surfari refurbished camper buses. At $100 a day for accommodation and transportation, it’s a great option for adventurous honeymooners on a budget.

For the Ultimate Splurgers: Gorah Elephant Camp

 

Location: Addo National Park, South Africa
Price: $686/per person per night

If you’re looking to go all out on your glamping honeymoon and really splurge, then you need to pack your bags, head to Africa where glamping originated in the 1900′s, and book a stay at the Gorah Elephant Camp in Addo National Park. This resort is 5 star luxury and while it doesn’t come cheap, the experience is said to be out of this world; with elephants roaming past your tent, how can it not be?

Title image credit: Car Scoop