The Most Popular Honeymoon Destinations of 2016

As stressful as wedding planning can be, the honeymoon is often seen as the light at the end of the tunnel. Sure, the actual celebration is a wonderful party with your closest friends and family, but the majority of couples find themselves looking forward to being able to unwind and enjoy their status as newlyweds. That said, planning a big trip has its own stressful components, and deciding where to have your honeymoon may be the first major compromise you and your beloved make together. 

To help affianced couples decide where to travel after the wedding, we’ve examined the honeymoons of the newlyweds featured in each 2016 issue of Inside Weddings to find out what the most popular destinations are. Some couples chose to visit multiple cities and countries, while others elected to stay at a single resort. The average number of visited properties was three. Perhaps unsurprisingly, tropical destinations were visited the most frequently, although European vacations were also a top choice. Asia and Africa are both sites growing in popularity with adventurous couples, and we could see both continents trending even more in the next few years. Australia and South America garnered little-to-no interest from couples, with even the contiguous United States proving more popular. 

When it came to individual countries or regions, Italy was the runaway favorite by a significant margin with many couples spending their entire honeymoon visiting different spots in the European country. While of course major cities such as Rome and Venice are often the main stops, the Amalfi Coast and Sicily make for romantic destinations as well. The second most common place newlyweds jetted off to was the island of Bali in Indonesia. Honeymooners enjoy the chance to relax at pristine resorts while also experiencing the jungles and hiking spots of Ubud. That’s a similar reason why so many choose to travel to Hawaii, which is tied with Thailand and the Bahamas for the third most-visited destination. The islands of Hawaii offer the convenience of domestic travel while still experiencing a different culture and faraway land. Thailand also offers affordability, making it a common first stop on the way to other countries in Southeast Asia. The Bahamas remain the hottest destination for the ever-popular Caribbean honeymoon.

Discover the best travel destinations to visit in the spring and summer, as well as fall and winter. To see the real weddings that preceded these couples' honeymoons, click here.

Opening photo by Lauren Feddersen Photography