When most people hear “honeymoon”, they exclusively imagine white sandy beaches, sunshine, palm trees and umbrella cocktails. So imagine the shock-filled reaction I receive when I say that Fairbanks, Alaska was my post-wedding travel destination. Cue “Wait, what?! You went to Alaska for your honeymoon?” comments now. That’s right. Fairbanks, Alaska. In January. Now let me tell you why this unconventional choice was the perfect honeymoon destination.
THE COZY CABIN
From the moment we walked into the snow-covered little cabin that we rented, we knew we made the right decision. The natural ambiance of the rustic log-lined interior truly set the stage for an incredibly romantic honeymoon. The snow flurrying outside all around us was a nice touch, too.
You might be thinking, “how does a cozy cabin make a romantic honeymoon?” and I will happily paint the picture for you. When it was -40° outside and we were cozied up in the warm cabin anxiously awaiting the appearance of the Aurora Borealis each night, there was nothing but time for us to snuggle next to the fire, drink copious amounts of red wine and play card games. Now tell me what screams “sexy time” more than firelight and red wine, right. I’ll wait.
We all have different ideas of romance, but one of my top love languages is Quality Time, so this atmosphere truly hit the nail on the head for us. We cooked meals together and laughed more than ever before. We connected so deeply during the countless hours we spent in that cabin and created memories that we will cherish for a lifetime.
THE MAGIC
I mentioned the Aurora Borealis just a second ago, and it’s time to dive deeper on that because it was one of the main reasons why we chose Fairbanks for our honeymoon. Seeing the Auroras (more commonly known as the Northern Lights) has always been at the top of me and my husband’s bucket lists, so we landed on Alaska. Are there better international destinations for Aurora viewing? Absolutely. But we were post-wedding ballin’ on a budget so Fairbanks was the perfect place for us.
There are simply not enough words to accurately express how magical this experience was for us, but I will elaborate a bit. Night after night of waiting up until the wee hours to see them, they finally made their appearance at 3:00 AM on our final day in Alaska. We had almost given up hope but were overjoyed at the opportunity to frantically throw on boots and jackets, running outside to see the green lights dancing around the night sky with stars shining bright. Truly special. Unbelievably magical. Mother Nature at her absolute finest.
THE ADVENTURE
We visited Alaska during the winter, so the temperature averaged around -20° during the day, but got as low as -42° at night. There was also only 3-ish hours of actual daylight each day. While this environment may be dreadful for some, it added an element of adventure that we absolutely loved. It felt like we were in a different world. One where the night sky was welcomed during the day and the people embraced nature’s whimsies.
During our stay in Fairbanks, we thrived in the adventure that the area had to offer. We snowmobiled across a frozen lake at sunrise, whizzing past a family of moose. We trekked up to a huge natural hot spring, where our eyelashes froze and the snow was Seuss-like. We visited breweries, distilleries and anything else we could pack into the three hours of sunshine, then headed back to the familiar coziness of the cabin. Enter more snuggles and red wine by the fire. *wink*
There is no “right” or “wrong” answer for honeymoon destinations, but it is so important to decide upon a destination that will further the connection and romance you established on your wedding day. Bring that good juju with you on your trip and try not to just visit a place that you think you are supposed to go to.
xoA
Over To You
Have I convinced you to visit Fairbanks, Alaska yet? Where did you go and what did you do for your honeymoon? Let’s get the conversation started in the comments below!
2 thoughts on “Wait, what?! You went to Alaska for your honeymoon?”
Love you both❣️ Happy Anniversary. Happy to spend that special day with you.
Thank you Kathy! We loved having you guys there to celebrate with us. xoA