Being forced to stay close to home for a honeymoon doesn’t have to be a bummer. Roadtrips can be very romantic if you’re in the right place. If life hands you lemons, make lemonade, right? Or, just drive your lemon down the highway. Yeah. We weren’t sure what was up with this one either…

Happy Friday everyone!

All of the wineries we visited had spittoons on the counter for tasters to spit out their samples. This avoids any change of dangerous driving.

But let’s be honest, most of us want the full experience. Hiring a limo or bus to do the driving for you is a great way to relax and taste all you want and be responsible. Consider some of these companies to haul you and your sweetie around:

• Finger Lakes Winery Tours
• Caz Limousine Service
• Finger Lakes Limousine & Coach
• Grapevine Country Tours

Our last stop of the day was Rock Stream Vineyards in Rock Stream, NY. Tim loved this place because they server complimentary cheese with your tasting. Can’t go wrong with free cheese!

This place is best known for their grappa, a Pomace brandy liquor made from grape skins. It’s meant to be served chilled and sipped slowly, so it’s not for the novice. The 80-proof liquor will put hair on your chest. It wasn’t for me, but Tim’s now a fan.

We took home a bottle of Cabernet Franc which didn’t last the week at our house. It went great with the Italian dinner we cooked a few nights later.

As you drive down Rt. 14 along Seneca Lake, there are wineries lining either side of the road. Some offer free tastings, others charge a small fee per pour. Our next stop was Torrey Ridge.

We each chose six wines to taste. The staff at all of the wineries are helpful in picking what you might like. The more questions you ask, the more you learn about their particular varieties.

This stop is actually two tasting rooms in one. Adjacent to the Torrey Ridge building – which houses the huge, two-story tasting facility seen at the top of this post – is the Earle Estates Meadery.

Legend has it, the term “honeymoon” originates from an old Irish tradition in which newlyweds drank honey wine, or mead everyday for one full moon (a month) after their wedding. That makes Earle Estates a must-see for any honeymooning couple. We may not have been “just married,” but it made us happy anyway.

During our day of wine-tasting in the Finger Lakes, Tim and I started out in Geneva, NY, at Belhurst Castle. Built in the 1880’s, it’s a place with a long and rambling history, including its use as a speakeasy and casino during prohibition.

Like most many of the wineries in the region, they’re probably best know for their Reislings. Belhurst consistently receives awards for their wines.

It goes without saying, that one must be careful when tasting and driving. So we loaded up on lunch before we began to imbibe. Stonecutters is one of two restaurants at Belhurst. In good weather, you can sit out on the patio and enjoy the amazing lake views across the lawn.

The food is reasonably priced and wine parings are suggested with each item. We started with a cheese platter featuring Upstate New York cheddar and some tasty mustards. My mozzarella-tomato-pesto panini and Tim’s catfish sandwich were great. He especially loved the fried pickle that comes on the side.

Without drinks, our bill was less than $30 for two. Not a bad way to start the afternoon.

Then it was on to the good stuff: the vino. Belhurst recently completed construction on a new wing at the hotel, below, that houses the tasting room and gift shop.

We sampled some of their reds and whites and spent some time chatting with the dude who was pouring. He told us about the grapes used, some from Upstate and others from Long Island. Tim and I both love dry wine, so we decided to take home a bottle of their semi-dry riesling. It was a little pricey, but quite good.

As our readers know by now, we’re just as fond of 90+ day epic journeys as we are of staying close to home for a honeymoon. One place my husband and I love to travel to is the Finger Lakes wine region .

On a drive home from visiting my in-laws in Syracuse, Tim and I decided to take an afternoon tour of the Finger Lakes to remind all us East Coasters that we can find a bit of Napa-esque charm nearby. Our friends Mark and Christi absolutely loved their long-weekend mini-moon here. With it’s stunning lake views, charming B&B’s, and award winning wines, the Finger Lakes is the perfect place for a short stay or a week-long retreat for a new couple. A five-hour drive from Boston or New York is all it takes to get away. And don’t worry, we were parked for the shot above.

You can find lots of trip planning info here and here. A great B&B list is here. Foodies will want to check out this list.

A visit to the Pacific Northwest wouldn’t be complete without a border crossing. Eric and Marisa headed up to Victoria, British Columbia for the last leg of their honeymoon. He says, “Victoria was probably the most romantic place we visited.”

“When we got off the ferry, we drove to Sea Cider Farm & Cider House, where we had an outdoor tasting overlooking the beautiful farm, complete with waitress service and salt-and-pepper chocolate and toasted pumpkin seeds. They don’t sound like they would go with an alcoholic cider, but the pairings were amazing.”

They took a whale watching trip, which Eric says was “incredible, but very cold and windy.” How could it not be amazing, getting this close up to wild orcas? There’s a whole host of companies that offer the trips.

Mostly they loved the calmness and natural beauty that Victoria has to offer. There are tons of great parks in the area.

Many, many thanks to Eric and Marisa for sharing this epic road trip honeymoon with us. The photos and stories make it hard not to wish I was there right now. Seems fitting to end the week with this great shot of Eric looking forward to his life with his new wife.

On their honeymoon tour of the Pacific Northwest, Eric and Marisa checked out a ton of the must-see spots in Seattle, Washington. First on the list was Pike Place Market. Yes, this is the place you’re thinking of. The one where they throw the fish. But there’s so much more than just seafood here.

With bakeries, candy shops, coffee shops, cheese shops and six different honey stores, you know you’re going to find something new and cool. There’s also a dozen different dining options for folks who want to sit down to a good meal.

Next up on the activity list was taking in a Seattle Mariner’s game at Safeco Field. I love that these two really got into the spirit by sporting caps of the hometown team.

Safeco Field is know for it’s great views of downtown Seattle and the setting sun. But it seems like an extra-special honeymoon moment when a double rainbow arches across the field. Who needs Hawaii when you’ve got peanuts, Cracker Jacks and nine innings with a rainbow!?

One way to get to see all the great stuff Seattle offers is to ride a duck boat on a tour with Ride the Ducks of Seattle. These amphibious vehicles travel on land and water. Tour guides crack jokes and give you the history and highlights of all the main points of interest. They also give you little quacking noisemakers shaped like duck bills, which Marisa models in the shot above. Both of these newlyweds rated the experience a full “excellent.”

The Duck Tour takes you through the streets to see some great sights: the Space Needle, Qwest Field, historic Pioneer Square and the funky Fremont neighborhood. Then they head for the water and drive right on into Lake Union. They’ll take you quacking past Gasworks Park and the houseboat used in the movie Sleepless in Seattle, as seen above.

And no trip to this area would be complete without a stop at Mount St. Helens. Know around the world because of its infamous 1980 eruption, the area around this active volcano was declared Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument thirty years ago. It offers spectacular views of the mountain, hiking, camping and picnic spots.

Marisa and Eric’s honeymoon road trip led them out of Portland and into Wilamette Valley for some wine tastings. With over 50 wineries in a spectacular setting with views of Mt. Hood, this wine region has gotten tons of recognition for its Pinot Noirs and Pinot Gris. The newlyweds liked Domaine Drouhin in Dayton.

After the imbibing, Eric took a much-needed, post-wedding-stress rest. Or maybe it was just a little too much wine. Either way, it’s well deserved.

Less than an hour east of Portland is Bonneville Dam, which spans the Columbia River. This massive, impressive man-made structure generates power for the area. Visitors can see fish and sometimes even sea lions stopping by for a meal.

Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge is breathtakingly spectacular. It’s just a short drive from downtown Portland.

Great views of the river and amazing hikes are what draws visitors. It’s also know for some pretty incredible waterfalls. Above, Marisa check out the aptly named Bridal Veil Falls.

And of course they had to hit up McMenamins Kennedy School, a Portland fixture. It’s got 35 guestrooms, a movie theater, a brewery and a bar. Sure, it can be a little surreal to sip whiskey is a spot that still looks exactly like an old elementary school, but you simply cannot go to Portland without visiting. Eric found himself at home in detention.

Teacher Marisa felt right at home with the chalkboard and took a minute to practice her new name. Too sweet!

I love when I ask couples to list the highlights of their honeymoons, and they rattle off every single thing they did on their trip. THAT is the sign of a successful honeymoon! Eric and Marisa fit into that category. From the way they tell it, there wasn’t one bad moment of their trip to the Pacific Northwest.

Eric is the Director of Advancement Communications at Centenary College and Marisa works as a Resource Center teacher at a school in Maywood, NJ. He says, “We had never really been to that part of the country before, and it was something different from what everyone else does.” Portland, pictured above, was their first stop on the trip. Renting a car let them travel along at their own pace.

Their honeymoon was a road trip through the Pacific Northwest, with stops in Portland, Seattle and Cascades National Park (above). They also hopped across the Canadian border to check out Vancouver and Victoria, BC.

Eric says the whole trip was a bit of a “whirlwind” – but in a good way. They spent time hunting out vegetarian cuisine and staying in some very cute B&B’s. Just one of the many great moments was their visit to the top of Seattle’s Space Needle. Marisa thought was very cool, and Eric overcame his fear of heights for his new bride. These incredible views were the obvious payoff.

Check back all week while we travel along with these two for a whole lot of fun times.