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.

Mark and Christi’s favorite meal of the trip was dinner at Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY. Chances are if you’re a vegetarian like me, you own at least one – if not six – Moosewood cookbooks. They’re like the bible for non-meaties. And the collectively owned restaurant has been around since 1973, making it something of a trendsetter. The menu changes daily, offering the best seasonally available foods. I know some fellow vegetarians who say this place is overrated, but Tim and I make a point to stop in whenever we’re in Ithaca and have never been disappointed. Mark and Christi were blown away with their meal, which that night included eggplant parmesan, salmon and these huge desserts. Mark’s review was just one word, “PHENOMENAL!” and said it “made it nice little date night.”

Their favorite dish was the oven poached salmon baked with leeks and tomatoes and a lemon-herb broth. It was served with potatoes, carrots and brussels sprouts tossed with horseradish butter.

RH Note: Gift certificates to a restaurant in the area a couple will be visiting on their honeymoon is such a thoughtful and practical gift. If you’re not sure of their food preferences, try asking a close friend or family member what they love.

I’m so happy Mark and Christi shared their NY mini-moon with us. The Finger Lakes region makes a great destination for an affordable domestic honeymoon. Stay tuned for more on this area from Tim and me in February!