Now, I know a lot of people are choosing to stay home, but those of us that have the travel bug have been just itching to leave the walls of our domiciles. Typically, I would err on the side of caution, however, some circumstances in my life presented the perfect opportunity to venture out (albeit cautiously) and enjoy some new scenery. What circumstances, you may ask? Hold on to your eyeballs- I got married!
So, after a brief in house wedding, we decided to try out the idea of a mini honeymoon until things in the world calm down and we can have a proper one. This took a bit of searching and planning, but we did pull off a nice weekend retreat where we were able to spend time together and just enjoy being newlyweds. Here’s how I went about it…
First- it was important to both of us that we remained within a reasonable driving distance from home just in case of an outbreak. We wanted the ability to abort the trip without having to rely on any form of public transportation. This was important for several reasons, but limiting our exposure to the general public and scheduling were the main factors.
Second- we wanted someplace that gave us the ability to remain on the property with plenty to do for the weekend. Prior to booking, we weren’t exactly sure what activities we were looking for, but we did know that we wanted some sort of dining option and an area where we could eat alone if we chose to.
Third- we did not want a big resort with tons of rooms. For obvious reasons, we did not want to get stuck in a place where tons of people from different places would be crammed together without knowing which of those guests may or may not have come from a so-called “hot spot.”
So I began my search approximately three weeks prior to our intended travel date and I literally opened up a map and starting searching inns and B&Bs within a three hour driving radius from our house. From there, I narrowed my search to places that had large properties but not many rooms. I’m not going to lie, this was a bit of tedious business and took me a couple of hours before I was able to narrow it down to an Inn and Spa in the Pocono Mountains.
In fact, whenever someone would ask where we were going and I would answer the Poconos, I got lots of remarks which included things like, “are you going to have a cheesy heart-shaped or champagne bathtub?” Thankfully, no. There was no cheesiness here and that’s exactly what I was going for.
If you’re curious about this location, it’s called The French Manor Inn and Spa. The inn has only nineteen rooms, a french restaurant on property, and a spa. It also sits atop a wooded mountain and has some great hiking trails. This gave us the seclusion we were looking for and a pretty backdrop for some weekend relaxation. The staff was attentive, helpful, and very mindful of cleaning and sanitizing in the midst of COVID-19. (As a side note: I did not make the staff aware of the fact that I am a travel blogger nor am I receiving any incentive from them to include their location and website.) That being said, I do think they do their best to give their guests a wonderful experience, but then again, we certainly paid top dollar for it.
In the end, I do think that if you are yearning to get away somewhere, with a little research you can certainly find something within your price range and comfort level to silence the travel bug in your head.
I am so happy you got married. I’m happy you had a great experience and wish you nothing but happiness. ❤👰🤵❤
Thanks Emily! ♥️♥️♥️