PRINCETON, NJ Restaurant Dining Guide Announcement

Best Honeymoon Destinations of 2014

Florida Keys
When Southwest Airlines began offering flights to Key West, Conch Republic fans rejoiced. The new route means forgoing the flight into Miami and the four-hour road trip down U.S. 1. We love that it’s now easier to get to Little Palm Island; 2013 marks the 25th anniversary for this private-island resort — only accessible via seaplane or boat. From Key West, a 30-minute cab ride delivers guests to Little Torch Key, where a private yacht finishes the jaunt to Little Palm’s hammock-strung trees, sunset cruises and live music on the sand.

Grenada
LaSource has always been one of Grenada’s favored all-inclusive properties. (It was doing all-inclusive before it became a Google buzzword). This year, there are 19 million new reasons to go. Sandals recently invested $19 million in the property, which has been transformed into Sandals LaSource Grenada. The resort beckons with three individualized villages — typical to the Sandals brand — as well as three pools, two river pools, nine restaurants and private plunge pools on every balcony. Now’s the time to get in on the action: An opening date of Dec. 12, 2013, means killer promos are rolling out now.

La Paz, Mexico
Thanks to AeroMexico’s recent addition of twice-weekly direct flights from Los Angeles, you’ll reach this city north of Cabo before the in-flight rom-com ends. A prime spot on the Sea of Cortez, La Paz brings access to Isla Espiritu Santo (and visits from Baja’s big five: whales, dolphins, sharks, sea lions and manta rays). But it’s not just about the water here: La Paz is old-world Mexico, with the scent of warm tortillas wafting through the walkways and family-dominated mariachi bands strolling the streets. For honeymooners, we suggest CostaBaja Resort & Spa and an amble on the Malecon seaside boardwalk lined with bronze sculptures by local artists; it’s the perfect photo opp.

Maldives
In April 2013, Etihad Airways announced it was adding Washington, D.C., to its list of North American cities (New York, Chicago and Toronto) offering routes to the Maldives through Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. More good news: Etihad is a partner of American Airlines, so you can use those AAdvantage miles. After that 18-hour flight (yikes!), fight jet lag in your overwater villa at Baros Maldives. The waters offer all-you-can-snorkel reefs, and the Lighthouse Restaurant lets you get googly-eyed romantic in the overwater pavilion. Not to mention — it doesn’t get much sexier than sleeping above schools of fish.

Charleston, South Carolina
Start your culinary adventure at Husk restaurant with smoked butter beans in a pot-liquor broth, or at The Ordinary, with oysters, clams and amberjack pâté. Savor the Flavors of Charleston runs 2 1/2-hour tours; the Friday-only Chef’s Kitchen Walk grants access to the back of the house at places like Magnolias. The Great Hall at the City Market, founded in 1804, showcases local edible treats (try the buttery, sesame sweet wafers). Fall into a food coma at the new 18-suite Zero George, located in the original carriage house.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Beaches are what traditionally bring honeymooners to Playa del Carmen. But in-the-know shoppers head to Quinta Avenida — Mexico’s answer to Fifth Avenue. Also on the scene: restaurants, art galleries and luxury boutique hotels like Acanto Boutique Hotel and Residences. Bonus: The beach is only 500 yards away. Come evening, the hotel will set up a dinner for two on the rooftop — the best place to enjoy Kobe beef carpaccio, grilled lobster risotto and kicking views of the city.

Kingston, Jamaica
In the past, commercial airlines have focused on Montego Bay and its cruise terminal, leaving Kingston-bound travelers with a 3 1/2-hour drive from the airport. With Delta Air Lines launching its first daily nonstop round-trip service between Atlanta and Kingston in May 2013, all that has changed. It also made Strawberry Hill an attractive option for low-impact jet-setters. Just a 50-minute jaunt from the airport, this hotel is perched 3,100 feet in the Blue Mountains and features just 12 cottages, including a 3,000-square-foot, two-story villa.

Peru
Not into watching your money disappear with your first cocktail? Cuzco, Peru’s liveliest city, will grant you around $2.75 nuevo soles (PEN) per U.S. dollar (USD). (Plus, many shops, restaurants and hotels accept U.S. currency.) Opened in June 2013, Palacio Nazarenas is the city’s newest hotel and the perfect stop before hopping aboard the luxury Hiram Bingham train to the country’s legendary sacred site. Or opt for Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, which is next door to the Incan monolith. End your day with pisco sours, plates of Peruvian dishes and a slumber party in your oxygen-infused room — to ward off any pending altitude sickness.

St. John, USVI
The U.S. Virgin Islands’ no-passport-required angle is a big draw, but the trendy rise of small-batch rums has turned the Caribbean’s signature elixir into a cottage industry. Start your tasting tour in Coral Bay at Sweet Plantains Restaurant. On the rum menu: Haitian, Jamaican, Nicaraguan, French, cheap and ultrapremium (it’s closed August-November). For an all-day rum trip, the daily ferry from Cruz Bay will take you to Tortola, BVI’s West End in 30 minutes. At the rustic Callwood Rum Distillery in Cane Garden Bay, which dates back 400 years, try the Arundel rum — the distillery is the only place it’s sold. Pass out at the 47-acre Westin St. John Resort & Villas near the ferry terminals.

Belize
Many newlyweds are seeking “a more active or adventurous element to begin their journey through life,” according to last year’s honeymoon-trends report by global research firm Mintel. Belize has you covered by land or by sea. Snorkelers and divers gravitate to Belize’s Blue Hole, often opting to hang up their fins at Xanadu Island Resort. Back at sea level, Ka’ana Resort, hidden in the jungle of San Ignacio, leaves you and yours to get your adrenaline boost with zip-lining tours, cave tubing and horseback riding to ancient ruins.

Cabo San Lucas
Even celebs like Chelsea Handler and Jimmy Kimmel want to get in on the A-list parties Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux throw at One&Only Palmilla. And rightfully so: On check-in day, guests are given customized sewing kits with pre-threaded needles to match their wardrobes. At night the property’s gardens are transformed into a candlelit fantasy world with 1,000-plus lanterns hanging from trees. For a private day at Lover’s Beach, resort yacht One&Only drops couples off with a picnic lunch. And that treatment goes for everyone, not just Jen and Justin.

New Orleans, Louisiana
Sure, pralines and hurricane cocktails are great, but perhaps you want to add some conch stew and rum punch to the menu. No problem, thanks to the increasingly popular Port of New Orleans. The cruise terminal handled a record 977,000 passengers in 2012, up 32 percent from the year prior. Cruise lines like Norwegian, Carnival and Royal Caribbean can take you to the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Belize and Mexico. For a night on Bourbon Street, try the W French Quarter Hotel. With fewer than 100 rooms, the vibe is sleek but never snobbish.

St. Maarten
Instagram junkies, start your filters. Any traveler who has visited St. Maarten knows you can’t come home without the island’s iconic plane shot. (It’s the Caribbean version of London’s changing-of-the-guard pic.) Maho Beach is so close to Princess Julianna Airport’s runway that everyone tries for the prized snapshot of a massive 747 landing over one’s head. So get yourself into a premier ocean-view room at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino (the island’s only all-inclusive), take a walk down the beach to the airport, and prepare to go viral.

Cancun, Mexico
A spa, an award-winning restaurant, a casino, a golf course: In Cancun, it’s standard practice for resorts to extend these perks. Then here comes Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort and its $55 million renovation, and now you can add “concert venue” to that list. The upscale all-inclusive has hosted acts like Shakira, Enrique Iglesias and Usher. Don’t have your honeymoon dates picked yet? Be on the lookout for more concert announcements: Couples booking five nights or more get comped tickets.

Destination Weddings