Why Your Divorce Deserves to be Celebrated With a Vacation
When my marriage ended, I did what any newly divorced woman would do: I panicked about what came next, questioned every decision I'd ever made, and then—eventually—I bought a plane ticket.
Not because I was running away (okay, maybe a little). But because I realized something important: if we celebrate the beginning of relationships with elaborate trips and registries and champagne toasts, why the hell don't we celebrate the courage it takes to leave one that isn't working?
Enter: the anti-honeymoon.
Why Your Divorce Deserves a Trip
Here's what nobody tells you about divorce: it's not just an ending. It's also a beginning. And beginnings—the scary, uncertain, "who am I now?" kind—deserve to be marked.
I recently sat down with Sara Margulis, CEO of Honeyfund, for my podcast. Sarah built a billion-dollar company helping couples fund their honeymoons. But here's the plot twist: she's also divorced. And she's already dreaming about a "do-over honeymoon" with her future partner—whenever that happens.
That's when it hit me: Why are we waiting for the next relationship to take the dream trip? Why not celebrate this moment—the one where you chose yourself?
Sara Margulis, CEO of Honeyfund, joined Type 2 Travel to discuss how travel funds aren't just for weddings—they're for celebrating any major life transition, including divorce.
What Actually Makes a Good Anti-Honeymoon
1. It Should Feel Like the Opposite of Your Marriage
If your marriage was predictable and scheduled down to the minute, wing it. Book a one-way ticket and figure out the rest when you land.
If your marriage was chaotic and stressful, and you had to take care of every detail, book the all-inclusive resort where someone else makes every decision and you just...float.
2. Go Somewhere You Always Wanted to Go (But Didn't)
You know that trip your ex never wanted to take? The one where they'd say "maybe next year" and next year never came?
Book. That. Trip. 👏🏻
3. Build in Unscheduled Time
After a divorce, you've probably spent months (years?) over-functioning, over-planning, and trying to control things you couldn't control. Your anti-honeymoon is not the time to schedule every minute.
Wander aimlessly. Change your plans on a whim. Say yes to the random invitation from the person you met at the wine bar.
4. It Doesn't Have to Be International
Your anti-honeymoon could be:
A solo cabin in the mountains with a stack of books
A weekend in the nearest city you've never explored
That spa resort two hours away where you do absolutely nothing
A road trip with your best friend and no destination in mind
The point isn't the destination. It's the reclaiming of your own life.
How to Actually Fund Your Anti-Honeymoon
Here's where it gets interesting. And honestly, a little uncomfortable.
We live in a culture that celebrates weddings with registries and bridal showers and everyone throwing money at the happy couple. But when you get divorced…crickets.
But here's the thing: people actually want to give to things that matter. And your fresh start? That matters.
The Case for Asking for Help
Honeyfund started as a honeymoon registry platform, but they've expanded to Anniversary Fund—which is for anyone celebrating a meaningful life moment. Including divorce.
How to Ask Without Feeling Weird
Your people watched you go through the hardest thing. They probably wanted to help and didn't know how. This gives them something concrete to do.
Frame it as a fresh start celebration:
❌ "Help me fund my sad divorce trip"
✅ "I'm celebrating my next chapter with a solo trip to Portugal. If you'd like to contribute instead of a birthday/holiday gift, I've set up a travel fund."
Give people specific things to contribute to:
Instead of "help me get to Italy," list actual experiences: "3 nights in a Tuscan villa," "Cooking class in Florence," or "Wine tasting in Chianti"
Make it a replacement for traditional gift-giving:
Got a birthday coming up? "This year I'm saving for a trip instead of collecting more stuff I don't need."
Other Ways to Fund It
Start a dedicated travel savings account
Honeyfund offers a "wallet" feature where you save money separately from your regular bank account.
Out of sight, out of mind = you won't accidentally spend it.
Sell your wedding stuff
That dress? Sell it.
Fancy china you've used twice? Sell it.
The symbolic satisfaction of turning your wedding into a trip is chef's kiss.
Give yourself time
Your anti-honeymoon doesn't have to happen next month.
Start saving now for the trip in a year or two.
Watching the fund grow is part of the healing.
Real Anti-Honeymoon Ideas
The "I Need to Cry in Beautiful Places" Trip
Iceland • Scottish Highlands • Big Sur, California
The "I'm Reclaiming My Wild Side" Trip
Costa Rica • Thailand • New Zealand
The "I Just Want to Eat My Feelings in Style" Trip
Italy • Georgia (the country) • San Sebastian, Spain
The "I Need My People" Trip
Girls trip to Mexico • European city with your best friend • Join a group tour 😉
The "I'm Doing the Trip My Ex Never Wanted to Do" Trip
Whatever it is—hiking Machu Picchu, safari in Kenya, backpacking Southeast Asia. The point: This is YOUR trip now.
What Travel Reveals
Travel reveals truth. My ex was a different person on vacation—more relaxed, more present. But it also showed me that we couldn't sustain that version of us when we came home. That the relationship only worked when we were escaping real life, not living it.
Your anti-honeymoon might show you something similar. Or it might show you that you're actually really great company for yourself. That you can navigate foreign countries and language barriers and flight delays without someone else making all the decisions.
It might show you that you're braver than you thought.
Permission Slip
If you're reading this and thinking "but I can't afford it right now" or "people will judge me" or "is this selfish?"—here's your permission slip:
✔️ You are allowed to celebrate surviving something hard.
✔️ You are allowed to mark this transition with something meaningful.
✔️ You are allowed to ask people who love you to help make it happen.
✔️ You are allowed to go alone, or with friends, or eventually with someone new.
My Challenge to You
If you're divorced, recently separated, or even just thinking about it—start planning the trip.
Not someday. Not when you have more money or more time or more clarity.
Now.
Open a notes app and write down: If I could go anywhere to celebrate my next chapter, where would I go?
And then start saving. Or start asking. Or start Googling flights.
Because here's what nobody tells you about divorce: the other side isn't just "recovery." It's not just "getting back to normal."
The other side can be the best version of your life—if you're brave enough to build it that way.
And for me? That starts with a plane ticket.
Ready to plan your anti-honeymoon? Check out Honeyfund's Anniversary Fund to create a travel fund that friends and family can contribute to—no wedding required.
Want more unconventional travel stories? Listen to my full conversation with Sara Margulis on the Type 2 Travel podcast.
Need help making this trip happen? I run group trips for people who want to explore the world without the planning stress. Check out upcoming trips at lauraericson.com.
