20 Best Romantic Getaways

Top 20 Romantic Weekend Getaways

By Nick Burry

OUR LIST OF THE 20 MOST ROMANTIC ESCAPES WILL HELP RELIEVE SOME OF THE PLANNING PRESSURE FROM THIS YEAR’S VALENTINE’S DAY SEASON.

LOS ANGELES

1 | Lookout Points

Hidden within the folds of LA’s varied geography are winding canyon roads that lead to romantic hilltop lookouts. A weekend survey of the city’s best vistas includes the Griffith Observatory (www.griffithobs.org)—made famous in Rebel Without a Cause—featuring panoramic views of the LA Basin and the Hollywood sign; Pacific Coast Highway, where cliff-perched Malibu mansions meet the ocean breakers; and Mulholland Drive, which straddles the ridgeline of the Santa Monica mountains and offers alternating views of the city and the San Fernando Valley.

MIAMI

2 | Cut a Rug

The best way to shake off dance floor shyness is to arm yourself with some basic moves. IFÉ-ILÉ (www.ife-ile.org) offers private lessons in Afro-Cuban dances, including rumba guaguanco, salsa and cha-cha. Spend Saturday night (and Sunday morning) showing off your new footwork at Bongos Cuban Café (www.bongoscubancafe.com; 786-777-2104), Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s salsa hotspot.

INDIANAPOLIS

3 | Old-Time Pullman Luxury

Until the mid-20th century, the Pullman sleeper car represented the pinnacle of luxury travel. The Pullman TrainCar Package at The Crowne Plaza Hotel (www..ichotelsgroup.com; 877-227-6963) invites guests to spend a romantic evening in an authentic, renovated sleeper car located on the original tracks at downtown Union Station.

RICHMOND, VA

4 | Antiquing is for Lovers

With its colonial roots and genteel demeanor, Richmond, Virginia, is a natural focal point for antique lovers. The huge selection of furniture, jewelry and curios scattered among hundreds of booths at the West End Antiques Mall (804-359-1600) makes it an ideal place for a couple to start piecing together a set of family treasures.

ATLANTA

5 | Winter Orchid Blooms

Long-stemmed roses are clumsy and common compared with the striking colors, delicate swirls and aphrodisiacal mystique of orchids. The Fuqua Orchid Center at the Atlanta Botanical Garden (www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org) features more than 6,000 square feet of orchid displays representing a range of habitats from the rocky outcrops of Australia to the leafy canopies of Central America.

HOUSTON AND DALLAS

6 | Go Hog Wild in Texas

Conjuring images of windswept hair and sunset-kissed highways, the motorcycle is a classic American symbol of romance.

Zip on your leather gear and contact Houston Tours (www.houstontours.net; 888-838-5894), which rents several different models of Harleys and Buells. The 5,700 members who contribute to the website Two Wheeled Texans (www.twtex.com) can help you plan the most scenic rides through Texas, and recommend specific sights and places to stay along the way.

CHICAGO

7 | Skyscraper Hopping

As the patron city of skyscrapers, Chicago is home to some of the country’s most breathtaking urban vistas. On a clear day, the views from the 1,353-foot-high Sears Tower Skydeck (www..the-skydeck.com) can stretch across the prairie into neighboring states. In the evening, make a date for cocktails, live jazz and the twinkling Chicago cityscape from The Signature Room at the 95th (www.signatureroom.com; 312-787-9596) on the top floor of the John Hancock Center.

SAVANNAH, GA

8 | Carriages and Chills

The city is simultaneously the capital of Southern hospitality and a hotbed for restless spirits. Spend the day relaxing in a horse-drawn carriage as you click over the cobblestones in the well-preserved colonial downtown. In the evening, the sound of footsteps on the street will have a different impact as you hold your lover’s hand tightly on a candlelit walking ghost tour with Cobblestone Tours Inc. (www.ghostsavannah.com).

TAMPA, FL

9 | Lighter than Air Sunrise

While sunsets are romantic, they can seem mundane when compared to watching the sun rise from the basket of a hot air balloon as it soars 1,000 feet above Tampa’s skyline and the surrounding oak forests, cypress swamps and gleaming lakes on a ride from Big Red Balloon Sightseeing Adventures (www.bigredballoon.com).

BILOXI, MS

10 | Boating Bliss

Whether you’re brushing up on your navigation skills or you’re just learning the difference between port and starboard, a private sailing lesson for two with North Star Sailing Charters (www..northstarsailingcharters.com) is a perfect way to spend a romantic weekend on the water. The experience may well leave you much more confident in tying knots.

BOSTON

11 | Chocolate Trolley Tour

Better known for baked beans than cacao beans, Boston is actually a city in love with chocolate. If a heart-shaped box of truffles isn’t enough to satisfy your craving, the Old Town Trolley Original Chocolate Tour (www.trolleytours.com) will overload your system with serotonin. Feast on chocolate tarts, mousses and fondue as you hit the city’s cocoa hotspots, such as Finale Desserts and the Langham Hotel’s Chocolate Bar.

NAPA AND SONOMA VALLEYS, CA

12 | Wine Country Weekend
(48 MILES NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO)

A weekend of swirling, smelling and tasting in Northern California’s Napa and Sonoma valleys is hardly enough to savor the full physical beauty and gastronomical variety of the country’s premier winemaking region. A romantic weekend itinerary should include a guided tour and tasting at Cakebread Cellars (www.cakebread.com) and a Sip N Cycle bike/wine tour through Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley with Getaway Adventures (www.getawayadventures.com). Make sure to call ahead for reservations.

NEW ORLEANS

13 |Forget Paris in the French Quarter

AFTER MARDI GRAS, revelers decamp and the beads get swept away—and New Orleans settles back into its role as one of the romance capitals of the country. The streetcars, hanging moss, charming hotels and legendary restaurants establish the perfect ambience for a dreamlike getaway.

A romantic weekend begins with boutique accommodations in the French Quarter. The Soniat House (www.soniathouse.com; 800-544-8808), with its central location and antique furnishings, is a bower of bliss. A courtyard breakfast of café au lait, Southern biscuits and homemade strawberry preserves will fortify you for a day of shopping and sightseeing. For lodgings with a literary link to the city, book a room at the Hotel Maison de Ville (www.hotelmaisondeville.com; 800-634-1600). Be sure to ask for the Tennessee Williams Room, which was the playwright’s erstwhile abode.

If you missed breakfast at your hotel, coffee and beignets (fried pastries) at legendary Café du Monde (www.cafedumonde.com; 800-772-2927) will tide you over until your next meal. There is no shortage of fantastic eateries in New Orleans, but this time of year, nothing compares to the old-time romance of a place like Galatoire’s Restaurant (www.galatoires.com; 504-525-2021), where the waiters always wear tuxedoes and the classic French Creole menu never changes.

NEW YORK CITY

14 |Breakfast at Tiffany’s Weekend

In Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Holly Golightly and Paul Varjak’s romance blossoms during a day of doing things they’ve never done before. Borrow their itinerary to create your own memorable day of New York City “firsts” (pre-breakfast champagne optional).

Take an early morning stroll down Fifth Avenue. Starting uptown, head south with majestic Central Park on your right and aristocratic co-ops on your left, until you get to your first stop: Tiffany & Co. (www.tiffany. com), the headquarters of the world’s most famous jeweler. Silver treasures are available for under $100, so there’s no excuse for leaving without a signature blue box.

Under the spell of Tiffany’s, Holly and Paul continue downtown to the stately, Beaux-Arts-style main branch of the New York Public Library (www.nypl.org) on Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street. Once past the twin marble lions guarding the entrance, you might not be able to find any books by Varjak, but you can research an exotic vacation locale, attend a poetry reading or just meander hand-in-hand through the stacks.

Having satisfied their sophisticated tastes for silver and knowledge, the on-screen duo entertains baser delights by stealing masks from a five-and-dime store. While we don’t advocate theft, Abracadabra Superstore (www.abracadabrasuperstore.com), at Fifth Avenue and 21st Street, boasts more than 2,000 masks to round out your romantic adventure with a lighthearted twist.

DENVER

15 |Love in the Rockies

Even if the thin air of the high plains doesn’t make you woozy, the heady Malbecs and tango music of the Discover Argentina Package at the Omni Interlocken Resort (www.omnihotels.com; 303-438-6600) will have you swooning. Start the weekend of romance off by sharing an Argentinian wine and cheese plate in the comfort of your room. On Saturday, work together in the kitchen at an Argentine cooking lesson with Executive Chef Kristen Harkness, followed by a lovely three-course dinner prepared by the chef. Other treats include a wine tote and tango CD, so you and your loved one can practice some sultry dance moves. Here, Harkness reveals a few secrets about herself and the hotel experience.

What is it about Argentine culture that inspires romance?

“The music, food, dance and passion for living.”

What defines Argentine cuisine?

“Argentine cuisine is defined by simply grilled meats with fantastic flavor… always to be enjoyed with your closest friends and family.”

What can guests expect to learn in the Discover Argentina cooking lessons?

“Guests can expect to learn how to make true Argentine beef empanadas, chimichurri, and how the wines—Torrontes and Malbec—pair with the foods.”

Did you learn how to tango?

“I did not personally learn to tango—I don’t know if my body is capable of moving in such an artist and acrobatic way. It was spellbinding to observe though.”

PORTLAND, ME

16 | Winter Playground

Don’t let winter force you inside to the safety of your couch. Embrace the cold (and your partner) and work up a ruddy glow with some outdoor activity. Smiling Hill Farm (www.smilinghill.com) maintains more than 20 miles of picturesque cross-country skiing trails. For couples that really want to earn their cocoa, the 3.5-acre pond at Deering Oaks Park is one of the city’s favorite ice-skating locales.

PHOENIX

17 | Horseback Holiday

With average temperatures in the 60s, February is a great month to take advantage of outdoor activities around Phoenix. Ponderosa Stables (www.arizona-horses.com) specializes in riding lessons and tours of the 18,500-acre South Mountain Park. During the day, explore the native flora and fauna of the rugged Sonoran Desert. By night, take a sunset ride to the T-Bone Steakhouse for John Ford views and mesquite-grilled beef.

SAN DIEGO

18 | Partner Yoga

Decompress from the stress of work by scheduling a private couple’s yoga class at Infinite Yoga & Exploration (www..infiniteyoga.com). Experienced yogis can further strengthen their minds, bodies and relationships through the sweat and focus of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, while novice couples will appreciate the fun, nonthreatening Valentine’s workshops that explore partner stretches and poses.

WICHITA, KS

19 | Royal Weekend

It never housed a king, but the Castle Inn Riverside (www.castleinnriverside.com; 800-580-1131) envelops its guests in royal opulence. The structure was built in 1888 (modeled after a Scottish castle), and the imported 275-year-old staircase and 675-year-old fireplace strengthen its historic lineage. The Jacuzzi suites and fireplace-warmed billiards room make it the perfect romantic fortress for a weekend retreat.

LAS VEGAS

20 | Hit the Spa Jackpot

A weekend spent pulling slot machine arms can leave your back, neck and shoulders feeling tight and sore. These days, Vegas is nearly as well-known for its upscale spa treatments as its no-limit poker tournaments.

Two romantic options are the Couples Reflection Package at the Bellagio (www.bellagio.com/spasalon)—which includes a tandem soak in the warm Watsu pool—and the fireside couples massage at the spa at the Wynn Las Vegas (www.wynnlasvegas.com)