If you're ready to swap flowers and chocolate for a memorable close-to-home or far-flung escape, embark on a swoon-worthy trip in one of these city breaks, isles or cozy mountain towns this February.
This Sept. 29, 2017 photo shows the view outside the tasting room at Shenandoah Vineyards in Edinburg, Va. Thomas Jefferson may have been Virginia's first winemaker but it took another 200 years for the industry to blossom in the state. Today with 300 wineries, Virginia is the country's fifth-largest wine region. (AP Photo/Sally Carpenter Hale)(AP/Sally Carpenter Hale)
This Sept. 29, 2017 photo shows the view outside the tasting room at Shenandoah Vineyards in Edinburg, Va. Thomas Jefferson may have been Virginia's first winemaker but it took another 200 years for the industry to blossom in the state. Today with 300 wineries, Virginia is the country's fifth-largest wine region. (AP Photo/Sally Carpenter Hale)(AP/Sally Carpenter Hale)
If you’re looking to get away with your better half this Valentine’s Day, it’s not too late to plan a romantic retreat. Whether you’re pining for candlelit dinners, enchanting beachside strolls, lavish massages or an opulent hotel package, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the holiday. So, if you’re ready to swap flowers and chocolate for a memorable close-to-home or far-flung escape, embark on a swoon-worthy trip in one of these city breaks, isles or cozy mountain towns this February.
White Post, Virginia
You might think you’re arrived at a French country inn when you check into L’Auberge Provencale, a bed-and-breakfast in the Shenandoah Valley. The area is ideal for vineyard lovers and nature-seekers with all its wineries, Shenandoah National Park and the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. There’s a special menu for Valentine’s Day, as well as the weekend before and after the holiday. For a meal to remember, spring for the tasting menu for two, paired with wines by sommelier Christian Borel or choose the five-course prix fixe menu. Even better, the property’s romantic packages includes a couples massage, cooking classes and more. (AP Photo/Sally Carpenter Hale)
[See: 7 Off-the-Beaten-Path Romantic Vacations Under $1,000.]
(AP/Sally Carpenter Hale)
AP/Sally Carpenter Hale
New York City
The city that never sleeps is ideal for a romantic rendezvous. There’s no shortage of happening restaurants, jazz joints, cozy lounges, museums and shows. Plus, there are plenty of alluring hotel packages. For a low-key retreat, consider The Kimberly Hotel, an elegant boutique hotel in midtown Manhattan with luxurious touches like Frette linens and goose down pillows. End your evening at the Upstairs rooftop bar, which offers spectacular city views. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
[See: 50 Top Romantic Destinations Around the World.]
Colorado Springs, Colorado
There’s something magical about the Rocky Mountains. Make your way to Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak area, where you and your better half can take fireside yoga classes and horseback riding lessons as you admire the striking granite rock formations in the backdrop. For a superlative view of Pikes Peak, make the Gardens of the Gods Collection resort your home base. When hunger strikes, venture to popular steak houses like The Famous and The Peppertree. Then, take a guided tasting tour of one of the area’s distilleries or breweries.
(AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)
AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File
St. Lucia
Beautiful, lush and romantic, St. Lucia offers a dreamy escape for couples. At the all-inclusive, adults-only Serenity at Coconut Bay, there are plenty of secluded spots and lavish amenities. With the seven-day Grand Romance Experience package, you can enjoy an en suite couples massage and take a private chauffeured island tour that includes swimming under a waterfall and venturing to lookout points for awe-inspiring views of the mighty Pitons. To up the romance factor, take a Champagne & Jazz Sunset Catamaran Cruise on a catamaran. For more relaxation, stretch out along a private beach, unwind in your cabana and finish off the night with a private, candlelit cabana dinner with butler service.
(AP Photo/Scott Sady)
AP Photo/Scott Sady
Whitefish, Montana
Adventure-loving couples should venture to Montana’s the YogaKoh retreat for a trip to remember in February. If you can’t make it for Valentine’s Day, visit from Feb. 16-21 to enjoy yoga, lift tickets, dog sledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and laid-back yet luxurious accommodations at Dancing Spirit Ranch, which is home to forests and walking trails. The all-inclusive rate covers meals, cocktails, accommodations and activities. Plus, there are special rates for couples.
(Jan Bryan via AP)
Jan Bryan via AP
San Francisco
You can’t go wrong with spending Valentine’s Day in the City by the Bay. Whether you’re into culture, amazing cuisine or a lively clubbing and nightlife scene, San Francisco satisfies. Stay at the historic, boutique Hotel Griffon and book the Valentine’s Day package, which includes a bottle of Champagne when you arrive, strawberries and artisanal chocolates, a dozen roses and a three-course dinner at Boulevard Restaurant.
(AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
AP/Jacquelyn Martin
Dublin
Hidden in Dublin’s beautiful Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church are the remains of Valentinus, patron saint of love. If that’s not reason to plan a romantic escape with your partner, the spectacular scenery filled with rolling hills, castles, stately manors and cobbled streets are bound to make you swoon. For enchanting accommodations, retreat to The K Club and book the My Lovely Valentine package, which includes a two-night stay, a full Irish breakfast each morning, a four-course dining experience in the Byerley Turk restaurant, Champagne and chocolates upon arrival and a complimentary room upgrade. If you’re craving more activity, enjoy hiking, horseback riding, clay shooting or unwinding at the full-service spa.
(AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
AP Photo/Peter Morrison
Ridgedale, Missouri
If you’re looking for rustic accommodations, escape to the Big Cedar Lodge. It’s snuggled in the Ozark Mountains, overlooking Table Rock Lake. The luxury resort offers a two-night romance package that includes a personalized wine bottle, a special en suite amenity and a $50 dining credit. For total pampering, head to the 18,000 square-foot Cedar Creek Spa for a soothing massage or body treatment. Each treatment room has a fireplace and the facility boasts saunas and steam rooms leading out to private open-air showers.
(AP Photo/James A. Finley)
AP Photo/James A. Finley
Negril, Jamaica
Jamaica’s Rockhouse Hotel rests on the cliffs of Pristine Cove and boasts a secluded setting overlooking the Caribbean Sea. You and your partner can slip away to a stand-alone villa with a private wraparound balcony and open-air shower. What’s more, the hotel spa recently opened a new holistic bath house perched on the cliffs above the sea, featuring two deep-soaking tubs well suited for amorous guests. Get pampered at the spa, with lavish treatments such as aromatherapy massages, mocha rum wraps and hair and scalp treatments. When hunger calls, head to the oh-so-romantic Rockhouse Restaurant.
(AP Photo/David McFadden, File)
AP Photo/David McFadden, File
The Grenadines
On the heart-shaped Young Island, a private resort in the Grenadines, you can spring for the Lover’s Package, with two free nights for stays of seven nights or longer that includes daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with round-trip airport transfers. After arriving by ferry to the island’s wildlife reserve, relax on the beach and swim up to the floating Coconut Bar, play tennis, get pampered at the spa or spend the day sailing to Bequia or Mustique aboard the resort’s catamaran.
(Thinkstock)
