Who said you have to take a flight to Paris to taste love? In honor of Valentine’s Day on February 14, take a virtual tour of these incredible places in the US that make for dreamy oases for couples.
Jefferson Island Rip Van Winkle Gardens in New Iberia, Louisiana
Jefferson Island Rip Van Winkle Gardens in New Iberia, Louisiana, makes for the perfect romantic getaway. (Credit: Iberia Travel)
This Cajun Country location makes for the perfect romantic getaway. Watch colorful peacocks in the gardens, admire the abundance of flowers and visit a 19th-century Victorian house. Then enjoy a delectable lunch at Café Jefferson, with a glassed-in porch tucked into a grove of 350-year-old live oaks, overlooking the gardens and Lake Peigneur.
If you choose to extend your visit, book a cottage and enjoy sunset cocktails by the lake.
Before skipping town, head to nearby Avery Island, best known as the home of Tabasco pepper sauce, where you can visit Tabasco 1868 Restaurant and Jungle Gardens Wildlife Refuge.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico, really shines when it comes to vacationing lovebirds. (Credit: Visit Albuquerque)
Ready for romance in the hot air balloon capital of the world? One of the oldest cities in America, the Land of Enchantment really shines when it comes to lovebirds going on vacation.
While there’s an array of things to choose from in town, you can take a tandem bike tour with Routes Bicycle Tours and Rentals that includes pit stops at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm – a dreamland nestled on 25 acres of lavender fields, poplars, and landscaped gardens. Stop at the Golden Crown Panaderia Neighborhood Bakery for a bite to eat along the way.
The wine region in Albuquerque also appears to be ripe for romance. In the evenings, Casa Rondeña Winery is known for its outstanding portfolio of handcrafted New Mexican wines, and Tablao Flamenco offers a world-class performance lineup paired with regionally inspired wines and a four-course, fixed-price menu.
THESE CITIES HAVE JUST BEEN NAMED THE ‘MOST HOSPITALITY’ IN THE WORLD
Valentine, Nebraska
Go stargazing at the Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area in Valentine, Nebraska. (Credit: Nebraska Tourism Commission)
The name might say it all. Stargaze at the Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area, which plans to file for a dark sky designation in 2022. This would mean it is one of the darkest places on Earth (only 15 locations have the designation).
This small town in Cherry County also has no shortage of other incredible outdoor recreation activities such as kayaking, hiking, bison trekking, bird watching and more.
Niagara County, New York
Niagara Falls, the original “Honeymoon Capital of the World”, really tugs at the heartstrings. (Credit: Niagara Falls USA)
There’s just something about Niagara Falls. The original “Honeymoon Capital of the World”, the breathtaking waterfalls really tug at the heartstrings.
After being awed by the waterfalls around Niagara Falls State Park, venture out on hiking trails with postcard-worthy views of the Niagara Gorge, the historic Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse along the tranquil shores of Lake Ontario, and welcoming bistros galore.
The destination is also home to an extensive wine region along the Niagara Escarpment, complete with the Niagara Wine Trail for visitors to experience.
ZOO CONTINUES VALENTINE’S DAY TRADITION OF NAMING COCKROACHES, PETS AFTER EXENES AND LOVERS
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia, has Spanish moss trees, fascinating history, antebellum architecture, and great food. (Credit: Visit Savannah)
In the Hostess City of the South, as it’s called, you can stroll cobbled streets while listening to the “what if we lived here?” wild, enjoy a romantic sunset riverboat cruise and embark on a ghost tour.
Also, be sure to drive 15 minutes from downtown Savannah to Tybee Island, where you can see Georgia’s oldest and tallest lighthouse, sunset into the ocean, and your loved one.
Newport, Rhode Island
Enjoy fresh crab cakes and slaw, and maybe sip a pinot grigio or two dockside with your forevermore along Newport, Rhode Island’s pristine harbor. (Credit: Corey Favino)
Feast on fresh crab cakes and slaw, and perhaps enjoy a dockside pinot grigio with your forevermore along this New England haven.
Get into holiday mode with a stroll on the 5.5-kilometer Cliff Walk (one of the city’s most popular places to pop the question). Of course, no trip to Newport is complete without a visit to the architectural marvels of the Gilded Age mansions, inhabited by America’s wealthiest families in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Bonus ideas: Participate in a wine tasting and lunch at the farm-to-table Newport Vineyards or take a sunset sail on the Adirondack II – an 80-foot schooner that cruises Narragansett Bay and Newport Harbor’s manor-dotted shoreline (you You’ll even see Hammersmith Farm, JFK’s former Summer Whitehouse and the place where the President and Jackie Kennedy Onassis said, “I do.”)
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Carmel by the Sea, California
One of the prettiest towns along the breathtaking Pacific Coast Highway for lovers is the idyllic town of Carmel-by-the-Sea. (Credit: Visit Carmel)
Perhaps one of the prettiest towns on the road for lovers is the idyllic town of Carmel-by-the-Sea. After weaving your way through art galleries, shops, charming courtyards and secret passages in the village and checking out a dozen or so heart-shaped statues around town, you’ll walk along the picture-perfect beach.
To live like a movie star of yesteryear, take a short drive down Highway 1 in a classic vintage car. Don’t complete your trip without visiting the Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, where the views are almost unspectacular.
If you’re celebrating a special occasion, book a table at French-Italian haunt Casanova, or Aubergine, a Michelin-starred restaurant that pays edible homage to the California coast.
Lovers Key State Park in Fort Myers Beach, Florida
Lovers Key State Park in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, is located on a 1.5-mile stretch of one of the most beautiful white-sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. (Credit: Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods)
Located on a 1.5-mile stretch of one of the most beautiful white-sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico, this park was once only accessible by boat until 1965, when a road was built to the island and its gently swaying palm trees.
While spending time here with your partner, you can swim, bird watch, hike, collect shells or enjoy a candlelit dinner on the beach as dusk approaches (this can be arranged through Lovers Key Adventure & Events). Or rent a bike for a day and explore the park. This enchanted part of Southwest Florida is home to numerous weddings, so your day out will allow you to see couples on their big day, and the park is also the site of an annual Valentine’s Vow Renewal Gathering.
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Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona is a great location to visit for amateur astronomers. (Credit: Visit Tucson)
Another selection for amateur astronomers, rejoice at the Dark Sky Ordinance established in the 1970s that strictly limits artificial light pollution in the city while gazing at the vast blanket of stars overhead.
For those looking to get geeky on their travels through the Sonoran Desert, book the Astronomer Nights program at the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, where you’ll spend the night at the observatory with professional astronomers and access two of the largest telescopes available for public use in the Southwest.
Other choices for lovers include a private barrel tasting or wine dinner at Tucson’s first wine-centric The Citizen Hotel and a sunset horseback ride at Tanque Verde Ranch, followed by a six-course dinner at the chef’s table.
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Kauaʻi, Hawaii
Kaua’i, Hawaii, really pulls out all the stops for lovers. (Credit: Visitor Bureau Kauai/Kicka Witte)
This island really pulls out all the stops for lovers. Cinematic vistas abound – Waimea Canyon (“the Grand Canyon of the Pacific”), jagged cliffs, waves lapping gently against the Nā Pali coast, just to name a few. Couples can also enjoy visiting the National Tropical Botanical Gardens, kayaking the Wailua River, snorkeling at Poi’pū Beach, or hiking in Kōke’e State Park.
When it’s time to relax, book a room at Hokuala Kaua’i – A Timbers Resort or Royal Sonesta Kaua’i Resort and enjoy all the day’s adventures with your soul mate.
