Valentine’s Day has long elicited images of chocolates and red roses. It’s time to think outside the heart-shaped box and take advantage of the romantic getaways offered by hotels and destinations that play upon these traditional tokens of love. From a Florida art-hotel to a winter mountain wonderland, we’ve got you covered. Here are some romantic getaways that you and your significant other will want to book right away.

Puppy Love in Winter Bark at The Alfond Inn
A dog sleeping at Alfond Inn
A special guest at pet-friendly Alfond Inn

The perfect companion for a romantic getaway? Your significant other, of course, and your significant four-legged best friend. Share the love with everyone this month with the new Puppy Love Package at The Alfond Inn at Rollins, the award-winning, pup-friendly hotel located in Winter Park, Florida. The package includes a two-night stay, Valentine sweets including doggie chocolates, room service for your canine companion, and a donation to the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando. Available through February 28, 2017.

A Romantic Mountain Getaway at Triple Creek Ranch
Romantic getaway at Triple Creek Ranch
A champagne welcome at Triple Creek Ranch

This luxury adults-only hideaway in the heart of the Bitterroot Mountains offers a Montana Romance Package as the perfect winter wonderland escape. You’ll be greeted with champagne and gourmet chocolates upon your arrival at your private, one-bedroom Luxury Cabin featuring a wood-burning fireplace, king bed, fully stocked wet bar, and a private hot tub. Spend your days dog sledding, skiing, or skijoring, and wind down with a complimentary in-cabin couples massage. Sample vintage wines in their glass wine cellar, enjoy a candlelit dinner at the Main Lodge Dining Room, and end the evening with a dip in your hot tub under the Montana Big Sky.

The Chocolate Train Through Switzerland
The Chocolate Train in Switzerland
The Chocolate Train in Switzerland

Don’t just give a box of chocolates this year. Plan the trip of a lifetime with a day on the Chocolate Train, running between Montreux and the Cailler-Nestlé chocolate factory at Broc, Switzerland. This adventure takes gourmet travel to a new level with a trip through picturesque Swiss Prealps meadows filled with grazing cows whose milk gives Swiss chocolate its supreme creaminess. Whether you ride in a 1915 vintage Pullman or a modern panorama coach, you’ll experience Switzerland’s culinary and natural treasures. The Chocolate Train runs May through October. Visit the Lake Geneva Region website for a detailed schedule.

Green Romance at The Hotel at Oberlin
Green heart topiary at Hotel at Oberline
Romance is green at the Hotel at Oberlin

At The Hotel at Oberlin green is the color of romance. Celebrate with your loved one with a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries for two and an overnight stay in a standard room or suite at one of the only five LEED Platinum hotels in the U.S. Indulge in dinner by Executive Chef Jim Barnhart at 1833 Restaurant, then retreat back to your room where a romantic turn down service of dimmed lights and soft music awaits you.

Experience a Little Paris in Salt Lake
French bakery in Salt Lake City
Eva’s Bakery in Salt Lake

Salt Lake certainly is not lacking for outstanding bakeries. And chef Charlie Perry’s Eva’s Bakery offers a perfect sweet spot for a romantic afternoon. His boulangerie bakes bread, croissants, pies, and pastries daily. Partake in Parisian-style cafe society with a leisurely brunch of salad Niçoise, a Croque Madame, or quiche Lorraine followed by an espresso and a romantic stroll along downtown’s snow-covered streets. Nobody does romance better than the French. Even in Salt Lake.

Snuggle Up at a Maine Inn
The Danforth Inn in Portland
The Danforth Inn in Portland

A host of Maine inns and resorts offer a warm winter welcome and it’s possible to plan a romantic weekend getaway or even a weeklong itinerary sampling their hospitality along the way. The Danforth Inn adjacent to Portland’s Arts District offers stylish and comfortable bedrooms and Southeast Asian cuisine at the chic Tempo Dulu restaurant. Among the Lakes Bed and Breakfast is in the Belgrade Lakes region, not far from Colby College. Settle in with a good book in the Parlor Library or head out on the Nordic ski and snowshoe trails on the 250-acre family property. Dedicated pampering is the rule at the legendary White Barn Inn in Kennebunk, where the treatments at the Spa and dinner at The White Barn Inn Restaurant can elevate a stay from a mere getaway to a romantic weekend. The Maples Inn in Bar Harbor offers cozy accommodations, stuffed blueberry French toast, and a great base for exploring nearby Acadia National Park by cross-country skis or snowshoes in the off season. More inns can be found at Visit Maine.

Strolling With the One You Love at New York Botanical Garden
The Haupt Conservatory at NYBG in winter
The Haupt Conservatory at New York Botanical Garden

Far from the maddening NYC crowd, New York Botanical Garden gives us the perfect pastoral setting (and just 20 minutes from Midtown) for a romantic constitutional. Stroll through the historic Enid A. Haupt Conservatory to observe aphrodisiac plants, enjoy chocolate discussions and tastings, have a love poem written by a poet, or enjoy a special prix-fixe menu at the Hudson Garden Grill on February 11 & 12.

 

 

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