For Valentine’s Day, think outside a box of chocolates and plan a long weekend getaway with your sweetheart a short flight from home. Since this romantic holiday falls on a Friday in 2020, it’s the opportune time for a romantic getaway. You’ll find dozens of hotels with special amenities offered at experienceselectnow.com only by a Travel Leaders affiliated agency. Here are some suggestions:
It’s the city where singer Tony Bennett famously left his heart, and you can get a taste of what makes San Francisco such a romantic spot with a stay at the luxurious Ritz Carlton. Located in the historic Nob Hill neighborhood, the hotel is right on one of the lines where “the little cable cars climb halfway to the stars.” Valentine’s Day weekend events include the 2020 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, which holds a public tasting on Saturday, Feb. 15. You can cap off your weekend with a dinner cruise on San Francisco Bay.
To feel like you’re in Europe without leaving North America, head to Canada, where you can spend a weekend enjoying the French charm of Quebec City. The Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac hotel is located inside the city walls of Old Quebec and offers breathtaking views of the St. Lawrence River. You’ll find plenty of choices for a romantic stroll, including the picture-postcard Rue du Petit-Champlain, one of the oldest commercial streets in North America, lined with one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants.
If a sunny Valentine’s Day is your ideal, then head to Miami. The W Miami offers guests a city retreat with resort-style amenities. At the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, the weekend’s events include performances by the Miami Ballet and violinist Joshua Bell, appearing with the acclaimed British chamber orchestra the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. The Music and Moonlight Valentine’s Day Concert, held under the stars on Feb. 14, is an annual tradition at Miami’s Deering Estate, located on the edge of Biscayne Bay.
You can put a colorful twist on the traditional flowers with a visit to the Orchid Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden as part of a Windy City Valentine’s Day getaway. The St. Jane Hotel, an Art Deco building completed in 1929 and shaped like a vintage champagne bottle, is the perfect place for a stay that includes a romantic toast. If you and your sweetheart are basketball fans, the NBA All-Star Game takes place on Feb. 16 at Chicago’s United Center, capping a weekend of events.
For a historic Valentine’s Day, try a trip to Savannah. The Georgia coastal city is known for its cobblestone squares and manicured parks shaded by oak trees. Stay at the Mansion on Forsyth Park, a magnificently restored Victorian home, where you can get pampered in the spa and browse through a collection of more than 400 pieces of artwork. The city is also home to the American Prohibition Museum, which includes a retro speakeasy where there’ll be a Valentine’s Day party complete with specialty cocktails.
For help planning a Valentine’s Day getaway, contact your travel advisor at Travel Leaders / Destinations Unlimited.