Top Romantic Escapes—From Traveler Editor

Heather Morgan
for National Geographic News

February 14, 2003

February is the perfect time to take a romantic getaway, whether you're celebrating Valentine's Day or seeking a mid-winter escape. Here, Traveler Editor in Chief Keith Bellows—a professional traveler who has seen many of the best places in the world—recommends 17 great places and experiences for couples, ranging from country retreats and urban getaways to idyllic beaches and unforgettable walks.

Best Bargain

Canada. Americans get a 45 percent discount, based on the current exchange rate, almost anywhere in the country. For an intimate, tiny village with great skiing, go to Mont-Tremblant and stay at the Mont-Tremblant Lodge.

If you're not up for skiing, go to Quebec City—one of the most magical small towns in North America. It's like being in France. Stay at the castle-like Château Frontenac, which overlooks the St. Lawrence River and has great food.

Best Splurge

Try the Rajvilas Hotel, a spectacular resort that recalls the days of the Raj, in Jaipur, India. It has a spa, tented rooms, and great Indian food. Paul McCartney took his wife there when they were still dating.

Or visit the Point, a former Rockefeller home near Lake Placid, in Saranac Lake, New York. It's very intimate, and the meals are superb. No kids under 14 are allowed to stay there, and men must wear tuxedos on Saturday night.

Best Adventure

The Okavango Delta in Botswana is a great soft adventure. You can rough it, or you can stay in a high-end wilderness lodge. CC Africa and Wilderness Safaris both have terrific, luxurious lodges. There's nothing more romantic than being out in the evening on the delta and listening to the sounds of the animals as you sip a cocktail and watch the sun go down. It's truly one of the most remarkable places in the world.

Or visit New Zealand, where you'll find many adventures—rafting, heli-hiking, and jetboating, to name a few. It's a bit far to go for Valentine's Day, but you don't have to come home the next day.

Best Country Escape

Jackson Hole is a great getaway right now because in the summertime, miles and miles of RVs clog town. The winter landscape is fabulous and you can see elk and bison. You can also visit Yellowstone, and go skiing in Jackson Hole or Idaho. The area has an earthy, Western flavor. Stay at the Snake River Lodge and Spa.

For a faraway escape, go to Oía, a tiny artists' town on the Greek island Santorini. It's away from the tourist crowds of the town of Santorini, and everything is small—cobblestone streets, restaurants, and galleries. You'll also see some of the best sunsets in Greece.

Best Urban Getaway

New Orleans is one of the most fun cities in the United States. You can take horse-drawn carriage rides and check out the little bistros and the jazz clubs. You can have a very inexpensive trip.

And New Orleans is easy to get to, as is my second choice, San Francisco—probably the most romantic city in the country. There's nothing like going to Sausalito, which is just outside of town, and staying at the Casa Madrona. The restaurant there lets you watch the boats coming across the bay, while having a superb meal and great California wine.

Best Dining

London has a reputation for having terrible food, but when you get away from pub food, you'll find incredible ethnic cuisine. There's nouvelle British cuisine, served at establishments like Claridges. The Real Greek serves some of the best Greek food I've ever tasted. La Familia is a wonderful, romantic Italian restaurant where Tom Cruise and Nichole Kidman used to hang out.

Or go to Anguilla, which has the best food in the Caribbean—everything from rough-and-ready food at the Roti Hut to the more high-end cuisine at Blanchard's. And there are lots of romantic places to stay, including Cap Juluca and Frangipani Beach Club.

Best Beach

Visit the Seychelles where you'll find two of the most idyllic beaches in the world—Anse Lazio and La Digue. The water is clear, the sand is amazing, and the beaches are untrammeled.

On Anse Lazio, there's a wonderful little beach restaurant—the only restaurant on the beach—where you can sit down and have freshly caught lobster, salad, and wine from France while watching the sailboats on the bay.

Best Romantic Strolls

Stroll through Montreal's Mont Royal Park, one of the most beautiful parks in North America. In the wintertime it's particularly lovely—you can take sleigh rides through the snow, trek through the park, and skate on Beaver Lake.

Another walk: in Paris from Plaza de Concorde to the Louvre, which takes you through the heart of a remarkable garden. Paintings of the Tuileries are nearby. Or you could walk around the Left Bank and stop in one of the little bistros for a nice meal with wine.

Best Drive

A great escape is the drive along the coast of California from Monterey to Big Sur. You'll have sweeping views of the ocean, and you can stay at the Post Ranch Inn, where you'll find incredible spa treatments and food.

Best Cruise

Go on the Road to Mandalay, a boat trip in Myanmar on the Ayeyawady River. It's an old converted German river boat. You can watch the sun set as the boat slowly passes amazing temples sheathed in gold leaf. You can also take side trips to villages that probably don't see more than 50 Americans a year. It's magical and it sums up the colonial atmosphere that George Orwell wrote about in Burmese Days.