The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: January second, researching romantic retreats.

Planning a Valentine's Day escape? Romance and travel have long gone hand in hand, but there's much more to it than tropical beaches and paper-umbrella drinks. Palm trees and pounding surf aren't the only, or even best way to exercise one's wanderlust.

The magazine National Geographic Traveler is a supporter of our program. In the latest issue, it highlights a dozen offbeat retreats for romantics, places that offer authenticity, beauty, fresh air, fine food, fun things to do, along with a massage at the end of the day.

There's a rustic Rocky Mountain retreat near Boulder, Col, luxurious love nest in British Columbia and a historic New England island tiny enough to explore in a day. With its horse drawn carriages and magnificent mansions, the Old South seaport of Charleston, SC may be America's most romantic city, but visitors to Brighton, the venerable seaside resort on England's southern coast, will also be surprised at what they find.

Other European escapes include Le Chateuu du Domaine St. Martin, on the French Riviera, with its garden of memories, acres of fragrant lavender and rosemary and pink roses climbing pale olive trees around the pool. Or La Sirenuse, an elegant hotel in Positano, Italy, where the dining room is lit each night by only 450 candles.

Finally, there's a charming country cottage half to the top of Haleakala on the Hawaiian island of Maui and the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan.

Back to January 04 Main

Look through the list of fascinating places and off-beat features we’ve covered. Search text versions of past episodes and articles in our archives.