Minneapolis's Stone Arch Bridge is made for romantic strolls. (Photo: Meet Minneapolis, Scott Larson, MNDOT, and …Sure, we leave our hearts in San Francisco, and we want to be a part of it, New York New York. Romance easily blooms in cities that can boast the Golden Gate Bridge or the top of the Empire State Building. But take a closer look, and you will find special places for memory-making moments all over America.
Minneapolis
For natural beauty with a big-city vibe
Minneapolis, with its booming big-city feel, combined with its 180 parks, 22 lakes, and 80 miles of bike paths and trails, is a perfect destination for couples who want a mix of sophistication and time alone with nature. Book a room at the 24-room Nicollet Island Inn, on an island in the Mississippi. Its romance package is lovely, and you can venture out to stroll through pretty neighborhoods lined with Victorian homes. The city’s Chain of Lakes offer abundant opportunities for romantic strolls complete with skyline views. Choose pretty Lake of the Isles, with lots of privacy-promoting nooks and crannies, for a late summer, early fall picnic. Go for drinks in the speakeasy-themed bar called Prohibition, at the hip Minneapolis W Foshay. Contact the Hitching Company for a horse-drawn carriage ride along the riverfront, along cobblestone streets and across the Stone Arch Bridge. In winter, cozy blankets are provided. On a less sophisticated note, you can take the light rail to the Mall of America, to get married in the “Chapel of Love,” or renew your wedding vows on the mall’s roller coaster.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame offers big-time nostalgia. (Photo: Courtesy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and … Cleveland, Ohio
For rock 'n' roll nostalgia and more
What can be more romantic than reliving special musical moments together? And where better to do that than at Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum? The Beatles exhibit alone includes some 70 artifacts (stage outfits, hand-written musical arrangements). Also catch the Grateful Dead exhibit (through 2012), and many others, including Jimi Hendrix, U2, and the Doors. On a totally different musical note, catch the Cleveland Orchestra at the handsome Severance Hall. Finish a day of touring at Edgewater State Park, where you can picnic while you watch the sun slip down into Lake Erie. Perhaps enjoy a nightcap at the Velvet Tango Room, a modern-day “speakeasy” in the Tremont neighborhood. Shop for retro fashion, antiques, and bargains in Larchmere. Grab a tasty lunch, including some interesting Japanese fare, at Flying Cranes Café on nearby Shaker Square. Extend your trip a bit by a drive out to Put-in-Bay, on South Bass Island, north of Sandusky. Book rooms at the Vineyard Bed and Breakfast, a century-plus-old farmhouse set among lovely vines, and with its own private beach.
The Hotel Lanai is a cozily romantic spot to stay in Lanai City. (Photo: Courtesy of Hawaii CVB)Lanai City, Lanai, Hawaii
For Old Hawaii away from the crowds
Sure Hawaii equals romance. And this tiny island of Lanai, recently purchased by Larry Ellison, takes you right to the romantic Hawaii of times past. This former Dole Pineapple company town (it isn’t remotely a city), is still home to a one-cell jail and to colorful wood-frame buildings that once housed field workers. It is a place where you can load up on superb Hawaiian coffee at the grocery store, and dine inexpensively at places like the Blue Ginger Café, which serves great Fried Saimin (okay it involves Spam, which isn’t that romantic.) Stay at the cozy 11-room Hotel Lanai, with its bright Hawaiian quilts, comfy wicker chairs, and gently whirring ceiling fans (rooms start at $99). Rent a Hummer or Jeep and drive the 12.8-mile Munro Trail, with its Norfolk pines, and views all the way to Maui and Molokai. Head to pretty Shipwreck Beach—you may be the only folks there—to look for the ancient petroglyphs and to watch turtles play. Explore the pretty Garden of the Gods, with its dramatic rock formations. (Note: If you start to crave high style, there are two Four Seasons hotels on Lanai, but that isn’t what the island is about.) Lanai is 45 minutes from Maui by boat.
Engage in some lovely time travel aboard this classic cruise ship. (Photo: Courtesy of the Queen Mary)Long Beach, Calif.
For Old-World Glamour and Contemporary Romance
Yes, Long Beach is the second busiest container port in the United States, but it also has a wildly romantic side. Think graceful, palm-lined streets perfect for strolling, chic shops and inventive restaurants, and arguably the best aquarium in the United States (and yes, looking at flirtatious fish in wild tropical colors can be romantic). If proposing is on your mind, book a gondola (ask for one that did time in Venice), from Gondola Getaway. You can even arrange a proposal “message in a bottle,” as you float through the city’s Naples Islands. For major romance, however, head to the Cunard classic, The Queen Mary. In its glory days, when first class was ultra-posh, it carried everyone from the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to Greta Garbo to Elizabeth Taylor and her poodles. Cunard’s pride and joy retired in Long Beach, and folks in search of romance should book dinner at Sir Winston’s. The lobster ravioli and rack of lamb are Cunard worthy, the wine list is inventive, and the city skyline views are lovely. Stroll the decks, admire the Art Deco wood paneling, and finish the evening in a comfy first-class stateroom.
Little Rock’s big city skyline belies its small-city feel. (Photo: ThinkStock)Little Rock, Ark.
For small-city Fun with a presidential flair
The William J. Clinton Library and Museum should top your to-do list, to give you the opportunity to remember when, to get a sense of what life in the White House was like during that era, and to see what sort of gifts Presidents get: Bill received an Elvis at the Piano Cookie Jar and a music box that plays “How Great Thou Art,” among a host of other gifts. Take an old-fashioned trolley ride through downtown. Explore the River Market (the perfect place to pick up lunch), and wander through the Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden, on the banks of the Arkansas River. Take a walk along the Arkansas River Trail, with pretty downtown views. See what might be on at the Riverfront Amhpitheater. Arrive early at the posh, Victorian-style Empress of LIttle Rock Hotel, for a couple’s massage, some downtime in the garden, and maybe a carriage ride along tree-lined streets and past the Governor’s Mansion. Enjoy dinner at nearby Ciao Italian for traditional fare and good wines, or choose the hip, just-opened, Art Deco 1620 Savoy. If the night is young, head back to the Market District for jazz or a piano bar.
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