Valentine’s Day may be a trick for the greeting card industry to make money off of scrambling last-minute men who flock to their local drugstore, but it’s still a beautiful holiday worth celebrating. If you’re one half of a loving couple, then you should be planning a big celebration for you and your lover. Whether you have known one another for six months or six years, take this one day (or long weekend) and spend it with the one you love and don’t be afraid to splurge on special experiences that will never be forgotten.
Have no idea where to take you lover? Check out this list of five destinations with amazing Valentine’s deals that you and your boo will fall in love with. Happy WanderLUSTING!
1. Santa Barbara
The name itself, Santa Barbara, The American Riviera, conjures up romantic images. The picturesque city bordered by palm-lined beaches and majestic mountains make Santa Barbara feel like it is in its own little world – just how two people in love feel. It’s no wonder why it is consistently chosen as a wedding destination and romantic escape. Horseback riding through the sand, strolling through vineyards in wine country, snuggling up under the stars—Santa Barbara offers all of the traditional romantic activities and goes above and beyond.
Adventurous couples can kayak or stand-up paddle board alongside sea lions and dolphins, sharing amazing views of Santa Barbara from the water. A bouquet of flowers is boring; instead, stroll through the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden’s exquisite exhibits of California native plants displayed in beautiful landscaped settings. A lunch in the mountains can inspire romance at Cold Springs Tavern, an old stagecoach rest stop from the late 1800s. Or, simply breathe in the salty air and swirl your glasses at Deep Sea Tasting Room on Stearns Wharf, soaking in 360-degree ocean views and sipping delicious wine.
A picnic at the iconic Santa Barbara County Courthouse is always a treat, just be sure to climb up the clock tower and gaze out over the red-roof dotted horizon. The Sunken Gardens are a site to behold all by themselves; it’s perfect for a date night.
For romantic digs during a getaway, look no further than Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara. A Hollywood favorite since 1927, the oceanfront resort’s secluded twenty-acre property features a blend of botanical gardens, coastal panoramas and world-class amenities. Listening to crashing ocean waves while dining on the patio of Bella Vista restaurant and spotting hummingbirds hopping from flower to flower is the stuff romance is made of! A couple’s massage at the spa can end the weekend on a high note – choose from a variety of options and then head home feeling healthy, happy, and more in love than ever before.
The Resort offers a number of packages and experiences specially designed to fan the flames of romance. Enjoy champagne and strawberries then linger over breakfast in bed with the Celebration Package, or spend an extra day exploring or escaping together with a third night free.
2. Turnberry Isle Miami
Celebrate your love for that special someone (and for your favorite hobby) this Valentine’s Day with the Fore the Love of Golf package at Turnberry Isle Miami (www.turnberryislemiami.com). Couples will beat the cold and spend quality time together at the indulgent and inviting Mediterranean-style retreat. Don’t play golf? There’s nothing like a new and exciting experience with your loved one under the sun. Package rates starting from $304.50 per person per night.
The package includes:
- One 18-holes of golf per night’s stay on Miller or Soffer Courses (includes greens fees, cart fees and applicable forecaddies fees)
- Unlimited use of practice facility during stay
- Club Storage
- American Buffet Breakfast for two in Cascata Grill
After a leisurely round of golf on the resort’s two Raymond Floyd designed championship courses, treat yourself and your significant other to a pampered spa experience. For the holiday, the Forbes Four Star spa and fitness center is offering four new luxurious Valentine’s Day spa treatments, all followed by champagne and strawberries for the ultimate romantic indulgence. Treatments that can be enjoyed together as a couple include:
- Lovers Escape: Start your valentine escape package with a footbath and scrub followed by a relaxing 60 minute Aromatherapy Massage. $398 + 20% gratuity
- Cupid’s Indulgence: Start you valentine indulgence with a 30 minute exfoliation with a dry brush. Followed by a 60 minute pampering Massage along with a 15 minute scalp massage $440 + 20% gratuity Treat your partners to one of these solo treatments as a gift– or if you’re single, show yourself some love!
- Be Mine Package: Enjoy a luxurious 60-minute Relaxation Massage and a 60-minute Deep Cleansing Facial. $244 + 20% gratuity
- Express Valentine Bliss: Start your express valentine blissful day off with a 30 minute Relaxing Massage, a 30 minute Cleansing Facial and a 30 minute Aroma Salt Exfoliation body scrub. $160 + 20% gratuity
