blog post

I admit it – I’m a travel-romance junkie. When I plan a trip I actually look up things like moon charts to see if there will be a full moon smiling down on my destination and what flowers will be in bloom. Then I check for waterfronts –rivers, lakes, bays, vast expanses of ocean – doesn’t really matter because
they all present an opportunity for romantic strolling (preferably with
afore-mentioned full moon as backdrop).

Smart waterfront communities capitalize on their good fortune by creating and
encouraging development of paved walkways, charming lampposts, benches, food carts and souvenir kiosks, flower markets (full of afore-mentioned local
blooms), outdoor cafes and bars, and local artists and musicians. A really good
romantic waterfront should also feature an indoor market of some sort where
people can carry on their travel romance even if it’s raining (exotic bazaars
are particularly thrilling!). Of course, any place with a beach automatically has
romantic strolling built-in.

Next, I look for the possibility of finding unique experiences. Now, these may not be “unique” in the sense that nobody else is engaging in the activity, but unique in the sense that you can’t do it at home. Typically these will involve the
area’s natural wonders. Think romantic drives out into the desert, along a
craggy coast, through a national park, that sort of thing. Wildlife encounters
are like beaches – instantly romantic. I look for opportunities to spot animals
everywhere I go and to arrange outings for adventures like swimming with
dolphins, snorkeling with stingrays, bear-watching, whale-watching, visiting
wildlife refuges, and what the heck – even going to zoos and aquariums. Never
go off without your swimsuit and your binoculars!

Braving local fare together is a must for romantic bonding: “Really, you’re going to have that? Well OK, I guess I’ll try it too…” I don’t know what it is about food, but later on when you want to initiate a romantic mood, you can always trot out a “remember-the-time-we-ate-that (whatever)” story and be instantly taken back to the magic moment. A caution about picnics: unless you’re camping and are already provisioned with a cooler, paper plates, etc. they are very difficult to successfully pull off while traveling (and by “successfully” I mean not getting your clothes dirty, having unfortunate insect encounters, and risking food poisoning that will ruin the rest of your vacation). Sure, a snack of
wine, bread, and cheese in the local park is easy and fun, but the “picnic
spread” idea is best saved for a romantic outing or day trip when you’re back
home.

Having a solid travel plan is a good idea, but you always want to leave a little room for some serendipity, too: discovering a romantic little bistro, stumbling across a lovely winery that wasn’t on the map, stopping for some quirky roadside tourist trap, finding out there’s a local festival or concert going on – the romantic possibilities are endless! 

I think an evening of just lying in bed together with a glass of wine and watching a movie is good for vacation romance, too. You don’t always have to be “doing” something. Relaxation is a very important element of the whole travel-romance experience, so I also always leave room for a little breather while on a trip.