Would You Call Your City Romantic?

Of all the major U.S. cities, Chicago does not rank very high on the romance scale, at least in my opinion. Of course, I'm coming from the vantage point of a single woman, so my view is a little biased. (Though many friends, both single and attached, agree with my sentiments, but we won't get into that.) Despite my opinion, Chicago was actually named one of the top five most romantic cities in the country by MissTravel.com.

Sidenote: MissTravel is a dating website just launched in April, pairing wealthy men looking for traveling companions with women who are financially unable to go on vacations alone. I'm not gung-ho about the idea for obvious reasons, but apparently its somewhat of a lucrative market.

Based on the 20,000 trips that have been coordinated by the website, it has compiled a list of the 20 most romantic destinations in the U.S.

And they are as follows:

1. Las Vegas
2. New York City
3. Miami
4. San Francisco
5. Chicago
6. Honolulu
7. Los Angeles
8. Orlando
9. Santa Barbara
10. Washington, D.C.
11. Napa Valley
12. Dallas
13. San Diego
14. Boston
15. New Orleans
16. Philadelphia
17. Houston
18. Tampa
19. Sedona, AZ
20. Cleveland

Now, some of these I can totally see, while others (cough, Cleveland) make no sense at all. And how did Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C. beat out Napa Valley. In my opinion, that should have definitely made the top five. What is more romantic than spending a weekend on a vineyard enjoying different wines and cheeses? And how did some other great romantic cities not make the list? What about my home town of Denver, with its proximity to the mountains providing ample opportunities to rent out a log cabin for an evening where you can cuddle with your sweetie next to a fire sipping hot cocoa. Or how about Baltimore, Atlanta, Seattle or Santa Fe? I find those to be more romantic than some of the other choices.


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Well, maybe I just need to take a few romantic trips and create my own top 20 list. I'll add that to my array of travel tasks and report back when I finish.

Planning Some R & R

All the travel experts are predicting an increase of business travel in 2011, with rates and fares dropping back to prerecession days. There is also agreement across the board that technology will play a huge role in business travel, making life a little easier and more convenient for flyers. While there may or may not be growth in business travel, there is also speculation that leisure travel will gradually edge up. In fact, the U.S. Travel Association predicts a slower rate for business travel, and an uptick on leisure as compared to 2010. As far as who will be going on these laid-back vacations, that’s yet to be seen. But I have a couple ideas.
Family Vacations
Even in this down economy, family travel never declined, it simply changed. Traditionally, many families planned a two-week vacation once a year. Then, when the internet made it easier to organize quick trips on the cheap, it switched to three or four shorter trips each year. Now, families are inclined to do both weekend trips and longer getaways, and the next big event to capitalize on is spring break. With most kids having at least a week vacation sometime in March or April, parents are researching all kinds of destination ideas, from warm tropical climates to educational locations. Some of the most popular places for family spring breaks: Florida Panhandle; Hilton Head, South Carolina; Hawaii and New York City. It’s also very common for families to stay close to home—less than 50 miles away—and rent lake houses, visit amusement parks and camp in national parks. Family travel is a major market in the travel industry, so you can count on there being tons of deals and discounts targeting families. And parents on a budget can definitely take advantage, as long as they do their research.
Last-Minute Romantic Getaways
With limited vacation time, tight budgets and high ticket prices, romantic trips with significant others are becoming harder to plan. Weekend trips are the easiest way to get some quality time together, and spontaneity always adds an element of romance. Luckily, waiting until the last minute can work to your advantage. A majority of the time, airlines will offer super low rates for on-way flights a couple weeks in advance to places like New York City, San Diego and Miami. If you find something in your price range, snatch it up and make the trip. If flying somewhere isn’t an option, there are plenty of places within driving distance that offer a relaxing, intimate atmosphere. Many hotels will also offer special weekend deals for couples, so check with the accommodations in the city you plan to visit, and see what kind of discounts you can find.
Solo Travel
Group travel is a huge industry, with tons of websites dedicated to organizing trips with large numbers of people. But solo travel also deserves some attention. Traveling alone allows a person to go where they want and see what they want on their own agenda. As David Henry Thoreau said:

The man who goes out alone can start today, but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.

Solo travel offers freedom and bargains, and it’s perfect for anyone who feels comfortable enough to go it alone. There are some tours and hotels, however, that charge fees for single travelers, because they base their prices on double occupancy. There are some ways to get around these, and Connecting: Solo Travel Network is a great place to find these helpful tips. A good travel agent who specializes in solo travel can help guide travelers to the best deals. There is a lot of potential for smaller travel agencies to cater to single travelers, especially if they can give them personal attention, negotiable rates and lower fees. There should no longer be penalties for traveling alone, but rather benefits and special deals for those courageous enough to tackle the world alone.
Business travel may increase this year, but leisure travel is right behind it. And for those of us who don’t get to travel for work, a relaxing vacation is the only kind of travel we’re going to experience this year. Currently, I’m trying to plan a spontaneous romantic weekend with my boyfriend, as well as a week-long group trip to South Carolina. With any luck, I can find some low rates and good deals. And, ultimately, I hope to have a nice, fun and enjoyable vacation.

A Pre-Honeymoon?

This week has been full of wedding bliss--or something slightly less cheesy. Pictures from the wedding I attended last month were posted, as well as their honeymoon photos from Hawaii. I just found out today that two of my good friends got engaged over the weekend (Congrats to them!!), and they'll be tying the knot in the next year or so. Then, Daily Candy sent me a newsletter about a contest from Brides.com that lets couples enter to win the Ultimate Romantic Getaway: an all-expenses-paid, five-night stay at Palace Resort & Spa of your choice.

Now, obviously that could be used for a honeymoon, but what about taking a nice trip together before the wedding, a pre-honeymoon if you will. It's becoming more and more popular for couples to take pre-wedding vacations together, either before the planning actually starts or just a few weeks before the ceremony. It's a way for the bride and groom-to-be to relax and take time away from their daily stresses (tastings, fittings, invitations, seating arrangements, etc). Some might argue that a pre-wedding trip ruins the post-nuptial tradition of a honeymoon, and there is definitely a point to be made there. But just think about all the trips people have taken as couples before they got engaged and got married, weren't all those vacations romantic in some form? I would say so.

Traveling together not only gives you a buddy to go sightseeing with, but it is also a good way to test your compatibility. A couple that can travel together can stay together. And I'm not talking about big group trips where you can steal away with another person if your significant other is getting on your nerves. I mean the one-on-one adventures where it is just the two of you, spending every minute together, sharing everything from food to beds to train seats. Those are the moments when you truly know this is forever.

I strongly suggest every couple take a vacation together, especially if one day you two will be walking down the aisle sometime in the future.