You may have done all that was possible to make every Valentine’s or even your anniversary memorable. Sadly, all those painstaking efforts still borderline every cliché surrounding the ever-changing tradition of celebrating love, excuse us please, but commercialized love! What next then is the main question. If you feel it is too late to start a new tradition, you are mistaken! Retirement is the perfect opportunity to do so. This is no time to settle into your Barcalounger; Valentine’s is just around the corner and so are the holidays, which makes it a perfect opportunity to make the most of the occasion by planning a romantic getaway.
Someone once said, “I would like to travel the world with you twice. Once to see the world. Twice, to see the way you see the world.” That being said, you have to figure out which type of travel couple you are to pick the best destination for your getaway. Are you the adventurous type and seek thrill, or do you enjoy the quiet and calm of a serene laid-back setting? Do you love exploring new trends, or are you content with the first affordable vacation deal you come across online? Whatever the case may be, the important thing is that you have the luxury to make the most of your time off, so here are a few places to kick-start your retirement in style with your loved one.
Four unique couples and the best travel options for a memorable trip
Beach couples
Surf, sea, sun, and sand! If these four words excite you more than anything else, you are certainly a beach bum. How often have you found yourself humming to the Beach Boys song “Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama”? Now that you are retired, there is nothing stopping you from rekindling the romance with your loved one at any one of these exotic beach destinations.
- Nantucket Island, Massachusetts
What used to be a quiet whaling community off the coast of Massachusetts back in the day has now become one of the top three spots for a beach vacation in the country. Isolated from bad traffic, high-rise buildings, and all the chaos that summarizes a normal day in the city, Nantucket is a great place to kick-start this summer in style. Surfside beach and Miacomet Pond are your two best bets for a nice dip in the calm blue waters. There may not be a better opportunity than this for couples, young or old for that matter, to take it slow and just spend time, it doesn’t matter even if it is quiet time, with each other at this beautiful island. - Kauna’oa Bay, Hawaii
Aloha! Fresh garlands and a glass of Mai Tai says welcome to paradise, and Kauna’oa Bay sure knows how to welcome people from faraway lands. You get to enjoy clear blue waters, abundant white sand, and palm trees swaying in the wind on the one hand and the luxurious Westin Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the other, perched right at the edge of the ocean. The best part? You have access to a private beach reserved for the hotel guests to enjoy some quality time in style. - Clearwater Beach, Florida
Looking for premium luxury where money is not a constraint? Do we have the best destination for you! On the Clearwater beach, you can earmark one afternoon entirely for some pampering at the spa of the Luxe Sandpearl resort. If you plan to stay at the Hyatt Regency, you can unwind after a tiring day at the Sandava spa and later have poolside cocktails while enjoying the sunset. Food-loving couples can certainly dig into culinary magic at Café Ponte with a juicy rib-eye steak dinner. Fish lovers can certainly have their pick at Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill with the dishes inspired by the morning’s catch, including She Crab soup, chargrilled oysters, and some smoked fish dip to compliment that tasty protein. There’s so much on the three miles of beach along Florida’s gulf coast that you can certainly enjoy your time here with a lot to do on your vacation.
The adventurous couple – the leap of love
Age is just a number for the baby boomer generation as they will stop at nothing to push the envelope, time and again. Senior couples today have certainly found a new and interesting way to rekindle the romance with weekend getaways.
- Paddle away
Rent a canoe, stock up the supplies, and simply push off away from civilization for an adventurous ride that can make memories for life. For thrill-seeking enthusiasts, the Missouri river offers the perfect opportunity to explore the waterway during the day and set up camp on the riverbanks at night. You can paddle to your heart’s content during the warm summer days and enjoy a cup of hot cocoa with some s’mores at night, huddled by the fire, watching the slow embers fly out into the beautiful night sky. Eat, sleep, and repeat for the next five days! Row Adventures is one of the popular tour companies that feature this five-day Lewis and Clark expedition that will cost you no more than $1,400 per person, inclusive of everything you will need for an adventurous romantic getaway. - Ride in style
For all you motorcycle enthusiasts, there could not be a better opportunity to ride into the sunset! That’s right, here’s a chance to take a trip down the world-famous route 66 by renting a nice cruiser motorcycle, and you can take turns while you’re at it! What can be more romantic and creative than planning your expedition to coincide with your upcoming anniversary on the day you drive down the Santa Monica pier, concluding the iconic trip. It is the perfect opportunity to arrange for a private ceremony to renew your wedding vows. The iconic journey can be planned well in advance with motorcycle-friendly hotels and a few detours along the way with EagleRider. It is one of the popular tour services that offer a variety of tours and routes ranging from a weekend getaway to the complete 2,400-mile journey from Chicago to Los Angeles. - The leap of love
If former President George Bush can celebrate his 90th birthday skydiving, you can certainly take the plunge with your partner yet again on your anniversary. Don’t worry, you don’t have to jump out all on your own as skydiving clubs let you jump with a trained professional. A tandem skydive is one of the best and safest ways for a controlled jump as the instructor will know exactly what to do during the freefall from 15,000 feet up. A couple of GoPro cameras and time to buildup your nerves is all that it takes to make this weekend memorable, an experience that you will cherish for life.
The glamping couple
Being close to nature might be one of the main highlights of camping, but it isn’t necessarily something that works for everyone. The mainstay holiday of the British has now evolved into glamping (glamorous camping). You can sleep in the great outdoors just like camping but also enjoy all the modern amenities that city folks cannot do without today. It is the latest rage, and even seniors are welcoming the idea! Here are the top spots for you and your spouse to enjoy a glamorous outdoor adventure.
- Ithaca, New York
If you haven’t glamped before, you are certainly in for a treat with an experience close to nature yet not so far from all the creature comforts that you have gotten used to back home. You get the chance to connect with fellow campers during the day and cuddle with your loved one at night in your private residence, where hardwood floors, a king size bed, and plush linens will keep you nice and cozy. Ithaca is one among the popular glamping destinations with over 20 different glamping sites spread across the city, each with its own dominant feature. The charges for one night’s stay start at no more than $200 for double occupancy, which makes it the perfect place for your romantic weekend getaway. - San Juan Mountains, Colorado
You can enjoy a glamping experience with all the modern amenities amid the beautiful mountains of Colorado that matches the hefty price tag. Tents are pitched in one of the oldest cattle ranches, 500 acres of lush green pastures along the riverbed for you to enjoy the summer. You have the option of taking a tent high up in the mountain range, nestled conveniently between a burrow of aspen trees, or you can settle into one of the palatial tents on the fork of the Dolores river. When planning for the San Juan Mountains, you should be prepared to shell out $1,500 per night for an exclusive glamping experience for the elite managed by Dunton river camps. - Marfa, Texas
Stargazing with your beloved could not get more romantic than the view and experience you will enjoy from the high deserts of Marfa in Texas. Forget cliched romantic dinners and weekend furlongs to some luxurious resort a few miles outside the city. When you go out, you must go all out, and El Cosmico certainly ups the ante tenfold on this. The campsite has unique 120-square-foot tents with hardwood floors, a queen size bed, high-end linens, and even a fancy bath house with wood-fired hot tubs. They also offer trailers, yurts, tepees, safari tents, and a camping site where you can also pitch your own tent. The prices will vary depending on the type of accommodation you choose for a nice weekend getaway.
Romantic getaways for the high school sweethearts
Retirement is the perfect opportunity now that you are free of commitments and have all the time in the world to rekindle the romance. After 30 or 40 years of marriage, you have understood that the little things matter the most, and now you also know your partner to a great extent to know what they love and what they will enjoy. So now is your chance to fulfill your partner’s wish, perhaps the ones that you just couldn’t get around to fulfilling back in the youthful days. If going places is on the list of things your partner will definitely look forward to, here are some great romantic spots for a weekend getaway to reignite the spark that fueled the love that united two souls meant to be together in this life and beyond.
- Napa Valley
Wine is the only major attraction that brings in people from around the country to Napa Valley, period. From commercial producers who fascinate large crowds to intimate properties that only experts will know about, Napa has it all, but you don’t have to be a connoisseur of wine to enjoy a nice weekend here. It is still one of the top romantic getaways for couples looking for nothing more than quality “we-time”. When you have been to wine tastings to your heart’s content, the di Rosa open-air art preserve offers a fresh take on contemporary art. The best time to visit Napa would be between the months of August through October and March through May. - Aspen
Love skiing and fireplaces? You will certainly have the time of your life swooshing down the snowcapped mountains of Aspen, carefully, of course! There could not be a better winter wonderland, so picturesque and breathtaking to spend some quality time with your partner. If you are not in the mood for skiing, you can check out the glamorous shopping scene in the heart of Aspen with luxurious gallerias and museums that will keep you occupied during the day. At night, you can cuddle around the warm fireplace and enjoy nice hot cocoa with your loved one. A must visit are the natural hot springs in and around the mountains where you can take a therapeutic dip and feel the tension leave your body. It is an experience that might give some of the spa treatments in the world a run for their money. The most popular time to visit Aspen is in the months of December through February, when the temperatures fall well below the minimum. - Jackson Hole
They don’t call it the Wyoming paradise for no reason. The vast western outback has couples flocking in from all over the place. If you want a romantic getaway, Jackson Hole Valley will provide you with the perfect setting. Miles and miles of rugged terrain and its proximity to the Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks make it the perfect spot for outdoor enthusiasts. You can take a nice hike during the day and settle into one of the many luxurious resorts at night. Nothing is more relaxing than taking a dip in one of the most popular thermal hot springs surrounding the Bridger-Teton National Forest, just an hour’s drive away from Jackson Hole.