my road to travel…the road “more” traveled

Is it time for you to start recapturing the love in your relationship?  Have you decided that the best way for you and your significant other to rekindle the spark is by sharing an outdoor romantic vacation?  Getting away from it all in the great outdoors can be a real chance for intimacy, as long as you choose the destination which appeals to both of you.  There are many ideas for outdoor romantic vacations, and we gathered just a few of them for your consideration:

Head for the Woods

Whether you want to spend your outdoor romantic vacation as far away from civilization as you can get, or would prefer to enjoy the woods while still remaining close to civilization, you can tailor your vacation to suit your needs.  There are now many hiking parks which have their own trails as well as camping facilities, and there are national parks where you can load your provisions into your backpack and set out to rough it in the wilderness.  Mountain biking vacations are also an option.

Enjoy Some Desert Sun

Whether you’re in the US, or closer to the Middle East, spending an outdoor romantic vacation in the desert will give you your choice of a number of activities.  If you’re in the American West, spending time on a desert dude ranch and exploring on horseback is one option.  If, on the other hand, you’re in the Middle East you can do your explorations from the back of a camel!   In some desert areas, you can dune surf in the tradition of the ancient Egyptians who indulged in some wild rides down the slopes of towering Sahara dunes on pieces of discarded pottery.  The two of you may get some curious stares when you pack your snowboard for your desert vacation, but that’s all part of the fun you’ll share!

Do Some Mountain Climbing

Could any adventure possibly be as romantic as mastering the heights of a challenging mountain together?  There are mountains begging to be climbed on every continent, so you’ll enjoy sharing your time as you pick the perfect mountain to meet your level of climbing experience and your budget.

How many other couples do you know who have shared the romance of a jungle adventure?  Raft down a jungle river; take a safari to view the mountain gorillas in the jungles of Rwanda; or spend a week living among a South American Indian tribe in a jungle eco-tour vacation.  Get a close-up glimpse of some of the world’s endangered species, or climb through the jungles of Peru to view the marvels of Machu Picchu.  Jungle romance most definitely does not have to be reserved for Tarzan and Jane!

 The choices you have for romantic outdoor vacations are limited only to your shared imaginations.  You’re certain, with little effort, to find the one which will satisfy your needs for both relaxation and adventure!

There are many who believe that destiny guides people in and out of our lives, and that our soulmates will find us in spite of ourselves.  This romantic view of the world is shared by countless people, who are in the habit of succumbing to any romantic notion which enters their heads.  So when those people go about planning their weddings and honeymoons, they won’t settle for anything less than the ultimate in romance. 
If you recognize yourself as one of these deeply romantic souls, you have probably been imagining your wedding day for as long as you can remember.  Second only to your wedding day in your imaginings, however, is your honeymoon.  So deciding where to spend your honeymoon will require a great deal of thought!

The spectacular beaches and sun filled days of Florida make it one of the top romantic honeymoon destinations.  Picture yourself ending the day with a stroll arm in arm along a secluded beach as the sun slowly sinks into the sea and the first shadows of twilight spread around you.  The romance of that moment will remain with you as long as you are alive, and it’s waiting for you at your Florida beach honeymoon destination!

The Florida Keys and Key West

As a romantic honeymoon destination, the Florida Keys are nearly unmatched.  This group of almost 1700 islands is a magnet for couples, who follow their days of soaking up the sun and enjoying the water with some truly fantastic nightlife.  Part of the great fun of honeymooning in the Florida Keys is simply getting there, as the journey along Highway 1 passes some breathtaking scenery and quaint seaside communities!

In Key West, you can find honeymoon hideaways with delightful tropical themes.  Lagoon spas, bamboo ceilings, colorful tile floors, and hot tubs all shout “Tropics,” as do the brilliantly colored and patterned upholstery and bedding fabrics, rattan furniture, and fantastic tropical floral displays.  Your accommodations will be air-conditioned, with their own private bars and luxury bath amenities.  You’ll probably be busy doing something else, but if you choose you can enjoy your big screen TV and Internet connection!

Expect to have your breakfast brought to you for enjoying either on your private patio, or by the pool.  Your hotel staff will be able to give you advice on the best and most private beaches, so you can enjoy those intimate interludes every honeymooning couple deserves!  It’s in those moments that you will begin to share all the secrets that bond you even more closely as a couple, and lay the foundations for a future brighter than the Florida sun overhead!

The islands of the Caribbean

Everything about the Caribbean shouts, “Romance!”  If you and your partner or spouse are looking for a place to spend your next romantic vacation, you will have more options than you could imagine if you consider the Caribbean.  You can spend your getaway, for instance in the privacy of a suite in an old windmill, or enjoying the dramatic views from your thatched- roof cliff-top cottage at The Caves in Jamaica.  Vacationing in the Caribbean is guaranteed to revitalize your romantic life!

The one thing you don’t want to have happen, however, when you’re escaping to the Caribbean, is to be charged more than necessary or to arrive at the wrong time of year (which means hurricane season).  Because the temperatures in the Caribbean fluctuate very little from month to month, you’re guaranteed plenty of sunshine no matter when you arrive.  But depending on when that is, you may end up spending 40% more than you would have if you had timed your romantic getaway for the slow season.

Peak season for traveling in the Caribbean extends from mid-December to mid April, and is at its height during the year-end holidays.  The slow season extends from late spring to early fall, when most of the sun seekers from the northern US are experiencing warm weather at home.  But this is also the time of year when the Caribbean is most likely to experience hurricanes.

The best way for you to maximize the chances of an unspoiled Caribbean romantic vacation is to work with a travel agent who is familiar both with the hurricane season, and with the “hurricane zones.”  Ask your travel agent about a getaway in the “ABC Islands,” which are the southern Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.  Any travel agent who regularly sends vacationers to the Caribbean should have a clear idea of where the hurricane risks are minimal, and should also be able to offer you terrific deals on slow season packages!  Both Trinidad and Tobago are other southern Caribbean destinations where you are likely to be threatened by hurricanes.

A top-notch travel agent will also know which Caribbean resorts offer weather guarantees.  If you work with a travel agent who belongs to SuperClubs, for example, you’ll find that the Jamaican resorts belonging to SuperClubs promise you’ll have sunshine every day during your stay and if you don’t you’ll get a credit voucher for the cost of that day so you can add an extra day to your next day at a SuperClubs resort!  The same applies if you’re SuperClubs vacation is disrupted by a hurricane!

Knowing which travel agent to use when booking your Caribbean romantic vacation will make all the difference.  Use the Internet to look for reviews on different agencies, and explore different travel forums to see what you can find about various travel websites.  If you are working with a brick-and-mortar travel agency, go online to compare the prices of the package deals you find with the prices your travel agent is quoting. 

Regardless of whether you work with a travel agent or end up making your own arrangements for a romantic Caribbean vacation online, you are in for an unforgettable few days of relaxation, fun, and luxurious privacy in breathtaking surroundings with your significant other!

Well money may not be able to buy happiness, but having money put you in a much better position to be able to visit the places where being happy seems to be as natural as breathing.  What you might be surprised to learn is that not all of those places have to cost you an arm or a leg?  You and that special other person can have the romantic getaway of a lifetime in one of the following places (which will make you even happier because it costs so little!)

Visit South Padre Island

 South Padre Island:  During your romantic getaway at South Padre Islandyou can bask on a sandy beach against the backdrop of sapphire waters, or stroll barefoot along the beach as the sun sets over the Laguna Madre on the Gulf of Mexico.  Just make sure you avoid taking your getaway during spring break, and you’ll be delighted with the quiet atmosphere.  The La Copa Beachfront Resort’s $180  “Lovers Escape” package includes two nights with complimentary champagne and chocolates, along with dinner for two at one of the resort’s two restaurants, and continental breakfast.  Relax in the hot tub or pool.  Unwind from your days activities with a glass of wine at Happy Hour.

Amelia Island, FL – There are few places as inviting to romantic couples as Florida’s Amelia Island, where a stroll along Centre Street with its quaint shops can be followed up by a delightful ride in a horse-drawn carriage ($89) through the historic streets of the Fernandina district.  Stay where the Rockefellers, the Carnegies, and Ulysses S. Grant himself stayed at the Florida House Inn where a charming room with a four-poster bed will cost you only $109 a night during the week.  If a pet is a part of your life as a couple, bring it along!

Visit the Grande Shores Resort

Myrtle Beach, SC:   For $153, you and your partner can have a romantic night at the Grand Shores Ocean Resort; The Grande Shores Resort, located on the Oceanfront in beautiful Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, features generously-sized one, two, and three bedroom condominiums to comfortably accommodate every size family, golf and vacation group, as well as affordable hotel rooms to fit every type of budget.

 This one-of-a-kind Myrtle Beach seaside resort redefines the idea of vacationing by providing the absolute friendliest staff along the Grand Strand with completely unobstructed coastline views along the Northern shoreline

Quebec, Canada- If you want to spend your romantic getaway in a place where you’ll have a real reason to snuggle, why not consider the $295 per person Deep Forest package, good for two nights and three days!  Your dogsled ride will give you a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you can warm up afterwards with your complimentary Lac-à-l’Eau-Claire special coffee at the Inn’s bar.  Ice skating and cross-country skiing are sure to work up an appetite, but fortunately you’ll also have two buffet breakfasts and two four-course dinners!

Each of these destinations offers you, and that special person in your life, a romantic getaway without breaking the bank at the same time!!

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Visit Monetgo Bay for your next Romantic Vacation

For many people, the island of Jamaica is synonymous with romance.  The mountain ranges cloaked with dence tropical forests; the luxurious resorts would welcome couples with their promises of pampering and seclusion; and the Jamaican people themselves, welcome visitors with open arms and an attitude which makes their arrival in Jamaica feel as if they are truly returning home — all of these elements add up to a perfect romantic getaway.  Even Montego Bay, with all its tourist attractions, has plenty of romantic potential, if you know where to look!  Here are just a few places that will spark romance for you and your partner.

Rose Hall Beach Club

In spite of the sinister history of the Rose Hall Great House for which it was named, the Rose Hall Beach Clubis one of Montego Bay’s true gems.  Gone are the days when Jamaica’s White Witch Annie Palmer cast her voodoo spells in the dungeon of her mansion.  A visit to the Rose Hall Beach Club will fill your days with kayaking, snorkeling, para-sailing, waterskiing, or any other conceivable water sport! Click here for more information.

Chukka Blue Adventure Tours

If your romantic vacation in Montego Bay includes an adventure on dry land, Chukka will accommodate you with its 2 1/2 hour horseback trip to one of Jamaica’s ancient sugar plantations.  Chukka Blue Adventure Tours is located at Blue Hole in Sandy Bay. Their guides will lead you through some of Jamaica’s spectacular landscapes to the sugar plantation. Before ending your ride, you and your horse enjoying a refreshing dip in the ocean.

A Day Trip to Cuba

Perhaps you didn’t realize that the island of Cuba lies only 90 miles off the north coast of Jamaica.  This makes it well within range for a day trip. Jamaica’s Vacation Outlet and Tropical Tours will get you there in time to explore all of Havana’s historical haunts and still be back in Montego Bay to enjoy the nightlife! 

While you’ll never run out of new things to do along the coastline of Montego Bay, should you get tired of the activities on the water, you can take the time for a leisurely couples stroll through the bright stalls of the Crafts Market and the bustling City Center Plaza.  Experiencing a romantic Montego Bay vacation will let the two of you  either relax on the beach and dream of tomorrow, or share the adventures which will create tomorrow’s memories!

For more adventures and things to do in Montego Bay, visit jamaicanexplorer.com.