The holidays may be all anyone is thinking about right now, but
Valentine's Day is right around the corner, especially where travel
plans are concerned. Florida beach resorts are well aware of that and
are offering much more to couples than just a beautiful waterfront
sunrise or sunset in mid-February.
• The 444-room Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island
features a waterfront pool, private golf club and Salt, a foodie
couple's perfect Valentine's Day dinner spot. The AAA Five Diamond
restaurant uses more than 40 salts from around the world to perfect its
cuisine, and the Dine With the Chef experience ($250 per person, $400
paired with wine) invited guests into the kitchen for a memorable meal.
Reservations for Valentine's Day weekend (Feb. 14 to 16) are available
starting at $518 per night.
• For couples yearning for a long walk down a sandy strand for good conversation and hand-holding, there's the JW Marriott Marco Island.
The waterfront along the Gulf of Mexico stretches long and wide, so
privacy is paramount. Guests can dine at the signature restaurant Ario,
which was recently named one of Wine Enthusiast's 100 Best Wine
Restaurants in America. Although Valentine's Day weekend is sold out,
weekday (Feb. 12 to 14) reservations are available starting at $514 per
night.
• Unlike many South Florida locales known more for their glitz, the Jupiter Beach Resort
is one of the most secluded, tranquil spots in the area for a
rendezvous. The resort features Jupiter's only beachfront restaurant,
and the Opal Romance Package, an ongoing promotion, includes one night's
accommodations, daily dinner for each guest (appetizer, entree and
dessert plus one nonalcoholic beverage), daily breakfast beachside and
Champagne and strawberries as a room amenity. Valentine's Day weekend
reservations at Jupiter Beach Resort are available starting at $442 per
night.
• Just 20 miles south of Jacksonville, the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club
is a AAA Five Diamond property that recalls Old Florida estate homes.
The 1928 building exudes romantic opulence of yesteryear, and its
beachfront location makes getting up for a sunrise cup of coffee a must.
Couples can spend time together on the seaside golf course, on the
tennis court or in the elaborate couples suites at the spa, where guests
can enjoy a private steam room, Jacuzzi tub and outdoor patio.
Valentine's Day weekend reservations start at $299 per night.
• Practice your "Captiva crouch" before heading onto the shell-strewn beachfront at the South Seas Island Resort.
The enormous resort is surrounded by a 330-acre nature preserve, and
there are so many activities to enjoy, couples who love to be outdoors
can fill their days with kayaking, parasailing, boating, golf, cycling
and yoga. They can charter a boat and head to Cabbage Key or to one of
the other barrier islands for a picnic or lazy day spent shelling and
spotting dolphins. Rates for a one-bedroom villa over Valentine's Day
weekend start at $559 per night.