There are several factors to take into consideration when choosing a vacation spot: the best summer vacation spots for couples has to be appealing, affordable, and memorable. It is important to consider your budget, travel time and location and ways in which you can make your stay fun and entertaining. You need to look for something that will save you financial resources while also increasing the potential of having a memorable experience.
For many people, the thought of spending quality time with your significant other can sound like a nightmare. After all, who wants to spend a week celebrating your anniversary talking about politics or going to boring museums? With rising gas prices and a challenging economy travel budgets are getting tighter than an 18-year old new drivers jeans button, so if you and your spouse have time off during the summer but haven’t decided on what to do consider one of the following destinations for some fun filled moments with that special someone.
Summer vacation is a much-anticipated time for people of all ages. It’s that time in the year when you can take a breather from the stress of work and enjoy the carefree vibes of warm weather, beaches, and fun. But, there’s one big question that remains: where to go? After searching for countless hours to find the best spots in America, we’ve narrowed it down to these four destinations. Very bittersweet indeed.
Summer is the perfect time to get away from it all and spend some quality time with your significant other. Whether you’re looking for a romantic beach vacation or a more active outdoor experience, there are plenty of options for couples who want to spend their summer break reconnecting with one another.
The following list highlights some of the best summer vacation spots for couples:
- The Bahamas
- Bermuda
- Mexico
- Hawaii
If you’re looking for a summer vacation spot that’s perfect for couples, here are some of the best spots in the country.
- Savannah, GA – This southern city is full of history and charm, so it’s no wonder it’s popular among couples. If you want to check out some of the most beautiful architecture in the country, this is the place to go!
- Orlando, FL – This sunny city has everything from theme parks to museums and even beaches! Plus there are tons of fun activities like parasailing and snorkeling so you can spend quality time with your significant other while still having fun together.
- Aruba – This island is known for its beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters and breathtaking views of mountains which makes it perfect for couples who love adventure or just want some time away from work or school stressors.
1. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, West Virginia
The newest national park in the United States is one of the best vacation spots for couples whose love language is outdoor adventure. With a wealth of picturesque activities available all year round and romantic accommodations perfect for unwinding after full days of hiking, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, fishing and—gulp—bridge walking, this is the perfect spot to get away on an outdoorsy romantic retreat.
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Stay at Hemlock Haven, smack dab between the Canyon Rim visitor’s center beside the New River Gorge Bridge and Babcock State Park’s famous Grist Mill. Renting one of the cabins here is like waking up inside Taylor Swift’s Folklore album—think art, covered porches, and private outdoor hot tubs in the misty woods.
Alternatively, Adventures on the Gorge Resort puts you closer to the action and will coordinate your fly fishing experiences, rafting excursions, and other adventure activities in this glorious new West Virginia national park.
2. Uvita, Costa Rica
Whether you’re celebrating each other, a recently emptied nest, or are just dashing away for a romantic couples-only vacation while the kids get spoiled by their grandparents, this Costa Rican destination where the mountains meet the sea is heaven on Earth. To truly make this one of the best vacation spots for couples, stay at Rancho Pacifico in Uvita.
This intimate, adults-only luxury resort is dramatically situated high up in the rainforest among the toucans and howler monkeys. There are two treehouses and two villas, each with private decks, outdoor soaking pools and tubs and sweeping views of the rainforest. As a bonus, you’ll never encounter more than 20 other people during your stay at this exotic paradise.
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Whale’s Tail Beach, which you can see from on high at Rancho Pacifico, awaits in Marino Ballena national park below as do the stellar whales waiting to be watched. Eating at Rancho is divine, but comes at a significant cost, so save those dinners for special occasions like celebrating your anniversary or birthday. Uvita is home to a myriad of incredible and inexpensive dining options, including some of the best falafel in the world at Falafel Uvita, dreamy (and spicy) fish tacos at Restaurant Los Laureles, and the darling Mosaic wine bar.
This locale also provides easy access to the sloths and capuchin monkeys you will absolutely want to see at Manuel Antonio National Park.
3. New York City, New York
When you think NYC you probably picture Times Square, Broadway theaters, and other popular tourist attractions. But for this romantic trip to New York City, ditch midtown in favor of Greenwich Village. Down in the Village, the pace is slower, the grass greener and more abundant with pocket parks every few blocks, and the vibe infinity cooler and more authentically New York City— after all, this is where punks and poets once (and still do) created their art.
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Stay at the Moxy NYC East Village for easy hand-in-hand strolls to the legendary Strand Bookstore and Forbidden Planet if comic book, POP! Figures, and geek culture is your thing. You’ll also be a stone’s throw from Union Square and Washington Square parks and the most remarkable vegan meats at Red Bamboo (seriously, the BBQ “chicken wings” and “pork chops” are outrageously good). Settle into plush seats for an art house film at the East Village Angelika Theater, catch a band at Webster Hall or Irving Plaza, and fall in love with each other all over again in the best part of the best city on Earth.
4. Sante Fe, New Mexico
What characteristics define the best vacation spots for couples? Great food and a romantic place to stay are essential, and a few fun things to do together is always nice. New Mexico’s Sante Fe has all of that and more, plus a very specific something that few places in America can match: light. Of course every place has light, but the sunlight in Santa Fe is nothing short of spectacular. The way it caresses the adobe walls of buildings here is warmer both in temperature and aesthetic. The result will be not only gorgeous photographs of you two love birds but an environment that exudes romance.
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Art is both queen and king in Santa Fe, so it’s the perfect destination for couples who enjoy painting, sculpture, art, and culture. Dive into the world of Georgia O’Keefe and the otherworldly modern art mecca that is Meow Wolf, then hop on a bike and take golden hour rides around this intimate city.
Stay at the Inn and Spa at Loretto for rooms that blend into the environment and an iconic exterior lined with candles that’s sure to take your breath away after the sun sets on another romantic day in Santa Fe.
5. New Orleans, Louisiana
Far more than just a party town, New Orleans is also pure romance, mystery, music, and if you want, a bit of mayhem too. See live jazz at the legendary Preservation Hall in the French Quarter, wear some beads around your neck and enjoy a drink as you walk around the crooked streets filled day and night with ghosts and revelers side by side.
Visit an old cemetery, take a riverboat cruise, devour some crawfish étouffée, and stay in an elegant Victorian room at The Cornstalk Hotel on Royal St in the Quarter. This hotel puts you right in the heart of the action but, at the same time, shelters you two love birds from the storm of noise you’ll hear on most pleasant nights in the home of Mardi Gras.
6. The Pacific Northwest
For the couple looking for outdoor adventure and naturally socially distanced nature experiences, the PacNW is your woodsy, green, and great destination. This lush corner of the continental U.S. includes everything from the Olympic Peninsula just west of Seattle down to the Redwoods in Northern California.
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In between, you have Fern Canyon and Gold Bluffs Beach, Crater Lake National Park, Oregon’s rugged coastline and marvelous sand dunes, the cascades along the Columbia River Gorge, and Maryhill Museum of Art‘s curious collection including the Théâtre de la Mode exhibit highlighted on the fabulous Articles of Interest Podcast by host Avery Trufelman (now of The Cut Podcast, from New York Magazine).
To soak up every ounce of the isolated natural beauty on offer in the Pacific Northwest, stay at the unrivaled Klickitat Treehouse and take your morning coffee in front of floor-to-ceiling windows and beneath dramatic skylights which bring the lush green outside in.