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10 getaways · 17 hotels with a private tub · At a glance · FAQ
For a romantic getaway in Florida, couples head to St. Augustine for carriage rides on brick streets, to Amelia Island for a sunrise ride on the beach and to Anna Maria Island for dinner on the sand at sunset. This guide covers 10 places across the state, among them Miami Beach, Naples and Gainesville. For each one you get what to do, when to go and hotels where the room has its own jacuzzi or whirlpool.
Visit Florida calls a trip to St. Augustine, the nation's oldest city, a step back in time. The historic district has Spanish architecture, brick streets and old trees, and the local tourism bureau points couples to its romantic bed and breakfasts. Carriage Way Inn has a cottage room with a jacuzzi tub, Casa de Suenos has in-room whirlpool tubs, and several rooms at Cedar House Inn have a private jacuzzi tub.
What to do
Take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the historic streets.
Climb to the top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse for a view over the city and the coast.
Taste Florida wine at San Sebastian Winery downtown.
Sail at sunset on the Matanzas River or the Intracoastal Waterway. The Schooner Freedom is a traditional tall ship that sails here.
Visit Castillo de San Marcos, the old fort looking over Matanzas Bay and the city skyline.
When to go: The holidays, for Nights of Lights, when more than three million white lights go up from late November through mid January. The tourism bureau says the city works any time of year.
Getting there: About 45 minutes from Jacksonville and 1 hour 45 minutes from Orlando.
Miami Beach has the world's largest collection of Art Deco architecture, and the Art Deco Historic District, with buildings from the 1920s and 1930s, is the sight to see. The official tourism bureau sends couples to South Pointe Park, at the tip of South Beach, for a picnic with an ocean view. Both stays put the tub outside: a hot tub on a private balcony at Z Ocean Hotel, and a four-person jacuzzi on a private terrace at The Standard Spa on Belle Isle.
What to do
Pack a picnic for South Pointe Park, at the tip of South Beach.
Walk the Art Deco Historic District.
On select nights in season, catch a free outdoor Wallcast concert on the giant wall of the Frank Gehry building at New World Center, just north of Lincoln Road.
Take a private sunset boat tour with Miami On The Water.
When to go: March to May, when Visit Florida says the weather is warm and pleasant. Art Deco Weekend is held on Ocean Drive in mid January.
Visit Florida lists Palm Beach among its romantic getaways and names the Brazilian Court as a romantic place to stay. Its Wisteria One Bedroom Suite has a marble bath with a jetted tub. Discover The Palm Beaches publishes a three-day itinerary for couples, and just south in Lake Worth Beach, two small B&Bs, Sabal Palm House and Mango Inn, have rooms with a whirlpool tub.
What to do
Watch the sunrise over the ocean from the Worth Avenue Clock Tower.
Walk the Lake Trail, 5 miles along the Intracoastal, and stay for the sunset over the West Palm Beach skyline.
Watch the sunrise from the pier at Lake Worth Beach.
Join the Sunset Tour at Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and climb the winding stairs to the top.
When to go: Winter and spring, when the tourism bureau says the weather is most comfortable for eating outside and exploring. It pitches summer and fall for a more relaxed trip.
Visit Florida points couples to Lovers Key State Park, at the south end of Fort Myers Beach, as a place to renew your vows, and the park has over two miles of sugar-sand beach. To the north, more than 400 types of seashells wash up on Sanibel, and Captiva is known for its white sand and sunsets. Lover's Key Beach Club sits next door to the state park, with suites that have whirlpool tubs; plan Sanibel and Captiva as a day trip from there.
What to do
Go shelling on Sanibel. The local tourism bureau suggests Bowman's Beach or Blind Pass at low tide early in the morning.
Visit J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States.
Bike Sanibel's more than 25 miles of shared-use paths.
Kayak the lagoons at Lovers Key, where manatees come to graze.
End the day with a sunset on a Captiva beach.
When to go: December to April, which Visit Florida calls the best time for Sanibel. It is also peak season.
Getting there: Sanibel is 30 to 45 minutes by car from Fort Myers.
Naples is a dinner town. Fifth Avenue South, the main downtown street, has more than 30 restaurants, and the Naples, Marco Island & Everglades tourism office notes that many of the fine dining spots come with a sunset view. Bellasera Hotel, downtown, has pool view rooms with a jacuzzi tub in the bathroom and a balcony over the pool.
What to do
Walk the themed gardens, the butterfly pavilion and the Water Garden at Naples Botanical Garden.
Have dinner on Third Street South, where live music plays on many Thursday evenings.
Take a sunset cruise on the Gulf. Open-air boats sail every day.
Come for Evening on Fifth, a free street evening on Fifth Avenue South on the second Thursday of the month, November to April.
When to go: November through April, the season for Evening on Fifth.
Getting there: About two hours from Miami on I-75, known as Alligator Alley.
Anna Maria Island is a barrier island west of Bradenton with seven miles of white-sand beach and a free island trolley, so you can leave the car parked. The Bradenton Area tourism bureau builds its couples guides around sunset dinners facing the Gulf. Tortuga Beach Resort, once called Tortuga Inn, has one-bedroom deluxe rooms with a jacuzzi tub.
What to do
Book a sunset dinner at Beach Bistro in Holmes Beach, in the dining room or on the beachfront patio.
Eat with your toes in the sand at The Beach House in Bradenton Beach.
Get to Sandbar Seafood & Spirits in Anna Maria right around sunset.
Take a sunset cruise on the Gulf with AMI Dolphin Tours or Red Boat Tours.
Have dinner at The Porch, in a restored historic bungalow.
When to go: Spring and fall, when Visit Florida says the weather is pleasant and the crowds are smaller.
Getting there: About an hour and a half from Tampa and 2.5 to 3 hours from Orlando.
Honeymoon Island, off Dunedin, got its name from 50 honeymoon cottages, built after its owner pitched the idea to the editor of Life magazine, and the first honeymooners arrived in May 1940. A few miles south, Clearwater Beach has soft white sand, clear water and a sunset festival at Pier 60 every night. Devon Shores, on Clearwater Beach, has a suite with a jacuzzi, and Best Western Plus Yacht Harbor Inn sits on the Dunedin marina, a short drive from Honeymoon Island.
What to do
Walk the beach and the three-mile trail at Honeymoon Island State Park, and stay for the sunset.
Take the Honeymoon Island ferry over to Caladesi Island State Park, which you can reach only by boat.
Kayak the mangrove water trails on Caladesi Island.
Join the sunset celebration at Pier 60, with music, crafts and street performers.
When to go: May and June, which Visit Florida names as the best months for Clearwater.
Getting there: About 30 to 40 minutes from Tampa and around two hours from Orlando.
Visit Florida suggests a sunrise horseback ride on the beach at Amelia Island, in the state's northeast corner. The island's tourism bureau has its own romance guide, and in the evening the docks in historic downtown Fernandina Beach are a front-row seat for the sunset. Amelia Hotel at the Beach has a Terrace Suite with a jacuzzi tub.
What to do
Ride horses on the beach at sunrise.
Watch the sunset over the Amelia River at Fort Clinch State Park. The old Civil War fort closes at 5 p.m., and the park stays open until sunset.
Sail the Amelia River at sunset with Follow That Dream Sailing.
Take an electric carriage ride through downtown Fernandina Beach with Jeffers Carriages.
Paddle Egans Creek by kayak at sunset.
When to go: Spring (March to May) and fall (September to November), the seasons Visit Florida recommends.
Getting there: About 45 minutes from Jacksonville.
New Smyrna Beach has 17 miles of beach on the central east coast, and its visitors bureau pitches it as a place where romance comes naturally. Canaveral National Seashore begins at the south end of town, with undeveloped beach, dunes and Mosquito Lagoon. The bureau calls Black Dolphin Inn a standout for couples who want privacy and character, and its Honeymoon Suite has an air-jetted soaking tub in the bedroom.
What to do
Spend an evening on Flagler Avenue, the beachside street with restaurants and shops.
Come for the 1st Saturday Sip & Stroll on Canal Street, in the historic downtown and arts district.
Walk Smyrna Dunes Park, 184 acres on Ponce de Leon Inlet.
Take a boat tour on the lagoon for dolphins and mangrove tunnels.
Book a couple's massage at The Spa at Venetian Bay.
When to go: Spring (March to May) and early fall (September to November), when Visit Florida says the weather is milder and there are fewer crowds.
Getting there: One to 1.25 hours from Orlando on I-4 and I-95.
Visit Gainesville publishes a couples weekend guide that sends you to Micanopy, a small old-Florida town just south of the city, for an afternoon. Herlong Mansion in Micanopy offers romance packages all year, and its Carriage House and Pump House cottages have jacuzzi tubs. In downtown Gainesville, Sweetwater Branch Inn has cottages with a jacuzzi.
What to do
Pack a picnic for Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, 68 acres with 24 garden collections.
Take in the view across Paynes Prairie from a rocking chair on the back porch of the state park visitor center.
Watch the sunset over Lake Alice as the bats come out at dusk.
Have dinner at Amelia's Fine Italian Restaurant in Gainesville.
When to go: Fall and spring, the seasons Visit Florida names for Gainesville.
St. Augustine is a common pick. Visit Florida calls it a step back in time, and the nation's oldest city has carriage rides, brick streets and B&Bs with whirlpool rooms, such as Casa de Suenos and Carriage Way Inn.
What is the best time of year for a romantic getaway in Florida?
Spring and fall for most of the state. Visit Florida names them for Amelia Island, Anna Maria Island and Gainesville. On Sanibel it names December to April, which is also peak season, and in St. Augustine, Nights of Lights runs late November through mid January.
Where should we go in Florida for an anniversary?
St. Augustine. Its tourism bureau pitches the city for first and fiftieth anniversaries alike, with romantic B&Bs and sails on the Schooner Freedom, a traditional tall ship. For a beach anniversary, Visit Florida suggests renewing your vows at Lovers Key State Park, next door to Lover's Key Beach Club on Fort Myers Beach.
What is a good romantic weekend getaway from Orlando?
New Smyrna Beach is the closest, about an hour away, with 17 miles of beach. Black Dolphin Inn there has a Honeymoon Suite with an air-jetted soaking tub. St. Augustine is about 1 hour 45 minutes away.
Are there adults-only romantic hotels in Florida?
Yes. The Standard Spa, Miami Beach is for guests 18 and over, and you must be 21 to check in. Some of its rooms have a four-person jacuzzi on a private terrace.
Is Anna Maria Island good for a couples trip?
Yes. It has seven miles of white-sand beach, a free island trolley and sunset dinners facing the Gulf at places like Beach Bistro. Tortuga Beach Resort, once called Tortuga Inn, has one-bedroom deluxe rooms with a jacuzzi tub.
