Big on love, but short on time? No worries, we've got 10 U.S. destinations that are perfect for packing in a few days of romance. Whether you and your love want to take a beach vacation in Miami, soak away your cares in Palm Springs hot springs, or cozy up to the vineyards near the Hamptons, we found the perfect short romantic getaway in the U.S. to make sparks fly. Read on, and fall in love.
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Las Vegas, Nevada
Move over, Virginia — Las Vegas is for lovers. Whether you want to put it all on red on your anniversary date, hit up a topless pool, or take in a world class show — Las Vegas caters to romance and couples looking for a 24/7 good time. The beauty of a short trip to Las Vegas is that you can pack in a week’s worth of activities in a long weekend, thanks to late night gambling, night club, and restaurant hours and almost non-stop entertainment. A short romantic getaway to Las Vegas will definitely fuel up your love tank.
Our Romantic Las Vegas Hotel Pick: Encore at Wynn Las Vegas
The Encore at Wynn Las Vegas is an easy choice for romance. It’s directly on the Strip and contemporary guest rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and soaking bathtubs. You can order 24-hour room service for a late breakfast in bed, or pop downstairs for fresh Hawaiian seafood at Lakeside, accompanied by an unexpected performance over the Lake of Dreams. Feeling naughty? The European pool is one of the most elegant topless pools in Vegas, and Encore Beach Club hosts over-the-top daytime pool parties.
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The Hamptons
For many east coasters, heading to the Hamptons isn’t just about the beach — it’s also about boutique shopping, European-inspired restaurants, and vineyards. For couples whose ideal getaway includes biking along the beach (stopping for a picnic of wine and cheese), spending the afternoon in multiple vineyards, and popping Champagne at a nightclub, the Hamptons is the best short romantic getaway possible. When the weather gets warm, it’s the Hamptons, not Manhattan, that becomes the place to see and be seen.
Our Romantic Hamptons Hotel Pick: Topping Rose House
A luxury boutique haven in the heart of the Hamptons, Topping Rose House beautifully blends together the old and the new. Housed in a Greek Revival mansion, the restored and fully updated hot spot hotel features 16 spacious guest rooms (including 4 cottages with access to private outdoor spaces), a restaurant by celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, a lovely outdoor pool, and health and spa facilities. Thanks to Topping Rose House’s prime location within the charming village of Bridgehampton, there are restaurants and shops within walking distance. BMW cars are available to shuttle couples around Long Island.
Miami, Florida
Miami is booming. This internationally beloved coastal city has seemingly every thing on offer: gorgeous beaches, inventive dining, Latin flavor, designer shopping, Art-Deco architecture, and pleasant weather year-round. Couples who want to pack a lot of romance into a short trip really can’t go wrong in Miami. Looking for a flight deal? Check flights into Miami International Airport and nearby Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (just 17 miles apart). P.S. you can swim and sunbathe topless on South Beach.
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Our Romantic Miami Hotel Pick: Novotel Miami Brickell
Sure, South Beach is the obvious location for couples on a short getaway — but don’t sleep on Brickell for romance. The downtown, walkable location feels a little like New York meets the beach, and is home to art galleries, a high-end outdoor mall, and Metromover access to get you to dining and nightlife all over Miami. The Novotel makes an ideal (and ultra affordable, especially when compared to beach hotels) home base. Sundays host a DJ pool party up on the roof, the lobby bar serves inventive food and cocktails, and the rooms are quiet, clean, and comfortable. If you want to get to the beach, you’re only five miles away.
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is the short romantic getaway of choice for Los Angeles residents — especially LGBTQ couples. April is (usually) the month to visit for Coachella, Stagecoach, and Jeffrey Sanker’s White Party. Unsurprisingly, April also has the highest hotel room rates. Year-round, nature-loving and wellness-oriented couples can hike in Joshua Tree National Park, take a sound bath in the Integration, and post up in some soothing hot springs. Midcentury Modern architecture tours and a drive out to Pappy + Harriet’s western-themed music space and restaurant are other must-dos for couples visiting Palm Springs.
Our Romantic Palm Spring Hotel Pick: Two Bunch Palms
Two Bunch Palms is located about a 20-minute drive from downtown Palm Springs, and it’s worth the trip for couples who want to soak in desert hot springs and go deep on healing spa treatments. The upscale hotel is renowned for its natural mineral springs and glamorous Hollywood past (it was a rumored hideout of Al Capone’s). Originally built in 1930 as a private, gated resort on 77 acres, the current owners completed a multimillion dollar renovation in 2014 that gutted the 70 rooms, refreshed the grotto and pool, and brought a farm-to-table restaurant. A second renovation was completed in 2019, focused on increasing its capacity as a wellness hotel with expanded suites and amenities. You’ll fall in love with the soaking pools — and each other.
Portland, Maine
Portland is a big coastal city with tons of small town charm, and it’s ideal for romance. That goes double for foodie couples who want to bond over microbreweries, lobster rolls, and gourmet donuts made from potatoes. When you’re ready to burn off all the extra calories, antique shopping, book store browsing, and whale watching tours are idyllic Portland pastimes. What’s more romantic than Maine’s scenic coast?
Our Romantic Portland Hotel Pick: The Westin Portland Harborview
The upscale and romantic Westin Portland Harborview is one of the most romantic hotels in Portland. It offers a full-service spa, rooftop lounge with great views of the city and waterfront, and a free area shuttle, and it’s conveniently located near downtown attractions. Plus, you can bring your pet.
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Napa Valley, California
When there’s no time to fly to Italy for a romantic trip, get your partner to Napa. Napa Valley’s terrain is similar to its Italian counterpart, but it’s way easier to explore. The main towns of Napa, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, and Calistoga, span a roughly 35-mile stretch of Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail. Start in Napa and drive north, you’ll spot a turnoff for a vineyard or photo-op seemingly every quarter-mile. Couples can also check out the art scene, soak in Calistoga’s hot springs, and dine at some of California’s best farm-to-table restaurants. Napa engagement, anyone?
Our Romantic Napa Valley Hotel Pick: Meadowood Napa Valley
Napa is filled with romantic lodging options, from bed-and-breakfasts to actual working wineries — but we love Meadowood Napa Valley for the ultimate short romantic getaway hotel. Wildly private cottages and suites feature wood-burning fireplaces, soaking tubs, and furnished patios with forest views. The spa is next-level, and each treatment includes personalized touches and access to heated outdoor pool and steam facilities. For dinner, Michelin three-star The Restaurant at Meadowood is the main dining and wine venue, or there’s a more casual grill for California cuisine. Want to hike? The grounds have over four miles of hiking trails. Dip in the hot tubs at night to stargaze, and get lost in each other’s eyes.
New Orleans, Louisiana
What isn’t romantic about New Orleans? The French Quarter, or Vieux Carré, is the oldest and best-known neighborhood in the city. Creole cottages, gorgeous antebellum mansions, hidden courtyards, and horse-drawn carriages look like something straight out of a romance novel. If you want to get spooked with your sweetie, choose from a plethora of haunted walking tours. While strolling the neighborhood, don’t forget to pay a visit to the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum. Party-loving couples will want to head straight to Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras (the bar-lined street is pretty wild year-round, if you miss the annual celebration).
Our Romantic New Orleans Hotel Pick: The Saint Hotel, Autograph Collection
Naughty or nice? Pick your couple style, and your theme at The Saint Hotel, Autograph Collection. The couples-oriented upscale property is two blocks from Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. Sleek suites offer living areas and stylish decor touches like Murano glass chandeliers, clawfoot tubs, and exposed brick — some have an angel or a devil theme. Tempt restaurant serves southern fare for breakfast and dinner, while the bordello-chic Burgundy Bar features regular live music. “Play Naughty, Sleep Saintly,” is the hotel’s motto — and it might become yours, too.
New York City, New York
If you just have a few days for romance, New York City is a top contender. It would be easy enough to just wander hand-in-hand in Central Park, through Little Italy, and across the Brooklyn Bridge with your lover — stopping at any cozy wine bar or French bakery that catches your eye. If you want to up the romance factor, check out the city views from the Top of the Rock or jewelry shop at Tiffany & Co on Fifth Avenue.
Related: The 10 Best Honeymoon Destinations in the United States
Our Romantic New York City Pick: The Bowery Hotel
The Bowery Hotel is our pick for the most romantic hotel in New York City. It has vintage ambience for days, a celebrated Italian restaurant, lovely lobby with a roaring fireplace, and a back garden under an atrium for year-round martinis in any weather conditions. Plus, the East Village location puts hundreds of charming wine bars, cozy restaurants, and public parks within an easy walk. Did we mention the back of the hotel overlooks a historic cemetery?
Nashville, Tennessee
Couples who go gaga over country and rock music will have an exceptionally romantic short trip to Nashville. It’s home to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Music City Center, Grand Ole Opry, and enough music venues, blues clubs, and honky tonks to keep you musically entertained for a lifetime. But if all you have time for is a short romantic getaway, Nashville also serves up world famous hot chicken, locally made bourbons and whiskeys, and is within a few hours’ drive to hiking, fishing, waterfalls, and biking in Sparta and Cookeville.
Our Romantic Nashville Hotel Pick: Omni Nashville Hotel
The Omni Nashville Hotel is conveniently connected to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville. Trendy rooms feature flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, and bottled water. If you want to check out the rest of the scene, there’s a romantic rooftop pool with wooden sundeck, loungers, and a hot tub. For on-site fun, there are two restaurants, a sports bar, and a coffee bar, plus 24-hour room service if you get back to the room late and starving. You’ll definitely fall in love with Nashville.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe has a golden reputation for girls’ trips, but you shouldn’t sleep on a short romantic getaway in this gem of a Southwestern city. Couples who love art galleries, indigenous history, hiking, biking, Mexican cuisine, and stargazing should book a trip to Santa Fe ASAP. If you’re visiting the first week of October, drive an hour over to Albuquerque for the annual international hot air balloon festival. What’s more romantic than a hot air balloon ride in the desert?
Our Romantic Santa Fe Hotel Pick: Ten Thousand Waves
For an intimate and unusual romantic hotel pick, you gotta check out Ten Thousand Waves. The secluded property has a Japanese-style spa and 12 guest rooms nestled in a mountainside pine forest just outside of Santa Fe. The grounds are dotted with soaking tubs and cold plunges — and professional therapists are on hand for all sorts of healing massages and wellness treatments. Santa Fe will have you seeing hearts.
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