Whether you have been married for over a decade, or only been dating a few months, it is important to carve out some time for a romantic getaway, and you don’t need to spend a fortune.  If you want to wait for a last-minute deal, there are plenty of those available, or if you are more of a planner, you can take your time shopping around for a cheap flight and/or hotel deal. Either way, you don’t even need to spend a full week away, just take a few days to get a change of scenery, part from the usual weekly routine, and enjoy some quality time on an adventure with your significant other.

For those of you in need of some ideas, here are some of my favorites right along the East Coast:

  1. New York City– For those of us that live in DC, this is an easy 4 hour drive or train ride.  All you might need is 48 hours to catch a show, enjoy a great meal, wander around some museums, galleries or shops throughout the city, and just take in all the energy around you.  There really is no other place like this, and I’m not just saying that because I am originally from this lively city.
  2. New England– Boston is a fun city, full of history, but for those that want to connect more with nature, there is so much in the surrounding areas.  Among the many gems there is Acadia National Park in Maine for those that like to hike, or the lakes in New Hampshire are spectacular throughout the summer.  If you wait until the fall, the Indian Summer in New England is truly spectacular.
  3. Pennsylvania– In the winter, there are several places to go skiing in PA, and when the weather is a bit warmer, you can go to Gettysburg for a little history or Falling Waters to marvel at the architecture, with the Nemacolin Resort right around the corner.  If you want to enjoy an amusement park, Hershey Park is across the street from The Hershey Hotel, which is also very nice resort.
  4. DC Area– This has been my hometown as an adult for over 24 years, and aside from the great restaurants, shops and museums in the city, there is so much to explore in the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia.  There are tons of hiking trails, places to kayak, or go horseback riding, and in addition to plenty of cute B&Bs, there are several great resorts, including Salamander Farms in Middleburg, VA.
  5. Delaware– The DE beaches are very popular for those of us that live in DC, both on and off season.  In less than 3 hours of driving, you can sink your feet into the sand and take a nice walk along the shore, play mini golf, fly a kite, and of course shop tax-free and dine out at a variety of restaurants that hit every price point.
  6. Florida– If you are a kid at heart, you will love going back to Disney and/or Universal Studios in Orlando as an adult.  If the beach and nightlife is more your scene, Miami will be right up your alley.  And if you want to jump on a cruise ship for just a few days, there are plenty of cruise lines offering a ton of options.
  7. New Orleans– I realize this isn’t part of the”East Coast,” but it’s only about a 2 hour plane ride from DC, and it is a great change of scenery with its fantastic food, music and generally pleasant climate.
  8. Memphis– Another spot that is just a quick plane ride from DC, and then you can enjoy some fantastic BBQ and southern hospitality while also touring some pretty famous places like Graceland and Sun Studios.
  9. Canada– Depending on where you are along the East Coast, you may actually just drive across the border to visit our friendly northern neighbors, but if you are in the DC Area you may want to fly into Buffalo, NY and then rent a car to cross the border rather than getting hit with the fees of an international flight.  Among my favorite destinations there are Niagara Falls (you only need one night there), Toronto (it’s less than one hour from Niagara Falls), or Montreal.   For those of you that like theater, I would highly recommend checking out the Shakespeare Festival (it’s not just Shakespeare plays) in Stratford, Ontario, which has beautiful B&Bs to host the theater guests that flood all 3 theaters that produce plays twice a day, seven days a week throughout the festival.

If I didn’t cover your area, please don’t be offended.  It’s not from a lack of desire to explore more, but as always it boils down to a lack of time and money– especially while running a business and taking care of a young child over the past decade.  But at least despite these two major obligations, I did make some time to get away, as evidenced by the list of places cited above.  Hopefully, you too will find some time and the funds to treat yourself and your partner to a nice romantic getaway.

Remember, you don’t need to spend thousands, but you do need to demonstrate that your relationship is a priority by putting a little effort into creating a fun adventure.  More importantly, it is these memories that will help get you through the rough patches, which are bound to happen.

By Regina A. DeMeo, Esq.