10 Ultimate Vacations for Couples

At this boutique Puget Sound lodge, the award winning chef’s love affair with locavore northwest cuisine is the reason it books up in advance, with fare like Penn Cove mussels and locally foraged mushrooms, as well as herbs from the on-site garden and next-level pairings from the well stocked wine cellar. The open kitchen permits gawking at the creative process yet intimate seating allows for whisper-level conversations. To soak up views of the Cascade Mountains coupled with nautical touches—long stretches of soft pebble beaches for sunset strolls—borrow a picnic basket and blanket from the lodge. Every room and cottage boasts a waterfront view of the Saratoga passage, down-filled duvets, and oversized jetted tubs. $$$.

Dunton Hot Springs makes a pretty solid case that you don’t need a tropical beach for a memorable romantic vacation. Wedged into the San Juan Mountains, private rustic cabins are designed for doting couples, and paired with intimate bubbling hot springs. In the winter, spend the day gliding through perfect powder while cross-country skiing or dogsledding among the pines, then unwind with a soothing in-cabin spa treatment followed by a soak in the property’s natural sulphur-free hot springs. But choose your abode wisely—the Wellhouse Cabin comes with its own spring-fed copper tub and the Echo cabin has a discreet outdoor shower. $$$$.

Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge is Pacific Northwest luxury at its finest—rustic yet thoughtful, wild but sophisticated, and steeped in both nature and history. The main lodge was crafted on the site of an old pioneer homestead, and the nearby suites boast river views, but couples splurging on a special occasion will want to book the Osprey Bend house, a handbuilt craftsman cottage with maple and myrtle interiors and a wraparound deck with a barbecue. The retreat’s manicured grounds are banked on the Rogue River, and offer a plethora of trails for meandering, as well as spa services available in the open-air riverside cabana May through October. The five-course dinner starts with garden-grown canapés, and goes on to include and sourcing berries and wild mushrooms, and Chinook salmon from the surrounding bounty. $$.

Checking in to Napa’s White House feels more like being welcomed to your well-to-do friend’s home than a hotel. The 17-room Queen Anne mansion was built in 1886 by noted Napa architect W.H. Corlett, but its modernized touches make it feel fresh: crisp white, green, and blue tones are balanced by refined brass fixtures, guiding you instantly into vacation mode. Sunlight filters through the chandeliers in the palatial living room during the evening wine social, and in the backyard lies a bright green lawn with an in-ground pool. Don’t miss opportunities for intimacy, whether it’s a dip in the hot tub, cuddling by the courtyard firepit, or an in-room couple’s massages. The breakfasts are delicate yet hearty, and sure to prime you for a day of wine tasting—think ham and cheddar baked egg cups and puff pastries filled with rosemary sweet potato puree. Trays available for breakfast in bed. $$$.

Maui’s swanky Wailea enclave is brimming with skinny swaying palm trees, beachfront cabanas, and towering five-star resorts. But one of the newest additions, the Andaz Maui, makes a romantic getaway feel a bit like summer camp. A daily activity calendar includes yoga, lei-making, and stand-up paddleboard lessons, and there are always couples challenging each other to a corn hole match on the grass. And at the resort’s beach, you can grab on a snorkel or boogie board on your way into the warm waters. Still, when you’re ready for a “serious” dinner, the poolside Morimoto Maui brings on the heat with fresh-caught sushi. After, take a dip in the tiered infinity pools, lit by tiki torches and stars at night (tip: they are open 24 hours). $$$$.

Seclusion is the main attraction at this adults-only retreat, located at the end of a country road in one of the highest elevation points in the contiguous U.S., the heart of the Beartooth Mountain Range. Remote rustic log cabins don’t compromise comfort—each boast names like “Forget me Not” and are stocked with candles and panoramic whirlpool tubs or a steam shower for two. Set on 44 dramatic acres, it’s geared toward couples with a sense of adventure. Fish in the clear rivers that twist through the mountains, hike to Instagram-worthy vistas, or mountain bike across scenic valleys. $$$.

If Indian Srings' Olympic-size heated thermal swimming pool, therapeutic mud baths, and tranquil palm-studded gardens don’t hit the holy trinity of a romantic R&R getaway, then maybe the lazy boozy brunch at their restaurant, Sam’s Social Club, will. Rose and jasmine bushes set the stage for a languid day of bocce, croquet, or just lounging by the firepits. Set on 17 acres in a mellow corner of Calistoga wine country, we love Indian Springs for its buttoned-down dress code (couples strolling the grounds in fluffy bathrobes is a common sight), and of course their tiki-inspired cottages. $$$.

Teetering on the edge of Vancouver Island’s craggy west coast, Wya Point Resort is the spot for watching B.C.’s epic waves roll in to shore—especially from the cedar deck of one of the three romantic yurts perched on the cliff. Each yurt is tricked out with barbecues, gas fireplaces, and views that go for miles. Amble down to the private sandy coves shaded by ancient redwood trees for an intimate sunset watch. Surrounding your abode is 600 acres of lush ancient rainforest and just a few miles away, are ribbons of tightly wound trails throughout the Pacific Rim National Park. $$.

The mammoth sawtooth peaks of the Teton Range preside over these stylish and intimate digs at Fireside Resort. The 23 standalone rolling cabins nod to the region’s homesteading roots, and each is stocked with romantic musts: plush beds with goose down comforters, a private campfire with s’mores kit, and high windows for looking out at the fluttering aspen trees and mountains but with enough privacy to feel it’s all your own. When you get chilly, the Granite Hot Springs just an hour away. $$$.

All 31 rooms at this romantic Marin escape hover over the San Francisco Bay, each with a private balcony that provides a millionaire’s-eye-view. With your room’s binoculars, watch Sausalito’s seabirds and sailboats coast by against the backdrop of the twinkling San Francisco skyline. Plus, floor-to-ceilings windows means you can watch the moonrise from your soaking tub (tip: phone in the “romantic bath kit”). Luckily, you only have to worry about peeling yourself away from the comforts of your suite for few important things: the hotel’s complimentary wine hour, and Sausalito’s romantic restaurants, which sit just a quick stroll away. $$$$.