Romantic Getaways in Alabama

There is nothing like a vacation to renew the dimming embers of romance in your life. Whether spent in taking in beautiful sights or simply lazing away in the hotel room, a vacation not only allows you to spend quality time with your beloved but also to dream and make plans for the future together. So if you are a resident of Alabama and looking for romantic getaways from within your state, here are some options to choose from.

Montgomery

For a getaway filled with Old South romantic charm, the state capital of Montgomery could be an ideal destination. Once you are done sight-seeing historic buildings, take your beloved and Hop aboard the "Harriott II" paddlewheel riverboat at Riverfront Park for a dinner or sightseeing cruise on the wide and winding Alabama river that flows through the city. Or else you can hold hands and Stroll along the Riverwalk at the park and perhaps even drop into an outdoor concert at the Riverwalk Amphitheater. For a truly sensual experience head to Jasmine Hill,  a twenty acre southern garden with an ancient Greek theme including famous statuary reproductions, and a full scale reproduction of Greek Temple of Hera ruins from Olympia where the Olympic flame was started. The historic neighborhood of Alley is now an entertainment district downtown filled with bars and restaurants and best of all, only a short stroll away from Riverfront Park. For culture aficionados, Montgomery is also home to Alabama Shakespeare Festival the sixth largest Shakespeare festival in the world. Here you and your partner can catch a play of the Bard or one of the many classic non-Shakespearean plays also part of the ASF repertoire.

Lake Guntersville State Park

However if you are looking for the perfect honeymoon spot, away from the crowds and bustle of touristy places, head to Lake Guntersville State Park 88 miles northeast of Birmingham where you can cozy up your beloved in a mountaintop chalet overlooking a 69,000-acre lake. The chalets are located on Taylor Mountain inside the park and offer plenty of solitude to accompany magnificent views of the lake and surrounding Appalachians from wraparound porches; two of the chalets are even dog-friendly where you can bring in your furred companions. Other accommodations inside the park are a mountaintop lodge and, for those who prefer to be closer to the water, lakeside cabins. Apart from magnificent views and romantic isolation, the park offers its guests 36 miles of hiking trails, a beach area and a restaurant and a lounge. On days that you and your partner wish to be part of a more animated scene, you can set off for the pretty downtown area of Guntersville for its many shopping and dining options. Sitting on a peninsula jutting into the lake, Guntersville is a pretty nice place to spend an afternoon with your beloved - leisurely strolling through the picturesque streets and lakeside shoreline trails.

Mentone

History lovers looking for a romantic getaway in Alabama can check out the quaint old town of Mentone where you may be excused for feeling as though you have been to the late 19th century. The crossroads downtown area consists of a just a handful of shops, restaurants and accommodations housed in historic buildings and rustic log cabins. Mentone Springs Hotel is the landmark structure in town, built in 1884 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Once you and your partner have had your fill of sightseeing, you both can romance each other in the midst of scenic spots like the nearby Desoto Falls and Little River Canyon.

Ross Bridges

If you and your partner are looking for a romantic getaway with bit of indulgence on the side, head for the resort community of Ross Bridges. Located just over Red Mountain, 13 miles from downtown Birmingham, Ross Bridge is close to the city, but its position among the woodlands and lakes in the rolling hills between two mountain ridges make it seem like a bucolic country retreat. Several resorts are woven into the master-planned community of Ross Bridge which has a picturesque Village Center too. And once you are done getting pampered with spas and massages, you can even tee off at any of the golf courses here that are part of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail winding throughout the state.

Selma

The city of Selma sits high on a bluff overlooking the Alabama River and showcases the largest historic district in the state.  While Individuals and group tours are welcomed at numerous historic sites, if you and your partner want to be on your own, you can tour the city where Civil War and Civil Rights history were made. Enjoy museums, walking and driving tours, genealogy research, antebellum homes, a National Historic Trail, antique shops and wonderful restaurants.  Again should be you time your visit to Selma to coincide with any of the Annual events, you can take in Civil War and Civil Rights re-enactments, historic home tours, storytelling, blue grass and wildlife festivals and Christmas and holiday activities too. At other times of the year, there are various outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, camping, and nature trails to choose from.

Gulf Coast

While hills, ridges and valleys lend the northern and central Alabama its mountainous beauty, its southern part is popular for its sugar white beaches, bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Situated at the southernmost part of Alabama, Alabama's Gulf Coast is 32 miles of sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. While the regular visitors are attracted by popular year-round activities such as golf, tennis, and the Gulf of Mexico's varied fishing, you and your partner can hit the hiking and biking trails, go scuba diving, sailing on the sparkling emerald waters, or just lie daydreaming in each other’s arms on the beach. After you get up and dust off the sand, you can Travel back in history with a visit to Fort Morgan, the site of the Civil War Battle of Mobile Bay or Commune with Mother Nature as you hike wildlife trails gazing at shorebirds. Once the sun goes down, it is time to hit the bars, restaurants and clubs along the Gulf Coast. Music fills the air just about every night; so whether you’re looking for delta blues, country crooners, calypso or “Buffett style,” you are sure to find something to suit your tastes at smorgasbord of great Gulf Coast entertainment.