4 Last-Minute Romantic Day Trip Getaways

Unsplash/Derek Thomson

Hello, procrastinating lovebirds. We have your backs for the romantic getaways you maybe should have planned a few weeks ago with your honey. Instead of trying to book a hotel (likely with fewer stars than you want to see on a review this late in the game), take a day trip somewhere awesome. Pack the day with adorable outings before heading back to your cozy home for cuddles.

1. From New York City: Cold Spring, New York

Flickr CC/Eden, Janine and Jim

A short ride on the Metro-North train, Cold Spring is a small town that will satisfy any lingering “Gilmore Girls” love story dreams. So grab your Luke or Dean/Jess/Logan (we don’t know if you’re more of a Lorelei or Rory kinda person) and wander the charming streets. We recommend a diner brunch and wine bar dinner. Local New York wines might surprise you and become a new fave.

2. From Los Angeles: Ojai, California

Flickr CC/Ken Lund

Ojai is a hippy getaway that will let you escape far away from Los Angeles smog. Browse little new-age boutiques and dine at local eateries (think Mediterranean-inspired food and wine). If you’re looking to get outside and into nature together, head to Los Padres National Forest for a wealth of hiking options or Sespe Creek, where there’s a swimming hole in the warm weather months and hot springs within a 10-mile-hiking distance. Are you an outdoorsy couple? Make this day trip into an overnight backpacking trip and hike all the way to the Willett Hot Springs.

3. From Chicago: Michigan City, Michigan

Flickr CC/Leelanau Peninsula Wine

Hey Midwesterners, you don’t have to have envy of those Californians and New Yorkers. Right around the Lake Michigan shore is your very own wine country. So plot out a course from Michigan City onward and taste your way through the best of the region’s offerings. You can bring home a bottle of your favorite for a romantic souvenir. (Please drive responsibly or even better, make this a group couples’ getaway where one member offers to be the sober designated driver.)

4. From Austin: Fredericksburg, Texas

Flickr CC/Road Travel America

Small town Fredericksburg is filled with German-inspired architecture that’s as much of a day trip to Germany as you can get last-minute. Look for peach desserts — they’re a local speciality. For a chance to get into the outdoors, nearby Enchanted Rock State Natural Area basically sells itself for a romantic hike. But if you need to know more than a name, the landscape is full of dramatic rock formations.

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