FEBRUARY 2004
In This Issue...
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February Is For Lovers

and B & Bs make

Valentine Get-Aways

 


John C. Jones
Travel/Food Writer

One of my favorite places in America for romantic B & B stays is the city of St. Augustine, Florida.  In the old section of the city there is the famed St. Francis Inn.

You will find available through the day the hostess serving their house blend coffees which include regular, decaf and hazelnut. Hot chocolate, assorted teas and cappuccinos are available.  There is a fantastic buffet breakfast served each morning. 

Transportation?  The Inn provides complimentary bicycles for touring historic downtown Saint Augustine.

The St. Francis Inn Bed and Breakfast is unique in its location -- right in the heart of the oldest part of the city. The narrow brick paved streets offer charming restaurants, museums, galleries, antique shops, historic sites and a variety of shopping experiences... within easy walking distance. St. Augustine, located on Florida's Atlantic coast, is a rich cultural center, with special events held in the old city throughout the year.

You can ride a trolley or take a horse and buggy ride at the bayfront. St. Augustine's seaside Florida location makes all types of water activities readily available, including harbor cruises, fishing trips, and boat rentals. Visit popular family attractions, such as Potter's Wax Museum, Ripley's Believe It or Not, the Alligator Farm, the Castillo de San Marco, and many others.  A swim in the Inn's pool should refresh you after a mid-day tour.  St Francis Inn Bed and Breakfast of St. Augustine Florida is a member of the following associations:  Florida Bed & Breakfast Inns and more romantic get-a-way places in Florida can be found at  http://www.bbonline.com/fl/st.+augustine.html.

Also in St. Augustine the Casa de la Paz has been featured in the PBS Series "Inn Collections" and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The "House of Peace" overlooks the sparkling Matanzas Bay. This B and B is an elegant, 1915 Mediterranean home. 

Choose a room with spectacular views of the picture-perfect Bay, historic Bridge of Lions and lighthouse, or one that looks onto a quaint courtyard.

email: info@casadelapaz.com
Marshall & Sherri Crews, Innkeepers

Web site is:  www.casadelapaz.com

From  http://www.bedandbreakfast.com of BedandBreakfast.com:

"Looking for the perfect getaway this Valentine's Day? BedandBreakfast.com lists hundreds of fabulous romance specials.

Visit www.BedandBreakfast.com and click on the specials badge.  Not sure which to choose? The gift of a B&B getaway is just a BedandBreakfast.com gift certificate away. This year, surprise your Valentine with BedandBreakfast.com gift certificates, accepted at nearly 3200 U.S. B&Bs.

StarGazers Inn and Observatory, Big Bear Lake, CA: The Valentine's Weekend Package includes two nights accommodations, champagne, chocolates, fresh flowers, and silk rose petals for the bed, along with a $50 dinner coupon. Commemorate your love by naming a star after your loved one, a perfect gift of love. The "Name A Star" gift includes a beautiful 12" X 16" full color parchment certificate personalized with the star name, date and coordinates; a personalized 12" X 16" sky chart containing the star name, date, constellation, and location; and more. The package is topped off by a Star Party, during which a knowledgeable star guide assists guests in the use of binoculars and the inn's Celestron NexStar 11 GPS-navigated telescope, housed in a rotating observatory dome. The package rate of $595 for two is a $225 savings if priced separately. Info: 866-482-STAR (7827) or www.stargazersinn.com .

The Collingwood Inn, Ferndale, CA: On this holiday of hearts and flowers, the Collingwood Inn's Hart House (named after the original owners who built it in 1885), offers the popular Bed of Roses Valentine's Day package. This package includes a two-night stay, a dozen roses upon arrival, a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride through town, and a stretch limousine to take you to dinner. It's all topped off with heart-shaped chocolates and champagne. The Valentine's Day weekend package costs $450-510. Info: 800-469-1631 or www.collingwoodinn.com .

Booklovers Bed and Breakfast, Princess Anne, MD: Valentines Day is a day of celebration for those in love. All guests staying on Valentine's Weekend will receive a book of love poems and a rose. In addition, a poetry reading featuring favorite love poems from Shakespeare, Barrett-Browning, Keats and more, will top off the perfect Valentine's Day. Do you have a love poem you'd like to read to your loved one? Plan to bring it and profess your love through poetry. Stay two nights on Valentine's Day weekend for $150 - $220 including breakfast each morning, afternoon tea, after-dinner liqueurs and the gift of poetry. Info: 410-651-5195 or www.BookloversBnB.com .

Maytown Manor, Maytown, PA: Chocolate is for lovers throughout February. Enjoy a chocolate tasting each weekend in February with a two-night stay. Just to sweeten the affair, guests will receive the Chocolate Lovers Handbook, including information about chocolate, recipes and chocolate trivia, along with a dinner for two and daily breakfast. The two-night package offered Valentine's Day and throughout February, 2004 is $295 for two, including tax. Info: 866-426-2116 or www.maytownmanorbandb.com

The Love House, Abingdon, VA: What could be more perfect than spending Valentine's Day at The Love House? Named for John and his wife, Remember Love, the namesake's spirit will insure that this is the perfect place for romance. The Love House Valentine's Weekend package starts with a glass of champagne awaiting each guest they check in. On Friday, dinner at the inn's restaurant will be followed by tickets for two to the Barter Theater. Return to find rose petals strewn about the bed. A candlelight breakfast the next morning might include strawberries Romanoff, oyster-mushroom casserole, and heart-shaped scones. Valentine's Day, enjoy fine dining at Withers Hardware Restaurant, followed by a gourmet chocolate tasting, plus complimentary wine with a long-stemmed rose. The package price including breakfast and dinner each day, theater tickets, and a two-night stay in a room with a fireplace or whirlpool tub is $446-512 for two. Info: 800-475-5494 or www.abingdon-virginia.com .

Oak Park Inn and Historic Hopkins House, Whitehall, WI: This Valentine's Day, plan to get the blood moving with an exhilarating ten-minute dogsled ride, led by a team of friendly and energetic Alaskan Huskies. Take photos with the team of rare Canadian Inuit dogs, and receive instruction from the experienced staff at Sno-Trek Sled Dogs. Snow is not necessary to enjoy this adventure, as sleds are also equipped with wheels. The package includes all the above, continental breakfast for two, and one night lodging for two $99-109. Info: 877-479-7024 or www.oakparkinn.com ."

 

 

“To The Ends Of The Earth And Then Some.”
E-mail  travel questions to: 
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