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February is for Sweethearts
By Carol Reed

February is a great time to renew romance with a two-person getaway of pampering, relaxation and love. There’s no need to jet to faraway places in order to achieve a change of scene, and there’s no need to break the bank: consider an inn or hotel that is within a few hours’ drive; stroll around Philadelphia and dine, shop and then relax in luxury after exploring its unique place in American history; or romp in outdoor Pocono pleasure and return to a glowing fireplace at a beautiful lodge. Here are some suggestions for starters.

Philly is more fun when you stay overnight, the ad campaign proclaims. Take advantage of special hotel and dining programs offered in conjunction with Benjamin Franklin’s 300th birthday celebration through April 30.

The package includes:

• One- or two-night accommodations in Center City and beyond, any night of the week.

• Two tickets to the Benjamin Franklin exhibition at the National Constitution Center and one-time entry to the Center’s permanent exhibits.

• Little Book of BENefits coupon book, Ben’s Birthday Bulletin, Ben Franklin 300 Philadelphia Official Guide, Philadelphia Trolley Works discount card and temporary Ben tattoos.

• And amenities, which vary from hotel to hotel, include free parking.

To check hotels participating in the program, and to compare rates, visit www.gophila.com 

Philly also offers special “Romance Packages” such as the one at the Hyatt Regency at Penn’s Landing. Call 215.928.1234 for more information. The package includes:

• Deluxe overnight guestroom

• Chocolate covered strawberries

• Breakfast for two in Keating’s River Grill overlooking the Delaware River

Other similar programs are offered at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue, 215.893.1234 and Loews Philadelphia, 215.627.1200. For a couple’s spa-treatment weekend, try the Radisson Plaza Warwick Hotel, 215.735.6000.

For a more intimate and personal retreat, you could try one of Philadelphia’s bed ‘n breakfast inns. A wide array of them is found at www.bedandbreakfast.com. 

If you prefer mountain scenery, fun in the snow and fireside romance, visit the Poconos. Spoil each other with an indulgent getaway at one of Caesar’s Pocono Resorts. Couples enjoy private suites designed to delight from morning until night. Suites offer unique amenities such as bubbling, seven-foot-tall Champagne Glass Whirlpool Baths-for-Two, heart-shaped private pools, swirling soaks in heart-shaped whirlpool baths, enticing saunas, cozy log burning fireplaces, lavish king-size beds and so much more. Stay at one Caesar’s resorts and receive a pass to play at all four: Cove Haven, Paradise Stream, Pocono Palace, and Brookdale. Check out the Web site at www.caesarspoconoresorts.com  or call 866.456.6467.

The Poconos also offer elegant inns near ski sites or on acres of gardens, streams and forests. For a listing of bed and breakfast stays, go to www.poconoshotels.com.

The “Queen of Resorts,” Atlantic City, presents romantic specials that do not require a casino stay. Yet, you are steps away from the famous boardwalk, a wide array of restaurants, entertainment, shopping, and of course, gambling.

The Boardwalk Holiday Inn has several different “Casino Weekend Packages,” which include:

• Buffet Dinner at the Tropicana Casino

• Prime Rib Dinner at the Holiday Inn Boardwalk

• Two Breakfast Buffets at the Holiday Inn Boardwalk

• Accommodations at the Holiday Inn for two nights

Plus, receive various coin bonuses. Choose a range of packages that start as low as $79 per person with meals. Call 1.800.548.3030 or check out the Web site at www.atlanticcity.holiday-inn.com 

A few days of fun and romance will go a long way during the February freeze; the warmth of quality time spent together will melt the ice and bring a tender glow to your hearts.

Carol Reed is a middle school teacher & freelance journalist who specializes in travel writing. Carol’s journeys have taken her as close to home as the New Jersey Pines & as far as the islands in the Caribbean, New Zealand & Australia.