Romantic Getaways in Southeast Florida

Fabled turn-of-the-century mansions, gas-light historic districts and stirring sunset celebrations are just some of the romantic pastimes couples will find in Southeast Florida.

Palm Beach County

Along Palm Beach County's sparkling beachfront, taking in Jupiter/Tequesta in the north to Boca Raton in the south, couples can enjoy the romance of the sea. In the northern part of the county, climb the 105-foot-tall, bright-red Jupiter Lighthouse, the oldest existing structure in the county, or explore unusual underwater reefs. For a truly one-of-a-kind experience, visit Jupiter's Last Galleon, the only facility in the United States where the public can observe the archaeological process of artifacts being recovered from a 400-year-old sunken Spanish galleon, believed to be the oldest found in Florida waters. For a change of pace, couples can meander through Tequesta's unique art galleries, including the Gallery Five, featuring the largest selection of wearable art by American artists on Florida's east coast.

Palm Beach County's illustrious past is on display in the fabled town of Palm Beach, where mansions commissioned by Vanderbilt, Whitney and Wanaker line shady avenues and more than 100 private residences are historical landmarks. Couples can view the lovely homes and explore exclusive residential streets on bike rides through the area. For an intimate glimpse at opulent turn-of-the-century living, Henry Flagler's mansion, Whitehall, is open to the public, featuring many of its original Victorian furnishings and "The Rambler," an 1886 railroad car built for Flagler's personal use. Visitors can also walk in the wake of the rich and famous on Worth Avenue, one of the world's most exclusive shopping districts. Here, shoppers may spot one of the many celebrities who visit or make their home in Palm Beach County, including Zsa Zsa Gabor, Prince Charles, Estee Lauder or Donald Trump. In addition, several narrated sightseeing cruises offer waterfront views of the mansions of Palm Beach, Manalapan and Boca Raton.

Many art galleries, museums, theater troupes, orchestras, and ballet and opera companies adorn the Palm Beaches. Stroll through the Norton Museum of Art's prestigious collection of French impressionist masterpieces, meditate in Japanese-style gardens at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens or gaze at the planets through South Florida Science Museum's public-use telescope.

Boca Raton

To the south, Boca Raton was created by architect Addison Mizner to be a haven for the soul. Here, couples discover the town's grace and romance among the pastel-hued buildings which house chic boutiques and gourmet restaurants, and which cluster around bubbling fountains and grassy courtyards. Explore the sprawling Boca Raton Resort and Club, Old Floresta Historic District, Town Hall (circa 1927), Florida East Coast Railroad Depot and Mizner Park, for a beautiful showcase of Mizner's architectural style and vision as well as an interesting collection of shops and restaurants.

Fort Lauderdale

True to its nickname as the "Venice of America," Fort Lauderdale's main street is not a street at all, but the New River, which winds through the core of the city's business, historical and cultural districts. Couples wanting to explore the area will find water taxis offer the best means of transportation. Drifting along in these modern-day gondolas, visitors can stop at numerous hotels, restaurants, shops and entertainment venues. One not-to-be-missed stop on any tour through the area is downtown Fort Lauderdale's arts and science district, featuring the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, the Museum of Art, the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society and the Museum of Discovery and Science. Here, visitors can watch world-class productions ofsuch shows as "Beauty and the Beast," as well as musical and dance performances. All four cultural venues are within walking distance of one another along Riverwalk, a meandering promenade of landscaped paths and engraved brick walkways, running parallel to the New River.

A short walk along the New River takes couples to the Stranahan House, the oldest home in Broward County. Once the family home of Fort Lauderdale founding father Frank Stranahan, the two-story riverside house is now maintained as a historical museum, furnished in period antiques. Nearby, one of the few remaining oceanfront estates in south Florida is open to the public. The Bonnet House is a 1920s Florida-style plantation mansion, complete with marble floors and Moorish columns.

Couples will also enjoy exploring the nearby art district, which features more than 20 private galleries. Free monthly outdoor jazz concerts on Riverwalk provide a lively backdrop for weekend outings.

Vying for designation as Fort Lauderdale's main street is Las Olas Boulevard, a chic shopping and dining street, considered by many to be the city's most charming avenue. Lined by gas lamps and divided by a wide, landscaped median of flowers and towering shade trees, Las Olas offers fashion boutiques, art galleries, world-class cuisine, sidewalk cafes and jazz houses. Horse-drawn carriages transport sightseers and shoppers from one end of the boulevard to the other, which stretches from Fort Lauderdale's famed beachfront to the east and is anchored by the Museum of Art to the west.

For a unique, romantic dining experience, couples can plan a "progressive" dinner encompassing four of Fort Lauderdale's finest restaurants, complete with Beach Express trolley transportation from one location to the next.

Couples will revel in Miami's amazing diversity as showcased in its numerous romantic destinations, which reveal the city's passionate past and present.

North Miami Beach

Those making wedding plans may want to consider the chapel at the Ancient Spanish Monastery in North Miami Beach. Brought from Spain in 1925 by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst and reassembled at its present site, the 10th-century monastery is a popular spot for weddings. In Homestead, Coral Castle stands as a tribute to a "heavy heart." According to legend, lovelorn Edward Leedskalnin spent 33 years hand-carving this coral monument to a fiancée who jilted him at the altar. Hewn from 1,000 tons of coral rock, the odd and eerie engineering triumph includes solar-heated bathtubs, a 5,000-pound heart-shaped table and a 9-ton gate so perfectly balanced that a child can open it with the touch of a finger.

Coral Gables

Probably the most glamorous municipal pool in the world, Coral Gables' Venetian Pool is a luxurious swimming lagoon, adorned with Italian architecture, cascading waterfalls and arched stone bridges. Fashioned from an old rock quarry in 1924, the pool hosted poolside orchestras and countless Hollywood legends in its heyday. Today, couples can enjoy the historic watering hole, imagining the glamour of another era.

Miami Beach

Across sparkling Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach is a living mural, a splash of pastel buildings lined neatly along the white Pompano sand, all set against the brilliant aquamarine sea. Here, the famed Art Deco District of South Beach, more commonly referred to as SoBe, beckons vacationers to stop and explore. This one-square-mile area is an architectural treasure of more than 800 buildings in the Art Deco, Streamline Moderne and Spanish Mediterranean Revival style. For historical perspective as well as juicy tidbits, take a 90-minute guided walking tour of the area, conducted by the Miami Design Preservation League, the group largely responsible for renovating and refurbishing the district. And making use of favorite South Beach modes of transportation, the League also offers bicycle and in-line skating tours of the district on the first and third Sundays of the month. Couples lose themselves among streets packed with popular restaurants, art galleries and boutiques. Stop at one of Ocean Drive's inviting sidewalk cafes for a gourmet meal and an expansive view of the Atlantic.

Coconut Grove

Shaded by banyan trees and fronting Biscayne Bay is the bohemian enclave of Coconut Grove. Once known as "Millionaires' Row," Coconut Grove retains much of its elegant ambiance as home to some of Miami's finest hotels, restaurants and designer shops. But the Grove's neighborhood taverns and quaint village atmosphere have also attracted writers and artists, resulting in a carefree blend of the bohemian and the chic. Visitors to this eclectic, energetic village can experience the trendy nightclubs at Cocowalk, and exclusive boutiques at Mayfair Shops, set along red-brick sidewalks with historic buildings tucked down secluded side streets or around bends in the Main Highway.

For a truly scenic view, couples can drift along Baywalk's promenade, tracing the shoreline of Biscayne Bay. Or sit back and relax on narrated Old Town Trolley tours of the major attractions in Miami, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables and Miami Beach.

Key West

Visitors can end their Southeast Florida day at a truly extraordinary sunset celebration in Key West. Here, islanders and tourists gather at Mallory Square pier to watch as the glowing orange sun slips silently into the sea. Free entertainment including jugglers, musicians, unicyclists and the Cookie Lady keep the spirit festive. A stirring round of applause goes up from the crowd when the Key West sun finally falls from view into the island's green-blue waters, offering the perfect ending to a romantic day spent enjoying the region's many pleasures.

For more information, see http://www.flausa.com. For a free Official Florida Vacation Guide, call toll free 1-888-7FLA USA (U.S.) or fill out a request at http://www.flausa.com/souvenirs/index.html.