Name Washington Dept. of Tourism

Address PO Box 42500

City Olympia

State Washington (WA)

Zip / Postal Code 98504

Country US

Local Phone 360-725-5052

Reservation Number 800-544-1800

Website http://www.experiencewashington.com

Email Address tourism@cted.wa.gov.

Description:
IDEAS FOR ROMANCE AND HONEYMOONING IN WASHINGTON STATE

Cozy Seaside Cottages
Bed & Breakfast Inns are perennial favorites with romance hunters. The best collection in Washington (about 15% of the state total!) are concentrated on the south end of Whidbey Island (Clinton, Langley, Coupeville) and include cottages by the sea or a lake, cabins in the woods, and old farmhouses serving elegant breakfasts. (www.islandweb.org)

Ferry Romance
At night, ferryboats illuminate Seattle's Elliott Bay. Watch them from city hills, or on a dinner cruise of the harbor (several operators). Or hop aboard a ferry for a trip to Bainbridge Island, and on the return, watch as the lighted city beckons you home. (www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries)

Arlington Escape
A full range of spa services at the Hawthorne Inn & Suites in Arlington are completely peaceful--children, cell phone and pager-free. Dine at the Little Italy Italian Market and Trattoria where you can learn cook for your sweetheart, or just enjoy the food and wine tasting. (www.snohomish.org)

Sunset Cruise
One of the most romantic experiences anywhere is an enchanting sunset cruise in the Columbia River Gorge. Here, too, are wildflower walks, the best collection of major waterfalls in the country, romantic old lodges and handsome new ones. Plus Maryhill Museum, whose romantic history will touch your heart. (www.skamania.org)

Cascade Loop Sunsets
Watch alpen-glow lingering on the crags of Liberty Bell Peak from Washington Pass (SR 20 in North Cascades National Park). Not far away, in the Methow Valley, Freestone Inn is fabulous at dusk, where pine and sage perfume the evening air. (www.cascadeloop.com)

ROMANTIC WATERSIDE TOWNS IN WASHINGTON

Puget Sound?s picturesque waterfront towns are perfect places to jump-start your romantic daydreams. Loaf around down at the docks in Edmonds, Mukilteo or Anacortes. Study yachts and tugs going by, dine on succulent seafood, and browse through soundside boutiques for local arts and crafts in Bainbridge, Poulsbo, and Gig Harbor.

Enjoy historic architecture in downtown Tacoma and Bellingham. Stay at Victorian inns and bed and breakfasts. (www.bedandbreakfast.com/usa/washington) Find a guide to take you cruising or kayaking, biking or fishing. (www.woga.org) Drive the Chukanut Drive that hugs old growth forests and the coastline on the way north to Bellingham. In Bellingham, try the luxurious Chrysalis Inn and Spa. Savor an exotic wine from its extensive wine bar, and feel the afterglow of a day spent at its full-service spa. Take a ferry at Fauntleroy in West Seattle to bucolic Vashon Island.

Edmonds is just 15 minutes north of Seattle, and was voted ?Puget Sounds Friendliest City.? Quaint bistros and sidewalk cafes line its streets. A nearby bird sanctuary will put you in the mood for nesting. For those who enjoy the mysteries of an underwater world, explore a sunken shipwreck at the diving park. (www.snohomish.org or 1-888-338-0976)

LaConner (an hour north of Seattle in the Skagit Valley) looks onto fishing boats across the Swinomish Channel next to farm fields and forests. Spring brings endless fields quilted with tulips and daffodils. Mount Baker looms on the horizon. Mull over how to plant a romantic garden at the charming Tillinghast Floral and Greenhouse or look for inspiration in the many local art galleries or at The Valley Museum, the country's top collection of ?Northwest School? art. (www.laconnerchamber.com)

Historic Port Townsend (on the Olympic Peninsula northeast of Seattle) features a bustling waterfront of Victorian brick-front shops, and a hillside dotted with the best collection of Victorian homes in the state. (www.ptguide.com)

Gig Harbor near Tacoma is nestled on the water and sports a charming marina. Or venture past Olympia to Hoodsport, located on a fjord perfect for cultivating oysters. U-pick, or enjoy them cooked to perfection at local eateries. Top it off with a fine fruit wine from the Hoodsport Winery.


ROMANCE IN WASHINGTON'S WINE COUNTRY

What romantic can resist fine vintages from picturesque wineries blended with hearty local fare, pastoral scenery, and a fireside guestroom? Dotted throughout the Yakima Valley, Columbia Valley and Walla Walla are around 150 wineries. Drive or bicycle back roads from winery to winery. Finish tasting with a picnic many wineries offer picnic grounds and deli-style offerings. Or head for a riverside park. Country inns provide charming lodgings and gourmet food.

Stand-outs include: Wine Country Inn in Prosser, book a romantic dinner on the terrace overlooking the Yakima River, or, pop the cork while popping the question at Bonair Winery - Owners provide mood music and an amorous setting to help capture the perfect proposal. The historic (circa 1928) Marcus Whitman Hotel in downtown Walla Walla recently underwent top to bottom renovations to bring back its former opulence for those who want nostalgia in their romance. The town's homes reflect fascinating Gothic, Victorian and vintage architecture as well as three from Frank Lloyd Wright (outside viewing only). www.visityakima.com, www.visittri-cities.com and www.wallawalla.com.

Nine wineries are now clustered in the Snoqualmie Valley and neighboring Sammamish and Snohomish Valleys, just east of Seattle. Countryside attractions here include the Snoqualmie Steam Train, Snoqualmie Falls, organic produce farms, an herb farm, and small towns sprouting antique stores. The new Northwest-style Willows Lodge (www.willowslodge.com) is nestled along the Sammamish River and is near two of Washington's leading wineries and a microbrewery. Amenities include a 3,000-square-foot spa, garden courtyards and the four-star Herbfarm restaurant. The staff at the luxurious Salish Lodge are experienced at making special arrangements for the person who wants to pop the question creatively, www.salishlodge.com or 800-826-6124. Also visit www.eastkingcounty.org