Cards and flowers are nice, but wouldn't a little getaway be a more romantic gift for Valentine's Day?
And the Web is always available for inspiration if you need help picking a place to spend your time away.
Where better for two people to get away from it all than a bed & breakfast inn? BnBFinder has put together a list of Romantic Getaway Packages in all parts of the country. Some offer to have roses or chocolates ready to welcome you, or a bottle of champagne. The Birds Nest Inn at Waterbury Center, Vt., has carriage or sleigh rides for two. And the 1851 Historic Maple Hill Manor at Springfield, Ky., has a room with whirlpool bath and a fireplace. Click on "Home" at the top of the page to reach their full directory and to look up other specials.
If they don't have the exact location you want, BedandBreakfast has a list of 25 top destinations, and a search function with access to a database of inns such as the Ambrosia House in Key West, Fla.
How about a little extra pampering? Try the directories and reviews at Spa Index for day spas and "stay spas," such as the Avalon Hotel & Spa at Portland, Ore., or the spa at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Ga. Along with easy-to-use interactive maps for state-by-state listings, you can search by city or name, or just browse through "Spa Specials."
For a more internationally oriented directory, Spa Finder will let you search by type or even by country. Spa Finder also has a handy "Spa Guide" explaining some of the features you can expect.
Don't ignore destinations north of the border. A U.S.-Canadian travel Web site called Hotels by City has an eclectic Top 10 Valentine's Day Destinations list that ranges from Jamaica and Florida's Key West to Montreal and the Canadian ski center at Banff.
Montreal could be a great place for a romantic weekend, or longer, with its broad variety of hotels and restaurants. And if you click on "Last Minute Offers" you might find a package deal that fits your schedule and budget. Another of the Hotels by City selections is Flagstaff in northern Arizona; it's a great town for lazing around, hiking, taking a side trip to the Grand Canyon and maybe cross-country skiing, but this hasn't been a great winter for snow at the local mountaintop alpine skiing attraction, the Arizona Snowbowl, in spite of its 11,500-foot top elevation.
If Montreal catches your eye, you might also consider Quebec City a French-speaking center of great food, art, winter sports and spas. It's also the home of the historic Chateau Frontenac the grand hotel in the heart of Old Quebec.
Make your reservations by Feb. 7 and you might get a discount on a Valentine's Day river cruise in Russia, China or Europe. The cruises available in Europe would let you cross the continent from Amsterdam to Budapest or Vienna, explore the romantic countryside of France, or be carried through the "Tulips and Windmills" canals of the Netherlands.