Get ready for romance in Naples, Marco Island, and the Everglades.
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE
Consider the romantic attributes of chocolate. Boundless. You really can’t go wrong giving the world’s most beloved sweet treat. But there are ways to get it really, really right. Quality counts. Southwest Florida’s own Norman Love Confections makes some of the finest, richest, most sumptuous chocolates you’ll taste anywhere. Yes, you read it right: Norman Love — his given name. Be sure to visit the Norman Love Naples Chocolate & Dessert Salon for beautiful and delicious artisan chocolates and desserts.
You don’t always have to rough it in The Everglades. You can get downright cozy. The Swamp Cottage on the grounds of the Clyde Butcher Gallery provides a one-of-a-kind getaway — luxury amid the most natural of surroundings. The cottage has two bedrooms and two baths — ample room for snuggling — wood floors, a full kitchen, and a glassed-in viewing room. Air conditioning, too. Plus, all the exotic fun the ‘Glades offers is just outside your door. Be sure to book a guided swamp walk adventure during your stay. If seclusion and utmost privacy is your thing, you can’t do better than this.
SO KNEAD-Y
What stokes the love fires more than a proper pampering? Let us recommend private couples massages performed by skilled professionals. Afterward, you’ll feel limber and relaxed. Just slipping on those cushy robes can get you in the mood. (And, just think, you get to slip them off.) Several luxury spas on Florida’s Paradise Coast offer massages and an array of other treatments that can accommodate couples. They include The Spa Hilton Marco Island, The Spa by JW at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, and The Spa on Fifth at Inn on Fifth.
THE LOVE BOAT
Hop aboard a luxury yacht in calm, blue-green water, add a pinch of salty bay breezes, stir in some wine, flavor with fine food, cover with a breathtaking sunset, and — voila! — a surefire recipe for romance. The Naples Princess offers an unforgettable sunset dinner cruise that will seduce all of your senses. She’s a classy vessel, the Princess, with indoor and outdoor seating, a full bar, and dancing under a twinkling disco ball. If sunset sailing is more to your taste, try Cool Beans Cruises (which you can book just for the two of you) or Sweet Liberty.
A VERDANT PARADISE
You could get her flowers, but why not take her to where the flowers grow? Millions and millions of flowers, plus an intoxicating array of plants and trees, make for a lush outdoor experience that will get you in touch with nature, and then in touch with each other. Naples Botanical Garden — 170 acres encompassing 10 distinct gardens representing different ecosystems and regions of the world — embraces you with fragrance, color, texture, and sound.