Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
You have finally found enough time away from your hectic life-in-the-fast-lane existence to take your wife and spend a weekend alone together. You want to make this two days the both of you will remember for years to come. Consider Richmond, Virginia for your romantic weekend away from the hustle and bustle. The attractions are many and unique, since most of the best accommodations are reasonably priced, you can afford some real luxury, and you will find yourselves delighted with the friendly welcome of the people you meet.
Start your plans by choosing a bed and breakfast for your stay. There are several available in the area, and only the top two are suggested here, as examples. Grace Manor Inn is a wonderful Victorian home located in the monument district of downtown Richmond. The owners come to this venture with a rich background in management of hotels and travel accommodation. She is a gourmet chef, and the couple lives on the site. If you have an aversion to dogs, this one probably isn't for you. The owner's two Yorkies live in the home, and are the official greeters of visitors. There are three large guest suites, including private baths, formal dining room, a sun porch for those spectacular Virginia Sunsets, and if you happen to be an early riser, for those even more awesome sunrises with coffee in a porch swing. A full gourmet breakfast is served every day, and there are many choices to start your day off right. This turn-of-the-century manor is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. You will have several packages to choose from, according to your interests. All in all, Grace Manor Inn is one of the most enticing of the choices.
The other of the top choices for a bed and breakfast is the Jasmine Plantation, located half way between Richmond and Williamsburg, VA. This is a lovely old country inn, the plantation house, located on 47 acres of green pastures and deep woods. The food is less gourmet and more down to earth, featuring breakfasts of waffles, eggs, bacon, fresh breads and muffins and much more. There are sun porches, a gazebo, rocking chairs on the patio, and wildlife abundant for entertaining you while you enjoy a peaceful evening alone together. The sunrises and sunsets viewed from the patios or gazebo, and the clear starry skies of evening make this experience a unique one for anyone who is looking for a peaceful and special get-away.
After you have determined where you will be staying, the next choices will be sights to see, or activities you will enjoy sharing with that special person. The choices in the Richmond area are many. If you both play golf, there are twenty two green, lush public golf courses, and more private ones complete with clubhouse for lunch or brunch. The choices are top notch, all, and require only a telephone call to reserve your tee time.
The Richmond Region Visitor Center is the place to pick up a copy of the Richmond Visitor's Guide. The driving and walking tours of various areas of town are all wonderful, and the only problem you might encounter is limiting yourself to one or the other. Whether you choose to walk the canal, or drive the historic routes you will find yourself surrounded in new sensations and views which will require miles of fresh film. Be sure to stock up.
An evening cruise on an old 1800's freighter-style canal boat is highly recommended by the locals. There is a choice of services, and some provide canvas covers, others are open decks. You can either take your boxed dinner and eat onboard, or plan for a late evening dinner in one of several romantic and secluded dining establishments in the area. A bottle of wine and a couple of glasses would make this a very memorable way to share the sunset.
There are literally dozens of wonderful dining choices in the Richmond area. Some of the highlights, although far from the entire list, are found within the downtown area. As a sample, Lemaire offers French and American food, a quiet romantic atmosphere, and a huge wine list to choose from. The Lemani Mediterranean Grill features fresh seafood, cooked exactly the way you ask. The desserts are extra special, and the wine list is excellent. For a traditional Italian flair, consider Amici Ristorante. In addition to the standard Italian favorites, done in excellent style, this one also offers a great selection of seafood and fish dishes. If none of these interests you, the choices are many, steakhouses, seafood specialties, Indian, Thai, Asian, Chinese, and much more. This area is rich with dining rooms in restored hotels, plantation homes, old Victorian houses. Fine wines are part of the fare in almost all of the better restaurants, and fresh baked goods abound. A candlelight dinner for two should be only complicated by making a choice of the many and top notch selections.
A visit to Richmond is a wonder-filled and unique experience. The entertainment is never-ending, including things like concerts in the amphitheaters and sports events, golf, car racing, white water rafting, and the amusement park at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, just a few miles away. The historic sites are literally everywhere, including some which are learning experiences, places where the roots of our government originated. Dining variety is abundant, lodging choices are unexcelled. Richmond Virginia will be a vacation you will never forget, the perfect place to unwind and get reacquainted with that special person in your life.
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