Rocky Mountain Romance

3 spots to celebrate love this Valentine's Day

I believe love should be celebrated all year long, however, Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and that means we are required to celebrate romance during the month, and why not? Celebrating love is the best part of life.

Here are a few ways to experience romance in the Rocky Mountains with your partner this winter.

Photo courtesy of Meat & Cheese Restaurant and Farm Shop

If you’re looking for a high-end getaway that provides luxury living in a quintessential winter wonderland, Aspen, Colorado is the place. The kind of person who frequents Aspen demands quality at every turn and the town delivers, from the ski slope to the coffee shop, service is top-notch and so is the food.

A foodie couple should dine at Meat & Cheese Restaurant and Farm Shop on East Hopkins Avenue. It’s not the fanciest restaurant in Aspen, but the dining is an experience to remember. Their seasonal menu features locally-sourced meat and hard-to-find cheeses. Be sure to take full advantage of the knowledgeable waitstaff who will help pair the right beer, wine or cocktail with your meal.

Photo courtesy of Snowmass Tourism

The bloody Mary is popular in Aspen and it’s easy to find one. However, the St. Regis takes this cocktail very seriously. Every day at 11:15 a.m., they do tasters of the drink. After all, it was the bartender at the Regis Hotel in New York who is said to have created the Bloody Mary in 1920. Originally called “The Red Snapper,” it is the perfect accompaniment to a romantic brunch.

Aspen has no shortage of romantic accommodations. The famous Hotel Jerome is worth stopping in for a drink even if you don’t stay in one of their historic rooms that start around $1,000/night. The five-star Little Nell is also a bucket-list hotel in Aspen. If you are looking for a more affordable lodging option, the Molly Gibson Lodge and its sister-hotel, Hotel Aspen, are boutique hotels featuring all the amenities without the price tag.

Photo by Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer

I’ve written about Saratoga, Wyoming many times because it’s been one of our favorite places for more than a decade. My husband and I have traveled there for birthdays and romantic spa weekends.

Photo by Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer

Saratoga Hot Springs Resort offers everything necessary for a romantic weekend, even a huge fireplace on the outdoor patio. The outdoor area, which features a pool, is dotted with colorful teepees that hide smaller hot springs tubs inside.

Photo by Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer

The perfect scenario is to sit in the hot springs with light snow falling while awaiting your couples massage at the spa. It’s imperative to take advantage of the onsite spa, especially on a romantic Wyoming vacation.

Photo by Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer

The resort has its own restaurant and brewery serving up good food in a western environment, but while in Saratoga you should make a reservation at Wyoming’s favorite Italian restaurant. According to many Wyomingites, the state’s best Italian food can be found at Bella’s Bistro in Saratoga, a town with a population of 1,600 and no stop light. It goes to show that you never know when and where great Italian food will pop up.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Chateau Chamonix Facebook page

One of the best things about Georgetown, other than its picturesque streets, is that it’s so close to Denver. In fact, it’s just 45-minutes away, tucked below I-70. You’ve probably passed it dozens of times on your way elsewhere.

At this time of year, Georgetown is a sleepy place, making it ideal for a romantic holiday in the hills. Many other mountain towns founded in the 1800s experienced large fires that destroyed original structures, but not Georgetown. It features most of the original architecture of the 1800s, making it a dream location for history lovers.

Silver Plume, a tiny Victorian village just 3-miles away, features a small cluster of establishments including the trendy Bread Bar. Open on weekends, stop in for a drink in a 1800s-era bakery.   

There are a handful of bed and breakfasts in the area as well as the elegant Hotel Chateau Chamonix with adult-only, creek -side rooms complete with private deck hot tubs.