Long Island Offers Love All Month LongLong Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission Highlights Romantic Packages, Attractions and Fun Through February and Beyond Whoever decided that there should be only one day per year dedicated to love? Rather than celebrate only on February 14th, when hotel rates, flowers and other Valentine-related items are generally priced higher than normal, Long Island invites visitors and locals alike to take advantage of all the opportunities for romance that the destination has to offer for the entire month of February and beyond. Several top hotels, inns and bed & breakfasts in both Nassau and Suffolk counties offer enticing packages for romantically minded travelers who seek an intimate getaway well after the Valentine’s crowds have departed. In the quaint seaside town of Sag Harbor in the Hamptons, the acclaimed Inn at Baron’s Cove is offering a “Valentine’s Day Get-a-Way” package through February 22nd designed particularly for couples. The package includes accommodations for two nights in one of the Inn’s 66 elegant rooms, dinner for two at a local restaurant and a box of sweets to tickle the tastebuds of sweethearts. The price is $215, not including taxes. While staying there, explore antique and gift shopping on the town’s historic main street, tour the Hamptons, or even take the ferry over to Shelter Island for a quiet afternoon escape. Sweethearts can also find true romance with the “Valentine’s Day True Romance” package offered at the Residence Inn by Marriott in Hauppauge. For $99 per night exclusive of taxes, guests are treated to a stay in one of the property’s luxurious suites, in-room chocolates, shuttle service to and from Sweetwater’s Restaurant, a complimentary bottle of champagne at the restaurant, buffet breakfast and late checkout at 1pm. This package is valid through March 26th. Since the property is so centrally located on Long Island, there’s no limit to what couples can go see and do together. Head south to Fire Island and enjoy a breathtaking view of the sunset over the Atlantic or try spotting a whale from the top of the Fire Island Lighthouse, or head north to indulge in some poetry at the Walt Whitman Birthplace and Historic Site in Huntington. A short distance away, the Inn at East Wind in Wading River invites couples to experience their “Indulgence for Couples” package, available between now and May 1st. For $349 per couple not including taxes, guests get all the special treatment that lovers could want, including overnight accommodations in a room decorated with Old World antiques, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, a 60-minute Swedish massage and 90-minute Oxygen facial or 90-minute Swedish massage and 60-minute Oxygen facial, fresh fruit served in-room, $50 gift certificate for dinner and unlimited use of the pool, fitness center and lounge. >From here, guests can easily take a trip to the Tanger Outlet Center for a little bargain shopping, visit the spectacular marine life at Atlantis Marine World Aquarium or even, weather permitting, play a little golf at one of several local courses including Black Rock Golf Course, Calverton Links and Cherry Creek Golf Course to gear up for the 2004 U.S. Open which will be played at the nearby Shinnecock Hills Golf Course in June. At the easternmost point of Long Island on the South Fork, the spectacular Montauk Manor features a “Snuggle Up This Winter” package from now through March 25th, excluding holidays, providing guests who stay for two nights with a third night free. Prices range from $120 to $180 per night, depending on room category, and do not include taxes. For extra pampering, book a massage or other spa treatment with the Manor’s day spa or take a relaxing dip in the indoor heated swimming pool. Originally built in 1927 as a luxury resort hotel, the property features amazing views from it’s location at the top of Signal Hill and is convenient to town. The winter months are an excellent time to visit the much photographed Montauk Point Lighthouse, originally commissioned by none other than George Washington himself in 1792. There is excellent seal-watching at Montauk Point State Park as the seals come in to land on our beaches every winter, or try a hands-on animal experience with a romantic horseback ride on the beach at Deep Hollow Ranch, America’s oldest cattle ranch. Meanwhile, there’s plenty to love about the North Fork of Long Island, with miles of bucolic farmlands and picturesque vineyards scattered throughout the historic towns and villages. At the intimate Vintage Bed & Breakfast on the beachfront in Cutchogue, couples are treated to the ultimate in romance with the “Wine Country Winter Getaway” package, available through March 31st except for holiday weekends. Included are accommodations for two in one of three charming guestrooms with a plush queen sized feather bed, private bath and whirlpool tub that is named after one of the varietals – the merlot, zinfandel or chardonnay room; complimentary samplings of their own special wines, three to four course served gourmet breakfast, complimentary VIP tastings at select local wineries and discounts at local restaurants. The package cost is $188 per night, excluding taxes. Nearby vineyards where sweethearts can sip a soothing glass of wine include Pindar Vineyards, Long Island’s largest and arguably most popular vineyard; Bedell Cellars, with it’s fireplace-warmed tasting room; and Martha Clara Vineyards, which offers rides in a horse drawn sleigh or carriage for romantically-minded guests who are lucky enough to be there on a snowy winter day. If it’s a fine dining experience that’s desired, look no further than the exquisite Coeur des Vignes L’Hotel & Restaurant Francais in nearby Southold. From now through April 29th excluding February 13th, 14th and 15th, visitors can wine, dine and spend the night all in one romantic location with the “Winter Special for Lovers” package. For $235 per couple not including tax and gratuity, guests receive one night in a well-appointed room, a sumptuous five-course gourmet candlelit dinner and a complimentary bottle of house wine or champagne either at dinner or in-room. Numerous wineries, farmstands and little-known beaches are located nearby and the quaint former fishing village of Greenport features excellent shopping, fine seafood, art galleries, a maritime museum and skate park. Best of all, the town’s Harbor Front Park boasts an authentic 1920s working carousel, ideal for lovers who want to share a quaint and romantic moment together. On the other end of the island, the Garden City Hotel, Long Island’s top luxury hotel, is offering a “Hideaway Weekend” package all the way through January 1st, 2005. Starting at $450, the package includes two nights in a lavish double or king room, continental breakfast daily, health and fitness center privileges and complimentary valet parking. Or, at The Inn at Fox Hollow in Woodbury, lovers can book the “Suite Romance” package, which includes overnight accommodations in a beautiful suite, a dozen roses along with chilled champagne and Belgian chocolates in-room and full American breakfast in the cozy Hearth Room for a package price of $259 per night exclusive of taxes and valid through March 31st. Nearby, visitors can view precious works of art at the Nassau County Museum of Art located on the former Frick Estate, take in a concert or event at the Nassau Coliseum or take a stroll down memory lane at the Cradle of Aviation Museum, which narrates the history of aviation on Long Island. Whether it’s treating a sweetheart to an evening of fine dining, a fun round of golf, a soothing massage or a romantic horseback ride along the beach, Long Island abounds with amorous attractions for lovers not just for Valentine’s Day, but all year long. For more information about Long Island, please contact the Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission by calling 1-877-FUN-ON-LI, or, visit the website at www.funonli.com. The Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission (LICVB&SC) is a marketing arm for the destination's nearly $5 billion travel and tourism industry established in 1979. Based on Long Island in Hauppauge, NY, the LICVB&SC contributes to the economic development and quality of life on Long Island by promoting Long Island as a world-class destination for, and by, attracting individuals, tours, meetings and conventions, tradeshows and sporting events and related activities and businesses to Long Island. Edited by Dave Shultz |
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