Kick-start or rekindle love within a 3-hour drive.
By Michael Clements
The il Duomo room at Swann House
About 30 minutes into our drive from Adams Morgan to the Eastern Shore town of Chestertown, Md., my girlfriend turned to me and inquired, “What do you think defines romance?” Although in the midst of a romantic “getaway weekend,” I grasped for a rousing retort. When nothing came to mind, I fell haplessly back to the ole’ male stand by, “You know, flowers and things…?” Later that night, as I slept on a sofa, I realized roses were simply by-products of love. True romance is about moments and gestures that transcend the ordinary and move our relationships out of the ordinary. My answer should have been, romance is about surprise and finding the unexpected, be it minuet or grandiose.
One way to accomplish this is to simply escape. It doesn’t have to be a weekend in Paris or Marrakech, or some remote 5-star luxury cottage on stilts somewhere on an abandoned Fijian island (although, that would be nice.) Romance, being the fickle cohort that it is, can be rekindled or ignited just as easily close to home – heart-felt intent and quality time trump expensive timeshares any day. Whether you have been married for 33 years or dating just for three months, here are three regional inns that will help you define romance close to home.
