17 Most Romantic Food Vacations In America

There's nothing like a romantic getaway to fan the flames between you and someone you love — especially when that getaway involves fantastic food that you can experience even if you never leave your hotel room. The key is to find the right hotel. But don't worry — we've got you covered. Here are 17 of America's most romantic food vacations. 

At the Auberge de Seattle French Country Inn, nothing could be more romantic than hand-crafting beautiful macarons and French pastries to warm the heart and stomach. The hotel offers several packages that include hands-on cooking classes and culinary amenities ranging from complementary pastries and cookies to an on-site herb and vegetable garden. The entire inn only sleeps 10, so it's the ultimate private getaway for couples looking to unwind. The cooking class is held in the inn's "cuisine" kitchen, a spacious open-concept design, with gas stovetop burners, surround chopping block, and clean white Corian countertops.

The Chateau Chantal bed-and-breakfast is located 12 miles north of Traverse City, Michigan, on the Old Mission Peninsula. Couples don't come to the picturesque hotel just for views of vineyards and fresh water, though. They also visit for the array of cooking classes offered January through April by chef Perry Harmon. Wine lovers can explore local wineries located on the two peninsulas extending north from Traverse City — the Leelanau Peninsula and the Old Mission Peninsula. The area, which is famous for its chardonnay, riesling, and pinot grigio, is particularly attractive for couples looking to find up-and-coming wine regions. 

Congress Hall, one of America's oldest seaside resorts, has been around since 1816, so you can bet they've got romantic vacations down to a science. Conveniently located in one of America's best beach towns for food, this palatial Victorian hotel offers couples the options of a private beach tent, bike rentals, a tour of their 62-acre farm, and more. 

For couples who have a strong desire to hone their culinary skills together, a weekend (or even a week) in beautiful St. Helena, California, at the Culinary Institute of America is a perfect getaway. The CIA offers an array of boot camp classes for couples on a variety of topics, like French, Asian, and Mediterranean cuisine, that explore the ingredients, flavor profiles, and cooking techniques of the different regions. Given that the CIA grounds are only minutes from wine country, couples have the options of staying in St. Helena, Napa, or neighboring Yountville. Southbridge Napa Valley is located right in St. Helena and offers a dining and wine package for two that includes an evening's accommodations as well as a bottle of Merryvale Winery's cabernet sauvignon and a box of chocolates upon arrival.

In beautiful Asheville, North Carolina, Culinary Vacations Inc. offers weekend getaways that include three demo cooking classes, two nights' accommodations, and two breakfasts at the at the Sweet Biscuit Inn, located just blocks away from the famous Biltmore Village and the historic downtown area of Asheville. The classes vary from rustic Italian to foods of Spain to country French, and in between cooking and eating, couples are encouraged to spend the day exploring the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains for antiques or gallery-hopping.  

Forget staying in a hotel or bed-and-breakfast for your romantic getaway and try upgrading to the Fort Marcy Condo Suites in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and taste your way through the engaging city. Couples can sign up for the Southwestern Foodie Fiesta, a three-day food adventure located in the foothills of the southern Rocky Mountains. The program includes a hands-on cooking class that features the local flavors and a gourmet dinner at Luminaria, which is famous for its contemporary American cuisine accented by bold Southwest and Santa Fe influences. Beyond food, couples can experience the rich culture coupled with the beautiful weather of Santa Fe by exploring activities from the theater and the opera to the rodeo and geocaching adventures.

For some couples, romance and sweeping views of the great wilderness go hand in hand, especially at a luxury resort like the Four Seasons in Jackson Hole. If you decide to go during a season without skiing, you and your loved one can board a helicopter to discover the natural beauty of the Tetons and Yellowstone National Park. As for food, enjoy 24-hour in-room dining, or indulge in spa treatments that incorporate espresso.  

This beautiful chateau atop Huckleberry Mountain in the Poconos is perfect for couples looking for some peace, quiet, and great food. Enjoy a fine French dinner (proper attire required) at their elegant candlelit dining room, and if you plan your trip according to your taste buds, make sure you're there during the last Wednesday of any month — that's when you can sign up for a special eight- to 10-course Chef's Table dinner. You'll enjoy fresh fish, choice meats, and herbs and produce from the onsite garden.

The family-run Harraseeket Inn understands the importance of a romantic vacation with a grand opening, which is why they offer to decorate your room with items such as chocolate-dipped strawberries, bottles from their wine list, or a display of flowers. If you're a dog owner, you don't have to worry about leaving your canine loved one at home; for $25 a night, the hotel will pamper Fido as much as they pamper you. All the food is sourced from nearby farms (you can see the whole list on their website), which makes for one of the most delicious and sustainable food experiences in the world.

The Heathman Hotel offers a Fifty Shades of Grey package. Enough said. According to their website, the main characters frequent the Heathman for the scandalizing room suite scenes, but also for refreshments in the bar and the exquisite dining experience in their private restaurant space. While high tea at the hotel lounge is not to be missed, neither are the city's many other culinary treasures. 

There is no question that you'll find plenty of amazing nosh in Austin, Texas, one of America's most popular food towns, but if you consider the fact the scenic, four-star Lake Austin Spa Resort is offering a fantastic couples deal in which a companion stays for 50 percent off until September 16, 2015, then you'll realize that there really is no better place for a happy couple. 

They say Virginia is for lovers. At the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, the hotel knows the way to a person's heart is through his or her stomach — which is exactly why they offer a wide array of romantic dining vacation packages. The aptly named packages include the Sweetheart Package, Shared Wines and Treasured Times, Bed and Breakfast, and For the Love of Food. Packages boast a variety of activities, from visits to neighboring D.C. wineries to a decadent spa experience that includes fine chocolate truffles. Additional dining options include five restaurants right on the Potomac, where the culinary staff presents farm-to-fork concepts utilizing local products from Northern Virginia farms and wineries.

We know from our recent coverage of the 2015 Fish to Fork Weekend that Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort is a paradise for food lovers. Moreover, Travel + Leisure named Amelia Island one of America's most romantic towns. Put those two facts together and there's no doubt that a weekend at Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort is an ideal romantic getaway. On a Saturday, you and your loved one can take a tour of the resort's state-of-the-art aquaponic greenhouse, expansive organic garden, large collection of beehives, and a soon-to-be completed smokehouse. 

The warmth of a cabin-style elite hotel can be quite alluring, and an extended stay at The Point in the Adirondacks is the quintessential backdrop for a romantic tryst. The private Adirondack estate built by William Avery Rockefeller a century ago as his family's vacation home is now a sprawling hotel with a dining program headed by chef Loic Leperlier. Guests at The Point often dine together with other couples in the Great Hall, forging bonds and creating a jovial atmosphere. Guests can also enjoy snow barbecues at the lean-to, luncheons on the terrace, island picnics, and cocktails on the Elco — as well as intimate dinners for two in the guest rooms.

For the health-conscious couple interested in beginning or continuing a raw diet, this week-long raw-food Hawaii vacation could be just the ticket. Happy and Raw offers a Hawaiian retreat for "mindful eating" where couples can enjoy 100 percent organic, whole-food catered meals in a sustainable Hawaiian home on the Big Island. While you're relaxing and enjoying the benefits of healthy living, activities such as hiking, visiting waterfalls and remote beaches, snorkeling, exploring the valleys on the island, touring the island's volcanoes, visiting a sea turtle sanctuary, shopping in local artisan markets, taking a tropical fruit tour, and horseback riding are all fantastic options.

The Big Easy is known for its rich cultural history, music, and, of course, local cuisine. Situated right on the edge of the French Quarter on Canal Street, one block from Bourbon Street, the Ritz-Carlton offers traditional Southern ambience, including gorgeous interior design, with, furnishings and art from the Garden District's antebellum mansions. If the mood strikes, the New Orleans Culinary Experience Tour stops off at two of the city's most celebrated historic restaurants — Antoine's and Tujague's — where couples can learn the difference between Creole and Cajun cuisine firsthand.

Luxury and romance come in many forms, but tucked away in a small town in Vermont lies Twin Farms, a five-star luxury resort with 20 individually customized cabins and an incredible art collection coupled with some of the Northeast's best cuisine. Twin Farms has a variety of activities that can be enjoyed no matter the time of year, ranging from snowshoeing to canoeing and downhill skiing. But what truly makes this oasis unique is the quality of the cuisine — not to mention the fact that menus can be tailored for specific dietary requirements and restrictions. The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails. A sample spring evening menu, crafted by chef Ted Ask, may include seasonal dishes such as grilled sirloin with paprika risotto, roasted cauliflower, baby patty pans, warm fiddlehead ferns, and frothed cabernet.