Romantic travel guide...

Have you taken your beloved on a getaway lately, just the two of you? A couple’s jaunt might be just the ticket to give you both some uninterrupted time together to reconnect and destress.

If you want to SURPRISE her with a special trip, keep these suggestions in mind:

• Where To Go - Choose a destination that you know she will enjoy. Don’t book a trip to Daytona Beach because you want to go to a race at the Daytona International Speedway. (Unless she’s interested in car races, this will not be appreciated.) Or pick a place that’s special to both of you, maybe someplace you’ve already been before that holds special memories. Or someplace you’ve both talked about wanting to go.
• When To Go - Make sure the timing works out for her. If you know she can easily get time off from work, or if she’s self-employed and her schedule is flexible, that makes things easier. But don’t book a trip if you know she’s going to be busy at her job. Talk to her co-workers if you’re not sure when the best time would be to take her on a trip. If planning a whole week away seems risky, then do a 3 or 4 day getaway. That’s still enough time to fly or drive someplace not too far away and have a wonderful time.
• How Much Will It Cost - Be mindful of your finances. If you’re on a tight budget, then don’t plan an African safari. You want to surprise her with your thoughtfulness and ability to plan wisely, not give her a heart attack because you drained your joint savings account. And besides, a short, less expensive trip is still better than no trip at all.
• What Will You Do - Plan activities that you’ll both enjoy. Or don’t! Leave the days open and then you can both decide what you want to do once you’re there. You’ll want to leave plenty of time for lingering over a romantic, candlelight dinner and sleeping in. This is a time to bask in each other’s company, not plan every minute of the day.
• Take Care Of Details - Want to plan a trip abroad? Does she have a passport? Do your research if planning something exotic, like if you need special visas or immunizations. Look into travel insurance in case you need to cancel at the last minute or something goes awry on the road. Find out if your health insurance covers you when you’re abroad. If it doesn't, consider getting extra coverage. Get appropriate travel guide books and any other paraphernalia for your destination, like a digital camera if you don't already have one. Or some travel games if you'll be taking a long flight.
• Take Care Of More Details - If it’s winter and you want to take her to the Caribbean, does she need to get a bathing suit or other clothes? (You might have to give her a week or more notice so she has time to get whatever she needs for the trip.) Arrange for someone to take care of the kids and/or pets, if you have them. Do you need to buy any luggage ? The more you prepare, the less she’ll have to do and the more you will impress her!