Plan a Romantic Surprise Vacation - Ideas for a Secret Getaway with Someone Special

Our Best Romantic Surprise Vacation Tips & Destionations

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By Greg Mattson, ERV Editor - Updated: Sep 30, 2013

Want to surprise that special someone with a romantic getaway? Here's a collection of travel ideas for surprising her (or him!)...

Planning Tips:

1. Know of a place your significant other has always wanted to go? Some place they hold special, always dreamed of, with sentimental value? Those usually work well, and are worth secretly planning as your next getaway.

2. How can you make sure your husband or wife takes the time off for a getaway or doesn't schedule something else for that time? It's tricky, but you could try a "fake" arrangement or booking of something else for that time period (a visit to relatives, a household project, a mundane trip of some kind, etc).  

3. Lot's of hotels and B&B's have romance packages (they include extras like champagne, chocolates, picnic lunch or romantic carriage ride). When you make a booking, ask the staff to keep it a secret until the right time.

4. If you're booking a romantic surprise vacation more than a month in advance, be careful using a credit card that you both share. If your husband or wife shares the account and they see the statement, your secret getaway could be busted!

5. Be careful with e-mails and any other correspondence that your spouse could see that might provide strong clues or even give away your surprise trip.

6. Close to departure: packing for her sounds romantic, but is loaded with risk! For many women, wrong or missing items can doom a holiday! 

  • Surprise Honeymoon Vacation? Our advice: Don’t. Plan other romantic getaways as a surprise. Your honeymoon is for both of you, and should be planned together. Besides, it’s once-in-a-lifetime, and too important to be left to just 1 person.

Surprise Engagement Trips

Surprise Marriage Proposal: If you're not only looking for a romantic surprise vacation but a surprise engagement too, don't rely on the Jumbotron at the sports stadium! Instead, you could try:

Surprise Proposal on Vacation
  • proposing while on a romantic Gondola ride
  • renting a limo for a city tour and proposing while sipping champagne
  • enjoying a picnic in a park or on the beach on a nice afternoon
  • get to a place with a great view, and dropping down on one knee
  • popping the question while ice skating

Got More Money than Ideas? Fairmont Hotels Proposal Packages are waiting for you!

More Romantic Surprise Vacation Ideas & Destinations

Pull the Old Switcheroo: This is done by diverting to a romantic destination close to where you might normally travel to. For example, let's say you always visit family in Northern California. So make it sound like it’s another routine "visit the family weekend", but instead, turn it into a romantic weekend in San Francisco or the romantic Northern California Coast instead.

Other possibilities for the "usual destination / nearby romantic alternative" include:

Best Type of Surprise Escape from Stress: a resort where most everything is looked after, and where you can relax and unwind in one place (not have to jump from location to location and pack-unpack-pack)

Or...

Are you a couple that's been everywhere? Looking to plan a unique surprise vacation and adventure? Why not try something different, like a romantic getaway in Iceland or a beach vacation in Belize? 

Have Some Fun: in your husband or wife's carry-on bag, place a travel magazine with the page corner folded on the surprise destination your headed to. Then suggest that for a "hint' about where you're going, check the bag!

Not Adventurous? For sure-fire destinations you can't go wrong with, stick to:

Vacation Packages for Surprise Weekends Away 

Sometimes, planning it waaaaaaay in advance increases the chance your surprise will be discovered! So for some last-minute vacation deals:

Priceline Last-Minute Deals - Air & Hotel Packages

  •  where you can Name Your Own Price® & book a hotel, flight or weekend package even on the day of departure.
Save with Last Minute Deals From Travelocity.com
  •   flight, hotel & car packages, even a money-saving "under $250" last minute getaway section!

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