Here are 5 Canadian hot spots to keep the romance burning.
by Heather Greenwood Davis

single swan

The settings are ripe for romance in these 5 Canadian spots

The holidays are over but Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. No matter what you got him or her last month, taking your sweetums to one of these five Canadian romance spots will keep you in the good books for a little while longer.

* Tofino, BC: You can opt to watch the storms from your porch at the Wickaninnish Inn—voted one of the Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest—while sipping on champagne and nibbling house-made truffles. Prefer to take your love outdoors? Tofino is one of the world’s surfing meccas and nothing says, “I love you” like walking the beach or riding the waves with the one you love. www.hellobc.com

* Québec City, QC: Montréal will do in a pinch, but Québec City is the spot for connoisseurs of French romance, thanks to cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriage rides and walks under old-fashioned lamplight. Add bistros to eat in, cafés to watch from and boutique hotels (like the Relais & Chateaux-branded Auberge Saint-Antoine) that are as luxurious to sleep in as they are interesting to look at. Bring your camera and ask a stranger to snap a photo of you and your partner amid backdrops that provide an unparalleled setting for romance, then dine by candlelight on fine French-Canadian cuisine before a night out on the town. www.bonjourquebec.com

* Peggy’s Cove, NS: Buy him a fisherman’s sweater, pack her a shawl, grab a blanket and head out to “The Cove” for a weekend of quiet, simple living and fresh seafood you’ll remember for years to come. Stand on the rocky shores near the lighthouse and watch the sun set after a day walking the tiny village and getting to know the locals. www.novascotia.com

* Muskoka, ON: The region is crowded with sun seekers in the summer, but come winter, it’s all yours. Whether you prefer your time outdoors—walking or skiing the trails—or indoors in front of a roaring fire, Muskoka hotels and resorts mean never having to choose. At Taste Restaurant in Touchstone resort, you’ll find (along with stunning views of Lake Muskoka) a farm-to-table philosophy in the kitchen and locally produced ingredients on the menu. Spend the night and take full advantage of the spa’s two-bedroom suite. www.ontariotravel.net

* Stratford, ON: The plays, including some by the Bard of Love himself, William Shakespeare, will draw you here, but with a lakeside trail to hold hands along and now the Stratford Chocolate Trail, Stratford is a top choice for romantics. Buy a $20 Chocolate Trail Pass at the Stratford Tourism Alliance and visit eight stops of your choosing on the 16-stop self-guided tour. Sample the cocoa fares and speak with the chocolate makers. You can even take a chocolate mint bath soak. How sweet. www.ontariotravel.net

This piece originally appeared on the Canadian Tourism Commission web site.