With Valentine’s Day mid-February, spring melts in soon thereafter—buds waiting to burst into bloom, birds starting to return and build nests for future hatchlings, and insects begin buzzing around. With countless parks with gorgeous scenery waiting to play host, it’s the perfect time to have a beautiful Valentine’s Day or just a romantic date in a national park with your loved one.
Joshua Tree National Park
There's no need to bring a bouquet of flowers when one of the world's most eye-popping wildflower blooms appear in the California desert. Coinciding with the arrival of spring rains — as early as February at lower elevations — the desert wildflower blooms of Joshua Tree National Park simply have to be seen to believed. Most of the park is wilderness, so for couples who enjoy backpacking together, Joshua Tree offers a truly unique landscape to explore.
Hannah Schwalbe/NPS
Shenandoah National Park
Virginia is for lovers, as you may have heard, and Shenandoah National Park is the place to reconnect with someone you love. The park's best-known feature is Skyline Drive, a 105-mile ribbon of scenic highway that rides the crest of the Blue Ridge and provides access to hiking trails, campgrounds, picnic areas, and too many landmarks and scenic overlooks to count.
National Park Service
Virgin Islands National Park
On the island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, this park preserves an almost untouched tropical paradise with white sand beaches, crystal blue water, and vivid subtropical forests. Virgin Islands National Park offers a chance to capture the tropical vacation you've always wanted, from snorkeling and scuba diving to sailing and bird watching. The park's Cinnamon Bay Campground includes sites that already have tents set up, complete with flooring and mosquito netting.
A. Smith/NPS
Big Bend National Park
The stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas. For all you stargazers out there, Big Bend National Park features some of the clearest night skies in the country. The springtime is a wonderful time to go explore this park with little chance of rain and before the summer heat sets in. With hundreds of campsites to watch the dreamy stars at night, this Texas national park is a great place to plan a romantic getaway.
Rowdy Winters, Share the Experience
Niagara Falls National Heritage Area
Sure, it's a cliché, but what's wrong with that? Niagara Falls remains one of the tried-and-true romantic getaways in North America, and its inexhaustible waters continue to be a source of inspiration. With the melting winter snow and the April showers to bring the May flowers, spring time at Niagara Falls will only put on a more astounding show. Plus, there's a lot more going on in Niagara Falls National Heritage Area than just the waterfall. Why not visit the Niagara Falls Aquarium and the historic Old Fort Niagara?
Orbital Joe/Flickr
