Some cities lend themselves to romance quite easily, with sunsets over the water, beautifully-lit skyscrapers or, conversely, green fields of open space for wandering hand in hand in that special soft-focus way. Although romance is intangible and a magical mystery, sometimes we try to unlock it. If we could quantify what makes a city a great one for date night, it might incorporate data points like, how much does a bottle of wine cost? How much is an average dinner? How many bars and pubs are there, and how many couple-friendly attractions are there? Does the city have “romantic hotels,” and how much do they cost? The online casino experts company Bonusfinder.com has released a study that crunches all this data for us, so we can know which cities to head for to experience a wonderful date night. They looked at 150 American cities across 11 different categories to create this list of the best cities for date nights, proposals, Valentine’s Day or even, if you’re on the other side of it, an anniversary.
The top city? Sarasota, Florida. Nestled along the Gulf Coast, Sarasota has more than 250 days of sunshine a year. There are plenty of places for a couple to get close: the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, the Ringling Museum of Art, a scenic cruise along Sarasota Bay and the white sands of Siesta Key Beach. Don’t forget a seafood dinner with a waterfront view.
The second-best city for romance-minded couples is Atlantic City, New Jersey. Explore the Jersey Shore and the famous boardwalk, check out a casino or a live show, and spend time tasting at the Atlantic City Food Truck Park.
In third place is Orlando, Florida, where playful couples can check out Disney and Universal theme parks or relax at picturesque Leu Gardens, take a swan boat ride at Lake Eola, or enjoy a show at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Cap off the night by stargazing at the Orlando Science Center’s observatory.
The best date night cities in the U.S. are:
1. Sarasota, Florida
2. Atlantic City, New Jersey
3. Orlando, Florida
4. Savannah, Georgia
5. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
6. Las Vegas, Nevada
7. Biloxi, Mississippi
8. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
9. Portland, Maine
10. Charleston, South Carolina