Take advantage of some great rates to head Outside for a romantic getaway. But don't forget about some excellent options closer to home.
First, check out Alaska Airlines' deal to Seattle: just $319 round-trip from Anchorage ($419 round-trip from Fairbanks). There are plenty of available dates in February.
If you want to rent a car in Seattle, go ahead. But I like to take the light rail into downtown. From the Westlake Center station, it's just a couple of blocks to the Hotel Ändra at the corner of Fourth and Virginia. Everything is nice and clean there, with plenty of light-colored wood finishes and that contemporary Scandinavian look. The "Romantik" package includes overnight accommodations, some chocolate, Champagne for two and a late check-out. The cost? From $279 per night.
A bonus for folks who stay at Hotel Ändra: Lola, a Tom Douglas restaurant, is in the lobby. This is one of my favorite Seattle eateries. Local seafood, including octopus, is on the menu. And yes -- they eat it for breakfast. In fact, it's called "Tom's Favorite Breakfast." I've had it. It's good. But I typically opt for some sort of Mediterranean-style scramble. But if you want to go exotic, they've got you covered.
Remember: February is Museum Month in Seattle. All the museums are half off, including the Seattle Art Museum, the Museum of Flight, the Burke Museum, the Seattle Aquarium and the Chihuly Garden and Glass (at the base of the Space Needle).
Alaska Air also is offering nonstop flights to Portland from Anchorage for as little as $319 round-trip. Portland is another destination where you can easily go car-free due to convenient light rail connections at the airport. Ride the Max downtown and make your way to the Hotel Monaco. I just sent some friends there for a Blazers game and they sent me a cozy picture from the Red Star Tavern, which is adjacent to the hotel.
Don't feel like you have to eat at the hotel, though. There are great restaurants nearby, including the Bijou Cafe for breakfast (last time, I got the goat cheese and bacon omelet). Also, there are a gajillion food carts parked in "pods" around the city. There is a big pod about a block away from the hotel and another one closer to Nordstrom, about six blocks away.
Consider the Hotel Monaco's "Art of Romance" package, which includes a room-service continental breakfast for two, Champagne on arrival, some fancy soaps and bath oils and a late check-out. Rates in February start at $219 per night (plus tax). There's always a "wine hour" in the lobby, where they pour local vintages.
Closer to home, Alyeska Resort has a great "Veuve Clicquot" Champagne package that includes overnight accommodations. And yes, there is a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne included, along with some chocolates and a king room. Room-service breakfast for two also is included in the package, priced at $249 per night. Choose an optional "couples' massage" in the spa for $249.
Hop in the car and drive to Homer to take advantage of Land's End Resort's "Getaway Package." This dinner-and-room package features overnight accommodations, plus dinner for two at the Chart Room Restaurant. Many of the tables have a glorious view of Kachemak Bay. If you arrive on Feb. 14, 15 or 16, there is a special Valentine's Day dinner available.
You'll be pleasantly surprised if you plan for a long drive (250 miles) from Anchorage up to the Lodge at Black Rapids. The drive itself is incredible, up through the Matanuska Valley to Glennallen, where you turn left and head up the Richardson Highway toward Fairbanks.
The truth is this section of the highway, including Paxson Lake and Summit Lake, really is a Fairbanks weekend playground. It's sort of the community's Big Lake equivalent. Still, the folks are more than welcoming, even if they know we're from the "southern kingdom" around Anchorage.
The lodge sits up on a bluff, overlooking the historic Black Rapids roadhouse and the Delta River valley. Hosts Mike and Annie Hopper built the lodge from scratch, using timber-frame construction with plenty of fancy finishing touches. There are sculptures, paintings, historic books about the local area and all sorts of diversions for visitors. There are plenty of big, cushy chairs around the fireplace, perfect for curling up with a book.
The Hoppers serve meals at the lodge, family-style. Or perhaps "roadhouse-style" is more accurate. For breakfast, there are heaping portions of bacon, eggs, hash browns and all the fixings. You need to fuel up to get out there with some snowshoes (provided) to explore the country. Rooms start at $199 per night.
Whether you hop a plane or load up the car, there's still time to plan for a romantic getaway.
Scott McMurren is an Anchorage-based marketing consultant, serving clients in the transportation, hospitality, media and specialty-destination sectors, among others. Contact him by email at zoom907@me.com. You can follow him on Twitter (@alaskatravelGRM) and alaskatravelgram.com. For more information, visit alaskatravelgram.com/about.