Day 1: Aqua Immersion
Morning:
Surrender to the call of the Gulf on a shelling, snorkeling or diving excursion with Blue Water Explorers Dive Charters. Captain Bob Eskew launches trips (typically by advance reservation) from his “scuba shack” on the Intracoastal Waterway. If you like the view above water, you’ll love what’s underneath: wrecks, sea turtles and goliath grouper.
Mid-Day:
Drink in the herbal tea and earthy environment at Acqua Aveda Salon, Spa and Store on Holmes Beach. At the spa’s partner resorts, experience your massage, manicure or pedicure poolside, on the beach or on your private balcony.
Evening:
November through June, board the elegant catamaran Kathleen D for a sunset sail. Bring your own bottle to share at a cozy table – there’s no better way to watch the sun set. For dinner, Beach Bistro is a must. Zagat rates it tops for food and service, and you will too. Reserve a table on the sand, choose from more than 300 bottles of wine, and share the bouillabaisse – proprietor Sean Murphy swears it’s the best in America.Favorite moment:
Riding Kathleen D’s “magic carpet,” the yacht’s forward “hammock,” which suspends sailors directly over the water.
Day 2: Toast to Adventure
Morning:
Great World Nature Tours mingles adventure with classic romance on beach horseback rides. Trace the shore, then wade into beautiful Palma Sola Bay (the horses enjoy it, and owner Tim Mattox will take photos to upload for you).
Mid-Day:
Consider the love triangle formed of Italy, wine and romance on a tour of Rosa Fiorelli Winery (request to add an alfresco lunch and wine tasting with a view of the vineyards). You’ll receive a complimentary glass on tour; purchase one of Fiorelli’s signature muscadine blends to keep it company.Evening:
Savor delectable duck – roasted crisp in a seasonal fruit sauce – by candlelight at Longboat Key’s esteemed Euphemia Haye. After dinner, lead your date upstairs for a flambéed dessert and live music in the restaurant’s casual upstairs counterpart, the Haye Loft.Favorite moment:
Meeting Rosa and Antonio Fiorelli, Sicilians-turned-Floridians whose first love is their family winery.
Day 3: City to Sky
Morning:
Embrace the timelessness of romance inside a historic home such as the Gamble Plantation or Powel Crosley Estate. Live oaks frame the Gamble Mansion’s 19th-century grandeur; the Crosley, a Mediterranean mansion on Sarasota Bay, is a beauty to behold.
Mid-Day:
You’ve cut through the waves and been beneath them; now sneak a peek from on high. Fun & Sun Parasail on Bradenton Beach makes room for two with a view – of marine life, the Skyway Bridge and the narrow paradise of Anna Maria.
Evening:
Mattison’s Riverside expertly prepares steak and globally inspired small plates, but the restaurant’s passion is fish – buying only whole specimens and dedicating an entire room to their preparation. Savor it, and the river view, from the restaurant’s location inside the Twin Dolphin Marina, then stroll Bradenton’s picturesque riverfront and Main Street hand-in-hand.
Favorite moment:
Dipping a toe in the Gulf during the parasailing descent.
