If there’s a perfect time for a romantic, cozy getaway, it’s got to be fall. The foliage is changing colors, the leaves are falling, and the breezes are starting to blow. It’s cozy enough to warrant a snuggle by the fire, but not so cold that you can’t take a lovely stroll through a park. It’s just cool enough for comfort foods to take center stage, and the nostalgia of the season reigns supreme.
And if there’s a perfect — though maybe unexpected — place for a romantic, cozy getaway, it’s College Park. Book a spa treatment, enjoy a delicious meal, and snuggle under the covers in an elegant hotel.
Follow this itinerary for the best weekend with your loved one:
Stay at The Hotel at the University of Maryland. Splurge for a suite so you can have a separate living room, and take advantage of the Beekind bath supplies and the plush robes the hotel provides. You’ll have enough space to truly relax and enjoy the trip.
Move your body at the Open Barre studio, which offers classes for first-time visitors. The workout, which combines Pilates, yoga, and ballet, is a low-impact exercise that’s meant to welcome anyone. Plus, working out with the one you love is bound to release some happy endorphins.
Brunch at Iron Rooster at The Hotel. Split the Belgian Waffle Flight, which includes one with mixed berry compote, one with apple compote, and one with Nutella, bananas, and candied pecans. Then add a rancher’s benny, a breakfast brisket hash, and an angry pig omelet to round out your shared order.
Visit the Art Gallery at the University of Maryland. The gallery has been running since 1965 and has become a leading academic museum. Its collection includes pieces from Peggy Bacon, Todd Gray, Rembrandt van Rijn, and Andy Warhol, along with various artworks from communities around the globe.
Relax at The Spa at The Hotel, where you can enjoy a massage to reduce your stress, ease your muscle tension, and relax your body. Try a light-touch Swedish massage or add hot stones to your deep-tissue massage — or add a facial to your treatment to achieve healthier skin. Either way, you and your loved one will leave feeling better than when you walked into this calming space.
Stroll your way through Lake Artemesia Park. You can hold hands as you walk along the water, then stop and picnic at one of the provided picnic tables. Walk together across the bridges and try to spot the people fishing in the water and the wildlife enjoying the 38-acre park as you trek the paved trail around the lake.
Eat at The Hall CP, where everyone is welcome and the food is unfussy but delicious. The space is hip and energetic, and you can enjoy street cauliflower, vegan crab cake sandwiches, short rib tacos, mushroom ravioli, and much more. Don’t forget to add some of the restaurant’s signature drinks to your meal, like its spicy Paloma crush or a peach old-fashioned.
Drink at Denizens Brewing Co., just down the road in Riverdale Park. Enjoy the brewery’s craft beer — try the Animal, a hazy American IPA, or the Born Bohemian, a Czech-style PIlsner — or hard seltzer on the patio, and chow down on a meal from Catalyst Hot Dogs once you get hungry.
Plan more trips across Prince George’s by checking out these three staycation itineraries.