Romantic Places Close To Home

McHenry County has lots of places to celebrate a romantic Valentine's Day. (Photo by John Konstantaras)

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Whether your relationship is 2 months old or 2 decades old, the pressure is on to make Valentine’s Day special.

Diamonds and trips to Paris are nice, but romance doesn’t have to be expensive or far away. Would your sweetheart swoon over a moonlit waltz in a Victorian gazebo? A majestic prairie blanketed with pristine white snow? A private table for two in a windmill? You can find all of those right here in McHenry County.

Tables for two
If a special dinner is your valentine’s idea of the perfect night, don’t miss Port Edward Restaurant (20 W. Algonquin Road in Algonquin). Located on the bank of the Fox River, the 46-year-old landmark seafood restaurant features a nautical theme — including a 25-foot sailboat floating on an indoor pond. The boat holds a private table. Other tables are found in a windmill from the 1920s and a hidden room above the Salem Lounge that’s accessed by a ladder.

Each cozy booth in the Lobster Cove, Sea Shanty and Salem Shanty rooms controls its own lighting. The upstairs dining room offers a panoramic view of the wintry Fox River; downstairs is a gift shop and wine cellar with wines ranging from $25 to $175. The menu offers a variety of fresh seafood, fish, steak and chicken, as well as a Friday-night sushi and seafood buffet and prime rib. Port Edward’s marketing director Bob Sandidge said the windmill and sailboat are reserved well in advance, but it never hurts to ask about availability. Even if they’re booked, Sandidge said, “Everywhere you look, there’s a great view.” Go to www.PortEdward.com or call 847-658-5441 for more information.

The great outdoors
Even in February, natural beauty abounds in McHenry County. Two of the county’s most romantic spots can be found at McHenry County Conservation District sites, said Wendy Kummerer, MCCD’s communications manager. At the Pleasant Valley Conservation Area, just west of Route 47 on Pleasant Valley Road, is an outdoor amphitheater sheltered by majestic oaks that overlooks a vast prairie and wetland. For a romantic winter hike, Kummerer suggests the nature trail at Coral Woods, off Route 20 south of Marengo. Surrounded by maples, oaks and hickories, the trees provide a buffer against cold winter winds.

“There’s a short trail and a longer trail, and the grade is a little uneven, so it feels like a little adventure,” Kummerer said.

For nature at night, try Cross Country Candlelight Skiing, (dates vary, call 815-338-6223 or go to www.MCCDistrict.org for updates) or the Courtship Celebration Sunday, Feb. 14, at the Prairieview Education Center. It features a short presentation on animal courtship, followed by an hourlong walk on candlelit trails. Space is limited, and you can register at www.MCCDistrict.org.

A local Victorian treasure
Billed as “America’s Best Town Square” and nationally recognized as a distinctive destination by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the downtown Woodstock Square is a great romantic getaway for a couple of hours or a couple of days. Illuminated by Victorian-style street lamps, the park is anchored by a gazebo, where classical music plays day and night. Surrounding it are brick streets lined with specialty shops, art galleries, a movie theater, live music venues (including the Woodstock Opera House) and restaurants that offer French, Italian, hearty tavern-style fare and more.
“It’s small enough to be intimate, but large enough to give you the feeling of an entire village,” said Merida Johns, owner of the Bundling Board Inn Bed & Breakfast.

Stay right on the Square at the Town Square Inn or a few blocks away at the Bundling Board Inn or Alexandria House Bed & Breakfast. Both B&Bs offer romantic extras like rose petal turndown service (Bundling Board Inn) and carriage rides (Alexandria House). Go to www.awaketowoodstock.com for special events and links to accommodations and more.