40 best romantic getaways

Northern California

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On the Waterfront
North of San Francisco, past Muir Woods, the Marin roads wind through Ewok forest that opens into deer-, sheep-, and cow-studded farmland and then magically folds back into dense forest, until eventually you come to the Pacific spread out under the cliff—as if someone has tried to cram all of America into one place. Check into Manka’s Inverness Lodge, which specializes in awesome food in the the dining room, and coziness (fireplaces, flannel curtains, shelves of old books, and an arkful of taxidermied animals) in the guest rooms. The next morning, explore Point Reyes Station, an Old West–meets-crunchy yuppie town lined with cutesy storefronts. When the lodge’s extensive breakfast finally wears off, load up on picnic supplies at the Cowgirl Creamery, inside Tomales Bay Foods, and have a picnic table at Dillon Beach, a 150-year-old summer resort and surfing cove.