20 Valentine's Day Trips for the Romantic Adventurer

New Zealand is known for scenic hiking and biking. Add in some time spent sampling the wines of this island nation and you have the makings of an idyllic adventure. It's closer and more affordable than you might think.

Whether you choose beaches or jungle, a trip to Belize can include hiking, horseback riding, cave tubing, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking and even motocross. Romantic places to stay include the Gaia River Lodge, which has waterfalls to swim in and no cell service. For a beach experience, try Matachica Resort and Spa on Ambergris Caye.

Adventure rules in Playa. Hike ancient Mayan ruins, splash in the Western Caribbean or in mystical waters of the cenotes. Whether you spend the day zip lining or scuba diving, moonlit strolls on the beach are an enchanting way to end the day.

Imagine a destination where you can enjoy ocean sports like boating, fishing, scuba and snorkeling, along with serious adrenaline pumping fun like rock climbing, volcano hiking and white-water rafting. Throw in ziplining and ATV riding, and you have a list of Costa Rica's west coast fun.

The El Mangroove Hotel wraps up the activities along with an exotic collection of suites.

Rule number one for a romantic trip is to get as far from the crowds as possible. In Florida, take a look at the charming community of South Walton Beach. With white-sand beaches and fascinating artificial reefs to snorkel through, your Valentine trip is easy to plan.

If the French Polynesian islands of Tahiti and Bora Bora are your idea of a romantic adventure (and they should be), consider cruising through these islands on an all-inclusive vacation with Paul Gauguin Cruises.

Learn to stand-up-paddleboard, swim with sharks and rays, or get certified to scuba dive. Then, round out each day with sumptuous cuisine.

Think scuba, off-road driving and parasailing. Then imagine long walks on the beach, midnight swims in the sea, luxurious spa treatments and sumptuous fine dining and you are thinking of Cozumel. Try the Westin Cozumel for a Valentine's Day treat done right.

Did you know that the remains of Saint Valentine are in Dublin? Impress your partner with that tidbit and a stay at The K Club where you can shoot clay pigeons, take a falconry lesson, ride horses, fish or kayak for a memorable romantic interlude.

There may be nothing in the world more romantic than cruising at sunset on board a sailing yacht. Treat yourself to adventure and the romance of sailing onboard Windstar's Wind Surf, which sails roundtrip from Bridgetown, Barbados with stops at exotic ports like Bequia, Grenada and Anse Mitan.

There is so much more to Catalina Island than first meets the eye. You can kayak to hidden beaches, hike or bike the mountains and dive among the kelp forests for excitement.

Follow up with romantic dinners in quaint seaside restaurants, often left quiet after the day trippers from the mainland depart. And don't forget the zipline to get your heart racing.

Most everyone has heard of Lake Como, but few know the romantic beauty of nearby Lake Iseo where you can enjoy the lake, food of Northern Italy, sub-Alpine scenery and the wines of the Franciacorta region. For excitement, there's hiking, biking and boating on the lake.

It's so easy to escape to Grand Cayman. Even Southwest flies there non-stop from Houston and Ft. Lauderdale. Once on the island, kickstart the adventure with water sports and turn up the romance with long walks on famed beaches that literally stretch for miles.

St. Lucia is perhaps one of the Caribbean's most visually stunning islands. The mountains that form the island rise straight from the sea. Scuba diving tops a long list of watersports, while hiking, ATV off-road tours and ziplining make up the land-based fun. Sandals has a choice of three resorts in St. Lucia-all perfect for romantic adventures.

Vallarta is practically synonymous with romance.

This city on the west coast of Mexico moves to a pace all its own, with beaches, mountains and a foodie scene worthy of a European capital. There are sunset cruises, fireworks and watersports, plus ziplining. Spice things up with an all-inclusive stay at Hard Rock Vallarta.

While the Greek islands are all the rage, the region southwest of Athens has wineries, orange and olive groves, plus ancient ruins uncrowded by tourists. Touring the Peloponnese peninsula provides the opportunity to experience a quieter Greece. Oh, and there are beaches.

Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao comprise the ABC Islands of the deep southern Caribbean. Aruba has endless beaches, watersports and nightlife. Curacao has charm, scenic beauty and crystal-clear waters. Bonaire is the quiet island, offering windsurfing, kite surfing, cave snorkeling plus world-renowned scuba diving.

Get your winter sports fix in the relatively quiet resort town of Taos where you'll find charming accommodations, craft breweries, astonishingly good food and top-rated slopes.

Getting there is half the fun: Catch a flight to Albuquerque, then rent a car for the scenic two-and-a-half-hour drive into the mountains.

Maui for Valentine's Day is a no-brainer. Swim, snorkel, scuba, paddle and surf your way through the perfect adventure trip. Try a sunset champagne cruise to turn up the romance. Outrigger Resorts has private vacation condos that help you break out of the standard hotel rut.

The Canary Islands off the coast of Spain have uncrowded beaches, hiking, biking, horseback riding and water sports galore. Tenerife is a Mediterranean paradise without the massive crowds, so enchant your Valentine with dolphin, whale and turtle watching excursions.

Many hotels are back up and running on Puerto Rico, and what better way to have an adventurous Valentine's Day than by spending your tourism dollars in a way that helps the island recover faster?

Tour the Bacardi Distillery, zip through the rainforest in Rio Grande or kayak in a luminescent bay in Vieques.