Looking for green ways to celebrate your relationship? Celebrate Valentine’s Day with these fun local tips.
Trains
Train travel is a greener option than car travel. Plus, there’s an inherent sort of romance to boarding a train bound for a nearby city. Amtrak has several South Florida stations (including stations in Miami, Hollywood, and Fort Lauderdale) in case you and your beloved want to travel while reducing your carbon footprint.
Parks
A little ways into Tree Tops Park off of Flamingo Road in South Florida is a small playground and a footbridge. Cross the foot bridge and you’ll find some picnic tables overlooking a lake. This spot is a beautiful place for a Valentine’s Day picnic. In the five minutes that I stood on the bridge, I watched a pair of ducks glide through the lake and even heard a loud splash as some fish jumped out of the water and then dove back in. Check out some of Broward’s parks to explore fun and green ways to be romantic.
Maximize Sunsets
South Florida has many wonderful and romantic places to watch the day come to a close. Any of South Florida’s parks – including my Tree Tops nook – would be a perfect choice for watching the mesmerizing golden-red of an early evening sunset. It’s only a short, two-minute walk from the front door of the Desoto Inn to Hollywood Beach, and the ocean is so close that you can watch the sunset just from standing on Desoto Street. Hollywood Beach is fairly intimate, a natural romantic getaway. Closer than the Keys, this section of Hollywood Beach can give you all the intimacy of Key West without putting all the extra mileage on your car.
Get Raw
If you’ve wondered about raw food and thought, “I can’t eat raw food! It tastes like garden clippings,” then think again. I defy you not to get addicted to the nearby wonder of The Green Wave Café. For couples looking for a casual green restaurant, you can’t go wrong. Located on Broward Boulevard in Plantation, proprietor Raoul runs the Green Wave with a mixture of charm and intelligence. He and the staff will answer any questions you have about raw food and they’ll go easy on you if it’s your first time. The cafe’s laid-back diner atmosphere brings to mind a green version of Cheers (where everybody knows your vegan habits) and it’s a wonderful casual place to take a date.
