Let’s face it: “business time” is way better when you’re away from the kids… and booking a night away with your partner is probably one of the best ways to get back to business.
But which romantic locations near Halifax offer the best bang for your buck?
For the perfect couples getaway, you need to visit a location with a positive whoo-hoo rating.
The whoo-hoo test was something I used to do in my twenties when I moved into a new shared house or apartment. I would stand in my new bedroom and say, relatively loudly, “whoo-HOOOO!” while a friend or partner stood in the communal kitchen or living room to see if they could hear me. Ever modest, the test was to see how soundproof my new digs would be, just in case I happened to have any “special” visitors during my tenancy.
As a parent, the whoo-hoo test is a little more complicated. A hotel or accommodation with a high whoo-hoo rating offers not only a safe place to giggle and scream, but a combination of good food, good wine, and relaxing grown-up activities. Finally, it has to be a place where you are not likely to argue…or miss the kids too much.
Here are 5 places to go for a little whoo-hoo in Nova Scotia:
White Point Beach Lodge, near Liverpool
Distance from downtown Halifax: 1 hr 45 min.
Whoo hoo Factor: 10/10
Our top score for no-kids nookie goes to the stunning White Point Beach Resort near Liverpool, NS. Their two night ‘Beach Romance Package’ includes breakfast and dinner, a bottle of sparkling wine, fresh flowers, White Point housemade chocolates and a bottle of locally made massage oil, hand blended by Dirty Buoy. If you book an oceanfront cottage (their website recommends cottage #12), any happy squeals will be drowned out by the thumping of the surf. Drawback? You’ll never want to go home.
Oceanstone Seaside Resort, Peggy’s Cove
Distance from downtown Halifax: 45 min.
Whoo hoo Factor: 9/10
Get in the mood with a romantic dinner at the on-site restaurant, Rhubarb, then tuck yourselves away in a private cottage at the Oceanstone Seaside Resort. Nestled in a small grove of trees overlooking the water of Indian Harbour, Grey Owl is billed as the perfect couples cottage, and it has a self-catering kitchen for those morning love-waffles. Before you go home, get a breath of fresh air on the rocks at Peggy’s Cove, and remind yourselves how lucky you are to be together.
The Train Station Inn, Tatamagouche
Distance from downtown Halifax: 1 hour 40 min.
Whoo hoo factor: 8/10
If you want to add a little bit of choo-choo to your whoo hoo, then the Train Station Inn in Tatamagouche is a fun place to go as a couple, with each boxcar placed far enough away from the next that you can close the blinds and enjoy a bit of privacy. Warm things up with something from the fresh, seasonal menu in the dining car before turning in for the night. What’s more exciting than doing it in a caboose? One caveat which lowers the whoo whoo factor is that you’ll totally miss the kids. The Train Station Inn is also perfect for families.
Anywhere in Wolfville
Distance from downtown Halifax: 1 hour
Whoo hoo factor: 8/10
Wolfville offers the perfect location for a romantic getaway from Halifax. Go on a wine tour, dine at one of Wolfville’s boutique restaurants (try Troy or the Naked Crepe) or catch flick at the old-fashioned Al Whittle theatre. Where to stay? The last time we snuck away for a little hanky-panky in the Wolfville area, we booked a room at the Planter’s Barracks Country Inn in Port Williams, which was totally gorgeous but – warning! – had an extremely low whoo hoo factor due to paper-thin 18th century walls. Next time, we’re going to try Toad Hall at the Tattingstone Inn, which has a private entrance, fireplace, and a Jacuzzi for two.
The Lord Nelson, Spring Garden Road
Distance from downtown Halifax: 1 min.
Whoo hoo factor 7/10
You don’t have to travel far for a little slap n’ tickle! Old-fashioned lovers will tell you to pack your nightie for the Haliburton or the Waverly Inn, but let’s be honest: you’re getting away for some “we” time, not for “small talk with the other guests in the tiny dining room at breakfast” time. Leave the smaller boutique hotels behind, and enjoy the opulent anonymity of a larger hotel like the Lord Nelson for your night of romance. Its location on Spring Garden road means you’re spoiled for choice in terms of pre-nookie dinner and drinks.
