Looking for a romantic getaway in Southern California? With charming old-style buildings at every turn and an ab
undance of peaceful tree-lined streets, Claremont is an ideal destination for couples looking to unplug and reconnect.
With stylish rooms, replete with soaking tubs, overlooking a gorgeous courtyard filled with fountains and fire pits, Hotel Casa 425, a boutique hotel and lounge in the Claremont Village, inspires romance. Plus, it’s within steps of fine restaurants, cafes, great evening
entertainment, boutiques, art galleries, and the Claremont Colleges.
After having breakfast together in the courtyard, you can stop at Augie’s coffeehouse across the street in the Packing House, where lattes are often embellished with a foam heart, and then a
mble down the street to Aromatique for a massage.
For a lovey-dovey lunch, you can pick up gourmet fare at Wolfe’s Market or Cheese Cave and have a picnic at the Margaret Fowler Gar
den at Scripps College. But really, with gorgeous stately architecture and large fields, most spots at the Claremont Colleges will do.
After that, you can peruse the latest art exhibit at Pomona College Museum of Art, admire the native plants at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, or go for a hike or bike ride at Claremont Wilderness Park. With stunning views and outdoor activities year-round, Mount Baldy, just minutes away, also makes for a great day trip.
Good wine, being the hallmark of the romantic weekend getaway, is a must. Packing House Wine Merchants, a Wine Spectator award 
winner, offers an array of wonderful wines by the glass and a delectable selection of nibbles. And on the weekends, special wine tastings are offered.
You can stay at Packing House Wine Merchants for dinner and enjoy Yuzu glazed scallops or an organic beef burger for dinner, or you can opt for filet mignon or the Osso Bucco served with truffle and parmesan polenta at yet another establishment with a Wine Spectator award: Tutti Mangia Italian Grill (yep, it’s down the street, too).
Tutti Mangia has a pre-theater menu, so you can fuel up before enjoying an independent, foreign, or art film at Laemmle’s Claremont 5. Or you can gift your lover some laughs at Flappers Comedy Club at the Packing House.
If that sounds like a little much, you can go just go back to your hotel and have a craft cocktail or a non-alcoholic beverage on the patio next to a fire pit. Creating romance is pretty effortless in Claremont.
