Say 'I love you' by taking your sweetheart to a romantic Delaware-area spot

You can say "I love you." Just blurt it out or declare it boldly or whisper it sexily.

Or you can say "I love you" by taking your sweetheart to a romantic location that creates a new chapter in the story of the two of you.

As Valentine's Day approaches, we came up with a list of our favorite romantic places in the Delaware area. Some are good now. Some are good later. Some are good year-round.

Check 'em out:

Serendipity in Millsboro

Three words for you here: Over.The.Top. The waterside restaurant not only offers great views of the Indian River, but also such unrestrained Valentine's Day decorations that it's as if a Hallmark store exploded inside it.

The restaurant, primarily an Italian pizzeria that also serves seafood and Polish dishes such as pierogies, has been in operation since 2003 and is known for its quirky, colorful decor that includes a ceiling of colorful open umbrellas hung upside down.

Owner Matt Rydzynski says the restaurant at 32580 River Road starts decorating for Valentine's Day the first week of January and keeps adding decorations through the first week in February.

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"We want to be your Valentine's place," he says. Not many places really decorate for the holiday anymore, he notes. They make all their desserts in-house, including chocolate-covered strawberries and pineapple upside-down cake, he says.

The restaurant comes with a side of history. From the 1920s through the 1950s, his location was a bustling boardwalk. There was not one in Rehoboth, Rydzynski says. But a 1962 storm ravaged the area, and business moved to the Rehoboth boardwalk.

Hummingbird to Mars 

A great spot for an date night, Hummingbird to Mars is a speakeasy on top of Catherine Rooney's in Trolley Square in Wilmington.

To enter the bar, guests press an intercom on a nondescript door on 16th Street, where they are soon be transported to a bar from the Prohibition era.

Try cocktails like the White Lady — dry gin, thyme-infused Cointreau, egg white, lemon juice and simple syrup — or the Blue Moon — Candy Manor Gin, creme de violette liquer and lemon juice — as you listen to live music. 

Vino Vita 

Sip on wine from all over the world at Vino Vita, just off of Main Street in Middletown. The charming spot designed to look like a small shop in France grew out of the Fromage cheese shop once located on the town square. 

As you try wines from Italy, California, Portugal and even South Africa, you can munch on a variety of cheeses like rosemary Asiago or smoked Gouda with crushed pepper.

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There are also small plates such as olive melange and baked Brie.

But don't worry if you're not into the grape juice. The bar, at 400 South Ridge Ave., also offers an assortment of beers, whiskeys, bourbons and ryes. 

Krazy Kats

To make a special occasion a little more fun, try this cozy restaurant.

The Wilmington eatery, at 528 Montchanin Road, is a renovated blacksmith's shop that is decorated with tiger-print chairs and portraits of military-garbed animals.

Entrees include Osso Bucco, pan-seared duck breast and butter-poached lobster. 

Jasper Crane Rose Garden

This Wilmington landmark is the perfect place to — quite literally — stop and smell the roses. 

At Park Drive and Van Buren Street, it may be sticks and thorns now, but as spring arrives the garden erupts into a symphony of colors, showcasing a variety of roses.

With a view of the Brandywine and the soaring ribbon of I-95 bridge crossing it, the garden is the perfect place to take photos with a loved one or maybe even get on bended knee.

To see it with people who also appreciate it, check out the annual garden party there each spring, usually in early June.

Hotel du Pont lobby

You could pick a variety of places in the hotel on Rodney Square for glamour and old world charm, but you can also stop as soon as you walk into the renovated lobby.

Its nouveau Victorian vibes with leather club seats in various shades of brown, and contrasting sofas in velvet deep blues is a surprising blend of English men's club and sleek suburban cocktail lounge.

The room beckons guests to sit, sip and maybe snuggle up. A bar menu featuring flatbreads, hummus dips and drinks like a rose cocktail is available.

Bonus: people watching, which is at its best when there's a big event in the nearby Gold Ballroom with bridal parties flouncing around.

The Bellmoor

The weather doesn't have to be warm for Delaware's beaches to be charming. If you're searching for an especially romantic beach experience this week, try spending Valentine's Day at the Spa at the Bellmoor (6 Christian St., Rehoboth Beach).

They are offering a special $249 "Valentine's Day Sweetheart Package," which includes two 50-minute Swedish massages, a $100 gift certificate to a SoDel Concepts or Big Fish Restaurant Group eatery and a bottle of red or white wine or a Champagne split.

For $30 more, you can really impress your special someone by turning those messages into a joint couples massage. (The packages are available Monday through Feb. 15.)

And if you want to stay overnight for some extra sexy time, the package also offers 25 percent off a room reservation for Valentine's night.

Rooms run $169 (king or queen) to $499 for the Bellmoor's "Gardener's Cottage," a two-floor cottage with a full kitchen, two bedrooms and a private porch.

Call (302) 227-5800 to order the package or book a room.

Battery Park & Old New Castle

A stroll through Battery Park and Old New Castle offers all kinds of opportunities for romance.

Hold hands along the tree-lined streets filled with great examples of historic architecture. Sip a beer or try traditional pub fare in Jessop's Tavern, which is located in a 1720s building and is an homage to the sea-fare days of the town. Or watch modern ships sail by on the Delaware from a fancy new pier opened last year.

The town is the site where William Penn landed in the new world and feels like stepping back in time.

Longwood Gardens' fountain shows

The idea of taking someone to an outdoor show that thousands of other people will attend, too, may not seem romantic on the face of it.

But the illuminated fountain shows at Longwood Gardens is.

Arrive early and head to the restaurant grounds, where you can buy wood-fired pizza made on the spot and beers made from ingredients picked at Longwood. It's like being at a giant community picnic.

Then head to the main fountain complex, which the gardens just spent $90 million on to turn into a one-in-the-world kind of attraction. The 30-minute shows set to lights and music enthrall all ages.

The shows run from late May through October and are included in admission. Also available during summer are the Fireworks & Fountain shows, which are about $50 each, but worth every buck if you prize a spectacle you can't find anywhere else on this planet – and the lifelong memories you'll take home. 

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Hike a du Pont estate

Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library aren't just for Yuletide. Hagley Museum isn't just for teaching the kids how to blow up things with dynamite. Nemours Estate isn't just for sick kids. And Mount Cuba Center isn't just for the one day of its Wildflower Celebration.

All of those former du Pont estates sell memberships that let you hike around the property, some all year and some just for the season. Hit any of those estates at the right moment, and it's like you and your loved one own it all. 

While all of the attractions offer lovely views and interesting plants at any time of the yeas, some have particularly spectacular times to go. One example is early spring at Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library when the March Bank blooms in waves of color from the snowdrops of late winter until the daffodils run riot. 

Did we miss one?

Do you have a favorite place you think got snubbed in this list? Tell us about it by sending a note to mnewman@delawareonline.com.

Betsy Price, Ryan Cormier and Jennifer Corbett contributed to this story.

Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 324-2386 or mnewman@delawareonline.com.