“The course to true love never did run smooth,” as Shakespeare so eloquently once put it. Sure, he probably wasn’t referring to Valentine’s Day getaways, but that doesn’t mean those immortal words are any less true when it comes to planning the most romantic travel week of the year.

With Valentine’s Day just a few week’s away, you might not have planned on going anywhere under the impression that hotels and restaurants will be crazy expensive at this stage of the game. And, although some of that might be true, there are a few tricks you can pull to save on your trip with your significant other — without killing the romance of it all.

Because a cheap Valentine’s Day can also be a memorable one, follow these handy tips for a romantic getaway to remember. One thing’s for sure…your wallet will definitely love it!

Hit the Road!

If you haven’t booked a flight for a long weekend away this Valentine’s Day, you don’t need to just resign yourself to staying home. After all, travel doesn’t always have to involve costly plane tickets to explore a charming place away from home! Instead, consider driving a few hours from your place, either north, south, east, or west. If an appealing destination appears on the map, just get in the car and go! Find a hotel along the way and make a weekend out of it. This way you’ll avoid spending on those annoying bag fees of flying or wasting endless hours searching for last minute airfares. The classic weekend road trip is, sometimes, the best way option!

Search Hotels’ Special Promotions

Many hotels offer Valentine’s Day packages and promotions for the ultimate date night. So, rather than just looking for a normal rate — that might already be expensive — try looking for hotels at your destination that might be running special Valentine’s Day promotions. You may find that these offers come with a bottle of bubbly and chocolates and other cute surprises that are key to adding the cherry on top of a memorable romantic date.

Explore Untraditional Destinations

While it might sound like a dream to sail the canals of Venice for Valentine’s Day, sometimes you just need to be realistic. When planning that unforgettable February getaway for Valentine’s Day, consider less popular cities for your romantic holiday. By avoiding the popular spots you can save a great deal on everything, from hotels and restaurants to gifts. Besides, it will let you learn more about interesting and overlooked destinations with your lovebird!

You may also like: 13 Tips to Survive a Romantic Getaway with Your Valentine

Seek out Discounts for…Everything!

Lastly, many cities offer passes and special coupons that allow visitors to spend a flat rate to access museums, get discounts on restaurants, and even benefit from unlimited public transportation in some cases. And, of course, these handy city passes are just ideal for your well-planned Valentine’s Day away! Although many are only valid for 48 to 72 hours, that’s usually more than enough time to spend with your significant other on that special weekend. That’s why, even before booking your flights, it’s always a good idea to do a coupon search online of some of the attractions that you want to see or the restaurants that you want to dine out. You never know…there might be a special offer lurking in the corners of the Internet to cut back the costs of traveling for an idyllic Valentine’s Day.

Do you have a favorite Valentine’s Day hideaway that you’d like to share? Tell us about it i the comments below!