ReZoom

Let 10 of cinema's favorites inspire a romantic getaway ...

It's easy to get caught up in romance portrayed on the big screen. From the tear-jerking power of "An Affair to Remember" to the palpable chemistry of 1999's "The Thomas Crown Affair," movies seem to show a world most people dream about, but few attain. If you're craving some Hollywood magic in your life, ReZoom reveals ten vacations designed to help you recreate some of cinema's greatest love stories.

1. "Out of Africa" (1985)
A Safari in Kenya

Star-crossed doesn't even begin to describe these two. She's married to a philandering, money-squandering baron. He's a big game hunter who will never settle down. But there's still something about the way Robert Redford looks at Meryl Streep that makes us think these two crazy kids might have a chance. Told in a setting as sweeping and untamed as passion itself, "Out of Africa" is a period drama that redefined the love story.

In Kenya, let a natural landscape unlike any you've ever seen be your guide. Marvel at lions and rhinos in the Masa Mara National Reserve. Build a campfire to prepare your own nyama choma (roasted meat). Bathe in the Tana River. Watch the sun set over Mount Kilimanjaro. Recuperate from long days in the wild on the beaches of Mombasa.

Reflect on the majesty of your own once-in-a-lifetime love.

Accommodations in Kenya range from large suites with all the creature comforts of home to open air tents that allow the sights and sounds of the surrounding countryside to creep in at night. Click here to find the outdoor adventure that best meets your needs.

2. "Romancing the Stone" (1984)
Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

The world first took notice of Kathleen Turner, and that one-of-a-kind voice, when she made her onscreen appearance as a plotting, manipulative femme fatale in "Body Heat." Michael Douglas had been taking more dramatic roles in films like "Coma" and "The China Syndrome" before he and Turner paired up for the chemistry-filled caper that was "Romancing the Stone." Demonstrating the kind of antagonism and seething frustration you only feel towards those you love most, Douglas and Turner weather life-threatening physical perils, in addition to the pitfalls of passion, while seeking out treasure in the depths of the jungle.

Although the movie was set in Columbia, it was filmed in Mexico because of concerns about kidnappings in South America. For your own romantic adventure, ReZoom recommends Mexico as well. Explore ancient ruins in Cuajilote. Rent a jeep and trudge through tropical terrain on your way to the Cofre de Perote volcano. Feast on red snapper, arroz a la tumbada (a succulent rice dish baked with a variety of mariscos, or seafood) and caldo de mariscos (a seafood soup purported to cure a hangover). Take in breathtaking waterfalls, like the Texola.

Don't forget that every night should end with dancing and kisses underneath the stars.

Many scenes from "Romancing the Stone" were filmed in and around Veracruz (city), Veracruz (state), Mexico. Be sure to visit the Fort at San Juan de Ulua in the port of Veracruz and the Texola Waterfall located just outside Xalapa (or Jalapa). For more secluded accommodations, consider staying in Xalapa, a smaller city more reminiscent of old Mexico.

3. "The Bridges of Madison County" (1995)
Madison County, Iowa

It's a love story so moving, the country's ultimate tough guy decided to star in and direct the film. Clint Eastwood is a roving photographer on an assignment from National Geographic in rural Iowa. Meryl Streep plays a housewife and mother of two left alone in her farmhouse for the week. When she agrees to be his tour guide through "The Bridges of Madison County," the two ignite a passion that even stirs Francesca's grown children decades later.

Go to Iowa for some relaxed down time. (In the film, Meryl Streep's character hasn't shaved her legs in years ... sound at all familiar?) Stay in a bed and breakfast. Take drives on long, windy roads in the country. Take your picnic basket, stock it with wine and cheese and then nibble on your lover's ear in Winterset's City Park (where Francesca and Robert go for their picnic.) Dress casually and have a beer at Pheasant Run tavern.

Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood's characters cram a lifetime of love into just four days - imagine what you can do during a long weekend.

The Brass Lantern Bed and Breakfast, Fitch House Bed and Breakfast, Garden and Galley Bed and Breakfast and Special Moments Bed and Breakfast are also located in Madison County, Iowa. For more lodging and dining options, visit the county's business bureau.

4. "Bull Durham" (1988)
Durham, North Carolina

When Kevin Costner's character tells the small town seductress with dubious "mentoring" aspirations played by Susan Sarandon that he believes in "long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days," the sexual tension within "Bull Durham" is so tangible you could hit it with a bat. After some rather intense bickering and championship-level games of playing hard to get, Crash and Annie finally find their way into one another's arms – proving the old adage about the thin line between love and hate.

A weekend in Durham may be just what you and your significant other need to get out of a romantic slump. Watch a baseball game in the Durham Bulls Athletic Stadium and see the snorting bull next to the scoreboard modeled after the one from the movie. Stay at the Washington Duke Inn and hold hands over a multi-course meal in the city's only four-star restaurant. Explore the beautiful Sarah P. Duke Gardens and consider a rest near the lotus blossoms.

Go for a home run (wink, wink).

The Durham Bulls play from April to September of each year. Call (919) 956-BULL for tickets. For reservations at the Washington Duke, call (919) 490-0999.

5. "Pretty Woman" (1990)
Los Angeles, California

If ever there was a pair of lovers destined for failure, a hooker with a heart of gold and a millionaire playboy are it. But with a winning smile that still captivates audiences and the good looks of an "American Gigolo," Julia Roberts and Richard Gere ran away with millions at the box office when "Pretty Woman" premiered in 1990.

Let long bubble baths, evenings at the opera and private jet rides inspire you (as well as a scene involving a piano that can still make you blush). Treat the "pretty woman" in your life to a weekend of shopping, dining and pampering in Los Angeles. Book a suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Make dinner reservations at Cicada Restaurant on South Olive Street, where Julia Roberts had a rather memorable run-in with a wayward escargot. Look at diamonds on Rodeo Drive, even if it is only through the windows.

Spend some quality time honoring your own survival against the odds.

The Beverly Wilshire offers a range of accommodations beginning at just over $300 a night. Contact the hotel at (310) 275-5200. For reservations at Cicada Italian Restaurant, call (213) 488-9488.

6. "Somewhere in Time" (1980)
Mackinac Island, Michigan

"Somewhere in Time" tells a story as fantastic as it is captivating. At first, it seems impossible that an aged actress could know the young playwright acted by Christopher Reeves, let alone have loved him. But this is one of those loves that breaks all the rules – including what you might have come to expect about time and space. The flame between Jane Seymour and Reeves burns bright even though their time together is brief.

Stay in one of the country's most well-known hotels and relive all the magic of the 1980 film. Spend the afternoon lounging by the Esther Williams Swimming Pool. Take long walks on the shores of the Mackinac Straits and share your memories of the past. Sit on the front porch and munch on smoked whitefish from the main dining room. Enjoy the quiet (no cars are allowed on the island) and accept the gaps in conversation as a time to just be together.

Celebrate the moments you've had together and be grateful that you'll have more times to come.

Rooms at the Grand Hotel begin at $220 per night for a couple. For reservations, call 1-800-33-Grand.

7. "North by Northwest" (1959)
Amtrak Trip

Most people would be hard-pressed to name a movie star more dashing or charismatic than Cary Grant. Eva Marie Saint certainly finds more than she bargained for when the fugitive Grant hides out in her train car. And what kickstarts a relationship better than deception and international espionage? A few close calls with death later and one political crisis averted, and they're in love.

Make your own reservations on the Lakeshore Limited train from New York City to Chicago and watch the landscape change from the skyline of Manhattan to the bustle of Michigan Avenue. Bring your own wine to make a meal in the dining car more distinctive. Be sure to secure a sleeping car so that you can stow away for the night with someone special.

Take a trek full of surprises – but stay away from the rogue crop dusters.

The Lakeshore Limited runs daily. Depending on the luxury of your accommodations, a couple can travel for anywhere between $650 to just over $1100. To make reservations, contact Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL.

8. "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1999)
Martinique

In John McTiernan's 1999 remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair," the screen sizzles when Pierce Brosnan's sophisticated and devilish art thief meets Rene Russo as a beautiful, determined investigator. While sexy scenes abound in the film, from Russo's attire at black tie gala to a memorable evening spent on Brosnan's staircase, it is the duo's lusty romp in Martinique that makes even the coldest heart long for an isolated island getaway.

You can recreate both the literal and figurative heat of their sultry vacation with a trip to the sparsely populated Caribbean nation of Martinique. Rent a house on the beach and dare to sunbathe as scantily clad as possible. Whisper sweet nothings in French – after all, it is the official language there. Stay in and cook meals that you have to eat with your fingers, starting with conch fritters and stuffed crab and moving on to langouste (native lobsters that don't have claws).

Just try not to destroy any priceless works of art in the process.

While it isn't possible to rent the home pictured in "The Thomas Crown Affair," there are plenty of other options for a stay in Martinique. Click here to look at hotels or apartments that are available to guests. If you have a few thousand dollars to spare, consider renting your own private island home like the one featured here.

9. "An Affair to Remember" (1957) and "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993)
The Empire State Building, New York City

This theme is so compelling, it gets told again and again and again. First, there was 1939's "Love Affair." Then there was "An Affair to Remember." In the '90s, Warren Beatty and Annette Bening gave it another shot as "Love Affair." But truth be told, it's the 1957 version that cemented Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr as romantic icons and still makes every list of cherished love stories. When "Sleepless in Seattle" debuted in 1993, there was no doubt that scores of women had spent most of their lives hoping to find true love at the top of the Empire State Building.

Spend Valentine's Day (or any day for that matter) looking out over New York City with the one you love. Whether you meet on the observation deck or ride up together, you'll be taking the path of some of Hollywood's quintessential lovers.

For one day, feel like you're both on top of the world.

The Empire State Building is certainly aware of its romantic appeal. Couples have been married on the observation deck, and visitor hours are extended until 2:00 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from the holidays through the end of February for the love struck. Otherwise, the Empire State Building is open every day of the year from 8:00 a.m. to midnight. (The last elevator departs the lobby at 11:15 p.m.) Admission is $15.

10. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969)
Piz Gloria

No iconic figure has played a greater role in the imaginations of this generation than James Bond, the fictional character created by Ian Fleming and popularized when President John Kennedy revealed he was a devotee of Fleming's espionage book series. When the first Bond movie, "Dr. No," was released in 1962, teenagers across the nation rushed to the movie theaters to enter a fantasy world played out by Sean Connery and his bevy of beauties and classic bad guys. Now 45 years later, this generation continues to play a large role in supporting the multi-billion dollar franchise.

"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was the only time George Lazenby played Secret Agent James Bond and the only time Bond took a wife. (Trying to fill Connery's shoes proved to be an impossible task for Lazenby.) Lazenby meets his match in Tracy DiVicenzo played by Diana Rigg (of "The Avengers" fame) and falls in love with her. Their passion is intense, and their mutual admiration is total, partly because of Bond's skill in avoiding a sure death encounter (aren't Bond's encounters with villains always life-threatening?) with arch villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld, played by Telly Savalas, and his team of thugs. The mountain skiing scenes alone are so breathtaking as to make the movie worth viewing.

Create your own snow-laden mountain peak adventure with the one you love by boarding a cable car bound for the Swiss peak of Schilthorn in the picturesque village of Murren. You'll be riding the longest aerial cableway in the Alps. (A word of caution: If you're afraid of heights, this isn't a trip for you.) And when you reach the end, you can snuggle by a fire at Piz Gloria, the rotating restaurant used for Draco's lair. Take in the view of the surrounding 200 mountain peaks gloved hand in hand.

And remember, you don't have to fight villains or have a license to kill to ignite your own love story.

The trip to the top of Schilthorn costs 89 Swiss Francs per person round trip. For more information, click here.

Ready for more? Let ReZoom's travel section show you the way. Or, for the homebody - forget the trips and read more about movies on ReZoom'z entertainment channel.