Anniversary getaway ideas match romantic trips to each milestone year

1. Paper

AAA’s July 23, 2025 Trip Canvas guide, written by Katie Broome and reviewed by Sherry Mims, was built with input from professional hotel inspectors who evaluate 58,000 lodgings and restaurants each year across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. For a first anniversary, St. Elmo Hotel in Ouray, Colorado, is the right kind of literal, with ornate wallpaper, Victorian décor, easy access to hiking and jeep tours, and rates from $256.

2. Cotton

Savannah is still the cleanest cotton-year answer, and East Bay Inn makes the symbolism obvious because it is a restored 1852 cotton warehouse with exposed brick and lofty ceilings. Rooms start at $149 a night, which keeps the second-year trip charming instead of overbuilt.

3. Leather

Leather wants something tailored and a little rugged, so Hotel Jackson in Jackson, Wyoming, is a strong third-year pick. Expedia shows rates from $1,202, which is a real splurge but exactly the point when you want the anniversary to feel upgraded.

4. Flowers or fruit

Charleston handles flowers or fruit beautifully because the city already feels soft, pretty, and made for long dinners. Romantic hotels start at $196, which makes this a good fit for couples who want a more elegant, less frantic anniversary weekend.

5. Wood

Wood year belongs in Asheville, where a mountain lodge like Grand Bohemian makes the whole trip feel carved and cozy. Boutique-hotel rates start around $322 on select nights, a fair price for a fifth anniversary that should feel grounded and slightly indulgent.

6. Candy

New Orleans is the candy anniversary that makes the most sense, because the city does sweet without getting saccharine. Hotels start at $69, which leaves plenty of room for pralines, beignets, and a very late night.

7. Copper

Copper belongs in Santa Fe, where the desert light and low-slung architecture already read warm and burnished. Romantic stays start at $293, a good number for a seventh anniversary that should feel polished but not stiff.

8. Pottery or bronze

Pottery year wants a craft-heavy destination, and Asheville delivers that with an easy, artistic mountain mood. Boutique rates start around $322, which suits a couple ready for something handmade-looking without actually being handmade.

9. Willow or pottery

Portland, Maine, is the clever ninth-year pick, with couples’ stays starting at $85 and a harbor-town feel that leans cozy rather than flashy. It is the kind of anniversary that works best with coffee, bookstores, and one very good dinner.

10. Tin or aluminum

Chicago fits tin or aluminum because the whole city has a crisp, architectural edge. Expedia’s rates start at $66, and the skyline, museums, and theater scene make that an easy trade.

11. Steel

New York turns steel into romance, which is the trick of a strong anniversary trip. Hotel rates start at $95, so you can keep the room practical and let the city do the heavy lifting.

12. Silk or linen

Charleston is the right silk-or-linen year again, because the city knows how to look composed without being formal. At $196 and up for couples’ stays, it is an easy choice for a polished, soft-edged getaway.

13. Lace

San Diego gives lace a lighter, breezier read, with romantic hotels starting at $98. This is the year for ocean air, simple packing, and a trip that feels delicate without being fussy.

14. Gold jewelry

Gold jewelry should feel a little glamorous, so New York is the obvious move. Expedia has New York romantic vacation packages starting at $427 per person, which makes this a strong year for couples who want the trip to feel like a dressed-up present.

15. Crystal

Hotel Jackson works again for crystal because it has that clear, polished, mountain-luxury energy. Rates from $1,202 make it the sort of 15th-anniversary trip that should feel more like a statement piece than an errand.

16. Wax or silverware

New Orleans is the best wax-or-silverware city because the real gift here is a candlelit meal that runs late. With rooms from $69, it is easy to put the budget where it belongs, on dinner and a second dessert.

17. Furniture

Savannah’s East Bay Inn is still the cleanest furniture-year choice, thanks to its historic setting and period feel. Rates from $149 make this an anniversary that feels collected and thoughtful without becoming expensive.

18. Porcelain

Porcelain wants something elegant but livable, and Charleston’s hotel scene starts at $196 for exactly that reason. It is a good year for couples who care about the room, the table, and the long walk back after dinner.

19. Bronze

Bronze year has Asheville written all over it, with its warm, crafted feel and boutique stays starting around $322. It is the kind of trip that says you have moved past the basics and know what you like.

20. China

China is a polished New York year, where the city can handle formal symbolism without getting precious. With hotels from $95, it is easy to make this one about the restaurant, the show, and the skyline.

21. Fire

Santa Fe is the fire-year pick because the city already feels like it glows from within. Romantic stays start at $293, and that is about right for a year that should feel warm and a little dramatic.

22. Water

Key West is the obvious water-year getaway, with romantic hotels from $123. It is the kind of anniversary that should feel blue, breezy, and just off the map enough to count as a reset.

23. Air

Asheville works for air because the mountain setting gives the whole trip a clearer, lighter mood. Boutique hotels start around $322, which is fair for a year that should feel restorative rather than hectic.

24. Stone

Ouray, Colorado, gives stone year the right geology, with a canyon setting below the San Juan Mountains and St. Elmo Hotel rates from $256. It is the anniversary for couples who want the landscape to do part of the celebrating.

25. Silver

Hallmark traces silver and gold to the Germanic region of Middle Europe, says Emily Post published the first known list in 1922 and expanded it in 1957, and notes that the 60th diamond anniversary was added after Queen Victoria’s 1897 Diamond Jubilee while the 75th remains the original diamond anniversary. A polished New York stay from $95 fits the milestone, and it suits a year where the tradition itself matters.

26. Art

Charleston’s art-hotel scene makes this one easy, especially if you want the anniversary to feel curated instead of just booked. Couples’ stays start at $196, which leaves room for galleries and a proper dinner.

27. Music

Nashville is the music anniversary, full stop. Romantic hotels start from $220, and this is the year to plan the room around the show, not the other way around.

28. Linens

Charleston is still a strong linens pick because the city does soft, tailored, and easygoing so well. At $196 and up, it gives the year an unforced sense of calm.

29. Tools

Chicago fits tools because it rewards a practical, well-built itinerary. Hotel rates start at $66, which is the right budget for a trip that leans on museums, architecture, and a solid room.

30. Pearls

Pearls want water, so Key West is the cleanest 30th-year answer. With hotel rates from $123, it is a smart coast-forward trip for couples who want the milestone to feel bright and a little glamorous.

31. Travel

This is the year to stop pretending the trip is only the wrapper and make it the present itself, because Hallmark gives travel the 31st-year theme. AAA’s Trip Canvas helps with hand-picked hotels, restaurant suggestions, expert travel advice, and TripTik planning tools, and Expedia’s New York packages have surfaced from $427 per person if you want a city version of the idea.

32. Bronze

Bronze can circle back to Asheville, where the warm, crafted feel is easy to match with a good boutique hotel. Rates start around $322, which suits a couple that wants the trip to feel settled and stylish.

33. Iron

Chicago is iron with a little more grit, which is exactly why it works. Hotel rates from $66 make it a smart city break for couples who like structure, museums, and a strong skyline.

34. Food

New Orleans is the food anniversary, and it is hard to argue with that. Hotels start from $69, so the serious spending can go where it should, on the meal plan.

35. Coral

Miami is the coral-year answer because the color, the water, and the pace all line up. Romantic hotels start at $146, which is a solid value for a bright, playful anniversary escape.

36. Antiques

Savannah is the antiques year, especially if you want a trip that feels historically dressed without feeling dusty. East Bay Inn starts from $149, and the old-city mood does the rest.

37. Books

Portland, Maine, is the bookish anniversary pick, with couples’ stays from $85 and a harbor-town mood that rewards slow mornings. It is the year for bookstores, coffee, and one long conversation that never quite needs to end.

38. Luck

Key West works for luck because it feels a little like stumbling onto the right weekend by accident. With hotels from $123, it is an easy choice for couples who want the anniversary to feel spontaneous and bright.

39. Laughter

Chicago is the laughter year if you want a city that can do comedy, architecture, and a nightcap without making a big speech about it. Hotel rates from $66 make it easy to keep the tone light and the budget sane.

40. Ruby

Ruby deserves a richer, deeper getaway, and Santa Fe gives you that warm red palette without the stiffness of a formal resort. Romantic stays start at $293, which feels right for a 40th-year trip that should look substantial.

41. Office or desk decor

New York is the natural office-or-desk-decor year because the city is built for couples who like a sleek room and a strong work surface. With hotel rates from $95, this can be a very stylish working weekend if that is your real life.

42. Clocks or watches

Chicago fits clocks or watches because the city is full of precision, movement, and good reasons to keep an eye on time. With hotels from $66, it is a smart pick for couples who want a sharp urban anniversary without overspending.

43. Entertainment

Nashville makes entertainment easy, because the trip can move from live music to dinner to one more show without any effort. Romantic hotels start from $220, which is strong value for a year that should feel like a night out.

44. Electronics

San Diego gives electronics a sleek, modern backdrop, and the romantic-vacation packages surfaced at $439 per person make it easy to justify the upgrade. This is a good year for a polished hotel, a dependable charger, and a weekend that runs smoothly.

45. Sapphire

Honolulu is the sapphire year, plain and simple, because blue water and an easy beach stay do the symbol justice. Expedia lists Honolulu hotels from $129, which makes a milestone that sounds expensive feel refreshingly reachable.

46. Games

San Diego works for games because it is relaxed enough for pool time, board games, and a lazy late dinner. Romantic hotel rates start at $98, so the mood can stay playful without the budget getting serious.

47. Garden or plants

Honolulu is the garden year if you want tropical green instead of a formal bouquet. Hotels start at $129, and the whole trip feels like a living postcard.

48. Home improvement

Asheville is the home-improvement anniversary weekend, because the city has plenty of design-minded stays starting at $81 and enough porch-and-paint inspiration to send you home with actual project ideas. It is the year for couples who like their trips to leave the house a little more ambitious.

49. Copper

Santa Fe closes the loop nicely for copper, because the city already glows in the right shade. Romantic stays start at $293, and the 49th year should feel warm, textured, and confidently lived-in.

50. Gold

Gold is the year to go all in, and The Cooper Charleston Historic District gives you a proper finale with nightly rates from $857. Hallmark says 50th-anniversary cards have been popular since 1991, when World War II couples began reaching the milestone, and it also says the gift cycle runs through 60 years and then starts over.