If you’re fortunate enough to be able to get away with your significant other, you may wonder how to plan a successful last minute romantic getaway.  Whether it’s a surprise for the other person or just a fortunate situation you find yourself in, you do need to make some plans in advance for everything to happen smoothly and for your vacation to be a success.

Here are some basic tips to make that last minute romantic getaway run smoothly and be as relaxing and refreshing as possible.

One thing you should consider doing it taking the few minutes you need to make a list of everything that should be packed for your last minute romantic getaway.  Consider these few minutes to be an investment in the success of your vacation.  Keep the list handy and check things off as they get packed - bathing suit, sun block, shampoo, and so on.

Add to it as you think of things even if you toss them in your suitcase right as this will keep you from wondering if you really did pack it.  Remember too that you don’t have as much time to shop for things you need for your last minute romantic getaway so you might need to make do with what you have.  Rather than running to the store for travel sized items, just seal tightly your shampoo and other bath items and put them in large plastic bags.  You might want to keep all your “wet” items in a separate suitcase or overnight bag to ensure that nothing leaks onto your other items.

If you’re flying you may even need to forego these things altogether as airlines are cracking down on the amount of liquid items you can carry with you.  So just pack the essentials for your last minute romantic getaway and leave at home all those unnecessary personal care items that you can do without for a few days or a week.

Keeping things simple is also something to consider for packing everything else for your last minute romantic getaway.  If you’re going someplace elegant, pack clothes you can wear with one pair of dressy shoes so you don’t need endless accessories.  If you’re staying at a beach or lakefront resort, you can dress very casually so forget about packing dressy clothes at all!  Drop the “just in case” attitude and keep your packing for your last minute romantic getaway to a bare minimum.

One common mistake that many make with a last minute romantic getaway is to be so rushed and hurried that they’re exhausted and in no mood for romance once they get there.  Be sure to take some time when you arrive to relax for a few minutes or a few hours.  Spend the first night being very low-key rather than running right to the beach or casino or any other attraction.  You need to make sure your last minute romantic getaway is a restful and relaxing one!