world, Valentine getaways this year are as varied as the colours and sayings of those little candy hearts that came with our first puppy love.

In New York City, at least 55 couples will be high. They will tie the knot in a 24-hour marriage marathon at the Top of the World Trade Center Observatories in lower Manhattan, the highest point in the city. Visitors are invited to watch the ceremonies which run from 12:01 a.m. on February 14 to 11:59 p.m.

At the Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in South Florida, a romantic escape package promises "playful lovers will find plenty to seduce their senses,'' including bathtubs built for two. For $1,750 per couple for two nights and three days, it includes spa treatments, golf and an epicurean dinner, "a four-course wooing of the senses that combines such aphrodisiacs as caviar, lobster and oysters to help pique amorous desire.'' Kennebunkport, Maine, is celebrating "February for Lovers'' with hayrides around the village and sleigh rides through the countryside each weekend of the month. Many local inns are open to the public for afternoon tea.

Carol and Lindsay Copeland's Maine Stay Inn & Cottages, which has participated in the town's love campaign for a decade, is offering a three-day Romantic Getaway Package for Valentine's weekend that includes lodging, breakfast, tea and sweets, flowers and candy in each room and a welcoming gift. Prices range from $329 to $529 per couple, depending upon the accommodations.

"Our decor is Victorian,'' Copeland says. "It brings back the era of romance.'' The Rendezvous resort on St. Lucia in the Caribbean is exclusively for couples all year long, but Valentine's Day brings some special touches: perfume for the day's brides and grooms and champagne and Valentine T-shirts, all included in the $380 per couple per day. Three meals daily, afternoon tea, bar drinks and live entertainment also are included.

In the Florida Panhandle there will be a different type of coastal romantic getaway aboard the Captiva, an 80-foot yacht that becomes a bed and breakfast on water for its guests. The yacht remains docked and visitors can spend the day in town or relaxing on deck.

Honeymooners or those on a romantic holiday frequently choose the Captiva, says Capt. Steve Carr.

"We recently had a young man propose to his girlfriend,'' Carr said. "The romance connection has worked.'' One master cabin is available for the privacy of its guests, with smaller cabins available for those in the guest's party. A deposit of $190 is required and the price for one or two nights is $190 per couple per night.

Want to head for the hills, get close to nature? Then try the Earthshine Mountain Lodge in North Carolina.

There will be the traditional roses for women, dancing in the evenings, candlelight dinners -- and cookouts to entertain the children. Barnyard treks, horseback ring rides, campfires, folk dancing, nature hikes and other activities are included.

"I think for people who really like the outdoors and outdoor adventures it's great,'' said Peggy Browning, the lodge's office manager. "Everything is available on the property.'' The rates, including a room and meals, are $130 per adult per night based on double occupancy. Earthshine offers a 20 percent winter discount on that standard price.

For a more mountainous adventure, Cap a l'Aigle, Quebec, is the place.

Valentine is the month-long theme at the Relais & Chateaux, La Pinsonniere.

This chateau, a dogsled-ride away from UNESCO's World Biosphere Reserve, is surrounded by a beautiful cedar forest.

A two-night package is available throughout February for $152 per couple per night. Full breakfast, a candlelight five-course dinner and an hour-long massage are included.

For those who want to bask in warm sun, there's St. Thomas' heart-shaped Magens Bay, but any of the US Virgin Islands -- St. Croix, St. John and St.

Thomas -- also make perfect romantic getaways.

There are places like Cinnamon Reef, a small and intimate resort on the uncrowded island of Anguilla in the British West Indies. It's hidden away on a protected bay at the end of a private drive, as one promo says, "where fragrant, mild winds beckon you to explore the beautiful gardens, filled to overflowing with flowers unlike any you have seen at home. Aromas of exquisitely prepared native fruits and seafood linger in the air, luring you to partake in a meal that will be an absolute delight.'' Romance also calls from the West Coast wine country. The Victorian Garden Inn in Sonoma, Calif., is nestled in an acre of gardens just a block away from the Sebastiani Winery.

Prices range from $95 to $175 per couple and include accommodations and a full breakfast.

There are no specials planned for Valentines' Day, "but the place is romantic anyway,'' said owner Donna Lewis. "For Valentine's weekend, we'll be full.'' For those who wish to offer a belated-Valentine trip on the water, there is the B&V Waterways' barge cruise through the Burgundy region of France.

Cruises depart March 6 and March 13 with a preseason price of $1,990 per person. That includes round trip air fare between New York and Paris, an overnight stay at a Paris hotel, a half-day cruise on the Seine, the seven-day barge cruise, gourmet meals and more.

Another luxurious French stay entirely on land is at the Hotel de Crillon, just minutes from one of Paris' most elegant shopping districts. The Crillon winter package includes a private car from the airport to the hotel, a continental breakfast and a gift to help gain access to fashion events and museums. Accommodation prices at the Louis XV-style hotel range from $625 to $884 per couple per night.

Valentine Getaways Tips IF YOU GO ... TURNBERRY ISLE RESORT & CLUB: Ventura, Fla. A three-day Valentine's weekend package costs $1,750 per couple, including spa treatments and golf. Reservations: 305-932-6200 or 800-327-7028.

MAINE STAY INN & COTTAGES: Kennebunkport, Maine. Three-day Valentine's Weekend packages range from $329 to $529 per couple and Romantic Getaway two-night packages range from $229 to $369 per couple. Prices are for the entire stay; they are not per night. Reservations: 880-950-2117. CAPTIVA bed and breakfast yacht: Travelling. February to April 1999 in the Florida Panhandle. Deposit of $190 required. The first and second night are $190 per night per couple; additional nights are $160 per night per couple. For an additional couple or child, the price is $75 extra per night. Reservations: 880-656-8876. B&V WATERWAYS barge cruise: Burgundy, France. Departures March 6 and March 13, 1999. Pre-season special of $1,990 per person. Reservations: 880-546-4777.

HOTEL DE CRILLON: Paris. The Crillon Winter package is offered until the end of March. Prices range from FF 3500 ($625) per couple to FF 4950 ($884) per couple. A three-course dinner may be delivered to the guest's room for an extra FF 950 ($169) per person. Reservations: 880-888-4747. EARTHSHINE MOUNTAIN LODGE: Lake Toxaway, N.C. Prices are $130 per night for adults, $70 per night for children 6-15 and $40 per night for children under 6. Prices are per person and based on double occupancy. The winter discount is 20 percent off these standard prices. Reservations: 828-862-4207, LA PINSONNIERE: Cap a l'Aigle, Quebec. Two-night package available throughout the month of February for $236 Canadian dollars ($152) per couple per night. Reservations: 800-735-2478. TRIPLE CREEK RANCH: Darby, Montana. Romantic Getaway package prices range from $510-$995. The price is per couple per night. Reservations: 880-735-2478. RENDEZVOUS: Castries, St. Lucia. Valentine's Day rates begin at $380 per couple per day; regular rates are $340 to $485 per couple per day.

Reservations: 880-544-2883. VICTORIAN GARDEN INN: Sonoma, Calif. Prices year-round range from $95 per couple to $175 per couple. Reservations: 880-543-5339.