Two south Alabama cities are ranked among the Most Romantic Small Towns in America, as compiled by New York Travel Guides.

Examining factors including the number of romantic places to stay, available romantic activities, historic architecture and history, and the number of romantic restaurants and coffee shops, the study looked at 600 small towns across the U.S., with the top 140 (or 23.3%) making the list.

According to the study’s authors, for each of the four categories, a standardized score was calculated, with a higher score representing a better outcome for romance, which was then used to calculate the overall weighted score for each small town to rank the 600 small towns determine the top 140.

• Romantic places to stay (25%) The score for this category was calculated by determining the number of romantic accommodations in each small town, including stays with a view, luxury hotels, and bed and breakfasts.
• Romantic activities (45%) This score was calculated based on the presence of certain romantic features in each small town, such as spas, horse-drawn carriage rides, horse-drawn sleigh rides, movie theaters, performing arts theaters, art galleries, and ski areas.
• Historic architecture and scenery (15%) This score was determined based on the total number of listings in the National Register of Historic Places and the overall scenery (e.g., mountain views, lake views) of each small town.
• Cozy coffee shops and restaurants (15%) The score for this category was calculated by determining the number of coffee shops with a high review score and the number of fine-dining restaurants in each small town.

Once the numbers were crunches, Fairhope and Orange Beach both made the final cut, with Fairhope ranking 105th on the list and Orange Bech coming in at #131. Fairhope’s inclusion on the list seems appropriate, given the city is the setting for the Hulu series “Love In Fairhope.”

Fairhope ranked somewhat low in the “romantic places to stay category” with only three, but a bit higher for romantic activities at 6. Fairhope’s historic architecture and scenery garnered a score of 56.6 and the study found 13 cozy restaurants and coffee shops.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given it’s a beachside community, Orange Beach scored much higher for number of romantic places to stay with eight, but slightly lower in the number of romantic activities with five. The city’s historical architecture and scenery rated a 43.0 score, while there were 12 cozy coffee shops and restaurants.

A nearby city on the Mississippi coast also made the list, with Ocean Springs, Miss., the final city to make the cut at #140.

The coast community’s strong suit was its historical architecture and scenery, coming in ahead of both Alabama cities with a score of 59.9. Like Fairhope, Ocean Springs only had three places the study deemed romantic, with five romantic activities and 10 cozy restaurants and coffee shops.