20 Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day
Some fun activities for spending quality time with your sweetheart…
If you want custom curated gift ideas to go along with these exciting date activities click here.
Sticky Note Scavenger Hunt
This is a fun a way to write love notes and keep each other entertained. Whether the scavenger hunt reveals a big gift at the end, dinner plans or just a kiss from your cutie, this activity is sure to get you into the Valentine’s Day spirit.
2. At Home Movie Night
Grab all your favorite movie snacks or order in from a yummy restaurant and cozy up with your Valentine. At home movie night is the perfect way to unwind while still making your love feel special. You can even start the night by watching your wedding video or a slideshow of fun memories throughout your relationship. Then switch to a movie you both can agree on (or at least try to!).
Pro tip: Pair your food with the movie you watch to you experience the same cuisine as the characters on screen! It keeps the movie interactive and you can plan a full menu from wine to dessert.
3. Recreate Your First Date
Use Valentine’s Day as a unique opportunity to relive the first time you went out together. If you no longer live near the spots you visited - either replicate the meal at home or go to places in your new town that have similar activities (like a movie theater, bowling alley, beer garden, etc based on what you did the first time).
4. Rock, Paper, Scissors for Your Dinner.
I know, I know. This sounds weird. But it can be a fun way to avoid the whole “what should we have for dinner” debate. You and your partner will do Rock, Paper, Scissors to see who decides on drinks, appetizers, main course and dessert. If you have kids they can get in on the action as well! There are two ways to play this game:
Version 1: Restaurant hopping. In this game you hop in the car and do rock, paper, scissors for each round of the meal. Whoever wins each round gets to choose where to go. So for drinks the winner might choose a favorite bar or place to grab sodas. Then whoever wins the appetizer round will choose what restaurant to go to next. This continues for each subsequent round with the main meal and dessert. You can also play this at the mall and walk to different restaurants or food stands.
Version 2: Grocery store picks. In this version of the game you still will play rock, paper, scissors for each course - but you’ll pick it up from the same grocery store and then go home to cook it all up. Most people choose stores like Trader Joe’s or Publix that have a lot of pre-made foods and selections. This rendition is definitely more budget friendly and you can get really creative!
5. Virtual Cooking Class
Want to stay cozy during the cold weather but craving a gourmet meal? Sign up for a virutal cooking class for you and your partner to enjoy on Valentine’s Day night. You typically get a list beforehand with all the ingredients you’ll need and then the instructor will guide you via zoom on how to assemble the meal. They often will include tips on best cooking techniques and culinary history. This is also a good idea for couple who are doing long distance. You’ll create the meal virtually in the class and then sign into your own zoom or facetime to eat together. Check out classes via Sur La Table, Eataly, and Cozy Meal.
6. Game Night
If you want to keep Valentine’s Day low-key without screens, you can have a game night! Each partner brings a game to the evening (new or an old favorite) and you’ll play one round of each. Add in some candles, jazz music and pizza - you’ve got the perfect casual date night. You can even turn this into a group date if you want to play games that involve more than 2 people. Whether you add in your kids or your best couple friends, you’re sure to have a great time!
7. Wine or Beer Tasting
It’s easy to dress this idea up or down. Go all out and take a trip to Napa or your local wine growing region. Or head into town to your favorite wine bar or beer garden. You can even hit the grocery store and select a few different beverages that pique your interest and try them at home. Not into the hard stuff? Have a mocktail making competition. The possibilities are endless.
8. Letter Writing Session
Instead of preparing your card before the date, make a letter writing station out of your coffee table. Grab snacks, drinks, colored markers and paper. You and your partner can spend time writing love letters to each other and then read them aloud. Or write 12 mini letters - one for each month until the next Valentine’s Day. That way there’s a fun love note to open each month of the year.
9. Flower Arranging
Tap into your inner florist and make bouquets at home! There’s tons of flower arranging videos online or you can sign up for a virtual class. Just grab 5-6 of your favorite flowers at the store (Trader Joe’s has a great selection for a decent price) and then come home and make bouquets for each other. You can involve your kids, buy special vases for each family member, and even give little mini bouquets to your neighbors or friends.
10. Shopping Challenge Date
This is an internet trend but it’s a nice way to show your partner how well you know them and to get their gifts all rolled into a date night.
Here’s how it goes - as a couple, head to your favorite store like Target, Walmart, Costco, Nordstrom, Dollar Tree, whatever floats your boat. Then you set a spending limit (between $25-150 is the range per person based on your own budget). Next set a 20 minute timer and split up! Here’s what you’ll be buying for your partner:
Favorite drink
Favorite snack
Something they need
Something that has their favorite color on it
Something that makes you think of them
Of course if you want to change up the categories you totally can. Then once the timer is up you both check out and head home with your secret shopping haul. Finally you’ll sit across from each other and reveal your selections category by category. It’s so exciting to see what they pick out for you and all your gift shopping is done on actual date night - no prep required!
11. Paint & Sip
These paint and sip classes are a great way to get out and be creative together. Sip your preferred beverage while learning how to paint a picture step by step. For added fun, sit across from each other and reveal at the end! They host them at local art studios all over the country - just search for one in your town. Groupon usually has great deals for these types of outings. You could also grab all the supplies at Michael’s and do a version at home.
12. Couples Yoga
A great way to reconnect with your partner and unwind from a long week. Couple’s yoga helps you get out of your head and into your body with the added bonus of stretching alongside your loved one. If your local gym or yoga studios don’t offer classes around Valentine’s Day there are many virtual yoga sessions to use on YouTube or other fitness apps.
13. Sunset Picnic
This idea is probably best for people who live in warmer climates but if you don’t mind bundling up you could even do this in the snow. Grab a blanket, some charcuterie and a beverage (probably a warm one!) and go to your favorite lookout, beach, or park to enjoy some quality time outdoors admiring the sunset and each other.
14. Spa Night at Home
Relax and rejuvenate with your love bug doing at-home spa night. Run a bath for two and make it special with candles, rose petals, and scented bath bombs from Lush. You can incorporate new robes and slippers as Valentine’s gifts. Or add face masks and lotions. Whatever makes it special and fun for you!
15. Bake Together
Whether you make chocolate chip cookies, a heart shaped cake, or mini molten lava cakes - baking together is a good way to stay warm and do something sweet! From working as a team mixing the ingredients to spending quality time hanging out while it’s in the oven - you’re sure to have a good time. Plus you don’t have to wait at a crowded restaurant for your special treat. Bonus points if you turn it into a baking competition to see who can make a better dessert.
16. Hot Sauce Challenge
The show “Hot Ones” interviews guests as they do a taste test of hot sauces that increase in spice as you go. Put it on top of chicken wings or vegan nuggets. You and your partner could ask each other questions about favorite memories from your relationship or hopes/goals for the future while testing how much heat you can handle. World Market sells the official Hot Ones sauces or you can grab whatever looks yummy at the store. Spicy not your thing? Try it with sour candy instead! You can range from sour gummy worms all the way up to war heads.
17. Color Me Mine
Color Me Mine is a pottery store chain across the US that allows you to pick out pre-made pottery pieces and decorate them to your liking. Take your Valentine to paint pottery for some quality time while creating your gifts for each other. Or maybe you work on a project together to put in your home. It’s a nice way to spend an evening, especially if the weather is chilly where you live.
18. Couples Massage
Rather than do a spa night at home - head over to an actual spa where you can relax and have professional massage therapists take the wheel. Many times local hotels have couples spa packages or deals for Valentine’s Day. You can also indulge in their amenities like the steam room, sauna, cold plunge and hot tub.
19. Hiking Date
If you and your love like to spend time in the great outdoors then make it your mission to go on a Valentine’s Day hike. Whether you strap on snow shoes or walk along the ocean, you’re sure to have a nice time in nature with your partner. To make it even more exciting create “hiking bingo cards” using Canva to carry on your walk - then cross-off the items as you go. If you get bingo first - you choose where to eat dinner!
20. Staycation or Mini Getaway
This may seem like an obvious choice but sometimes a classic getaway is just what you need to reconnect and celebrate your love. Plus you can add in most of the activities mentioned above to your getaway weekend for added fun! The best part of taking mini trips with your loved one is exploring new or favorite places together and carving out quality time to be together.
