Valentines Day is this weekend and the best way to celebrate with your special something is with a fun date idea. It doesn’t have to be perfect and it doesn’t have to be expensive. All you need is a little inspiration and excitement and you’re in for an unforgettable time!
1. Picnic for two
Whether it’s at a park, on the beach, in your own backyard or by the fire inside, a picnic is a fun way to switch up the classic Valentines romantic dinner for two. Consider a theme for your picnic to make it even more perfectly personal like Harry Potter inspired snacks – butter beer and treacle tart anyone?
2. Bust a move
Take a dance class together. Learning the tango while getting tangled up in one another will be romantic, fun and useful. Not into the lessons? Find a bar with a dance floor and just boogie free style.
3. Visit a museum
Feed the romantic fire by feeding your cultural side at a museum. From art to science to surf, there are dozens of different museums you and your beau can check out on Valentines day. Take a look at the 40 museums in Orange County, we bet there’s something that will peak your attention.
4. Get local
Your big date doesn’t have to be Valentines themed, you just want it to be a fun new experience. And new experiences can be just around the corner at home, you just have to know where to look.
This weekend the Queen Mary in Long Beach is hosting the Scotsfestival & Highland Games. There will be whisky tastings, dancing, athletics, activities, beer samplings and tons of fun. Forget the candies and flowers – bring on the Scotts!
Or check out the Downtown Anaheim Art Crawl in Orange County. This local event will include outdoor art displays, food trucks, performers and yes some Valentines decorations.
Check out other February events in LA and Orange County for more date night ideas throughout the month.
5. Recreate your first date
Sometimes the best new thing to do is relive a classic. Recreate your first date for Valentines day whether that means going back to that first restaurant where you ate, visiting the school yard where you met or renting that movie you first saw in theaters together.
6. Wine tasting
There are tons of places to do wine tasting like South Coast Winery in Costa Mesa, San Antonio Winery in downtown Los Angeles or any one of the dozens of wineries in Temecula. Wine tasting is fun, romantic and of course delicious!
7. Take a spontaneous trip
Write down destination suggestions you drive to in just a few hours, put them in a hat, pick one and go! An impromptu road trip to someplace new is spontaneous, romantic and easy. Don’t forget the find a good playlist and grab some snacks for the road.
8. Stargaze
Lay under the stars at the park with your blanket and boo, go to the planetarium, head out to a campsite and sleep under the stars, or stick glow in the dark star to your ceiling. No matter how you do it, stargazing is what lovers are meant to do.
9. Make a fort
Build a fort at home old school style with broomsticks, boxes, sheets and whatever else you can find. Whether you’re playing scrabble in the tent or simply whispering sweet nothings to each other, your inner child will have be having fun. No one’s allowed in unless they have the password – and only share it with your Valentine!
10. Cook dinner together
Instead of making dinner for your date, why not cook together? Pick something new or try to recreate your favorite restaurant dish. Making something together is a great bonding experience and a good excuse to skip the wait at a crowded restaurant.
11. Go to the aquarium
You can head out to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach or a smaller facility like ExplorOcean in Newport Beach. Relive the wonder of your childhood, have fun with the interactive exhibits and fawn over the adorable sea creatures together.
12. Create your own scavenger hunt
Whether it’s a hidden trail of clues or a list of tasks to complete, put your date to the test. Don’t forget to make it a photo scavenger hunt; you’ll need photographic evidence to prove your date finds it all.
13. Take a hike
Stretch your legs, explore, and get some fresh air when you take a hike with your Valentine. Get your blood pumping a bit and work up an appetite for all those chocolates waiting for you later.
Other fun outdoor activities to try are paddle boarding, indoor rock-climbing, ice-skating, roller-skating, or kayaking.
14. Game night!
Your favorite games plus a healthy dose of competition equals the best Valentines night in. Great games for couples include Battleship, Jenga, checkers, chess, Connect Four or Scrabble.
15. Get your fortunes told
Whether or not you believe in it all, a palm or tarot card reader is a fun excuse to talk more about the two of you. No need to take it seriously but if there’s love in your future, this will make a great story for the grandkids!
What’s the best valentines date you’ve ever had? Leave a comment and share the love – and fun ideas!
