No matter how long you’ve been together, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day that will have your partner singing your praises till Valentine’s Day next year.
To help you decide, we’ve put together a handy list of the 28 best Valentine’s Day date ideas. From mini-getaways to small events and activities, follow along with Next Luxury as we give you the best ideas for Valentine’s Day 2021.
1. Spend the Night in a Fancy Hotel
Ye Ol’ faithful. Find a hotel, compare room prices, make the booking, and hey presto, you’ve got yourself one hell of a Valentine’s Day/Night. While it may seem a little too easy, you really can’t go wrong with spending a night at a fancy hotel.
Whether you’re a fan of the finer things in life or think it’s about time you pampered yourself, hotels are a fantastic way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your partner. And with the ability to add on a bunch of extras like massages and in-room breakfast (in addition to the hotel pool and spa), you won’t be disappointed.
2. Head to a Museum
Experience something both romantic and enlightening when you head to a museum with your significant other on Valentine’s Day. Highlighting Ancient history, modern history, artwork, sculptures, and installations, museums and galleries offer a wide variety of experiences for you and your partner to enjoy.
From educational events to breathtaking collections, heading to a museum is sure to impress your partner. Even if you don’t have a museum near you, your city is guaranteed to have some historical and cultural sites for you to visit.
3. Take a Pottery Class
If you haven’t watched the classic scene from the 1990 film Ghost starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore, then you’re missing out on one of the most sensual experiences ever. Who knew a pottery wheel could be so sexy, right? Well, you can find out first hand by taking your partner to a pottery class.
You don’t even need to know what you’re doing to enjoy this hands-on activity. Just follow your instructor and you’ll be building both tension and a new vase for the flowers you probably bought. Recreate what many describe as one of the most iconic moments of 90s cinema and take your lover to a pottery class this Valentine’s Day.
4. Watch a Valentine’s Day Movie
But which movie I hear you ask? Well, outside of the titular Valentine’s Day movie and its massive cast of Hollywood stars, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of romantic movies to choose from, thanks to all those streaming services we now have.
You could pop on Love Actually to relieve some of that romantic Christmas magic from last year, or maybe you can dim the lights and marathon the Fifty Shades series. No matter what you choose, a night in with a movie and a bottle of wine (or two) is a fabulously easy way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
5. Plan a Mini-Getaway
If you’re able to spare an entire weekend, then a mini-getaway is a brilliant way to fit in more than one Valentine’s Day activity. If you catch my drift. Always wanted to visit the mountains? Find a cottage and spend the weekend looking at the panoramic views of nature.
Keen on seeing the big city? There are plenty of locations for you and your partner to get lost in each other. If it’s just a visit for the day, then look out for your regional attractions and top it off with dinner out of town. Get away from it all with the one you love this Valentine’s Day.
6. Go Ice Skating
No matter what the temperature is, you’re guaranteed to find a local ice skating rink near you. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to hit up the local lake or park to skate across the frozen waters with your significant other.
If you’re learning for the first time or teaching one another, you’re going to have a good time, even if you do happen to fall over. Pick each other up, share a kiss, and keep on skating. You could even go rollerblading if it’s too hot for ice.
7. Visit Your Local Bookstore
While books are typically a private affair, browsing through hardbacks and softcover novels isn’t. Considering that famous idiom, “never judge a book by its cover,” it’s a far more intimate affair than you would imagine.
Explore the literary world and discover something new about one another in the process. Venture deep into fictional tales, learn new facts and figures in the non-fiction section, and unravel a tapestry of knowledge that will bring you and your partner closer together.
8. Plan a Scavenger Hunt
This one might not be for the faint-hearted, considering the level of preparation that can go into planning a Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt. But if you’re up to the task, we highly recommend it.
First off, you have to set your boundaries, or else your quest may go on forever. Secondly, are you weaving a story through each discovery, or are you placing a different present at each stop? Your answer will help inform the next step.
Thirdly, come up with some witty clues. Ask for help if you need it, and finally, find a way to personalize it. The mark of a good scavenger hunt is originality, as much as it is an expression of your love on Valentine’s Day.
9. Go Stargazing
Making for a terrific stop on your mini-getaway for Valentine’s Day, venturing out of town and into the regional areas of your State to go stargazing can make for a beautiful Valentine’s Day present. Delivering a gift of wonder, you and your loved ones can stare up into the vast unknown, wishing on shooting stars and finding constellations.
Bring a bottle of wine, lay out a picnic rug, and maybe light a few candles. You’ll definitely need to leave the city to go stargazing, or else you’ll be looking at nothing but smog. The further away you are from populated areas, the more stars you can see.
10. Recreate Your First Date
Recreating your first date is a popular one for Valentine’s Day. Conjuring up vivid memories of those first precious moments together when butterflies and sparks fly, nothing quite matches up to love at first sight.
Of course, a first date is never the same for everyone, so it’s not easy to give exact advice on the matter. That being said, the best course of action is to list down all the things you remember from that day and see how many can be recreated. Once that’s done, the rest is up to you.
11. Organise a Picnic
Picnics are easy. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be lavish or romantic. Pick your location, grab a bottle of sparkling wine (or whatever the two of you fancy), prepare some nibbles (or just buy them from the store), and you’ll be in picnic heaven for Valentine’s Day.
You can get really creative with a Valentine’s Day picnic. Light some candles, maybe organize the picnic to match up with the sunset, or try our #9 pick and go stargazing. The only limit is your imagination, lover boy. Oh, and the size of your picnic basket.
12. Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride
Hot air balloon rides are romantic and a whole lot of fun. Take your partner sky-high and enjoy the scenery below when you go for a hot air balloon ride on Valentine’s Day. With most hot air balloons able to reach heights of 3000 ft, you can take in breathtaking views at a leisurely pace as you float softly through the air.
Inside the basket, you’ll usually have enough room for a small table, so why not plan a romantic dinner with a little bit of the bubbly. Just remember to pack something warm. It can get pretty cold at such high altitudes.
13. Sing Karaoke
It doesn’t matter whether you can sing or not; singing karaoke is a glorious time for everyone involved. If it’s a live mic, why not bring a few couples together for a wildly entertaining night. If it’s a more private affair, we recommend putting together a selection of songs that encapsulate your relationship.
Serenade your partner on Valentine’s Day and fill their heart with love. Plus, with a few drinks to loosen up those vocal cords, it won’t matter if you’re Sonny & Cher when you’re singing from your heart in front of a bunch of strangers and the one you love.
14. Catch a Comedy Show
Laughter is the best medicine. Throw a bit of love in there too, and you’ve got yourself one fantastic concoction for Valentine’s Day. Find your local comic shop and check out the local talent. Who knows, you might get lucky and have one of the all-time greats show up.
Improve clubs are another option for comedy on Valentine’s Day; just be prepared for potential audience participation.
15. Take a Virtual Cooking Class Together
You might notice the addition of the word virtual in this Valentine’s Day idea. Well, that’s due to the ongoing pandemic. And while that sucks, it hasn’t stopped chefs from organizing cooking classes for you to take your partner to.
With so many options available on the internet, you can find the perfect meal for you and your significant other to enjoy time and time again. Everything gets hotter in the kitchen, right?
16. Organise a Games Night
We recommend inviting another couple or two over if you plan on organizing a games night. While 1v1 competition is fun and all, the more, the merrier, right? Pull out the board games, get out a deck of cards, and maybe add a couple of rules to raise the stakes.
No matter how you go about it, everyone can enjoy a fun and romantic evening after a few games together.
17. Go for a Bike Ride
Depending on how bike-friendly your local area is, you can probably get away with cycling around town with your partner for Valentine’s Day. But to really maximize the romance, we recommend looking for a scenic route with plenty of sights to see.
If you don’t own a bicycle, you can always rent one. You might even want to consider renting a tandem bike for Valentine’s Day.
18. Get a Couple’s Massage
Who doesn’t love a good massage? We bet your partner deserves one, and we’re pretty confident you want one too.
Treat each other to a relaxing and revitalizing session at the local spa and just unwind for Valentine’s Day. Refresh yourself and your partner with a couple’s massage.
19. Wine and Chocolates at Sunset
You’d be mistaken in thinking this is just another way of saying picnic. There are vast differences between a picnic and enjoying some wine and chocolate while watching a beautiful sunset with your loved one.
Whether you’re dining in at a fancy restaurant overlooking the spectacle with desert, standing on the balcony taking in the vivid colors, or propped up on a park bench with your partner, there are so many ways to enjoy wine and chocolates at sunset on Valentine’s Day.
20. Try an Escape Room
An Escape Room might not spring to mind when you think Valentine’s Day, but when it comes to working together, nothing quite matches the companionship and cooperation that comes from escaping an Escape Room. With plenty of venues available, each with different options, just select your difficulty, maybe bring along a few other couples, and let the escape begin!
21. Visit Your Local Brewery
Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Whether your partner enjoys a pint or two, your local brewery is sure to have some quality drinks on tap for everyone to enjoy. Plus, with plenty of brewers teaming up with local restaurants and food trucks, you can add a delicious meal on top of a round of drinks for you and your boo.
Sure, it’s not exactly a candlelit dinner at a fancy restaurant, but with a casual atmosphere and the option to try new things, why not take your partner to the local brewery for Valentine’s Day in 2021.
22. Take a Cocktail Class Together
Cocktail classes are a great way to build trust and companionship between two people. Through careful combinations of alcohol and decadent ingredients, you can create the ultimate cocktail to symbolize your relationship together.
From mastering an Old Fashioned to preparing a fresh Amaretto Sour, there are plenty of options when it comes to taking a cocktail class together for Valentine’s Day. Here’s hoping you’ll be able to make some yourself afterward because if you can’t, it’s back to the bar for more.
23. Take a Painting Class
It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re the artistic type because creativity brings us all together. Invite your partner along to take a painting class and watch their eyes come to life with their very own masterpiece.
Plus, if you can find one of those painting classes that come with a side of wine, you can hit two birds with one stone this Valentine’s Day.
24. Take an Early Morning Hike and Watch the Sunrise
Depending on your location, this could be an easy option for you and your partner to start your Valentine’s Day off right. If you’re stuck in the city with no hikes to enjoy, then perhaps you could combine it with a mini getaway.
If you have mountains or forests right next door, then go for the most scenic option for optimal romance. Why not try out an early morning hike to watch the sunrise for Valentine’s Day. Just make sure you pick a spot that faces east, or you might have to stay there until sundown.
25. Go Vintage Shopping
Embrace your inner Macklemore and take your partner vintage shopping. Find a bunch of flea-markets, map out your route, and make this Valentine’s Day one to remember.
Whether you’re buying a bunch of ridiculous items or hunting down those top-quality bargains, op-shopping is a brilliant way to get to know your partner. Try on some of your grandpa or grandma’s clothes and relive the fashionable times of a bygone era with your special someone.
26. Take Your Partner Dancing
“It was a teenaged wedding, and the old folks wished them well.” If you truly love your mademoiselle, then it’s time for you, the young monsieur and madame, to say C’est la vie and go dancing. Whether it’s at home dancing to your Spotify or Apple Music collection or out and about at the club getting down to some dirty beats.
Taking your partner dancing has been a go-to Valentine’s Day date idea before VDay was even a thing. Even for those without the talent for dancing, a few lessons could have you waltzing on over to ring the chapel bell.
27. Go Bowling
Who doesn’t love a bit of ten-pin bowling? From early childhood memories to the cult-classic Kingpin starring Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray, bowling is a constant no matter what the occasion is.
If you and your partner love the sound of a quality strike or have plenty of time to Spare, then why not give bowling a red hot go. You can even spend some time in the arcade afterward to win your baby a giant stuffed animal or something cute like that.
28. Listen to Your Favorite Records
While the idea is to drop the needle on a couple of LPs, you can still listen to your favorite records even without the record player. Lay back and listening to the soundtrack of your lives, enjoy every tune and melody with your partner, and reminisce over all those memories you created.
Whether it’s Top 40 pop hits, or classic tracks from the 1990s, listening to your favorite records is a highly underrated Valentine’s Day idea that you should definitely consider in 2021.
The post The 28 Best Valentine’s Day Date Ideas appeared first on Next Luxury.
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