30 Valentines Date Ideas You Haven’t Thought Of

Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate the people we love! Take a look through these 30 Valentines date ideas and try one of them with your valentine this year.

There’s so much pressure on Valentine’s Day for couples to just crush it at creating a perfect date. In reality, February 14th is just like any other day.

But it is fun to celebrate the people that we love most, and to have an excuse to spend time together. So if you’re searching for creative Valentines date ideas you haven’t thought of, here are 30 great ideas.

Each of these is something that Ryan and I have done in the past and I can personally recommend. We hope they help you have a wonderful day celebrating your valentine. xoxo

Romantic Valentine Date Ideas

Recreate a Memorable (or First!) Date. Return to a place or recreate an experience that you both love and remember fondly. Experiencing it again later in your relationship is a fun way to connect to that memory.

Send Each Other on Scavenger Hunt. We did this (here’s exactly how!) and it was such a blast to hunt for clues.

Get Fancy. No matter where you’re going, make it special by agreeing to get into your fanciest outfits and look extra sharp.

Take a Cooking Class. There’s something about cooking together that’s extra fun, especially if someone else has provided the ingredients and is doing the cleaning up afterwards!

Choose for Each Other. Agree ahead of time — one of you will pick a place for dinner, and the other will choose a place for dessert. Let the person who chose the restaurant do the ordering for both of you.

Start a Tradition. We have a tradition at Christmas, instead of exchanging gifts, of going to a concert together. It’s one of my favorite things all year. Talk about the types of traditions that you could create for Valentine’s Day.

Support Your Community. Look for places to support in your local community — restaurants, bars, theaters, open mics, bookstores, and more. Make a day of trying a whole bunch of them.

Start a Journal. When Ryan and I were long-distance because I was on tour, we started a couple’s journal like this one. Each time we would see each other we would trade the journal back and forth, filling it in bit by bit. I still treasure that book.

Celebrate as a Family. If you have kids, it can be really lovely to include them in the celebration! Have a Valentine’s Day breakfast or brunch together.

Go to a Museum. Look around locally for a cool museum to go to! There are great permanent or pop-up exhibits that make a perfect and romantic Valentines day date.

Valentine’s Day Date Ideas for Staying Home

Take an Online Cooking Class. Can’t get out? Take a class at home! There are even classes that send you ingredients ahead of time to avoid grocery shopping for hard-to-find items.

Make an At-Home Spa Day. Show your partner the beauty of a laid-back spa day. Think facial steamers, long baths with aromatherapy, buffed nails, and more.

Attend a Virtual Concert. In the height of quarantine, Ryan and I had an at-home date watching Ingrid Michaelson’s virtual concert and it is still one of my favorite memories! Bonus? You can wear your jammies.

Marathon Your Favorite Show. Sometimes this is all the romance you need!

Have a Takeout Tasting (with Scorecards). I love this idea! Order dishes from a bunch of local spots you’ve been wanting to try and have a tasting! Make a scorecard with categories like flavor, texture, appearance, and so on. Have fun judging!

Make Your Backyard Into an Oasis. Set up candles, cozy blankets, great music, and bring a bottle of wine.

Have a Pajama Party. Wear your jammies and put on a favorite movie! Add popcorn, candy, and order a pizza. Sounds like my kind of night!

Play Mixologist. We love trying new cocktails! Grab ingredients to make some amazing cocktails at home. I recommend a Bee’s Knees, this Spicy Lover Margarita, or a Bourbon Apple Cider.

Have a Game Night. If your valentine loves a challenge, get out the board games! You could even team up with friends and have a virtual game night. We love Jackbox virtual games.

Try a Silly Social Media Challenge. I can already imagine you laughing hysterically trying to learn one of those Tik Tok dances!

Fun and Adventurous Valentines Date Ideas

Take a Swing Dance Lesson. We’ve been taking swing lessons for almost a year now and it’s one of my favorite things we do together! Find a local dance school that teaches couples.

Head to the Water. Whether you’re near the ocean, a lake, or even a pool, being near water is always fun! Kayak, paddle board, harbor cruise — whatever floats your boat.

Go For a Hike. Hiking is not only a fun date but a great workout!

Get Some Great Photos. Find an Instagram-worthy spot and take some great photos of each other, and yourselves together. For couples who might not often get the chance to take photos, this one can be super fun.

Find a Bike Trail. Hop on your bike! Check online for your bike trails available in your community. Bonus points if you pack a picnic and have some snacks at your destination.

Explore a New Neighborhood. Check out a new neighborhood as you wander together! Some of my best memories with Ryan happened when we didn’t have a destination, and the plan was just to wander.

Catch a Sporting Event. Find a baseball, football, soccer, basketball game and root for the home team!

Make Something Creative Together. If you have a local art school or gallery that teaches art classes, give them a go! Pottery classes can be particularly cool.

Find an Arcade. Channel your inner teen and go to the arcade! Race the gokarts, hit the batting cages, and try to win as many tickets as you can.

Have a Progressive Date. Plan your date so that each portion of the evening is in a different place! Have drinks at great bar, appetizers at a fun restaurant, main dishes at a new location, and finish with dessert at yet another place.