35 Unique Valentine's Day Date Ideas That Go Way Beyond Dinner and a Movie

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Go to Your Local Bookstore

Are you and your partner total bookworms? Us too! Head over to your favorite local bookstore and spend some time picking out a book for your plus one to read.  Might we interest you in a new romance novel? If you do go in that direction, take turns later reading each other your favorite (or cheesiest) passages.

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Watch a Valentine's Day Movie

Pop some popcorn, make some cheesy snacks, light a mood-setting candle, open up a bottle of wine, and watch a Valentine's Day movie while snuggling under a blanket in the comfort of your home.  (Want to make it feel extra special? Decorate your space with a paper heart wreath, an origami bouquet, and a love letter banner.)

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Visit a Rage Room

Going to a rage room might seem like a strange idea to celebrate romance, but it’s actually the perfect way to blow off some steam! If you and your partner have been stressed lately, this gives you an opportunity to let out all of your worries so you can make sure to be relaxed and present when you spend time together. 

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Visit a Rage Room

According to Healthline, smashing things together is a “great way to start a conversation about what’s getting us so worked up in our lives.” It will not only bring you and your lover closer, but it'll also be an energizing and empowering activity that gets you out of your emotional comfort zone.

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Have a Pizza Cooking Competition

Is there a better comfort food than homemade pizza? The answer is easy–no. If you’re planning on having a night-in filled with board games or a movie marathon, spice things up by engaging in a competitive pizza cooking competition.

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Have a Pizza Cooking Competition

Both you and your partner get your own dough and then have creative freedom to add any toppings you want to make the winning pizza. Whether you want to design your pizza off the top of your head or get some inspiration from Simply Recipes or A Couple Cooks, this activity will definitely be adrenaline filled as you both race to be the best.

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Have a Pizza Cooking Competition

Hint: if you want to be clever, mold your dough into a heart-shaped pizza to one-up your partner!

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Go Vintage Shopping

The right vintage thrift shop is like a treasure trove of old goodies waiting to be newly discovered.  Grab your partner and go on a scavenger hunt in your local vintage shop—even if you don't find something to buy, the items might spark conversation, or nostalgia from beloved bygone eras.

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Stream a Virtual Concert

After you finish making a Valentine's Day playlist for each other, take date night to the next level with a local concert. (If your favorite music venue is closed, consider a virtual concert instead: Josh Groban has already announced he'll perform songs from his new album, as well as some classics, during a special livestream concert on Valentine's Day, and it's likely that many other musicians will follow suit.

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Have an At-Home Trivia or Board Game Night

According to Psychology Today, the bond that forms from teamwork releases the brain chemical oxytocin in humans, "which is also linked to experiences of empathy, generosity and orgasm." So, put on your coziest pajamas, grab plenty of snacks, pop a bottle of bubbly, and use an app like HouseParty, which features fun trivia, or JackBox games to recreate that pub feel at home.

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Have an At-Home Trivia or Board Game Night

According to Psychology Today, the bond that forms from teamwork releases the brain chemical oxytocin in humans, "which is also linked to experiences of empathy, generosity and orgasm." So, put on your coziest pajamas, grab plenty of snacks, pop a bottle of bubbly, and use an app like HouseParty, which features fun trivia, or JackBox games to recreate that pub feel at home.

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Have an At-Home Trivia or Board Game Night

It's not just a fun way to pass the time—studies show that having fun together is one of the most important factors when it comes to marital satisfaction.

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Go on a Bike Ride

If the weather allows, take a mini adventure in your own neighborhood or city. You may discover some hidden gems on your new route. Plus, the physical exercise releases endorphins.  Alternatively, you can go to a spin class together, try yoga, or have some fun doing dance cardio.

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Make Chocolate Fondue

What's more romantic than making your own chocolate covered strawberries at home with hot melted fondue?

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Take a Scenic Train Ride

If you get wanderlust looking at all those beautiful travel posts on Instagram, use Valentine's Day as the perfect excuse to take your significant other on a scenic train ride date where you can marvel at the great outdoors.

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Visit Your Local Brewery

Spend the day sampling a selection of local brews at a nearby brewery.  Or, hit up the grocery store's beer aisle and create your own flights at home.

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Take a Virtual Cocktail Class

More likely to order a piña colada than a pilsner? Then you'll raise a glass to this date idea: Craft your own cocktails—with some help from a virtual mixology class. Renowned bartenders Lynnette Marrero and Ryan Chetiyawardana teach the essentials of cocktail making—including how to mix the perfect old-fashioned, whiskey smash, martini, and sherry 

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Take a Virtual Cocktail Class

spritz—in a series of Masterclass courses, while New York City-based mixology company Liquid Lab offers a variety of interactive Zoom classes, in which you can learn how to make everything from their signature (and seasonal) Rudolf Spritz and Jolly Gingersnap to classic tiki drinks and whiskey cocktails.

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Watch a Comedy Show

If the daily grind is interfering with your ability to connect, watch a comedy show, says relationship expert Rori Sassoon. A study in the published in the journal Human Nature found that the very act of laughing together helps people open up. 

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Watch a Comedy Show

Chicago’s legendary improv theater The Second City offers a variety of weekly online shows, Denver's well-known Comedy Works is livestreaming a select number of performances, and Nowhere Comedy Club, which launched shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began, has an impressive lineup of stand-ups nearly every night.

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Watch a Comedy Show

(Of course, you can also skip the live part entirely and stream specials from some of the best comedians on Netflix.

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Whip Up Breakfast in Bed

The ultimate sweet something for your sweet someone? Breakfast in bed—featuring a spread that only includes heart-shaped treats. (We recommend picking up these heart-shaped pans, cookie cutters, and/or mini treat molds.) 

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Whip Up Breakfast in Bed

Think: red velvet pancakes or waffles, breakfast pizza, frosted doughnuts, raspberry streusel muffins, peanut butter cookies, freshly-baked bagels, cheesy egg toast, and just about anything else you can come up with. Oh, and, of course, we'll make an exception for mimosas.

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Have a Dance Party

For a more interactive evening, Mary J. Gibson, a relationship expert for DatingXP, recommends dancing to get your heart rate up. A variety of dance classes are now offered online: Learn how to fox trot, tango, and two step during one of Ballroom Dance Chicago's Zoom lessons; Dancio teaches beginners how to do a plié and pirouette; and CLI studios offers lessons on everything from tap to hip-hop.

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Get a Couples Massage

If you have the time, plan a romantic day to relax and focus on each other, says psychologist and relationship expert Paulette Sherman. Some spas offer a full day fee that includes a massage, as well as access to hot tubs and indoor pools. If that's not in the budget, a cheaper alternative is to fill your bathtub with essential oils, line it with candles, and take a couples bath. Or, give each other a massage.

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Work Out Together

Raise those feel-good endorphins by getting in some outdoor exercise, if weather permits, says Sassoon.

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Have a Cook-Off

If you prefer to stay home, consider a fun and interactive cooking experience instead of ordering takeout. Try a "cook off"—you each make a dish, then fill out score cards to determine whose skills are superior. If you're ambitious, you can even challenge yourselves and make a full course meal. Or, you can bring the show Chopped to life, says Sassoon. 

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Have a Cook-Off

Give each other a mystery basket of ingredients, and see what you can come up with.

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Go on a Hike

Want to step up your Valentine's Day date? Put on your warmest winter coat, lace up your hiking boots, and hit your favorite local trail—or an entirely new one. Either way, you're guaranteed to see some stunning scenery, and you'll have a chance to have a deep, meaningful conversation (start with these thought-provoking questions), without any interruptions or distractions.

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Go on a Hike

And if it's not too chilly, make sure to pack some sandwiches, pasta salad, potato chips, and chocolate chip cookies, so you can stop at a particularly gorgeous overlook and set up a picnic lunch.

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Take a Painting Class

No art skills to speak of? No matter—studies show that when couples do activities, like take a painting class together, their bodies release more oxytocin. You can look for studios like Painting With a Twist or Pinot's Palette in your area, or participate in one of Yaymaker's virtual paint nights.

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Use an App to Stargaze

Put on your warmest gear, bust out a blanket and take some time to admire the universe with the help of the Night Sky app which will actually show you what constellations you're looking at while you wax poetic.

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Plan a Mini Getaway

With Airbnb, you can inexpensively get a place away from home at a moments notice, says Sherman. Book a place with access to activities and amenities you wouldn't otherwise have at home, like, say, a fireplace.

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Visit a Rock Climbing Gym

Activities like rock climbing not only release endorphins, but also require couples to lean on teamwork skills and trust one another, says licensed psychologist Michele Leno, Ph.D.

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Take a Cooking Class

Most major cities (and even some local restaurants) offer cooking classes where you can learn to make anything from pizza to sushi. (For Valentine's Day, we recommend indulging your sweet tooth with a dessert-making class.) But you can also take advantage of the wide variety of online classes, too: Places like Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table , and The Chef & The Dish all offer online options. 

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Take a Cooking Class

Or you could learn how to make chicken and potato curry, greek meatballs aloo paratha, or pillow-soft gnocchi via League of Kitchens, a (now virtual) culinary experience where immigrants teach intimate cooking workshops from their own homes.

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Enjoy Game Day—at Home

You may not be able to root for your favorite sports teams in person—but, luckily, you can have just as much fun watching "the big game" from the comfort of your couch. Just make sure to serve a variety of game day staples (think: fully-loaded nachos, ultra-cheesy fries, and crispy chicken tenders) and cheer just as loudly as you would in person to really recreate the stadium experience.

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Enjoy Game Day—at Home

(Want to get in on the action? Face off against your partner during a round of beer pong, ping-pong, tabletop pool, foosball or air hockey. Competitive activities have two big benefits—they allow you to empower your partner by rooting for them to play their best and they encourage playful competition and banter, says Sassoon.)

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Check Out a Museum

If you default to conversation about the kids or the long to-do list at home, try an activity—like a visit to a local museum—that will spark thoughtful conversation way outside the realm of your day-to-day responsibilities.

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Take a "Trip" to France

You may not be able to take your significant other on a dreamy, once-in-a-lifetime French holiday—but you can pretend you're visiting the City of Love with a French-themed date night. Kick off the evening with a glass of wine (like a Pinot Noir or a Sauvignon Blanc) and a couple hors d'oeuvres.

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Try an Escape Room

Challenges like escape rooms require trust, support, and teamwork, says Dr. Dana Dorfman, PhD, psychotherapist and co-host of the podcast 2 Moms on the Couch. While your local spot may be closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, there are several virtual options that are just as fun as the real deal: Puzzle Break—well-known for its in-person escape rooms—has created an equally tricky virtual challenge, called The Grimm Escape, which takes places in an enchanted forest accessible via Zoom;

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Try an Escape Room

Pennsylvania-based company Expedition Escape! offers Bank Heist, in which you'll be part of a crime syndicate that's on a mission to unlock a safe (just make sure to have a calculator handy); and Mystery Escape Room has five different adventures—from one inspired by Nancy Drew to another based on Sherlock Holmes—all of which come with a live guide and can accommodate groups of four to eight (meaning it's perfect for a double date).

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Go Ice Skating

Try something out of your comfort zone—like ice skating or even sky-diving, if you live in a warmer climate. "Novelty is good for couples," says marriage and family therapist Christine Scott-Hudson.

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Play Old-School Video Games

According to research, couples feel closer and even look happier when they share nostalgic memories—which is exactly why you should dust off your controllers, turn on your vintage video game system, and pop in one of your favorite throwback titles (think: Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, the Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Kart)

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Volunteer

Surprisingly, focusing your attention on others can have a positive impact on your own relationship. Through volunteer work—like painting schools or serving meals at a soup kitchen—you're showing each other that you have compassion and empathy for strangers, says Sassoon. Plus, you'll walk away feeling grateful for the many blessings you share.

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Make a Vision Board

Carve out a few hours to focus on what you both want for the future of your relationship. But don't think of it as a study session—try making a collaborative vision board, says Scott-Hudson. You'll be surprised by how much fun the process is, plus you'll get to know your partner more deeply and have a chance to discuss your shared goals.

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Have a Karaoke Night

Though an activity like karaoke might make you feel a little self-conscious, it's a great bonding experience. "When one partner is feeling adventurous or afraid and they are stepping out of their comfort zone, this gives the other partner an opportunity to show their comforting or protective side," says Sassoon.

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Go Camping—in Your Backyard

If you have an outdoor space that's bigger than a barely-there balcony (lucky you!), consider turning your backyard into your own personal campsite. Just hang some string lights, grab a couple cozy blankets, fill these Oprah-approved, triple-insulated mugs with a delicious hot drink (think: mulled wine, spiked hot chocolate, or Irish coffee), and build a roaring fire pit, and you'll have everything 

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Go Camping—in Your Backyard

you need for an at-home adventure—complete with stargazing, of most importantly, s'mores (pro tip: swap peanut butter cups for chocolate bars).

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Hit aTrampoline Park

"As we grow older, sometimes things can feel safe, but also predictable and routine," says Scott-Hudson. Shake these feelings by doing something playful together, like visiting a place like Sky Zone, an indoor trampoline park.

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