23 Out-Of-The-Box Ways To Celebrate Your Love On Valentine’s Day
It’s not too late to plan a sensational Valentines Day! Whether you’re celebrating as a couple, as a family, or even on your own, we’ve got inspirational suggestions for making this year’s Valentines Day one you will remember for years to come.
Romance Your Love Just Like In The Movies
- Some Like It Hot in Chicago – At the Renaissance Blackstone Chicago Hotel Inspired by the classic, romantic screwball comedy of the same name starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, The Some Like it Hot package includes romantic treats such as Vosge Chocolates Red Fire Milagro Heart of Love, complimentary bottle of wine, Hot Chocolate Body Paint and breakfast in bed for two.
- Play It Again Sam with Casablanca Under The Stars in McAuliffe-Shephard Planetarium, Concord, NH “Celebrate Valentine’s Day Under the Stars” at the Discovery Center as the classic film Casablanca plays on large screens in the planetarium theater. This ‘stellar’ evening includes hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar, live music, science demonstrations, a scavenger hunt, night sky viewing in the observatory (weather permitting), and a chance for couples to have a souvenir photo taken in front of the 12 foot Moon mural – bring the whole family!
- Tell Your West Side Story With The Boston Symphony Orchestra in Boston Massachusetts – The Boston Symphony will play Leonard Bernstein’s electrifying score live, while the newly re-mastered film plays on HD large screens. In addition, American soprano Marni Nixon will appear on stage prior to the Sunday performance from 1:45 to 2:15 p.m. Marni provided the beautiful singing voice of Natalie Wood in the film.
Sail Into The Sunset With Your Lover in Miami – Take a private sunset sailboat cruise through the city lights of downtown Miami as you are served a fresh Stone Crab Claw dinner. Cost is $490 for one couple, $75 each additional person up to 6.
Celebrate Date Night in DC With Discounts and Specials All Month Long – Date Nights DC is a February-long promotion, packed with deals and discounts at 60-plus Washington, DC hotels, attractions, tours and restaurants, designed to inspire travel to DC. The promotions have strong appeal for couples – but also families, girlfriend getaways too.
Chug Along Together
- With The Napa Wine Train in Napa California – Enjoy a trip on the Napa Valley Wine Train for Valentine’s Day and enjoy a little old world charm while enjoying a wine country tour, optional winery visits and enjoy a gourmet meal, glass of sparkling wine and a chocolate treat while enjoying amazing views of the Napa Valley on this romantic trip. Make a stop at the Love Lock Bridge to secure your love with a sturdy pad lock on the chain link fence.
- All Aboard The South Coast Silver Splendor Rail Journey in California – Take the “Sweetheart Special” rail excursion aboard the Silver Splendor (a Vista Dome car) and the Acoma (a restored Santa Fe Super Chief club-lounge). Passengers can board in the mornings at the Santa Barbara and Goleta Amtrak stations and ride the train up to San Luis Obispo and back. The trip includes a boxed lunch from the legendary Far Western Tavern, beverages, a light snack and of course, spectacular views along the coast. The cost is $129-139 per person. http://store.goletadepot.org
Live, Laugh and Love with a Glass Blowing Class in Washington County Oregon. Located minutues from Portland, the Live Laugh Love Glass, a glass-blowing studio, offers a “Valentine’s Date Night.” Couples will do hands-on glass flower sculpting for two. Dinner, drinks and music also included for $125 per couple.
Live The Downton Abbey Lifestyle in Newport Rhode Island – The mansions of Newport are the Downton Abbey’s of the USA. Spend a weekend in the lap of luxury and tour the opulent summer “cottages” of the wealthiest industrialists of the 20th century. Stay at the Hotel Viking, where guests of A-Listers were housed while visiting. The house tour package includes accommodation, breakfast for two, admission to visit the Newport Mansions and complimentary parking. Rates for the package start at $229.
Hold Your Honey Tight in Wilmington NC – From FEB. 13-15, Haunted Wilmington invites you to hold your honey’s hand on a Fright Night on a Haunted Pub Crawl where guides tell tragic love tales as hoist a pint at three of Wilmington’s most actively haunted pubs. And don’t forget – Friday is a full moon!
Snuggle Up for a Sleigh Ride in Idaho – The Western Pleasure Guest Ranch near Sandpoint kicks off Carnival Week by offering a special Valentine’s dinner that starts with a sleigh ride through marvelous scenery and ending back at the lodge for hot drinks and freshly popped popcorn, followed later by a hearty country gourmet dinner and concert. $42.50 for adults and $30.00 for kids 6 – 12.
Make Your Love An Olympic Event in Utah – Valentine’s Day occurs during the Olympics, so it’s the perfect time for couples to try out an interactive experience. Utah’s Olympic Legacy Park offers lessons on bobsledding, Skeleton (up to 5G’s of force!) speedskating, curling and more. Make it Romantic: Hyatt Escala Lodge Offers a Gold Medal package, which includes a three-night stay, passes to the Park and lift tickets, massages and a phenomenal dinner at EPC (the resort’s restaurant).
Have an Amazing Race Date – Stray Boots has created an iPhone/Android app that helps people explore a city on an interactive scavenger hunt, like “The Amazing Race” in your own neighborhood. Try out a Date-themed tour. available in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. App is $12 pp in NY and CHI, free in SFO.
Tap Into Something New in Ogunquit Maine – Champagne isn’t the beverage of choice for everyone on Valentine’s Day. If your sweetheart loves hops more than grapes you’ll want to tickle his tastebuds with a selection of local Maine brews during an interactive four-course beer pairing dinner at Cornerstone Restaurant in downtown Ogunquit. Learn about the beers and breweries from around the region, and the globe, while drooling over artisanal wood-fired pizzas. Paired with a one- or two-night stay at nearby Meadowmere Resort, the Craft Beer Dinner Package is a champagne-free V-Day that will make your beer-loving Valentine swoon. Starting at $199 per couple.
For Solo Valentine’s Celebrations
Make A Sky High Connection with Chairlift Speed Dating
- In Jackson New Hampshire – If finding that certain someone means finding someone who shares your interests, including your love of skiing/riding, get ready to get lucky. On Saturday, February 15, BlackMountain, in Jackson, New Hampshire will be hosting its 7th Annual Chairlift Speed Dating event. “Back by popular demand: The Love Consultants will be matching folks based on age and some personal information, to help speed up the love connection process!”
- In Gunnison-Crested Butte Colorado – The Crested Butte Mountain Resort has a unique and quick solution to getting acquainted with others looking for a special someone: *Twister of Love* chairlift speed dating on Feb. 15. A raffle ticket for a chance to win prizes is given to participants each time they board the Twister lift for dating or just fun conversation. The event runs from 1 – 4 p.m. with music, drink specials and prizes on tap.
Dateless But Not Desperate in Falmouth Massachusetts – No need for singles to be sad on the most romantic day of the year. Liam Maguire’s Irish Pub comes to the rescue for dateless bachelors and bachelorettes by offering the ultimate Dating Game match-up. For the 9th year, Liam Maguire’s Irish Pub will bring on its annual “Dateless Dating Game Night” full of hilarity for all and budding romance for a few winning couples. To top it off, Palmer House Inn has teamed up to provide a special Dateless in Falmouth package, complete with all the roses and chocolates a single girl (or guy) might miss on Valentine’s Day along with a right hand ring to celebrate singlehood.
Make Sweet Family Memories On Valentine’s Day
Bring Your Cowboys and Girls to a Dude Ranch in central Florida – Central Florida isn’t all about the mouse! Families visiting the Orlando area can spend an exciting Valentine’s Day weekend at Westgate River Ranch. The ranch is surrounded by 1,700 lush acres in the heart of Florida’s cattle lands and vast acres of state and federally protected wetlands. Packages include a sunset hayride on Friday evening, complete with champagne, leading to a romantic candlelit dinner for two, and two drink vouchers for Saturday night at the ranch’s saloon. The resort features a Rodeo on Saturday nights that the kids are sure to go wild over.
Spend Valentine’s Day On A Family Farm – America’s family farms are some of the most interesting and wholesome places to spend a day or a weekend. FarmStaysUS.com makes it easy to find a farm stay opportunity near you. From California to New England, you’ll find wonderful farmers ready to welcome you. Farm stays are great for couples, friends, grandparents – anyone wanting to do something a little different, experience life on a farm or ranch, breathe some fresh air, eat some good food…and actually be in the middle of where it is produced, with the farmers who produce it.
Escape To The Cape And Live A Pirate’s Life in Brewster Massachusetts – Over February School Break (February 14 – February 22) Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club invites families to enjoy a wintertime escape. We all know when the kids are happy, everyone is happy. Families can enjoy 2 indoor pools with daily activities like a cannonball content, inner-tube water polo, Pirate-themed scavenger hunt and tales of the high seas, a hosted Runway event where kids design fashions, kids cupcake happy hours and more. Rates start at $129.
At Home Or Away
A Picture of Love Lasts Forever – Head out with your family or loved one with camera in hand and make a collage of family photos goofing around at prominent tourist or romantic sites in your city. These Philly love icons make particularly great choices: Love Park at JFK Plaza actually has two of the famous LOVE sculptures (since love isn’t perfect).
Speaking Photos Speak Your Love Across The Miles – Use SpeakingPhoto to voice-narrate photos. The beauty is you can share a slideshow up to 8 spots via text, email and social sites. For example, take a photo of a flower, then take a photo of pebbles arranged into a heart and finally take a photo of yourself. Next, add your voice to each photo. Script out something meaningful to say — perhaps it’s a compliment or why this person is so important to you. End with a simple I Love You. When received via text or email, your recipient will enjoy not only seeing you but hearing your voice.
For The Anti-Romantics
Skip Valentine’s Day in South Beach.
One South Beach hotel invites those who consider themselves to be the thorn in everyone’s February 14th rose to flirt with the idea of skipping Valentine’s Day altogether. Available through the entire month of February, the luxurious, 93-all-suite Sagamore, the Art Hotel on South Beach presents an anti-Valentine’s travel package for singles, appropriately named “Stupid Cupid”. complete with a bouquet of (thorny) roses, complimentary bottle of vodka to numb the bitterness, free beach chairs and umbrella to fall in love with the south Florida sunshine, a three-month paid subscription to a renowned online dating site and more.
