There’s a lot of pressure to come up with good Valentine’s Day date ideas. When my husband’s and my first Valentine’s Day as a couple rolled around, we had only been dating for a few weeks, so we decided to lay low. I went to his place and made dinner and sugar cookies. I really wasn’t expecting a gift from him, but he gave me a Ms. Pac-Man game that you plug into the TV (Ms. Pac-Man was my favorite game). It may sound ridiculous, but sitting next to my favorite person and taking turns playing Ms. Pac-Man while eating great food was a perfect evening.
A date doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive to be memorable. It should be about spending time with your favorite person. So show some love with these 19 Valentine’s Day date ideas and let the romance ignite!
1. Go back to where it all began.
Reminisce about your first Valentine’s Day as a couple. If you remember what you had for dinner, try to recreate it. Think you’ve spent enough time with your husband to know the answers to these 20 fun questions to get to know him better?
2. It’s a bake-off!
Surely you’ve seen one of the dozens of baking shows on TV. Pick a recipe, and do your best to nail it.
3. Get cultural.
Get lost in a museum or art gallery. It can spark interesting conversation and reveal more to you about how your husband sees the world.
4. Play hooky.
Take a day off from work together. Your kids are at school, and you can hire a babysitter for the afternoon so you can just enjoy each other’s company for an entire day. Need more motivation? Here are 10 reasons to get away without the kids.
5. Eat dessert first.
If you don’t have time to make a special dinner, make or pick up a “wow” dessert and a bottle of bubbly. Start with dessert and you might not even care about eating dinner.
6. Channel your inner Picasso.
There are tons of painting and drawing tutorials on YouTube. Grab the kids’ paint and buy a couple of canvases at the dollar store. Set up your “studio” so you can’t see each other’s paintings until the big reveal at the end.
7. Clip coupons.
No, we’re not suggesting that making a grocery list is a good Valentine’s Day date idea. Give your husband this collection of Valentine coupons for a back rub, his favorite home-cooked meal (plus dessert!), an afternoon of uninterrupted time for him to watch sports, or maybe instant forgiveness for one of his little irksome habits.
8. Mock a movie.
Pick the worst movie you can find and watch it purely with the goal of laughing, even if it’s not a comedy.
9. Be tourists in love.
Stay at a hotel in town that has a nice restaurant or a view. Pretend you’re out-of-towners and do something your city is known for that you’ve never tried.
10. Think back.
Pull out your wedding video or photos and watch how the conversation and memories come naturally. Play your first dance song and enjoy a slow dance.
11. Make it a family Valentine’s Day.
Make the day special for the whole family with a special dinner and an indulgent dessert. End the night with iMOM’s Valentine Family Game Show or curl up on the couch for a kid-friendly rom-com.
12. Stargaze.
Download the stargazing app, bundle up, and lie on a blanket in the back yard. You’ll feel like teenagers again!
13. Create a time capsule.
This is two Valentine’s Day date ideas in one. Put items from the year into a shoebox (If you have something more capsule-like, good for you!), write letters to each other, seal it up, and store it away. Mark your calendar with “open time capsule” on February 14th, 2023. Then order pizza and enjoy a time travel movie.
14. Turn the tables and romance him.
Yes, women want romance on Valentine’s Day, but what if you take the pressure off of him and try some of these 41 ways to romance your husband? We bet he’ll return the favor.
15. Have a “His and Hers” movie night.
Start this date early because it’s a double feature. You both get to pick a movie you’ve been wanting to see, but the other has given a thumbs-down to. If you want to pick a classic, check out these 52 great movie love stories. Have an intermission between movies to pick up takeout for dinner.
16. Dress for success.
Wear something new to bed. (No flannel, even if it’s a cold night.)
17. Do a dine-in double date.
Some couples want to be alone on Valentine’s Day, but maybe for you, getting together with your favorite friends sounds like the perfect night. The husbands can make dinner and the wives can prep dessert! Put all the kids at one house and pay for one babysitter (but pay her well!).
18. Be irresponsible!
You tell the kids to put away the video games, get out of their pajamas, and eat their vegetables. Break all your own rules by sending the kids to Grandma’s house for the day and spending the day in bed. Order pizza, play video games, binge a show… Be lazy in love.
19. Bond over breakfast.
Evenings can be hectic and sitters are pricey. Start your day with romance instead and have a Valentine’s breakfast. Make as many things on the menu as possible heart-shaped. Who doesn’t love a heart-shaped pancake?
What is your favorite Valentine’s date idea?
