There are many date ideas out there but I wanted to emphasize spending time with your partner in the outdoors. Skating, downhill skiing and walking are outdoor adventures you can do. I’ve included a few fun indoor activities if you don’t have the funds for an expensive meal or outdoor activity, or prefer to stay home. These 14 fun date ideas for Valentine’s Day will surely bring you many fun adventures, laughs and a chance to reconnect.
Table of Contents
1. Skating
Quality Time Together
I love skating. It’s an excellent way to get exercise and spend quality time with your loved one. Even if you’re at different skating levels, you can hold hands and keep each other upright on the ice. You can pull each other forward if you need some encouragement. If you’re competitive, it’s fun to race against each other.
Picnics
Picnics with a thermos full of hot chocolate and a Carrot apple loaf provide an awesome place to refuel for the remainder of your skate. Make sure to bring your MEC Seat cushion to have somewhere comfortable to sit while taking a break with your partner.
2. Cross-Country Skiing
Love for Cross-Country Skiing
I love to cross-country ski! Kris bought cross-country skis knowing that I loved this sport and it would provide more time for us to spend together. He doesn’t like it as much as me, who’s a cross-country ski enthusiast, but that doesn’t matter, it’s wonderful to have his company! He was already a downhill skier, so convincing him to try cross-country skiing wasn’t very difficult. At times, I’ve been called a slowpoke as Kris is faster than me at cross-country skiing now. He is enthusiastic when the conditions are favourable.
Try a new Sport
If you’re both lovers of the sport, why not do this activity for Valentine’s Day? If you haven’t tried it, it’s a good opportunity to try something new. Strathcona Wilderness Centre offers ski rentals for the day for those who don’t have their equipment ($17 to $22 for adults depending on if you’re a classic or skate skier). You’ll also be required to buy a day pass for $9.75 per adult. This allows the staff to keep the tracks in awesome condition by continuously track-setting. They offer beginner classes if you need them.
Different Locations
Cooking Lake-Blackfoot has one hundred and seventy kilometres of free cross-country skiing. They offer classical and skate skiing. Green (easy), blue (moderate) and black tracks (difficult) are available for different ski levels. They feature warm-up huts if it’s too cold outside to eat your lunch or need a warm place to hang out. As it’s free to use the park, they don’t track set as often as Strathcona Wilderness Centre, so the conditions might not be as favourable but we still appreciate what we get!
There are many cross-country skiing options around Edmonton. XC Skiing near me provides more details and locations.
3. Downhill Skiing
If you have money to allocate to an expensive outing, downhill skiing is a wonderful option. You get to spend the entire day together. Kris and I like to take parallel runs, him on blacks and myself on blues and meet up at the bottom. That could work for you if you’re at different levels but would like to spend most of the day together. Different ski hills offer varying levels of hill difficulty. The runs at Lake Louise tend to be steeper. A blue run at Lake Louise would compare to a black run at Marmot. After gaining some confidence as I did, I found that blacks were a fantastic option as fewer people ventured on them. There’s more freedom to turn without excessive numbers of boarders and skiers passing beside you.
They also have green runs, which are easier for skiers who are starting, or if skiers need an easier run. If you’re wondering what are some date ideas for Valentine’s Day? Think downhill skiing.
4. Adventure Challenges
I found the Adventure Challenge book online. They offer adventures for couples. It is the same principle as a scratch ticket but instead of scratching to win money, you scratch to find out what adventure lies ahead for the two of you to accomplish together. They have many different topics, including making meals or snacks, getting wet, messy activities, and being active indoors or outdoors. A short clue will be provided about the type of activity and the price point before scratching to find the exact details. You can also buy a Polaroid camera with the book to take pictures of each other or use your phone as we did. It’s an adventurous way to get to know your partner better and try something new
Some suggested ideas from the website are body painting, floating down the river and having a picnic on a blow-up mattress. Some adventures might push you out of your comfort zone but it will encourage you to widen your horizons and think outside the box for date night. Get your book today!
5. Cook Together
Cooking together is an awesome way to connect, especially on Valentine’s Day. Kris came up with the idea of making a pizza in the shape of a heart! Awww, romantic! This is one of the most fun date ideas for Valentine’s Day! You can make anything that the two of you like. Go to the grocery store together and get what you need. Buy some wine and start cooking!
It’s also a good test of your communication skills. I’m pretty sure if I remember correctly, we burnt the bottom of this pizza! Making the pizza was great, but actually eating it was a bit more challenging! I had old crappy pans at that point, forgetting that they were not non-stick pans and we burned our supper! We had a good laugh! Eating it was more of a piece-by-piece situation. If you’re looking for more ideas of meals you can cook, try my Pinneaple Chicken Stirfry or Salmon Patties.
6. Romantic Walks
Kris and I went for a stroll in the town of Jasper during a snowstorm. You can do the same. Whether it’s snowing or a gorgeous day outside, go for a romantic walk around your neighbourhood or even in a park close to your home to get some exercise and spend some quality time together. You can also go explore a new part of your city and check it out. It’s simple and free to spend time with your partner. Romantic walks are fantastic date ideas for Valentine’s Day. If you’re looking for a more adventurous hike, Maligne Canyon Winter Hike is a gorgeous place to explore.
7. Karaoke
In the picture above, I got the opportunity to sing Travelin’ Soldier by the Dixie Chicks in Australia, back in 2007. It was so much fun and I had around 15 people watching me at the caravan park, where my family and I camped that night.
If you and your partner love to sing, why not turn on the karaoke channel and do a karaoke sing-off? You’ll love listening to each other sing and laugh together when you can’t reach the high notes. It’s a different Valentine’s Day idea that might just make your evening more fun and interesting!
Every once in a while, it’s nice to do something out of your comfort zone and push yourself to do something different. Being around your lovely supportive partner in your own house; what better place is there to sing?
8. Play Board Games
Kris and I play Scrabble every so often. It’s an excellent two-player game to get your brain to create words. It’s a fun game to include for date night. You might even get a cat poking its head out to see the fun it’s missing. We had a good laugh when Rocky appeared from under the blanket! You can play Scrabble or find another game to play. If you are both competitive and don’t care if you lose, then that might be a good option for you. Board games are fun, interactive, free and can provide many laughs. This is why it’s included in date ideas for Valentine’s Day.
9. Creative Love
If you’re looking for creative date ideas for Valentine’s Day, why not use snow? Kris made me a heart shape in our backyard, by walking around. You could also make a snowman or maybe even a snow fort together.
Kris also thought of cutting up some of the red flowers he bought to make me a heart with the petals and write “Love you”. If you want to perform a romantic gesture while coming off as sweet and not spending much money, this is a fantastic idea! It was very unique and heartfelt.
10. Treasure Hunt Around the House
One year, I was creative and found a different way to be romantic without spending money. I cut up hearts on my Cricut, and wrote various messages on them for my boyfriend at the time to find throughout the house. It created a treasure hunt for him and made it fun and interesting to see if he’d get them all and also to get him to think about where I might have placed them. Months later, he still found some. It was a good way to brighten up his day on Valentine’s Day and for subsequent months.
You can be creative and make whatever you wish. Cater to both sets of interests. Find something that he or she likes and hide it around the house. It could be messages or wrapped-up chocolate. I hide chocolate around the house for Easter. I’m a kid at heart and love treasure hunts!
Have fun, that’s what life is all about! Treasure hunts around the house create fun date ideas for Valentine’s Day.
11. Bake Cookies
Baking cookies or making desserts is a wonderful way to spend time with your partner on Valentine’s Day. You can either make cookies together or make different ones. It’s the perfect time to converse about life. If you make sugar cookies, it’s fun to decide which shapes and decorate together.
12. Romantic Fondue
While the U of A Botanical Gardens no longer offers fondue meals, the Melting Pot in Edmonton is a spectacular place to go. They have a four-course fondue experience for $112 for two people. It includes cheese fondue, salad, meat and chocolate fondue. It’s a fun and different way to enjoy a fondue. It’s an expensive outing but worth it. I would strongly recommend it! The Romantic Fondue is included in 14 fun date ideas for Valentine’s Day.
13. Ice Castles
Ice Castles used to be a popular event at Hawrelak Park. Sadly, it’s no longer offered. This was a wonderful way to spend time in the evening, walking hand-in-hand with your loved one. They had a slide made out of ice for your enjoyment. There were many entrances to walk through. Fire pits were placed throughout the ice castle to warm you up.
14. Make a Puzzle
If you want a night in, why not do an outdoorsy puzzle together, like this one of Moraine Lake with canoes? It offers a relaxing atmosphere with conversation as you build it together. Exchange pieces; help each other out. It’s a fantastic opportunity to discuss future plans of where you’d like to take your next journey and think of adventures abroad that offer the chance to travel. Maybe you want to go on a canoe day trip on Moraine Lake or even a multi-day trip down Maligne Lake. It will get you thinking of the next trip you’d like to take in the summer together.
Final Thoughts
These 14 fun date ideas for Valentine’s Day should be a wonderful start to get you planning on how you’d like to spend your romantic day or evening together. Whether you are looking for indoor or outdoor options, you have many suggestions here to help you. The activities have different price points as well, depending on your budget. Look at the options, chat with your partner to see what you’re both in the mood to do and then pick one! Happy romantic adventure on Valentine’s Day!
Additional Links
- The Best Winter Activities Near Me for a Marvelous Season
- 9 Extraordinary Winter Wonderland Banff National Park Activities
- 28 Ways to Spend Time Outdoors This Winter
- 5 Awesome Outdoor Skating Rinks
- Winter Hike to Marjorie Lake in Jasper
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