If you are looking for some creative and unique Valentine’s Day Date Ideas then you’ve come to the right place! Say good-bye to cliche romantic dinners at your local steakhouse and check out these creative, cost-effective, ways to celebrate Valentine’s day.
BONUS: Since these are a little more unique than dinner and a movie, you probably won’t hit up as many crowds either *YAY*
Go Skating. Okay, so this is probably the most cliche on the list so let’s get it out of the way. People seriously forget about skating! Whether it’s roller skating, ice skating, or rollerblading, just get out there and have fun! Nothing screams romance like the cheesy music and video montage worthy cuteness.
My dress is from Free People & Sold Out, but here are a few current faves (affiliate links):
Lini Babydoll | Be My Baby Maxi | Embroidered Mini
A Themed Dinner Night In. Instead of just Netflix & chilling, bring the fantasy from your TV screen into your home with either a festive meal, decking out your apartment, playing dress up, or a sexy role play.
Recreate a favorite memory. Go back to where you had your first date or your absolute favorite park where you first realized you “loved” the person. Take a little walk down memory lane to give you all the feels.
Bust Out The Bucket List. We all have those things we *dream* of doing some day. Bust out your bucket lists and look at what you guys could check off together on Valentine’s Day. Maybe renting a sports car for the day? Making the world’s largest pizza? Be in two places at once?
Choreograph a dance routine or make a music video.
Okay, so this is an old video I never thought I would post on the internet. We were prepping for a dance battle (this was not the final version) — I would suggest starting it at the 25-second mark:
Bring your favorite rom-com scenes into reality. To this day, one of my biggest wishes is to make the paintball scene from 10 Things I Hate About You a reality. I have no idea where you can do paintball like this, but I want to find it and do it!
Set up a scavenger hunt. Whether you theme it for your relationship milestones or based on romantic spots around your town, a scavenger hunt is always a good idea.
Set up a spa in the home. Schedule masseuse’s to come over. Dim the lights, get some relaxing music playing and throw some essential oils in the diffuser. Top it all off with at home face masks, a bubble bath, and a special dessert.
You can always add to this list and make your own date night jar!
What are some of your favorite creative date night ideas? Drop me a comment!
OR share your favorite valentine’s day memory!
RELATED READS:
8 Unique Summer Date Ideas For Any Budget
Patience & Stalking: A Millennial Love Story
5 Ways My Wedding Was Different Than I Imagined
Millennials, 5 Conversations To Have Before You Get Engaged
Riva Treasure
February 6, 2017 at 9:40 amThese are such fun ideas! I like the recreate a favorite memory! Have a good V day with your hunny!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:39 pmThank you!! what memory would you recreate??
Michelle Lynn
February 6, 2017 at 9:50 amAwwww. This is so cute… love your dance video! Also… I’m ALWAYYYYS down to go get donuts… so that’s my fav!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:39 pmHaha thank youuuu!! Who doesn’t love donuts? haha
Kristi
February 6, 2017 at 9:59 amThese are such cute ideas! Love them all 🙂
Happilyevergriedlscom.wordpress.com
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:39 pmThank you Kristi! What are your plans for Valentine’s day?
MarcellasMind
February 6, 2017 at 10:10 amIt is such a great idea, and looks like a lot of fun!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:39 pmThank you!! Which idea are you referring to though?
MarcellasMind
February 8, 2017 at 8:21 amdancing night while my partner don’t like to dance I have such a fun when I dance with him
Rachel Ritlop
February 8, 2017 at 11:08 amawe haha! I didn’t like to dance until my husband got me to let me guard down even if I look like a weirdo haha
MarcellasMind
February 13, 2017 at 5:04 pmIt looks so cute 🙂
Chelsea
February 6, 2017 at 10:16 amThis post is seriously the cutest. Our anniversary is Feb 8th so we usually combine the two and go out for dinner. Nothing says love more than eating our hearts out. haha
Rachel Ritlop
February 6, 2017 at 10:29 amOMG NO WAY! Our dating-anniversary is feb 9th!!!
The Life and Lies
February 6, 2017 at 10:36 amwe went back to the location of our first date… and he proposed! Feb 7th last year!!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:40 pmAWEEE that’s SO sweet!!! Congratulations!!
Erica
February 6, 2017 at 11:03 amYou guys are create and we’d have the most fun on a double date, jussssssayin’.
Coming Up Roses
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:40 pmLol I totally believe it!
Weightloss Central
February 6, 2017 at 11:10 amI love the scavenger hunt idea!
My partner and I used to have a mason jar filled with folded papers which would all have an activity on them and we would pick one out whenever we went on a date. Looks like the pictures did the same thing!
It’s great and you never know what to expect.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:40 pmThank you!! That’s so much fun!
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness
February 6, 2017 at 12:24 pmLOVE recreating a special memory. My hubby and I have wanted to recreate our first date for years – just have never gotten around to it (kids). Such a great idea though!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:41 pmMe too! Hopefully you guys can soon!
Sara Holt
February 6, 2017 at 12:27 pmKevin and I love to recreate our dating days! It makes us feel young again!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:41 pmHaha love it! What was your favorite date?
Jenny
February 6, 2017 at 12:57 pmY’all are so cute! haha These are great ideas. We’re lame and just going to dinner lol.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:41 pmThanks girl! Haha as long as it’s how you want to celebrate thats great!
Anna Hubbard
February 6, 2017 at 12:59 pmOkay two things: 1) These are fantastic ways to spend Valentine’s Day! 2) Absolutely adorable photos!
-Anna | http://www.fivefootandfabulous.com
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:41 pmLolol thank youuuu!!
Michelle @ Lillian Abbey
February 6, 2017 at 1:38 pmI like the idea of recreating a favorite memory. We often go back to the restaurant where we had our first date.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:41 pmThat’s so sweet!
Jessica Bradshaw
February 6, 2017 at 1:54 pmOh my goodness. This is so cute! Such a great idea! Love your photos and dance video. 🙂
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:42 pmLol thank youuu!!!
Bella B @ xoxoBella
February 6, 2017 at 2:59 pmY’all are the cutest!!! I am loving the video I killed myself so good! These are great ideas.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:42 pmHaha thanks Bella!!
Kristin Cook
February 6, 2017 at 3:46 pmThat is just awesome! Truly great ideas, but my favorite is absolutely the dance video! I was sitting here laughing out loud!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:42 pmHaha yay! I was like “I hope people find this as funny as I do” haha
Kristin Cook
February 8, 2017 at 7:19 pmI did! 😀
Lorrin Sell
February 6, 2017 at 4:16 pmthis is adorable! super cute ideas!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:42 pmThank you!
Chantal Bernard
February 6, 2017 at 7:10 pmThese are some awesome ideas, I think we are going skating!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:42 pmYAY!!! That’s literally like my favorite date to go one!!
Brittany @ Grace, Love, Life
February 6, 2017 at 7:26 pmThese are so cute! Scavenger hunts are always my favorite.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:43 pmSameee!! Do you theme them?
Jessica Sheppard
February 6, 2017 at 8:03 pmFun post…great ideas for date night! I totally forget about skating, so fun. Scavenger hunts are a blast. Fab tips for special memories!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:43 pmThanks Jessica!
Kaycee
February 6, 2017 at 8:15 pmLove these ideas!! I’ll have to bounce some of these ideas to my husband. 🙂 And if I weren’t 20 weeks pregnant, I’d totally do the skating date thing!! That would be so fun.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:43 pmOMG congrats!!! That’s SO exciting!!
Alix Maza
February 6, 2017 at 9:00 pmThese ideas are so cute!
Alix | http://www.apintsizedlifeblog.com
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:43 pmThanks Alix!
Marie Andrea Goldstein
February 6, 2017 at 9:16 pmThis is SO fun! Thanks for sharing.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:43 pmThanks Marie!
Rachel @ STCL
February 6, 2017 at 9:25 pmWhat a fun idea! That video is too funny!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:44 pmHaha thanks Rachel!! I was hoping people would find it as entertaining as I do hahaa
Courtney Louise
February 6, 2017 at 9:26 pmLove your ideas! I especially love the “go get donuts” one 🙂
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:44 pmLol thank you!! who doesn’t want donuts? haha
Ashley Garza
February 6, 2017 at 10:16 pmSo many cute and unique ideas!! Love your dancing video too…so fun!
xo Ashley
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:44 pmLol thanks Ashley!! I was hoping people would find it as entertaining as I do hahaa
Shani Ogden
February 6, 2017 at 11:00 pmLots of fun ideas here Rachel! I love the ice skating one because that was actually me and my husband’s first date!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:44 pmThank you! That’s SO cool! what an awesome first date!
Casey
February 6, 2017 at 11:02 pmGreat ideas! My favorite is the themed dinner night!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:44 pmYassss! I want to do a Santa Clarita Diet themed night!
Silvia Marquez
February 6, 2017 at 11:34 pmThese are all great ideas! Love the spa at home idea.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:45 pmThanks Silvia!
Tilley
February 6, 2017 at 11:47 pmUgh a spa day at home sounds like a dream come trueeeeee
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:45 pmHaha yasss girl! I feel like we have very similar tastes in life haha
Greta Hollar
February 7, 2017 at 1:42 amThese are all such great ideas! This is such a cute gift to get your valentine!
Greta | http://www.gretahollar.com
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:45 pmThanks Greta
Kimberly @ Berly's Kitchen
February 7, 2017 at 5:10 amLove these ideas! Such a thoughtful and inexpensive way to show someone how much they mean to you.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:45 pmThank you! Which one are you referring to?
Kimberly @ Berly's Kitchen
February 8, 2017 at 8:29 pmYikes!! I was thinking specifically about the themed dinner night in but apparently didn’t type it out. 🙁 My husband and I rarely go out. We prefer to stay in and cook for each other.
Rachel Ritlop
February 10, 2017 at 11:04 amHaha I’ve so been there!! We rarely go out and prefer to stay in too! Which I think is the reason I love the idea of creating a fun dinner party for two haha! Happy Friday!! <3
Sarah Jean
February 7, 2017 at 9:23 amhaha Rachel your video is killing me. You guys are hilarious! My favorite “date” is hiking but can’t do that in DC in the winter. 🙂 My husband and I usually end up grabbing brunch for Vday and then making steaks at home!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:46 pmHAHA YASSS!!! — I love that idea! I never thought about brunch over dinner! Personally, I hate going out to dinner on V-day so that’s much more my speed!
Elizabeth Johnson
February 7, 2017 at 9:31 amThis is the best! I want to recreate that scene too from 10 Things I Hate About You!! haha It would seriously be so fun! Great post!!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:46 pmRight?!? Where can we do paintball like that?!?
Summer @ Coffee With Summer
February 7, 2017 at 9:31 amI love this, haha! So fun, Rachel! I need to make a date night jar so bad! They’re awesome.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:46 pmThey are super fun! haha
Becky @ Disney in your Day
February 7, 2017 at 9:42 amOne of my favorite memories with my husband of a date night was when we brought up Youtube on the TV and searched for karaoke songs. Impromptu karaoke night!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:46 pmYASSS!! That sounds like such a blast Becky! and something the hubs and I would do too!
Ashley Mason
February 7, 2017 at 10:06 amLove these ideas, Rach! Totally going to send this list to my boyfriend for his thoughts!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:47 pmAwe yay! have fun you two!
Courtney Patterson
February 7, 2017 at 10:08 amThe date night jar is a wonderful idea. One year, each of us wrote down things about the other we love or a memory from our years together, dropped them all in a jar and had fun pulling them out and reading them while sharing a bottle of wine. We laughed, we cried and it was so much fun.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:47 pmNice! My first ever boyfriend did that for me, it was super sweet!
Jamie
February 7, 2017 at 10:09 amCutest ideas for date nights! They’re all so unique, and look very easy to re-create!
xx, Jamie
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:48 pmThanks!
Alayna
February 7, 2017 at 10:30 amGreat ideas. I love the bucket list one. Anything that gets the ideas out there in the first place so that you’re not sitting around imitating those buzzards on the Jungle Book “What do you want to do?” “I dunno, what do YOU want to do?” (I’m not the only one that gets that visual every time that predicament comes up, am I?)
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:48 pmHaha yasss! exactly! that was literally the best comparison haha
Candy Kage
February 7, 2017 at 10:52 amWe have done different jar ideas in the past and always enjoyed them. Will have to do this one. I still have time and you have given me some great ideas.
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:48 pmEnjoy Candy!
Victoria Stacey
February 7, 2017 at 11:49 amLove these ideas! I want to put a bunch of ideas in a jar. My boyfriend and I have a list of date ideas, but in a jar is so much more fun! We are doing a cooking class 🙂
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:49 pmNice! What’s the dish you’re cooking for the class?
Willow Moon
February 7, 2017 at 11:52 amThese are all great ideas! We tried jar ideas for getting things done around the house, which we gave up on because we weren’t motivated, but date night ideas sound way more fun!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:49 pmDefinitely more fun haha
Liz
February 7, 2017 at 11:58 amsuch a fun idea!!! love it!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:49 pmWhich one?
Rachel C
February 7, 2017 at 12:24 pmThese are so sweet! I love the surprise element of not being sure what you’re going to end up doing when you draw a card!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:53 pmAgreed! so fun!
Sydney Power
February 7, 2017 at 1:20 pmI love the jar idea, that is so cute and keeps the date nights going!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:52 pmThanks!
Whitney H
February 7, 2017 at 1:35 pmI love this idea! When you’ve been together as long as my husband and I have, things can sometimes get into a rut but this would help that!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:52 pmHow long have you been together?
Whitney H
February 8, 2017 at 8:54 amWe started dating almost 9 years ago! Married for almost 6 🙂
Rachel Ritlop
February 8, 2017 at 11:08 amwhoa!! congrats!!
Mom Noms
February 7, 2017 at 1:54 pmI am always looking for new date night ideas for the hubs and I. I get bored with dinner and a movie. You have done a great job putting together such unique ideas. I love the recreating your favorite rom com one. It looks like it would be so much fun!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:52 pmSame! And thank you! Which rom-com would you do??
Amber Hill
February 7, 2017 at 3:45 pmI absolutely love these ideas!! Thanks for sharing!
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:50 pmThanks Amber!
Silvia Marquez
February 7, 2017 at 4:32 pmI love this! I need to go home and make a jar now! 🙂
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:50 pmHaha have fun!
Miss ALK
February 7, 2017 at 4:33 pmI’m currently single but would love to use these in a future year- such cute and creative ideas!
xoxo A
http://www.southernbelleintraining.com
Rachel Ritlop
February 7, 2017 at 4:50 pmThank you!
Kelsie Kleinmeyer
February 7, 2017 at 6:59 pmI love the idea of going back to the place where you had your first date! That was also the same place we went on our engagement night, so we’ve been saving it for a really special occasion. Paintballing sounds fun ha!
Rachel Ritlop
February 8, 2017 at 11:04 amAWE that’s SO sweet! and I want to do paintballing like in 10 things I hate about you, not like the normal “get bruised up” paintball haha and i dk where I can do that lol
Brittany Nixon
February 7, 2017 at 8:57 pmThese are great ideas! I especially love the bucket list one! I have a huge personal bucket list, but my husband and I haven’t gotten around to making one together. Hopefully we can do that this weekend!
Rachel Ritlop
February 8, 2017 at 11:03 amYAY! Hope you guys get to make it and check a few things off soon :-)!!
Ali Mageehon
February 7, 2017 at 9:58 pmSuch great ideas! We totally need to do some of these. I also love date weekends where we go hiking or such – need to do this more often.
Rachel Ritlop
February 8, 2017 at 11:03 amOMG same!! We really only get to hike while traveling though, Florida is pretty flat :-
Erica Nicole
February 7, 2017 at 10:36 pmY’all are so cute! I love this idea!
Rachel Ritlop
February 8, 2017 at 11:02 amLol thanks Erica!
Teresa Laura | MCBL
February 8, 2017 at 12:04 amThese are sooo great! My boyfriend and I are always looking for date ideas but I feel like we always end up doing the same things over and over again. Will definitely be doing a few of these!
Rachel Ritlop
February 8, 2017 at 11:02 amGlad you liked it Teresa! Have fun!
Sharon Glascoe
February 8, 2017 at 6:10 amBahaha that video is hilarious!! You guys are too cute. I love this jar of ideas! Did you make the cards yourself? They look so professional!
Rachel Ritlop
February 8, 2017 at 11:02 amHAHA thank you!!!! I am SO relieved people found it as amusing as I do! haha — and yeah I definitely did not make the jar — I just used it as a prop — none of the ideas except maybe one, that I wrote out are actually in there!
Alexis
February 8, 2017 at 9:41 amThese are the cutest ideas! I love the idea of a themed date night. Why have I never thought of this!?
Rachel Ritlop
February 8, 2017 at 11:01 amHaha thank you!!! What would your theme be?? I am thinking Santa Clarita Diet (the new netflix show!) for the hubs and i! haha
Alexis
February 8, 2017 at 11:03 amOh I haven’t seen that yet! We have been on a Shameless and Game of Thrones kick. Game of Thrones would be fun!
Rachel Ritlop
February 8, 2017 at 11:05 amOMG agreed! that’s so smart! — and highly recommend santa clarita diet if you guys watch those shows! it’s really funny, but kind of dark and morbid, seriously we had to keep pausing it we were laughing so hard!
Alexis
February 8, 2017 at 11:10 amAwesome! We like those dark/morbid shows lol We are in-between shows so we will have to start it tonight! Plus I love the guy that’s in it. We watched him in Justified!
Rachel Ritlop
February 8, 2017 at 1:03 pmHow was Justified?? did it get cancelled or is it still running? I had wanted to see that.
Kusum @sveetesKapes
February 8, 2017 at 12:11 pmAll such cute ideas! I love the choreograph a dane routine the most, how fun!
xx, Kusum | http://www.sveeteskapes.com
Rachel Ritlop
February 11, 2017 at 10:37 amHAHA That one is so fun! Plus it’s a workout too! haha
Jennifer Daku Burby
February 8, 2017 at 12:24 pmAww I love these ideas, which are perfect for romancing your loved on even on days that aren’t Valentine’s Day. Cheers!
Rachel Ritlop
February 11, 2017 at 10:36 amAgreed! Thanks Jennifer!
Erin of Very Erin
February 8, 2017 at 1:26 pmI LOVE the idea of having a date night jar! I’m totally going to make one of these for Dave and I 🙂
Rachel Ritlop
February 11, 2017 at 10:36 amAwe yay!! Hope you guys have some fun dates with it!!
Shane Prather
February 8, 2017 at 2:37 pmLove the fun night in ideas – super romantic and saves a buck. The spa night would be a blast!
Rachel Ritlop
February 11, 2017 at 10:36 amYASSS!! That’s one of my favorites that we’ve done!
Adriana
February 8, 2017 at 8:24 pmI LOVE this!! These are the cutest ideas ever!
Rachel Ritlop
February 11, 2017 at 10:35 amThank you!
Rachel Golden
February 8, 2017 at 9:22 pmoh. my. god. that video of you two is ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE! I immediately want to have a dance party with my boyfriend. I wrote down a few of those ideas– I can’t wait to try them out. 🙂
Rachel Ritlop
February 11, 2017 at 10:35 amHAHAAH thank you!! I hope you guys have fun <3 <3 <3
Amanda @ A Good Hue
February 9, 2017 at 12:09 amThese are all such super cute ideas! I need to do something like this with my bf- I feel like we’ve gotten a little stale and boring 😛
Rachel Ritlop
February 11, 2017 at 10:35 amLol I 100% know what you mean! We’ve definitely been feeling like a boring married couple lately lol
Kayla Rivoli
February 9, 2017 at 10:16 pmThat video of you dancing was so cute and funny! Ryan and I dance around the house all the time but we’ve never actually choreographed something. Since we just celebrated our 5 year anniversary I’ve been wanting to surprise him with a photo album but maybe I’ll ask him if he wants to work on it together!
Kayla | kaylablogs.com
Rachel Ritlop
February 11, 2017 at 10:34 amHaha thank you!!! We have a bunch of videos from when we were prepping for this dance battle (which never happened haha) I love the idea of a doing the album together!!
Leslie-Peaches & Willow
January 17, 2018 at 7:50 amThese are such fun ideas. One of my goals for January is to find more intentional ways to spend time with my husband besides just sitting in front of the t.v. so these are excellent ideas to add a little fun to our regular nights!
[email protected] Confused Millennial
January 17, 2018 at 9:49 amAhh thank you!! Let me know which you guys decide to do!!