Non-Cheesy Valentine's Date Ideas

 

Whether you like it or not, Friday is Valentine's Day. Personally, I'm a fan, I'll pretty much take anything to brighten up February, which for me is a bummer month. An excuse to eat chocolate and make goofy cards for the people I love? Perfect. What to actually do on the day itself, well, that's slightly more challenging. I'm not a huge fan of the expected roses, dinner-and-a-movie, cookie-cutter V-day date. This year, I wanted to surprise Chris with something super awesome, and because that surprise has been blown (he brought up maybe seeing HR from Bad Brains, a decision had to be made), I thought I'd share what I have planned, along with a few more ideas that break the Valentine's mold. Whether you're planning a date, heading out with a group of friends, or rocking it solo, why not do something awesome?

So, what's our big, hot, Valentine's Day date? We're going to Monster Jam! If you've been reading for awhile, you may already be aware of my secret love for monster trucks, so when a coworker suggested a bunch of us go, I jumped on board. I'm really excited to be doing something a little different. Plus, I mean, monster trucks. After the show, we'll grab some late night drinks (and hopefully food) at Harvard & Highland, and enjoy the view of East Liberty.

Know what else you could do?

See a drag or burlesque show. This was my second choice, though I'm not sure if the Blue Moon Bar in Pittsburgh has anything planned for the 14th. If you're in a city, the chances are high that these options are available to you, and they're great options if you want to see beautiful/fabulous people lip-synching and dancing in their underwear (who doesn't?). psst...PGH'ers, there's a burlesque show at Cattiva on the 24th!

Go make something. I think dates where you actually do something are the most interesting. Have a local artist collective or artisan gallery nearby? Check out their event's pages for upcoming workshops and demos. PGH Glass Center has a couple of cool programs planned.

Get sweaty. It's winter and it's cold, but that doesn't mean you can't get sweaty doing something fun outdoors. Go skiing or snowboarding. Or snowshoeing. If you really want to punish yourself, go cross-country skiing. As a bonus, ski resorts usually have hotels on the mountain. Hotels usually have pools. Pools are easy to sneak into (at least they used to be when I was in high school). Just saying.

Go explore. Last Valentine's Day Chris and I jumped in the car and headed over to Akron, OH. Mandi was kind enough to send over some recommendations for things to do in the area, and while some could see Akron as not exactly a destination, it was an awesome day. We checked out some antique stores, went thrift shopping, and gorged ourselves on grilled cheese and tater tots. Going somewhere new, especially somewhere you might not normally think to go, guarantees an interesting afternoon.

Everyone's definition "cheesy" is different, Valentine's doesn't have to be the same old thing. I'd love to know what you have planned!