Forget about boring old dinner and roses!

Treat your spouse or S.O. to a unique Valentine’s date and let the sparks fly! Nothing says “I love you” quite like making memories together. So, regardless of your budget, show your love with an unexpected Valentine’s date for the books..

And a big shout out to the fabulous Dating Divas for inspiring some of these ideas–their free printables make date planning a breeze! I’ve selected my top faves to share with you, along with some sassy customized tips.

DISCLAIMER: If ways to “shake things up” in the bedroom makes you blush, check out my Creative Stay-At-Home Date Ideas post to get some fun but not so intimate ideas instead. Read on for some tasteful and romantic Valentine’s date ideas with just a pinch of spice!

Romantic Kidnapping

Catch your love totally off guard with this unique Valentine’s date idea!

Choose a destination:

  1. Pick out a meaningful spot (or recreate a meaningful spot if doing this at home), such as where you first met, first kissed, or just somewhere secluded. Then pack and hide a secret picnic.
  2. Another alternative is to go for an evening of location hopping. For example go different restaurants for each course of a meal. Or go activity hoping (think picking out a favorite snack, trying something from an international market, doing a random act of kindness, or going to a class together). Then make your last stop your bedroom!
  3. Try an overnight campground/cabin or hotel getaway. Have both your bags secretly packed ahead of time to add to the surprise.
  4. Or really shock your spouse and head to the airport for a short flight or go on a mini road trip (love this discover a town idea).

Decide on the kidnapping method:

  1. Send your spouse on a brief errand, throw on a disguise, and hide in their car to give them a big surprise. Then give left and right directions until you’ve arrived at your mystery destination.
  2. For a little more heads up, slip a note into their pocket or bag saying, “You’re being kidnapped and held ransom tonight!” Bonus points for using magazine cutout letters.
  3. Or when they get home, blindfold them and don’t let them take it off until you’ve reached your location.

Head to your secret hideout!

After a successful kidnapping, head to your destination. Whether a hotel room, tent, or your bedroom, hang up a Secret Hideout sign on the door, then have fun playing bedroom games to see if your “hostage” can earn their freedom back (wink wink).

Stroll Down Memory Lane

Set up a path of story stones to tell your own love story. Depending on the weather, it can be up the mountains, in your own backyard, or even start in your living room and lead to your bedroom. Hold hands and reflect together as you take your romantic stroll. At the end of your path, have a picnic basket, candlelit table, or inviting bed. Then top off the evening by reading your past love letters, digging up old photos, and remembering all the reasons you adore each other. Here’s Pink Pistachio‘s sweet and simple version.

Meat Lovers Night

Meathearts™

Indulge your hubby’s inner carnivore. Buy these awesome meathearts from here or cut regular beef jerky into hearts to use as a tease for what’s to come tonight. Then both dress up and have a feast of meat! Some ideas: bacon wrapped stuffed jalapenos, glazed kielbasa bites, sausage and cream cheese stuffed mushrooms, sweet and spicy meatballs, ribs, steak, meat lover pizza, or whatever dish your hubby loves best. Your carnivorous husband will love that you’re not trying to shove a salad down his throat tonight haha.

Chocolate Drizzle Date

chocolate being poured onto glass with coconut skin

A sweet and easy Valentine’s date! Start out with ice cream sundaes, or your favoite chocolate cake/pie. If you want to be extra fancy you can light some candles and turn on romantic music.

Then take dessert to the bedroom. Put down a cheap plastic drop cloth and take turns drawing chocolate/caramel trails on each other. To continue the fun, try chocolate pudding and whip cream body painting too! 🙂

Sexy Professor Date

Put on your hubby’s dress shirt, some lingere, and a tie, plus bonus points for having glasses and an updo. Then “teach” your hubby the offical names of different sex positions. Hands on demonstrations recommended. See how many positions you can get through 😉

To find a list of positions with tasteful illustrations, check out the resource section on the free app, Ultimate Intimacy (which also has really fun games that promote connection).

Library Date Night

My husband and I both adore the library! And we’re total believers in library dates. Start off by writing a poem for each other using only books titles. This can be either romantic or hilarious. After you’ve recited your masterpieces and either sneakily smooched or tried to *quietly* laugh, head to the children’s section. Pick out a few books then snuggle up and read to each other.

At this point you can totally snag a warm mug of cocoa and head home for more intimate snuggles. But if you’re still feeling adventurous check out these library date ideas.

Valentine’s Destiny Date

Tonight will be a surprise for both of you! Let your spouse randomly choose the destiny of your date from mysterious coded pictures (but don’t worry, you’ll have the secret key code). Neither of you will know the fate of dinner, dessert, the activity, or the prize. Talk about exciting! My husband liked this date so much he requested we keep the envelopes and do it again. Get the free printables from The Dating Divas.

My recommended alterations for an even more romantic Valentine’s date:

  • Choose your own activities! Instead of getting stuck bowling on Valentine’s Day, try some of my steamy top picks! (Or do all three and let your spouse choose the order.)
  • Since you already did dessert, stick the “Prize” paper to the bedroom door instead!

Ancient Greece Night

Transport your home back to the passionate time of ancient Greece. Drape white sheets, hang a few vines, and play some Greek music to set the mood. Then put out bowls of crisp grapes and plates of kalamata olives with cheese, and serve these tasty crockpot gyros. Or hit up a local Greek restaurant for takeout. And don’t forget the baklava! Then turn up the heat by only dressing in thin sheets. Toga party for two, anyone?

Recipe notes: Here’s an easy tzatziki sauce for the crockpot gyros that uses sour cream and mayo instead, and here’s a dairy free tzatziki I love too.

My chef tips are:

  1. Use an English cucumber
  2. Shred and squeeze to drain the cucumber before stirring in the other ingredients by hand
  3. Add extra dill, freeze-dried or fresh has the best flavor

And for the gyros themselves, I always add extra lemon, oregano, garlic and salt to taste to add more flavor. I totally make this recipe fairly regularly. Plus it can be made with chicken thighs if you prefer poultry.

Couple’s Café

Catch your spouse off guard with a special menu for your evening meal. Get the free menu printable here. Then use Lemon Thistle’s Valentine’s Table Topics for sweet dinner conversation. An easy, but super sweet stay-at-home date idea!

Can’t find a baby sitter? No problem! Involve your kiddos as cute servers, then send them to bed so you can cash in on your spouse’s generous tip. *wink wink*

Go on a “Blind Date”

For a fun twist, go on a blind date together and get to know each other as if for the first time. You can even recreate your first date! And if you’re feeling more daring, you could each choose a different persona for the evening (think celebrity or character with a totally different personality from yourselves) and dress up for the part. At the end of the date, don’t forget an awkward goodnight scene on the doorstep. 😉

Bacon Roses & Adrenaline

Hand your man a bouquet of bacon roses and some tickets for bungee jumping to get his heart racing! Snag this bacon roses tutorial from Jess Pryles. And for AH-mazing bacon, head to Sportsman’s and pick up a magical seasoning called Hi Mountain Cajun Campfire. *This is how my dad got the title Bacon-Whisperer* I personally asked for a 5 lb bag for Christmas because it does such happy things to eggs, bacon, chicken, pasta dishes, ect. Your hubby will thank you!

Other adrenaline-pumping ideas:

  • Hang gliding
  • Whitewater rafting
  • Go carts
  • Rock climbing
  • Zorbing
  • Archery tag
  • Jet skiing
  • Paintballing
  • Fencing lesson
  • Martial arts lesson

Sexy Room Service

Turn your bedroom into a sassy suite this Valentine’s Day. Simply hang up this flirty printable door hanger to set the mood for a romantic evening! And if trying out something like a strip tease is a little intimidating, the Dating Divas have great guide on how to strip tease tastefully. So go an enjoy a spicy evening with your sweetie!

All Tied Up In You

Send your love on a unique Valentine’s Day hunt to mix things up! Imagine walking into your home to find a maze of crisscrossed string with a note saying, “Find the end of me for a surprise!” Check out this post for some helpful tips on setting up a string hunt. Then, at the end of the string have a couple brown paper packages (or even just paper lunch bags) tied up with string with a few of his favorite things. Think treats, a small gift, or some new lingerie!

Other “tied up” ideas:

  • Attempt to eat dinner with your wrists tied to each other’s for some laughs
  • Go out for a treat with one set of your hands tied together
  • Top off your evening by taking turns being frozen (not really into being actually tied up, ha!) for two minutes each while the other partner does some serious tantalizing *wink wink*

Bonus Date Ideas:

Sexy Minute to Win It Games

Turn up the heat and the laughter with 12 of these entertaining and sexy mini games! Pick the activities that seem the most fun to you, snag a few supplies, and let the date begin! Technically this date is a playful competition, but BOTH of you will win on this one. 😉

Recreate Your Wedding Night

newly wed couple by river

Talk about the ultimate romantic evening! And what a fabulous reason to dust off that gorgeous dress stashed in your closet. I don’t know about you, but my hubby would have to wear a different suit because he totally ripped his wedding pants a few years back, ha!

Seriously though, what a special evening to recreate. Share your favorite memories of the day, look over your wedding photos, pull out your honeymoon lingerie, and do little things to transform your bedroom into your honeymoon suite. Happy reminiscing.

With one of these creative Valentine’s date ideas, you are sure to make some unforgettable memories together. Cheers to keeping your relationship happy and healthy!

Want more date inspo? Check out these Creative Stay-At-Home Date Ideas.

Blessings, Nicole

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