14 Creative and (Affordable!) Valentine’s Day Date Ideas

You don’t need a holiday to let your S.O. know how you feel but it’s as good an excuse as any. So have some fun this Valentine’s Day and spend quality time with your babe–without draining either of your bank accounts. Whether you’re planning date night or your boo is in charge of activities, we’re pitching in by offering up sweet, unique Valentine’s Day ideas that go beyond an overpriced prix fixe meal at a crowded restaurant. Sound good? We thought so, too. Read on to see some clever ways you can get your (affordable) romance on this V-Day.

1.Go ice skating. Make like you’re straight out of a Hallmark movie and hit the local ice rink (while holding hands, of course). Don’t forget the hot chocolate–or hot toddies–afterward!

2. More s’mores. Have a backyard fire pit or live near a beach where bonfires are permitted? Lucky! For a sweet Valentine’s Day date idea, grab some marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate, and turn up the heat!

3. Dinner and a movie–but make it themed. Settle in for a night of takeout and TV with a twist. Watch Mystic Pizza, order your own pie, and drink wine. Or rent Lost in Translation with sushi and sake. You get the idea.

4. Go to a yoga class. Or do an at-home flow with an on-demand class via an app, streaming service, YouTube, or old-fashioned DVD. No worries if you’re not both yogis–or neither of you is–that’s part of the fun! Plus, you might discover a new favorite workout.

5. Take a hike. No, literally. If you’re an outdoorsy kind of couple, hit the great outdoors on Valentine’s Day. Protein bars for two, anyone?

6. Play the newlywed game. Doesn’t matter if you’re married or not! See how well you know each other with a fun online quiz or invite some couple friends over and test your knowledge in front of an audience–if you dare.

7. Make your own ice cream sundae bar. What’s better than ice cream sundaes? Oh, that’s right–nothing. Break out your favorite flavors, plus sprinkles, chocolate chips, hot fudge, whipped cream–all the toppings–and treat yourselves!

8. Hit up a trivia night. If you or your S.O. like to show off your smarts, look for a trivia night at a local bar or restaurant. Nothing near you? Try a trivia app or online games!

9. Recreate your first date or where you first met. Go back to that special spot where it all started. For fun, quiz each other on who can remember the most details from that fateful day or night.

10. Make it a spa day. Tons of spas offer special deals for couples on Valentine’s Day. Check out sites like Groupon or Livingsocial for extra discount options or create your own at-home spa with candles and essential oils (and maybe some online massage tutorials).

11. Go for a waterfront walk. There’s nothing like a cozy stroll along the water for a quality, low-cost Valentine’s date. Bring hot drinks in to-go cups and cuddle up!

12. Go listen to live music. Whether it’s an acoustic singer at the neighborhood coffee house, a local bar band, or the community college symphony orchestra, there’s just something refreshing about taking in some IRL music.

13. Cook together. Take a cooking class (you can find deals online for this, too) or make something yummy together at home. Not a whiz in the kitchen? Non-subscription meal delivery services like Chef’d and FreshDirect offer affordable meal kits for two, minus the commitment.

14. Play games. Channel your inner kiddo at your local arcade. Most games cost no more than a quarter to play and these days, plenty are geared toward adults, including features like a full bar and food.

Tell us your cheap and unique Valentine’s Day ideas in the comments–and shop flirty, fun V-Day date looks here!

(Featured image via @emmasedition)

This post was originally published in January 2019 and has been updated with new content.