Don’t know what to do on Valentine's Day? Explore romantic ideas for Valentine's Day like rekindling the romance through candlelit evenings with our Romantic Valentine’s Lifesize Bears. Enjoy special moments with your partner and make the day unforgettable.
In need of a comforting romantic Valentine’s Day with your love? Look no further!
You Might Be Wondering . . .
How Can I Make Valentine’s Day Romantic?
Be honest: Genuinely communicating with your love is so important. Heartfelt compliments stand out and will be truly appreciated by your partner.
Be Affectionate: Whatever your chosen love language with your partner is, make sure to be vocal.
Be creative: Put a new twist on your favourite hobbies and add unique touches to your romantic ideas for valentine's day date nights.
Be Thoughtful: Think about what your partner wants and asks for. Do they want more date nights switched off from work (or kids if you have them)? Do they want you to be affectionate without being prompted? Personalise your romantic ideas for Valentine's Day to suit your partner and they will see that you are putting forward a sincere romantic effort.
Don’t let Valentine’s Day be a stressful occasion. Ease your worries about what to do on Valentine’s Day 2024 and take a look at our list of cute Valentine’s Day ideas for celebrating your relationship.
1. A Romantic Valentine’s Day Bear Sculpture from Giant Sculptures
Your home and relationship with your partner are sanctuaries from the outside world. Our Giant Bear sculptures are more than just an exquisite Valentine’s Day gift - they represent a timeless testament to your enduring love and appreciation for your partner. If distance separates you from your beloved, let the Giant Bear sculpture serve as a symbol of your unwavering bond, resonating with memories and moments shared. A masterpiece in itself, our Giant Bear sculptures complement any space, adding elegance and sentiment to your surroundings. Let this Valentine's Day be marked with a unique gift that stands as a testament to your love's strength and depth: a lasting monument from Giant Sculptures.
2. Hidden Love Notes
One of the most popular romantic ideas for Valentine's Day is writing and hiding love notes in your home for your partner to find. What is brilliant about love notes is that they can be easily written but their impact is deep - all you really need is a pen, paper and a genuine way to express the love you have for your partner.
If you want to add an extra romantic touch, write your love notes on illustrated paper, draw your own pictures or even print and attach photos of you and your partner. Wait till you see the smile on your partner’s face when they are surprised with finding unexpected notes as they go about their day. There is a reason why this is a time-honoured favourite romantic Valentine’s Day idea in everyone’s mind - nothing is more heartfelt than giving or receiving written love letters that confess all the secret reasons why you love them.
3. A Romantic Literary Reading
If you are a pair of bookworms who crave the romanticism of reading together but have already visited every bookstore, you may be looking for more romantic ideas for Valentine's Day involving literature. Why not try a literary reading from home! Take turns with your partner reading your favourite romantic scenes, passages, poems to each other (bonus points for creating an atmosphere with fitting music in the background). Or if you both like a challenge, write each other a short romantic story. You can aim for a sensual story that makes your partner weak at the knees - or go silly and struggle to keep a straight face while you both giggle. Either way this is one unique and romantic idea for Valentine's Day to add to your list!
4. Movie night In (Or Out!)
If you’re looking for things to do on Valentine’s Day but don’t want to stray far from home, why not have a film festival in your living room? Gather your favourite snacks and have a private viewing of your favourite fictional couples in comfy pyjamas. Or if you have opposing taste in what constitutes a cinematic masterpiece, choose a film each and don’t limit yourselves to just the romance genre! Alternatively, if you’re craving time out of the house and are looking for new places to go for Valentine’s Day, consider a Dine-In Cinema! If you’re willing to spend money on a cinematic experience but tired of spending it on stale overpriced popcorn, try the Everyman or Odeon Luxe Cinema. Put a new spin on classic Valentine's activities like dinner and a movie and order an entire meal to your luxury seats in front of the big screen!
5. Texting Games
If Valentine’s Day lands on a weekday, it’s likely you and your partner may be working apart instead of being together. However, you needn’t save romantic Valentine’s activities solely for the night time. On your commute, your tea breaks, lunch breaks try playing a game over text with your partner. It could be as simple as playing 20 questions, or it could be a challenge to see who can find the silliest or most impressive outfit to wear on your next date night! Or just trade your favourite photos of each other to remind yourselves of your best memories as a couple. Get creative with this cute Valentine’s Day idea to brighten each other’s work days! Although don’t try to text during your meetings!
6. A Candlelit Evening
If you and your partner adore raiding shops for perfect scented candles and are looking for romantic ideas for Valentine's Day, consider a twist on the classic candlelit dinner. Fever has an incredible list of suggestions for candlelit concerts throughout the UK, including their own romantic Valentine’s Day Special. Bask in the warm glow of a hundred candles and rekindle your romance while listening to an incredible selection of romantic songs performed via string quartet. Or of course if you’re feeling like a cosy night in, light every candle you own (safely!) and have a gorgeous candlelit evening with wine and a home cooked dinner or just enjoy each other’s company from the sanctuary of your bed.
7. Explore the Outdoors
Many of us live primarily in cities, towns, with less than picturesque backdrops to our day to day life. If you crave scenery that isn’t made of concrete, seek places to go for Valentine’s Day where greenery and fresh air is abundant. You may have a quiet peaceful place in mind that is close to your area where you and your partner can be alone and enjoy nature (without being swarmed by crowds of people who can be disruptive at best).
However, if you need some romantic ideas for outdoor date locations, why not try a day trip to Fen Drayton in Cambridgeshire, the River Stour in Suffolk or even to more remote lesser-roamed beaches like Horden Beach in County Durham or Kingsgate Bay in Kent, as suggested by The Guardian. Remember wherever you roam to bring some essentials, comfortable walking shoes, a portable picnic, plenty of water and maybe even a towel or change of clothes to make sure your romantic Valentine’s Day in the great outdoors is as relaxing as possible.
8. Couples Game Night
They say that a couple that plays games together, stays together - which answers your question of “what to do on Valentine’s Day”. There are plenty of entertaining card and board games out there that make for very cute Valentine’s activities! Are you looking for a silly, saucy, humorous game trying to guess “What Am I?” Or do you want to test your knowledge of your partner by playing The Couple’s Quiz from Etsy?
To spark deep, thoughtful conversations, try Connect from The School of Life. And finally, if you both like playing the “long game”, One Year of Love instructs you to draw cards daily that suggest date ideas and conversation starters - so your romantic ideas for Valentine's Day no longer have to be limited to the 14th of February.
9. Exchange Heartfelt Gifts
Everyone has a different definition of what a romantic Valentine’s Day is for them, and also what Valentine’s gift most suits their personality and needs. If your partner is a sentimental soul, they will likely appreciate a personalised gift that commemorates a special part of .your relationship. There are so many choices for sentimental gifts, including a ‘Written in the Stars’ Planisphere from Not On The Highstreet that beautifully displays several memories for your partner to treasure.
However, if your partner is highly practical, a present that fulfils a need like a case to protect their phone or a gadget that makes life a bit easier will be a far more romantic idea for them. Alternatively, maybe you both value a sense of humour, so a silly, funny gift like a ‘review of your partner’ from Etsy that makes them giggle is far more likely to go down a treat. Of course, there is usually no need to show your love through buying something, no matter how many romantic ideas for Valentine's Day there are for gifts. Sometimes making something yourself or even just spending time with your partner is the most romantic Valentine’s Day idea of all.
10. Dinner Date at Home
One of our favourite Ideas for Spending Valentine’s At Home is a night cooking together. For a special treat, whip up a romantic Valentine’s Day feast for one another that is tailored to your partner’s favourite food! Design a menu for the other person and then prepare a starter, main and dessert and have your partner do the same for you! This way you can spoil your beloved while also being gifted your own perfect meal.
Put on your aprons and a playlist of your favourite songs and be chefs together in the kitchen! Then light a candle and sit down to a three course meal that your partner thinks you will love! And if you’re seeking an extra cute Valentine’s Day idea, write each other a silly, sweet review like you are Gordon Ramsays reviewing your own mini restaurants (without yelling about the location of the lamb sauce).
11. Go on a Treasure Hunt
Are you a couple that craves a bit of adventure, a puzzle to solve or a way to lose yourself in a new mystery? An interactive treasure hunt may be the perfect thing to do on Valentine’s Day! Hidden City has arranged a set of self-guided interactive treasure hunts themed around Sherlock Holmes, Alice in Wonderland or Snow White!
Characters will message your phone with clues to guide you to secret locations (including places to stop for breaks and food) and you can take your time wandering with your partner to complete your challenges. Alternatively, if you prefer a homemade treasure hunt with less walking, plan clues to hide within your home and watch your partner wander around until they finally find your final clue, which you could attach to a special romantic Valentine’s Day gift, like one of our Giant Sculptures!
12. Cuddles with Cats and Canines
If you and your partner have a love for fluffy sweet creatures and you don’t own one yourselves, spending the day with your favourite animals is a very cute Valentine’s Day idea. If you are both drawn to felines, take a trip to a kitty cafe like the Whiskers and Cream Cafe in London, so you can enjoy a cosy afternoon with cats and coffee. Or if you favour puppies, Pawsitive Cafe has plenty of cute doggies that will make your heart melt!
Fancy places to go for Valentine’s Day where there are animals you don’t see every day? Go to a farm or a zoo! There is something soothing about watching your partner bond with animals, demonstrating just how kind, empathetic and patient they are with those fluffy little mischief makers. This romantic idea for Valentine’s Day may just have you falling in love all over again.
13. Dinner Date at Home
Designing a romantic Valentine’s Day with your partner can be tricky if you are going through a rough patch. It may not seem like the most romantic idea for celebrating Valentine’s Day, but couples therapy can be a healing way to spend this day with your partner. Or if you aren’t ready to confide in a therapist, write out questions and pick them at random so you can have a heart to heart in the safety of your home.
On this day of celebrating your love on good days and bad, dedicate yourselves to listening and being honest with each other and of course always take a breather if the conversation gets heated. Just remember to take small steps to work together and make gestures to show each other that you still care for one another deeply. Eliminate the pressure of being ‘loved up’ on this holiday and consider this Valentine’s Day idea for couples who accept they are forever learning and growing together.
14. Take A Class Together
With the craziness of everyday life, you might not get much time to enjoy hobbies on your own, let alone do things together. Which is why taking classes and learning something new is a great Valentine’s Day idea for couples. Virgin Experience Days has a range of classes for couples, which is actually one of our top suggestions for the Best Valentine’s Gifts for Her (or him)!
Whether you want to go to a cookery, pottery, cookery or even a soap making class, you can turn your favourite hobbies into Valentine’s activities. Or become a multilingual couple and go to a class to learn how to say “You have pretty eyes” and “I love you” in a different language!
15. Go on a Double Date
If you are keen to socialise and rarely get to see friends without their partners, a double date could be a perfect Valentine’s Day idea for couples who rarely get to see each other. Double dating can spice up your conversations and allow you and your partner to experience Valentine’s activities that require more people. This is your chance to go bowling, mini golfing, paint-balling, play laser tag or go to the park just to have a picnic and play football in the park. Just make sure you pick a couple that you know is stable, fun and that you both enjoy being around to avoid any tension.
16. A Romantic Trip away
It can be hard to plan a romantic Valentine’s Day when surrounded by the pressures of everyday life. Being in the same environment as you always are can make it hard for couples to know what to do on Valentine’s Day in order to lose themselves in the blissful honeymoon stage again. This is why we suggest a weekend away somewhere new and ideally more tranquil - somewhere no one you know will bump into you on the street or drop by your home at the last minute to interrupt your date night.
Airbnbs make it easy and affordable to stay almost anywhere. Or if you want to treat yourself, branch out for a secluded holiday home or an alluring hotel in a number of locations, such as Kensington or Surrey Hills from Secret Escapes. If you are craving exciting things to do on Valentine’s Day, try locations like Bath or York - or if you want to get lost in romantic landscapes and villages venture to the Cotswolds or
Canterbury.
17. Attend a Live Performance
Watching a live performance can be one of the most exciting things to do on Valentine’s Day. It’s a unique and rare feeling to be connected to a room of people all witnessing something for the first time, let alone sharing that high with your partner. Select a play or theatre show on a topic that intrigues you, or find a comedian whose personality and sense of humour appeals to you. Hopefully you will be lucky enough to see a comedian who makes you laugh, or a show that gives you a new, thoughtful perspective on life. And afterwards you can get into a long detailed discussion with your partner and enjoy your opposing opinions or be in total agreement.
18. The Gift of a Spa Day
Sometimes taking care of ourselves can feel like a luxury, so it means a great deal when your partner reminds you that your health and wellbeing is not only a necessity to them but a priority. One of the most romantic ideas for Valentine's Day is the opportunity to relax and revitalise in a way that we usually wouldn’t do on our own, maybe due to guilt, shyness or even budget.
Buy A Gift offers couple spa day experiences with a range of affordable prices, so you can purchase a soothing and romantic Valentine’s Day gift for your significant other that doesn’t break the bank. Not to mention, a spa day can be as cheap and cheerful as an afternoon at home, putting on face masks, lighting candles and running a bubble bath to share together. Taking time for self care is one of the most valuable Valentine’s Day ideas for couples who need a slice of relaxation.
We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to think of perfect, romantic ideas for Valentine's Day to make this day of love spectacular. What we must remember is that love is not measured in what we can afford but in the memories we make. The most romantic ideas for Valentine's Day you will have are not the big hollow gestures, but in the small, subtle and genuine ways in which we express our affection for each other.
So we hope our suggestions help you find cosy, cute Valentine’s Day ideas that inspire you to create heartfelt and intimate memories with your partner this year, not just on the 14th of February!
