Valentine’s Day isn’t just about roses and candy. These 7 outdoor Valentine’s Day date ideas will leave lasting memories.
Have I mentioned how much I dislike roses and candy for Valentine’s Day (or any day really)? It’s just not my jam. Create a lasting memory with me though and I’ll love you forever. That’s just one of the many things I love about Mike. He would rather go on an adventure with me than spend the day celebrating like it’s a Hallmark holiday.
Not that there’s anything wrong with Hallmark before anyone comments. You can often find me crafting in front of a Hallmark movie during the week while the kids are at school.
Outdoor Valentine’s Day date ideas
These romantic date ideas will have you creating a lasting memory with your favorite person. There are so many other ideas too such as putting a lock on a bridge, making a heart on the sand and writing your names in it with a stick, planting a tree together, naming a star after the one you love so that you can look at it on a clear night. Get creative, but most importantly have fun and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Chase a sunset date night
This is one of my favorite activities. Last August I posted a series of photos on Instagram of an evening chasing a sunset with Mike. We knew there was going to be a spectacular sky that night so headed to the mountains to see if we could get a beautiful view from a scenic overlook. Unfortunately, when we got to the overlook there was a group of young girls (shortly thereafter joined by a group of young boys) having a picnic dinner, and the sun was actually setting on the opposite side of the mountain.
So, we set off in the car, chasing it around small towns, over mountains, past farms, stopping every now and then to snap a photo.
Outdoor landscape painting date idea
Last summer we packed art canvasses, paints, brushes, and snacks into the car and headed to a lovely spot to paint landscapes with the kids. This would make such a wonderful daytime date idea though. Pack a bottle of wine or champagne, a picnic lunch, and do something fun together. The paintings above are one’s Mike and I did. It’s fascinating to see how each of us captured the exact same scene so differently.
Sunrise breakfast morning breakfast date
One cold fall morning, we packed up pastries, a thermos of coffee, and headed to Green River Lake to watch the sunrise over the water. It was one of the most memorable days I can remember and definitely something we plan on repeating often. Thankfully we got lucky with the most beautiful sunrise too.
Find a heart in nature date idea
One Valentine’s Day we decided to go hiking while the kids were at school. I’d heard about a lovely spot in the San Bernardino Mountains where we could hike to heart rock. It’s absolutely beautiful, although the altitude did get to Mike a little.
On another weekend getaway, I snapped a photo of leaves that made the shape of a heart. You can find hearts in nature everywhere, you just need to look. Draw a heart in the sand at the beach, bend a stick into a heart shape as a memory of somewhere you went together. Go find a heart in nature.
Cook what you catch date
We’ve spoken before about our love of heading out on the water with our fishing guide Lance of Sasser’s Guide Service. Back in 2018, Mike arranged for an early morning date on the water to catch fish. There’s nothing better than him breaking out the deep fryer and enjoying fish and chips together in front of the firepit when we get home.
Write on a before I die wall
I know this might sound a little morbid to be thinking about death while thinking about those you love, but think of it as making a pledge to someone, like giving them a promise ring. Mike and I kept driving past a ‘Before I Die Wall’ in a small town and one day decided to stop and write something.
Mike wrote: “Marry the one person who understands me and grow old with our family.”
I wrote: “Spend the rest of my life laughing and swinging on porch swings with him.”
Even though our writings may have been erased and replaced by now, it’s created a memory and something we still strive to accomplish together.
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