7 OF OUR FAVORITE ROMANTIC, “LOCAL” EXPERIENCES TO PLAN WITH YOUR HONEY THIS valentine’s day
The month of love is just a handful of days away and sometimes planning that perfect gesture of love can be overwhelming. We’re hammered with commercials, content, and products that pile on the pressure. We’ve certainly felt it, so we thought we would share some of our stress-free, affordable, accessible and thoughtful experiences we’ve enjoyed with our husbands. Whether you indulge in acts of love on Valentine’s day or throughout the month, there are plenty of “local” ways to honor love and romance with your sweetie. If you don’t have a romantic companion, consider spoiling yourself a little extra or including a loved one who is single (a bestie or a family member) instead! Whatever you do, make it fun and make it all about feeling the LOVE! Below is a list of ideas to get you inspired.
If you have kids living at home one of the first things you’ll want to arrange is a babysitter or another place they can go so you can truly savor the romance in any of these activities. This downtime for yourself (and your partner) isn’t selfish, it’s good for you and helps you show up better in every area of your life.
1.) Cook A Meal at Home - Together.
Every couple approaches kitchen duties differently. In Penny’s house, she and Kevin divide and conquer meals. He tends to be an early riser and loves making breakfast for everyone. Penny loves trying new recipes so she always tackle dinners. If you listen to our podcast you know that in Maya’s home her husband, Bobby is the primary chef. He cooks and she cleans. It’s the perfect compromise.
No matter your typical routines, there’s nothing quite like bonding over preparing and savoring a meal together.
First, pick a meal that you both love. You can pair it with a nice wine, beer, or a delicious mocktail. For a more romantic menu, I would choose a delicious pasta or anything French. While you prep your meal, turn on some relaxing music that levels up your connection, divide up the recipe tasks, take it slow, and enjoy some easy conversation (if you’re doing it with your sweetie, try to avoid work or kid-related conversations if at all possible!) And don’t forget dessert, even if it’s as simple as chocolate dipped strawberries. We’ve linked a few recipes to consider below.
Tasting Menu for Two:
If you’re feeling a little more creative and adventurous, consider creating an extra special evening designed for the senses (or sensual pleasures).
Pick a few wines, champagnes, beers, or mocktails and pair each one with a “course” from a thoughtfully prepared (or take-out) menu. The point is to create an adventure for your senses that you can both experience together.
Prolong the love with a tasting of after dinner drinks like espresso martinis, Sambuca, Frangelico, Bourbon, Drambuie or whatever your post-dinner drink of choice is and pair with your favorite dessert(s).
Make it even sweeter by feeding one another or sneaking in kisses and soft touches between each tasting. If you want to heat things up you can continue your love fest of bites and cordials in the bedroom and have fun with alcohol infused whipped cream (or non-alcoholic) and “bedroom foods” like chocolate, honey, oysters or strawberries.
Food, sex and love are an epic romantic trifecta!
2.) Staycation in a Local Hotel.
If you live near a nice hotel, consider getting out of your four walls, away from kids or other relatives, and check in for a night of fun. There is just something about hotels that can make you feel like you’re on vacation, so why not enjoy that feeling, even if it’s just a short drive away from home. We are fortunate to live a few miles from the ocean, so there are plenty of nice hotels in our hometown to choose from. But even if you live in a small town with limited options, there’s bound to be a nice bed and breakfast, AirBnB, or hotel within an hour from “home.” If not, consider driving a little further and just get away for a night. Order take-out or room service or bring your own “picnic.” Watch a movie, read books, talk, laugh, and definitely enjoy some “sexy time” (if you’re with your sweetie). Winter is a great time in many cities to book a hotel stay since it’s the off-season for a lot of destinations. But if booking a local hotel isn’t an attractive option for you, consider these other local destination ideas below.
3.) Be a tourist in your own town.
If you’re lucky enough to live in a city or geographic region with a robust cultural scene, then by all means, take advantage of it. People tend to overlook the wealth of entertainment options in their own locales, so it’s worth a Google search to see what nearby museums, theaters, concert halls, or other tourist attractions have planned this month. Visiting these local attractions together can be festive and romantic when enjoyed with your significant other. There might be a cool art exhibit, stand-up comedy show, play, concert, or maybe it’s just been a while since you’ve visited the local aquarium, zoo, or special historic sites in your area. This is also a feel-good experience in that you’re supporting local organizations and the overall local economy. Make a day of it by grabbing a meal or meals as the most romantic dining spots in your area. Be a tourist in your own town for a day.
4.) Send the kids away for 24 hours, or a whole weekend.
The act of pawning off your kids isn’t romantic, but what you choose to do with your time once they’re out of your care for a while most certainly can be. There is something about being at home without your children all up in your business that’s freeing and gives you the space to pay attention to your partner. Basically, you can live how you lived before kids: footloose and fancy free! Turn up your music, dance like you’re 20 again, and break out the champagne! And not having to worry about kids wandering in during sexy time? BONUS! Carving out time away from your kids is good for you, and your relationship - so consider planning it this month if you can. And don’t let guilt get you: everyone benefits from short breaks away from each other, kids and parents alike.
5.) Get pampered together or pamper each other.
There’s something really tender about expressing your love through touch and self-care. You can go as grand or simple with your gestures and you can splurge financially or not by doing the pampering at home. Couples massages are always a popular draw, but other fun spa-like activities include body scrubs, facials, private time in a sauna or hot tub, and manis & pedis. If you choose to pamper at home indulge in a bubble bath for two (or one if you’re in solo status) or a prolonged shower.
If you want to plan an entire day of wellness perhaps start with a practice like yoga, pilates or meditation, then enjoy time in nature by going on a walk, hike or bike ride. Eat a late lunch or early dinner at a favorite restaurant and then end the day with the pampering of your choice.
The calm easy pace of this experience is surely a beautiful way to express love for yourself and your partner.
6.) Take a walk down memory lane.
Curl up on the sofa or in front of the fireplace and pull out your wedding album or video to bring back all the feels from that day. If you’re not married, then scroll through photos and videos on social media or any imagery you can access that reflects the time you’ve spent with your very special human. The beauty in this exercise is that you get to see how your love has evolved; how you’ve changed as a duo and how some things have stayed the same. Talk about your favorite memories and exchange ideas about new memories you want to make together. Savoring memories and sharing your dreams are great expressions to fortify your love and commitment.
7. Picnics and poems.
Gather up a basket of goodies, comfy blankets and pillows, candles, a book of love poems and plant yourself on the grass of your favorite park, sandy beach or bedroom floor. Personalize this date however you want but capture the essence of feeding your bodies, minds and souls and connecting in ways you’re unable to do on a day-to-day basis.
