18 unexpected Valentine's ideas better than just going for dinner

Posted: Sun. Jan. 26/20

C'est l'amour! Valentine's Day doesn’t have to be about a box of chocolates or a card. Instead of asking ‘what should I get for Valentines Day?’, ask yourself ‘what should we DO?’

You’re going to find something great to try on this list of unexpected Valentine's Day ideas for you and your sweetheart or you and your friends.

1. Take a snowshoe through an old-growth forest at Cypress Mountain.

Snowshoe to the historic Hollyburn Lodge along a self-guided, lit trail through the enchanting old frowth forest.
Book your spot today:
— Cypress Mountain (@Cypressmtn) January 23, 2020

2. Go for the ultra-cute cross-country night ski at Sovereign Lake. Tourism Vernon can point you towards some awesome places to stay, too.

3. Book a cozy night in a stylish winterized cabin.

4. How about a skate for two, gliding hand in mittened hand? Tourism Jasper has a whole list of cute ideas in the area.

Valentines Date ideas in Jasper ZenSeekers

Photo: Tourism Jasper

Couple skating in Jasper.

5. Play hooky and get out for a surprise ski day. If you want to make a whole weekend out of it, you’ll want to put Cypress Hills Provincial Park and Hidden Valley Ski Resort on your radar.

6. Go for the thrills and hop on a winter tube ride. You can whirr down the hill at Harper Mountain and kick back by the fire in Kamloops after.

7. Stroll down Main Street, picking up treats at the local boutiques along the way. Play 20 questions as you go and see if you can discover something new about each other.

8. Ever heard of fireplace hopping? It’s like a pub crawl, but you visit and enjoy some of these eight cozy fireplaces that are open in winter. If you're a skier, you’ll love that one of these stops is at Marmot Basin.

Photo: Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

Winter at the Jasper Park Lodge is wonderful.

9. Hear those sleigh bells jingling in Smithers.

10. Charge the soul with an evening of romantic music. If jazz is your thing, You’ll want to be in Medicine Hat on Feb. 14th.

11. Go for a sunset lake skate. Seymour Lake near Hudson Bay Mountain Resort is a great option, especially if you want to indulge in the good-time resort life, too.

12. Bring the hot chocolate and take a romantic hike in the Alberni Valley.

Valentines Date ideas Port Alberni ZenSeekers

Photo: Rebecca Bollwitt

13. Hold on to your sweetheart as you snowmobile over snow-covered valleys around Cranbrook. If you’re a big fan of snowmobiling, you’ll want to get to Cranbrook for Family Day, too.

14. Stargazing is always a winner, especially with places like the Planetarium in Jasper where you can get in some telescope viewing, too.

15. Live it up with a night out on the town! It’s extra romantic by one of the world's longest ocean inlets in the beautiful Alberni Valley. If you need a little dinner to start off your evening, check out Little Bavaria, Starboard Grill, Orestes, or Drinkwater House in Port Alberni.

16. Visit a waterfall to be awed by nature and bring you and your sweetheart closer.

17. Go for a winter hike and bring a blanket so you can snuggle up while you take in the sights. A day trip from Medicine Hat can take you to Police Point Park or Red Rock Coulee. You’ll be surprised how different the landscape looks compared to the summer months.

18. Stay in town and hit up the local rink for some ice skating disco. Go indoors at the Vermilion Arena and score a free lap from 5-6:30 p.m. to keep your evening budget friendly.