Top Activities to Do For Valentine’s Day

Love is in the air, when the pink and red paper hearts are showing up everywhere and teddy bears fill the aisles of stores, you know Valentine’s Day is near. Whether or not you are in a relationship, love can be celebrated in many different forms. No matter if you are with your significant other, friends, family, or just by yourself, Valentine’s Day can be a great way to spice up your Tuesday this year. From activities that don’t require you to leave your house to more extravagant date ideas, there is something everyone can do to celebrate.

1. Go out to dinner: What better way to celebrate Valentine’s day than a nice dinner? Whether it’s a nice dinner for two, a group outing, or a peaceful dinner to yourself, dinner is a great way to enjoy yourself and have some of your favorite food. Looking for a recommendation? To get into the spirit of the holiday, restaurants like Giordano’s, Pizzeria Portofino, and Beatrix Market, are all selling heart-shaped pizzas for Valentine’s Day. Be sure to check that out if you are a pizza fan.
2. Baking/cooking: For everyone that prefers staying at home and being cozy, consider having a Valentine’s Day baking/cooking date with loved ones or by yourself. Heart-shaped pizzas can be a great meal to make on your own, or if not, make your favorite meal. If you have a sweet tooth, consider baking Valentine’s cookies or cupcakes that you can decorate with pink and red frosting, heart sprinkles, or go crazy with intricate designs. Even if you aren’t a good baker, decorating cookies or cupcakes can be a great way to get festive and can be a great Valentine’s gift to give to loved ones.
3. Galentine’s Day: “Galentine’s day” is a new emerging take on Valentine’s Day that features friend groups getting together and hosting a dinner or party to celebrate the holiday of love. While it is very trendy right now and lots of people are doing it in different ways, there are some things you need to have in order to host a perfect Galentine’s celebration. Decorations are a must. Blow up heart balloons, set the table with pink and red utensils and centerpieces, or set up flowers. Invite your closest friends and bake together, play games, or watch a movie. If you want to make it fancier, have everyone dress up and take pictures together. Another alternative to a party is to turn it into a sleepover and host a spa night.
4. Watch a movie: Speaking of movies, Valentine’s day is a perfect time to watch your favorite romance or rom-com. Netflix released an entire category titled “Romantic Movies” that is perfect for celebrating Valentine’s Day. Netflix is also streaming older rom-coms, so make sure to look out for your favorite comfort movie.
5. Free Museum Days: If you are looking for good date ideas, and want to explore Chicago for free, some of the Chicago museums are instituting free admission days that happen to fall on Valentine’s day this year. The Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago History Museum and Museum of Contemporary Art are all free on Valentine’s Day. Make sure you take advantage of this great opportunity.

Although Valentine’s day falls on a weekday this year, these activities can help you celebrate this holiday of love and bring happiness into the week ahead.