Okay, so Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and you’ve totally forgotten to actually book a dinner reservation at that fancy place your boo likes (which has undoubtedly filled up by now), and now you’re stuck for what to do without looking like a total disappointment.
Don’t worry, we’ve got your back – here are all the best ways to throw a super simple (but very romantic) date, with minimal planning and maximum results.
#1 Wine, Cheese And A Picnic Blanket
This one’s good because it’ll work both in the day time and the night, so you can tweak your timing depending on the mood you’re going for. All you need is a cute picnic blanket/sheet/rug, a bottle of their favourite wine and a super easy DIY cheese platter (think those fancy cranberry crackers, some brie cheese and grapes).
The wine and cheese bring a really classy and romantic vibe to your relaxing date, and the picnic blanket makes it look like you’ve planned more than you actually have. If it rains (because this Aussie summer is unpredictable AF), just move indoors to have cheese and wine on the couch, with a movie of your choice and some cuddly blankets to get your freak on during.
#2 Brunch And A Coastal Walk
Brunch is the quintessential Millenial/Gen Z date experience, and it’s just pricey enough to qualify as a great V-day date. There’s heaps of brunch places in beach areas – how about doing an early brunch (to miss the 11am V-day wait time and look like you’ve made a booking), and then spending your day strolling down a coastal walk or getting your feet wet in the shallows?
Bonus points if you whip out a camera and offer to take cute pics of your bae while they’re frolicking on the beach – who doesn’t love a thoughtful partner that worships the ground they walk on?
#3 A Trip To An Art Gallery or Exhibition
The wonderful thing about most art galleries is that they’re either free or reasonably priced, and don’t require any sort of pre-planning or booking to attend. You can totally pretend like you had this in mind all along, because you don’t need any ticketing proof.
And of course, on top of that, art galleries are super romantic. You immediately come off cultured and sensitive, and watching your date walk around and be wowed by the artworks is really cute. Sit back, enjoy the view, and then go to a local cafe for a coffee and cake afterwards to finish up a sweet day.
#4 Go To A Carnival/Arcade/Amusement Park/Museum
If you’re looking for something a little less cheesy or typical, try a fun date like an arcade. You can spend the day winning cute stuffed toys or cool gadgets for your bae, and the date itself is more memorable than most. Plus, diverging from the usual moody romantic dates can come off as better planning – you can totally claim that you anticipated how overdone most Valentine’s Day dates are, wanted to offer something different. Plus, did you know that exciting dates trick people’s minds into being more attracted to the person they’re with? Hehe.
Aside from an arcade, you could try a natural history museum (um, hello, there’s DINOSAURS), or one of those trampoline/jumping castle places for adults like Flip Out, where you can jump around and “accidentally” fall into the arms of each other while having a giggling good time.
#5 Breakfast In Bed And Other Favours
Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about the lovers who just aren’t into going out for V-day. If this is you or your s/o, but you still want to do something nice for them, there’s heaps of way to celebrate Valentine’s Day at home.
Try making them breakfast in bed, complete with their favourite cup of tea, and then marathoning their favourite TV show/movie series. Bonus points if you offer to watch something you know they’ve wanted to, but they haven’t asked because it’s something you don’t like. Make the sacrifice and win the love points! And then finish it off with a home-cooked meal, and add some candles to make the lighting more moody and romantic.
