20 Things to do in Edmonton for Valentine’s Day (2015)

Credit: City of Edmonton Photo Gallery

I love Valentine’s Day! Yes, yes, sometimes the commercialism is a bit much – it’s crazy that the pink hearts and candy come out almost immediately after Christmas, all that societal pressure of finding someone to spend it with that can be stupid, and it’s silly to think that you should only celebrate your special someone on this one day a year, but I’ve always been a romantic and I’ve always liked this time of year (even before I met Mike!) Nowadays more than anything, I just like finding different ways to spend time with my hubby and Valentine’s Day is just another ‘event day’ where we can do that.

I know we’re not alone in that thinking, so I’ve put together some ideas of what you can do for Valentine’s Day in Edmonton! (You can do a lot of these year-round, with anyone, or a group of friends too!)

20 Things to do in Edmonton for Valentine’s Day

• Go Ice SkatingThis can be at any outdoor rink, indoor at West Edmonton Mall’s Ice Palace, or at the City of Edmonton’s Valentine’s Day Disco Ice Skate (they did this last year, I haven’t gotten official confirmation that it’s happening again this year, but I will update when confirmed!)
• Take a cooking classI have yet to do this with Mike but I really want to! You’ve got some solid options in Edmonton too. Check out the big cooking class list at Get Cooking Edmonton, the Valentine’s Day cooking class is sold at Sorrentino’s but you can do a Sunday day-after class or book something later in the month as a gift. Gail Hall over at Seasoned Solutions offers some fun classes too! And NAIT Culinary/Continuing Education has some Valentine’s cooking classes available! Also do-able (and cheaper): cook together at home!
• Movie Night (in or out!)Right now Mike and I are trying to watch all the Oscar Best Picture-nominated movies. Give that a shot, or just have any movie marathon. Rom coms and chick flicks would probably be Valentine’s Day appropriate but you can really go any genre with this. Get the popcorn, chips, and multitude of snacks going, dim the lights and you’ve got yourself a great night.
• Get artistic! Have a painting night.Drink and paint while guided by a local artist at one of Paint Nite Edmonton’s events. Check out 4Cats Edmonton (many locations) for a bigger painting party. There’s also a studio that lets you throw paint at a canvas, but I cannot remember the name of it for the life of me… but how fun would that be?!
• A fancy Valentine’s Day dinner!One of my favourite restaurants XIX Nineteen is fully booked for Valentine’s Day reservations in their dining room but there are Lounge spots open. The wonderful NAIT Ernest’s restaurant (best affordable fine dining in the city!) is also booked up. Check out the Fairmont Mac’s Harvest Room 5-course Valentine’s Day dinner and also see this list from Open Table of some great Edmonton restaurants with Valentine’s Day dinner specials or just call up / Google one of your favourite spots – they’ll probably have something going on!
• Do the Sweetheart’s Snowshoe!Embrace winter with a super cute Valentine’s date doing the Sweetheart Snowshoe in the River Valley! The walk is followed by hot chocolate and bannock making. So awesome.
• Go dogsledding in the Canadian Rockies!Eep! This is what Mike and I did for Valentine’s Day/weekend last year! It is so much fun and such a unique and cool experience. If you want to get away for the weekend, do this!
• Swing dance the night awayGo to Sugar Swing Dance Club’s ‘An Affair of the Heart: A Valentine’s Stomp’! Dance, play couples games, there’s a photo booth, it’s just going to be really cute.
• Board game night!Some of my favourite hang outs involve board games. If you’re looking for a low-key, low-cost option, just stay at home and play some board games. Our most recent plays are Munchkin and Killer Bunnies. Takes a bit of effort learning but so fun after you get it!
• Laugh it up – go to a comedy show!We love comedy shows. There are some Valentine’s Day showsscheduled at The Comic Strip in West Edmonton Mall as well as at Yuk Yuk’s!
• Spend Valentine’s at the Silver Skate Festival!There’s lots of different options for couples if you’re looking for a romantic outing at this year’s Silver Skate Festival.
• Do Valentine’s in the Roman Empire, an igloo, or in the Polynesian islandsOkay I’ve never done this, and admittedly it would be quite expensive, but wouldn’t this be neat? We know a couple who did this last Valentine’s Day – booked a theme room at the Fantasyland Hotel. The novelty may wear off quickly but I mean, it’s still cool!
• Recreate your first date!For a few Valentine’s Days/anniversaries, Mike and I always do what we did on our first date: Japanese dinner at Mt. Fuji followed by a movie (Sidebar: our first date movie was Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.)
• Take in a show – dinner theatre, opera, a live band perhaps?Go out for a live show: dinner theatre at the Mayfield or Jubilations. There’s lots of live bands playing on Valentine’s weekend. You can also try the Edmonton Opera’s Valentine’s Gala!
• Build a pillow fort!I read an article recently about how an adult created a pillow fort in his room because – why not? This also brings back some memories of Community’s Pillow Town episode. How fun would this be!! Build your fort – stay in it all day!!
• Go for a couple’s massageMike and I did this on a cruise last year. Go for a couple’s massage! It is pretty much just getting a massage on your own, but your significant other is in the same room, and they had us hold hands at the end. Lol. But still super relaxing.
• Go to the park for a dateDo a daytime picnic or go at night, lay back and look up at the stars. ~romance~
• Bubble bath anyone?Tack this onto the end of any of the at-home ideas. We’ve never done it but I bet it would be fun!
• Hot apple cider and a strollI love hot apple cider in winter. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be crazy. Go for a walk. Explore your neighbourhood. Sip on some hot apple cider. :-)
• Netflix binge-watch (not unusual from every other day)Settle in and binge-watch your Valentine’s weekend away. Currently we are watching Suits and of course – Doctor Who!
• PLUS: Do a couples’ sewing date!Recycle an old sweater together! Check out Little Button Sewing’s fun Valentine’s Day couples class.
• Put your puzzle-solving skills to the testMake it an intense Valentine’s Day date by trying to break out of a room as part of live action escape game Break Out! Definitely a unique Valentine’s.
• Check out the Broadway love story of Beauty and the Beast!Take in Broadway Across Canada’s classic love story Beauty & the Beast! It’s in town Feb. 10-15!.
• And try your hand at woodworking workshop!
• OliverApt is doing what sounds like really cool, hands-on woodworking workshops for Valentine’s Day! You and your sweetie (or friend) get to make and take home serving boards! so fancy.

I hope everyone has a fantastic Valentine’s Day!

Linda

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