10 Amazing Valentine’s Day ideas from truLOCAL

Some people make a big deal out of Valentine’s Day. They make special plans with a special person in their life to do special things with. With Covid precautions causing restaurants to shut their doors, it is getting harder and harder to think of good ideas for a great date night. Don’t worry, truLOCAL has you covered with our top 10 Covid-friendly date night ideas that you can do around home. This list is totally doable as a single too so don’t let your independence hold you back from enjoying some amazing Valentine’s Day ideas.

Heat up in the snow.

Snow can be a bother on your morning commute but it can also be incredibly recharging and romantic if seen through the right lens. Grab some warm coats, blankets, and some spiked hot chocolate and enjoy a backyard fire. Bonus points for snacks that require more prep-work than simply opening a bag. Think warm dips or smores and you can’t go wrong.

Back to the beach!

If you dread the winter cold as much as I do, avoid it by setting up a virtual beach in your own home. Crank the heat, put down towels to lay on, put on your swimsuit, and pack a cooler! No sunburn, better bathrooms, and forget winter for a few hours. Play some summer tunes and just relax (because shoveling the driveway can wait).

Make a meal together.

We love slow meals where the emphasis is on making the food just as much as eating it. Slow everything down, laugh and talk, all while creating a great meal. Not sure what to make? truLOCAL has the perfect solution: it's our date night box! Simplify it by ordering a sophisticated surf and turf dinner. We are also launching a special date night box with a bottle or two of red or white wine called the wine and dine box. Order it by February 3 to be sure that it arrives on your doorstep by Valentine’s Day.

Take a hike!

There’s something so refreshing about getting outside. It might be the fresh air, the warm sun, or just being surrounded by nature but it always puts me and my family in better moods (total life hack, I swear). You don’t have to go far but just get outside and spend some time not thinking about the rat race. If you have snowshoes or cross-country skis, this is the time to use them. 

Binge!

Okay, so hikes are not for everyone. We know that. Some people would much rather stay inside and just binge a season of their favourite show. So why fight it? Make it even better with a bit of preparation. Get the snacks and drinks ready ahead of time so there will be zero interruptions.

Be your best brunch.

Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday in 2022 so surprise your loved one a day early with a deluxe brunch on Sunday. Indulge with pastries, eggs, bacon, waffles, special breads for toast, hash browns, and/or deluxe coffee. (Can you tell that I am limiting my carbs right now?) Remember to take it slow and stretch the meal out for hours. No one can be in a rush when it’s brunch time.

Book a flight!

With Covid closing borders and international travel being less desirable, we all really miss our usual vacations. Why not stay home and daydream about that next trip? To play, set a timer for 10 minutes and an imaginary budget to plan a fantasy trip. A trip planned for $5,000 is way different than one for $50,000 but be creative. To increase the level of romance, try to plan the trip with your loved one in mind (and have them plan one that you’d enjoy). Compare trip ideas and see if a combination of ideas creates the perfect vacation. Who knows? You might need those ideas for when you decide to travel next.

Book a different flight.

Plan a whole evening of wine. Pick a theme (like a wine region or a type of grape) and buy a few bottles of wine and host a wine flight. Smell the wine and describe it, then describe the flavours of the wine. Compare your notes with others before trying the next wine. We recommend pairing with a simple charcuterie with lots of dried meat, fruit, breads, and cheese or even skip the fuss and order our dried meats.

Charcuterie!

You don’t need to host a wine tasting to have a good charcuterie session! Charcuterie (or “picky trays” as my mother refers to them) are just a fancy finger food tray and you get to pick what is on it. It could be olives, berries, cheese, and dried meat or it could be chicken wings, nachos, and guac. You make up the rules on what you eat but try to make sure that everything is bite-sized so you don’t need any silverware.

I’m game.

Whether it’s a card game like poker or a board game like Monopoly, game night is a great device-free way to spend an evening with loved ones. We recommend favourites from your childhood like Uno, Sorry, Life, or checkers but even a simple deck of cards can provide hours of entertainment. This low-cost option is way more fun than you remember, especially if you have the right snacks.

Don’t let Valentine’s Day surprise you without having a solid plan for how to celebrate. truLOCAL has lots of simple ideas on how to make an evening full of fun. Remember, you can always combine two or more ideas to create something perfect for you - binging shows from a hot tub while tasting wine and eating charcuterie sounds pretty good to me! Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone.

Article by:

Steve Tippin

Posted on January 18th, 2023