4 of HONOLULU’s Last-Minute Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Don’t worry, we got you.

February 14, 2017

Natalie Schack,

Photo: ThinkStock

We hate to break it to you, but you’re late. You’re late! For a very important date.

In fact, Valentine’s Day—tonight!—may be the most important date of the year, and if you still don’t have plans for you and your boo (oops), you’re in for a world of hurt hearts in the morning. (And maybe some hurt other things, as well …)

Emergency amorous mode, STAT. You can totally fix this before dinner and even tailor the night to be—stay with us, now—special and unique, with these ideas for fun and different slap-together V-Day dates. Let’s make our party line to your S.O.: Restaurant reservations are, er, so overdone. (Then, bat your eyelashes and refill their Champagne.)

Love will find a way.

Get Cozy

Fact: Everyone loves sunsets (or, if they don’t, should you be dating them? Kidding. Kind of). Fact two: S’mores are just fun, even if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t love graham crackers (apparently that’s a thing, too). Fact three: Coziness levels are positively correlated with the presence of cocoa. Grab a spot on the beach, make a snuggly nest of blankets and throws, and whip out your sweet treats (extra points for nice, thoughtful dishware) and tools (maybe a Sterno or a hibachi) for a romantic sunset-gazing sesh that only requires a trip to the market.

Staycay

Relationships can get, well, let’s just say, comfortable. Mixing it up could be the best gift you could give your sweetie! Don’t worry, we’re not talking about anything drastic, we’re just looking at a change of scenery. Take your gal out to a night’s staycay at a Waikīkī hotel where you two can veg out in the lap of luxury and order some room service. Or, if you really want to mix it up, we also love the idea of snagging a couple of drinks at the hotel bar—maybe pretending the two of you are strangers, flirting a bit, going back to the room together (ooh la la!). Keep it spicy, people!

Memory Crawl

Remember that bar where you struck up a conversation about IPAs, or the park where you had your first kiss? The diner you always go to together for late-night munchies, or the bakery she introduced you to on your birthday? Take her on a little blast-to-the-past tour and re-experience some of your favorite memories. You could even doodle a cute little map of your itinerary and give it to her in lieu of a Valentine’s Day card. Eating, drinking and walking through some of your best moments together will give her all the feels, and will make the night totally unique to the two of you. Don’t be surprised if you get a little teary-eyed yourself. (That means it’s working!)

Stay In

If you aren’t yet on the hygge trend train, you’re missing out. And, while it’s hard to capture the cool-weather coziness magic quite as well in our balmy, tropical clime (boo hoo), a chap sure gets extra points for trying. We love going out and about to get spoiled, don’t get us wrong. But some of our favorite nights involve no-pressure snuggling on the couch. Keep things comfy and chill with a night in, but put a little special attention into your prep. Classic surprises like rose petals and candles never go amiss, but a personalized touch—such as a homemade version of her favorite food, cute heart-shaped ravioli or the dish you ate on your first date—will go far. Finally, make a pillow fort on the floor, snuggle in, and watch your go-to guilty couple’s pleasure (we mean cartoons, or something—get your mind out of the gutter!) while sipping Champagne from your favorite coffee mugs. Now that’s a night to love.