14 Unique Date Ideas Sure to Spice Things Up This Valentine's Day

Finding yourself in a date-night rut? Same restaurants? Same meals? Always ending the night with a wild ride to Target? You're not alone. Couples often find themselves in therapy complaining about a lack of excitement, lust, and spontaneity. Let’s get creative here, and bring your relationship back to life! Here are some date night ideas that are a bit outside the box and might just lead to some giggles, snuggles, deep conversations, and with a little luck…a stronger connection. This year, in honor of Valentine’s Day, let’s spice things up a bit!

1. Take a cooking class. If you’re in the Baltimore area, try Sweet Cascades, an adorable little chocolatier in Ellicott City. They offer private classes for you and your love—you can even make penis shaped truffles filled with marshmallow fluff! ...You read that right.

2. Not feeling so sweet? Try something more on the rough side, and book a night at a Rage Room. Go put on hazmat suits and destroy plates, glasses, bottles, printers, and more. These rooms are popping up all over the United States, and for good reason. It's a euphoric experience and incredibly therapeutic. This date night trend is all the rage. Pun intended.

3. Grab some take-out and set up a picnic in your bedroom with a stack of date-night questions. You might think you know your significant other inside and out…maybe you’ve been together “forever,” but you just might find there’s always more to learn. In fact, I pretty much guarantee it. Do not read the questions from your phone (put that damn thing away); print them and put them on index cards. My most recommended list of questions can be found here: http://www.beginnerbeans.com/2013/07/100-date-night-questions.html?m=1.

4. Paint Night. These run rampant on Groupon, but why not be a little extra, and set one up at home! Head to Michaels, stock up on paint, brushes, canvases, and throw a YouTube guide on your TV. Not artistic? Even better! It’s all about having FUN! Ending the night with a canvas covered in unrecognizable shapes and splotches is much more memorable than making things picture perfect.

5. Check out local breweries and wineries. Choose drinks for each other to try. If you’re able to steal a night or two away, take a mini-trip to Virginia’s Wine Country. The Lansdowne Resort is incredible and even has an option to purchase a tour to several wineries with transportation. You don’t know what wineries you’ll be visiting ahead of time, and that really adds to the fun. Spontaneity with a Designated Driver…Virginia really IS for lovers!

6. Kick it old-school and go rollerskating! Do they still play Meatloaf during Couples Skate? Go find out…and report back.

7. Wake up before the sun does, pick up a coffee from the Starbucks drive-thru, take a ride to the airport, park your car, and watch the planes take off at sunrise. Talk about your travel bucket-list. Remind each other that your dreams should be fulfilled TOGETHER. Plan for your next trip. Then…book it.

8. Get physical. Play tennis, racquetball, or HORSE. Keep score. Place bets. Think more “take your shirt off” and less “do the dishes.”

9. Study something new together. Check your local community college and sign up for something that interests you both.

10. Go to your local bookstore and go on a book hunt! I recommend trying this adorable free printable: https://massholemommy.com/date-night-idea-bookstore-scavenger-hunt-with-free-printable/. End your adventure at a coffee shop to make this hipster dream-date really come to life.

11. Set up a game table and two chairs in your bedroom. Light as many candles as you can possibly find, cover the table in a dark cloth, wear a little something sexy, play some mystery music, pour a couple glasses of Red, and play the board game Clue. Maybe Colonel Mustard has been hiding your passion in the Library next to the Candlestick. Go find it.

12. Try an Escape Room with another couple, but instead of playing all together, join forces with your significant other, and fight to get out before they do. Are you savvy enough to get out first?

13. Take it to the sky and do a helicopter tour of your nearest city. They're not nearly as expensive as you might imagine, and it's something your main squeeze will never forget. Afraid of heights? Take a boat tour instead. Just get your feet off the ground!

14. Axing all of these ideas so far? Well then, test your aim at Urban Axes, where you'll spend the evening bringing out your inner-lumberjack and throwing axes at targets. Feel too burly for ya? Think cute flannel shirts and a reason for a manicure. Axe throwing...it's for everyone.

Ok, well…what are you waiting for? Go make things happen. Thank me later.