Valentine’s Day is upon us. For many, this means taking a traditional approach to celebrating with the love of your life. You could take your significant other out for cocktails, give him or her candy hearts and teddy bears, and spend the day watching romantic comedies. There is nothing wrong with that; in fact, that sounds pretty great. However, this Valentine’s Day, I challenge you to take a more unconventional approach. More specifically, I challenge you to spend at least some of the day with your Valentine in the great outdoors.
If you love spending time outdoors as much as I do, and your significant other feels the same way, there are many romantic ways to celebrate outside. For example, you and your Valentine could go on a hike. No matter the distance or the temperature, getting out into the open will give you two the terrain for an adventure. Hold hands as you walk, help each other over particularly difficult plots of land, and, if it’s a little chillier out, all the more reason to stay close!
Another idea is to go outside and make the date into a game. Go to your local park and play basketball together, or bring a frisbee. Physical activity is known to increase closeness in a relationship. There is no better day to increase closeness than on Valentine’s Day. So, put on those sweatpants and get out into the open.
If you are in a colder area, there are still fun and romantic things to do outside. If you and your significant others are in the throes of winter, try going sledding in the snow. It is a great way to bring out your inner kid, and for the two of you to laugh together and have fun. If there is enough snow, building a snowman is also a great way to spend time in the frigid weather. If there is not enough snow on the ground, find an outdoor ice skating rink and go there instead. Even if neither of you are particularly good, you will have an excuse to hold each other as you wobble around. Of course, all of these outdoor excursions should be followed by a mug of hot chocolate.
If none of these ideas appeal to you, have you thought about geocaching? It is a hike made into a scavenger hunt. You and your significant other just have to sign up, and you will be sent on an adventure to find hidden treasures. This is both exciting and romantic, and will bring you two closer as you have to work together to find the treasure.
Overall, spending time outdoors can be both fun and romantic. Rather than spend all day watching the television, I would advise taking some time out in the beautiful outdoors. It will bring you and your significant other closer together, and make you feel all the better about snuggling up in front of the television at night.
