{"id":198983,"date":"2025-02-07T11:54:04","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T19:54:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=198983"},"modified":"2025-02-24T11:26:33","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T19:26:33","slug":"outdoor-date-ideas-valentines-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/outdoor-date-ideas-valentines-day","title":{"rendered":"Outdoorsy Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are two types of people in this world: Those who think Valentine\u2019s Day is fun, special and wholesome, and those who think the \u201cmade-up holiday\u201d is just like any other day on the planet. Both are valid, of course, but we forget that, as creative humans with free will, we can make February 14th anything we want it to be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re not interested in the conventions of the holiday, there are always alternatives. Instead of dinner reservations, why not camping reservations? Instead of a movie, why not \u2026 movi<\/em>ng your body? Instead of living out a rom-com scene, why not a change of scenery? Romance, my friends, is subjective. Whether you\u2019re solo, in a relationship or prefer to make it more of a Gal\/Pal-entine\u2019s affair, we\u2019ve got some ideas that will leave all kinds of adventurers with hearts in their eyes.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For the Ultimate Adventure Couple\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n

If you\u2019re both outdoorsy types, then naturally<\/em> you\u2019ve already decided Mother Nature will be your third wheel. For the couple that doesn\u2019t mind being outdoors in February, what\u2019s more romantic than bundling up, traversing a new trail and ending the trek with a campfire dinner<\/a>? For the more extreme couple\u2014those who can\u2019t let a heart-themed holiday go by without increased heart rates\u2014some date ideas include: heli-skiing, free climbing, tandem paragliding, whitewater rafting or, if you\u2019re willing to travel, volcano boarding. And after? Extreme doting.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For the Indoorsy-Outdoorsy Duo<\/h2>\n\n\n

You two share so much common ground\u2014but one of you isn\u2019t willing to sleep on it. That\u2019s OK. They say \u201copposites attract\u201d for a reason. If you\u2019re the indoorsy type with an outdoorsy beau, or vice-versa, the best way to celebrate V-Day is with a Beloved Happy Medium. There are plenty of amorous activities that involve just the right amount of movement and fresh air. For example: a hot yoga class, an extra-long walk to a restaurant, exploring a scenic view by car, indoor rock climbing, a winery tour by bike or birding<\/a> from your living room. You can have it all!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For the Solo Adventurer\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n

Let\u2019s give a big shout-out to your no. 1, your muse, your ride-or-die, your sunshine when the skies are gray: yourself! Treat the person who\u2019s always been there for you to a fabulous adventure in the name of self-love. Think about the one outdoor activity you love doing the most; something that brings you more joy than anything else. Yes, that one! OK, here\u2019s what you\u2019re going to do on Valentine’s Day: Exactly that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For the Group Chat (That Makes It Out of the Group Chat)\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n

It only took 7,820 messages to coordinate plans, but the group chat is getting together on Valentine\u2019s Day! Everyone agrees: There\u2019s no better way to spend the day than celebrating your love of friendship. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees on how <\/em>to spend the day. With such a wide variety of interests, why not try a general crowd-pleaser\u2014something Picky Patty, Chill Chris, Insistent Ingrid and Down-For-Whatever Danny can all enjoy: a picnic!  Whether you\u2019re setting up on the living room floor or outside on the living Earth floor, grab a fun blanket<\/a> and tell everyone to pack their favorite snacks and dishes. Don’t forget to B.Y.O.W.T. (bring your own wine tumbler<\/a>). Then enjoy the reason for the season: togetherness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For the Fresh-Air Family\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n

So you\u2019re going to spend V-Day with the kiddos. It happens. Good thing romance isn\u2019t limited to one day a year. And good thing there are plenty of fun ways to get outside with those you adore most. Your first stop is a visit to Inspiration Station, which includes ideas like a family bicycle ride<\/a>, a backyard camping<\/a> adventure, a long-overdue ski trip and a nature-driven scavenger hunt<\/a>.  No matter what your crew gets into, it\u2019ll be apparent love is in the (fresh) air.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For the Indoorsy Couple<\/h2>\n\n\n

Sure, you both prefer the likes of heaters and walls, but maybe you\u2019re each a little curious about taking up a new hobby. Perfect. The best date for you two\u2014stop us if you\u2019ve heard this one before\u2014is a trip to REI. First of all, it\u2019s indoors. Second of all, what\u2019s more exciting than getting inspired to try something new? Maybe you\u2019d get a kick out of picking out new kicks<\/a> for each other; or finding matching jackets<\/a> for a winter walk; or deciding it\u2019s finally time to get really into kayaking<\/a>. Either way, and most importantly, the date\u2019s inside.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are two types of people in this world: Those who think Valentine\u2019s Day is fun, special and wholesome, and those who think the \u201cmade-up holiday\u201d is just like any other day on the planet. Both are valid, of course, but we forget that, as creative humans with free will, we can make February 14th […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14208,"featured_media":199021,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[588,707,2258,1376],"internal-tag":[2011,1674],"class_list":["post-198983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camp","tag-camping","tag-hiking","tag-humor","tag-running","internal-tag-home-secondary","internal-tag-pre-redirect-climb"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/camp\/outdoor-date-ideas-valentines-day","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Outdoorsy Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/outdoor-date-ideas-valentines-day","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/camp\/outdoor-date-ideas-valentines-day"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/01\/iStock_100119_001.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/01\/iStock_100119_001.jpg?fit=6000%2C4000"},"articleSection":"Camp","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sarah Grothjan"}],"creator":["Sarah Grothjan"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["camping","hiking","humor","running"],"dateCreated":"2025-02-07T19:54:04Z","datePublished":"2025-02-07T19:54:04Z","dateModified":"2025-02-24T19:26:33Z"},"rendered":"