FIVE VALENTINE DATE NIGHT IDEAS

It’s almost February and if you’re stumped on date night ideas, we’ve got you covered. Whether you prefer a romantic dinner, a cozy winter walk, a wine tasting or some heated competition, you’ll find many options in the Chicago Southland to spend some time with your sweetheart!

Wine tasting
Toast to each other while you make your way through a sampling of whites, reds or lux varieties by Cooper’s Hawk in New Lenox or their original location in Orland Park. Select some chocolate covered strawberries or truffles from the case in the shop to enjoy with your wines. Or find your favorites as you taste and then move on to the dining room for a full meal of gourmet cuisine to pair with your wine of choice.

Axe Throwing and Arcade Time
The couple that plays together stays together! Channel that active inner child and gear up for a day of fun. Start out with some rounds of axe throwing at Accelerate Indoor Speedway and Events in Mokena where you can have a little competition to see who can better hit the bullseye. Then find some arcade games to challenge each other to. You may even want to hop on the high speed electric go karts that can hit speeds of 50 mph and race each other to the finish.

Dinner and movie
You can never go wrong with a night out for dinner and a movie. The Chicago Southland has several options in fine dining to choose from. Pasta is perfect for a romantic evening and Francesca’s Fortunato in Frankfort is one of the best places to enjoy such pasta dishes as Fettuccine Della Nonna, Mezzo Rigatoni Alla Melanzane or Risotto Carbonara. Precede it with Bruschette Con Fiche or Polpette Al Fiore and follow it with a number of chicken, beef or seafood entrees. After enjoying your meal, head over to Marcus Theaters, with locations in Chicago Heights, Country Club Hills or Orland Park to select a current film to watch together.

Shopping and Beer
Spend a little time spoiling one another while picking out some bling or something to wear at one of the Chicago Southland’s shopping malls - Chicago Ridge Mall, Orland Square or River Oaks Center. Then stop off at Evil Horse Brewing Company in Crete or Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery in Flossmoor for a flight to end the night.

Winter Walk and Warm Up at Whiskey Lounge
Bundle up and head out for a winter walk with your honey. There are a number of outdoor trails to enjoy in the Chicago Southland, but if you want a shorter jaunt where there’s a building to warm up in, head out to Sand Ridge Nature Center in South Holland. You’re likely to see some native birds in the bare trees or other wildlife as you walk among a replica log cabin and wagon representative of pioneer life in the area. Then head over to Vintage Oak, an upscale wine and whiskey lounge that serves charcuterie and has a full service bar. Sip on some whiskey to warm yourselves up.

Or…a post-Valentine show
Can’t get away on Valentine’s Day? Take in a post-valentine show. Glassheart by Reina Hardy will be playing at the Fine & Performing Arts Center at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills from February 24-March 5. Freedom Hall in Park Forest will feature Songs of Hope & Love with Rodrick Dixon, Alfreda Burke and Jo Ann Daugherty on February 21. And at The Lyric Blue Island you can enjoy a musical tribute show honoring such greats as Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Sam Cooke, Dean Marin and Roy Orbison on February 18.

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