HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Oops! Valentine’s is days away and you forgot to book a reservation. Time to get creative.
With many restaurants booked and busy, there are many different ways to create a beautiful and unforgettable romantic evening. ValleyCentral spoke with local Rio Grande Valley businesses to get some inspiration on how to woo your special someone this Valentine’s Day. Here’s what we found.
Picnic at the Park
Nothing speaks romance and thoughtfulness more than an intimate picnic at the park. Packing your partner’s favorite foods, snacks, desserts and drinks can add an extra hint of thoughtfulness to the basket (and might even earn you some brownie points).
For the do-it-yourselfer romantic, the picnic date could be quite time-consuming to set up.
Kassy Towers, the coordinator behind To Go Dates, a local business that provides couples with those Instagram-ready picnics, takes care of all the picnic necessities at a base rate of $175.
To Go Dates is most known for its elevated picnic setup at South Padre Island, but encourages couples to take their date anywhere they find romantic.
Towers said a basic setup consists of a table, pillows, charcuterie board, wine, candles and cutlery. Additional detailing such as flowers, desserts or large illuminated letters at your picnic will raise the price.
Valentine’s Day is Taco Tuesday
This year, Valentine’s Day lands on a Tuesday, taco-about the perfect opportunity to make a Taco Tuesday dinner date.
Sometimes, it isn’t the place where you’re spending the evening at that matters, but the person you’re spending time with.
Nothing is more silly, simple, intimate and romantic than spending time with your significant other and enjoying a platter of heart-shaped tacos de bistec with queso fresco and avocado (or however you like to eat your tacos).
A taqueria located in Brownsville called La Villa Taqueria, is currently taking orders for its heart-shaped taco platter ready to be picked up on Valentine’s Day.
La Villa’s manager Erica told ValleyCentral, the heart-shaped platter comes with 10 tacos prepared to one’s liking for $14.99.
Their platter is beautifully presented; perfect for some Instagram worthy photos on Valentine’s Day.
Wine and paint date
Another simple but intimate date idea is a wine and paint setup. This allows you and your partner to get creative together with a fun activity that also provides you with a memento to cherish the memory.
To Go Dates also offers wine and paint packages for those artistic couples looking to get messy this Valentine’s Day.
Nothing is more romantic than sitting across your special someone, letting creativity flow and having a nice glass of wine of your choice. Of course, don’t forget to bring the wine opener.
“It’s something different,” Towers said. “When you get out there it’s a different vibe, you know, to be outdoors at the beach or to be at the park.”
Make your own Drive-In movie theater
Another cute way to make sure you’re cuddled up with your boo this Valentine’s Day is to create an at-home theater or personalized drive-in.
All you need is a white sheet, some zip ties and a projector. Set up some pillows and blankets in your car or at home and you have the perfect setup for a cozy cute night.
Just throw on your favorite rom-com and you’re set!
Zoo date
For the animal-loving couple, Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville is hosting an animal play day Feb. 12 with cute Valentine’s Day-themed treats and enrichment items for the animals. Play Day will begin at 11 a.m. at Gorilla Island.
If your date is the animal-loving type, perhaps a limited edition adopt-a-lion would be the perfect gift.
Gladys Porter Zoo is selling Valentine’s Gift Boxes for a limited edition Adopt-A-Lion set. The set includes an eight-inch lion plush, an adoption certificate, a Valentine’s Day card, an African lion fact sheet, an Adopt-An-Animal decal, an issue of zoo news and a photo of Jamil the lion.
