Local Gems for Valentine's Day Dates
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to show your valentine you care. Here are 14 budget friendly Valentine’s Day date ideas to impress your date (and your wallet) — and they’re local!
1. Enjoy Dinner and a Movie
Okay, we know, dinner and a movie is the most traditional date in the book, but don’t knock it. There’s no stopping you from getting creative with it. So how about a candlelit home-cooked meal and a romantic movie on Netflix? Can’t cook? No problem! Your meal doesn’t have to break the bank either. Order a pizza from Greek’s Pizzeria, splurge on delivery from Thai Smile, or grab your meal to go from The Barking Cow or Runaround Soup. While everyone else is scrambling to find a reservation and a babysitter, you can relax at home.
2. Try out a local gem
Make the time to try out somewhere new! Dust off that list of places you’ve been wanting to try but haven’t made it in yet. Ready to play? Check out The Clubhouse at Accutech for virtual golf and great food. Throw some axes with Madaxe Muncie or book a massage with Shannon Butler of Massage Therapy Associates in Muncie!
3. Have a Game Night
This is the ultimate inexpensive date night. Who doesn’t love a good board game and a little competition? Dust off a few classic board games from your closet or pick up a new game from Wizard’s Keep in Muncie and make a night of it. Are video games more your thing? Then you can go that route too. All that gaming will probably make you hungry, so have some Valentine’s-themed food on hand to snack on. You can’t go wrong with cheesecake or pink champagne cupcakes from Charmed Cupcake Co., candy conversation hearts or the gold standard—a heart-shaped box of chocolates from Lowery’s.
4. Visit the Theatre
Two tickets to the Muncie Civic Theatre to see a show can make a great evening. Combine this idea with your home-cooked dinner and a movie or game night, and you’ll have a packed day full of fun.
5. Take a Hike
Pack a lunch, grab a few water bottles, and hit the trail. There’s nothing like getting away from the hustle and bustle of daily life to help you connect. You’ll be amazed at the quality of conversation you can have with someone while you’re strolling through one of Red-Tail Land Conservancy’s local nature preserves. Did you know there’s a beautiful one by the reservoir, complete with renovated walking paths? And bonus points for all the exercise you’ll get in! It’s Valentine’s Day after all, so why not get your heart in shape while you’re at it?
6. Stroll the Plant Nursery
Skip the $100 delivery of a dozen long-stemmed roses and take a trip to Northern Tropics instead! Why drop major dough on flowers that are just going to die when you can invest in a plant that’s going to keep on giving. Grab a small desk plant or pick up some flower bulbs to plant now and wait for them to pop up when the weather gets warm (spring is coming, you know…eventually).
7. Go to the Farmers Market
Okay, so February might be a chilly time to walk around the farmers market, but luckily Minnetrista gives us an indoor Farmers Market through April! Give each other a budget for buying some fun items, or go on a hunt to see who can find the best homemade jam or beef jerky. And if you spend zero dollars and just end up walking around together—that’s okay too.
8. Cook Dinner Together
Pick up some good veggies at the farmers market? Put them to use in your Valentine’s Day meal. Despite what every Valentine’s Day commercial tells you, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make memories. Send the kids to Grandma’s house and make a romantic dinner together. It can be as fancy as you’d like (filet mignon) or as low-key as you’d like (grilled cheese and tomato soup). Put on a little Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin or Nat King Cole in the background for the perfect Valentine’s romantic tunes.
9. Take a Trip Down Memory Lane
Get out that box of old photos, watch your wedding video, or read through love letters you’ve given to each other. Nothing gives you butterflies in your stomach like remembering the love you’ve shared throughout the years. Spend some time remembering where you’ve been and looking forward to all that the future holds for the two of you!
10. Tour the Orchid Greenhouse
Get out of the cold and stay inside! Visit the Rinard Orchid Greenhouse for some new scenery.
11. Grab Coffee Together
Never brush off the romantic power of coffee and conversation. For as little as 10 bucks (depending on how fancy your coffee tastes are), you can have a memorable Valentine’s Day date at Rosebud Coffee House. You can hang out in the coffee shop having a meaningful chat or take the coffee to go and walk around town. As long as you’re together and caffeinated, you can’t go wrong.
12. Go Stargazing
The best kind of cheap Valentine’s Day date? The free kind. And guess what—stargazing at night is absolutely free. Plus, it’s downright romantic too. If you live far away from a lot of city lights, this will be pretty easy to pull off. But if you don’t, then just go for a drive outside of the city so you can see the stars. Own a telescope? Then bring it along for the ride. But don’t worry, you can still see the stars without one. Try going to Indian Hill at the Prairie Creek Reservoir to see some stars.
Bonus: Naming a star after your significant other makes for a pretty great last-minute gift.
13. Visit the Planetarium
Too cold for actual stargazing? Stop by a show at the Charles W. Brown Planetarium on Ball State campus. They are the largest planetarium in the state of Indiana and offer completely free programs all year long.
14. Do a Thrift Store Challenge
All right, this one knocks out two birds with one stone—you’ve got your gifts and Valentine’s Day date idea taken care of here. Hit up your local thrift store with $10 for each of you to spend on gifts for each other. Then have fun going around the store hunting for just the right gift for your love. Will you score an ugly stuffed pheasant or a charming music box that plays “your song”? Gag gift or heartfelt, you never know what you might find.
And remember—quality time doesn’t cost a dime. If money’s tight, you can’t go wrong with a sincere love letter and one-on-one time spent with each other. Whichever Valentine’s Day date idea you end up going with, just make sure you budget for it first.
