Struggling to come up with fun, creative, date ideas for Valentine’s Day at the last minute? The Talon is here to help! Here are ten great date ideas that won’t break the bank.

1. Recreate your First Date. Whether it was a restaurant, the movies, an outdoor park, or even just Chick-Fil-A, recreating your first date is super romantic and will remind you and your significant other how you first met.
2. Make Dinner. Switch it up and make dinner together instead of going out to eat. You can pick your favorite recipe or try something completely new! This date is a guaranteed evening of fun, all the way from shopping together for ingredients to washing the dishes. Get creative and decorate the dining room or an outdoor table with candles and flowers.
3. Have a Movie Night. Sometimes it’s hard to clear out time in your schedule to just relax and watch a movie. If this is something you and your significant other rarely get to do, it’s the perfect Valentine’s Day date idea. Pop some popcorn and sit back and relax.
4. Go to the Park. Believe it or not, Stafford has lots of beautiful places for people who love the outdoors. This website includes several outdoor parks and trails with scenery that would make for an awesome Valentine’s Day date – and it is especially romantic at sunset.
5. Pack a Picnic. Combine #2 and #4 by packing a picnic to take with you to the park. You can shop for food to bring or prepare it at home. Although February weather doesn’t always lend itself to outdoor meals, picnics are fun all year round. Just make sure to look at the weather beforehand.
6. Play Board Games. This simple date is absolutely free and super fun. Pick your favorite board games and snacks and spend the evening engaging in some friendly competition. Game nights are also super easy to make into double or triple dates – the more the merrier!
7. Watch the Winter Olympics. A little patriotism makes everything more fun! Tune into the 2018 Winter Olympics and be thankful that your warm inside with your significant other on Valentine’s Day instead of freezing in PyeongChang.
8. Get Creative. Art supplies are relatively cheap, and making something together (or for one another) is a great way to spend Valentine’s Day. No one expects a masterpiece, but creating something together is always romantic.
9. Listen to Live Music. You don’t have to empty your bank account on concert tickets to enjoy a little live music. There are plenty of local restaurants that host live music, all you have to do is look up the time and date. Try Bella Cafe or Buffalo Mo’s Tap & Grill, which both have life music regularly!
10. Go Skating! Even if you’re bad at roller skating, going with your significant other can be really fun. Skate rental at Cavalier is only $2, and the atmosphere is priceless.