As February arrives, your significant other finally begins to eye your movements with grinning suspicion.
Valentine’s Day — our annual celebration of love, romantic and platonic alike — is upon us, and if you’re living in a city like San Antonio, you’ll be delighted and overwhelmed with the number of things to do, from prix fixe menus and specials at your dream restaurants to delightful couples activities throughout the city.
Are you wondering where to start? Follow along with this guide to plan out a Valentine’s Day date that will raise the bar and leave your partner wowed.
The Lead-up
One of the most important aspects of Valentine’s Day that people with significant others miss out on is the addition of small gestures. If you’re going to have an evening date because of work on Wednesday, you can and should preface your date with small gestures throughout the day.
Greeting your sweetheart with flowers in the morning, preferably before they even leave for work, is an ideal way to start Valentine’s Day. If you haven’t made time to go to a florist or pick flowers on your own, there are a number of services you can use to have flowers delivered to their doorstep or place of employment — although you should make sure it’s ok for them to receive gifts at work. While some may see it as a romantic gesture, others might be uncomfortable with the idea.
If flowers aren’t quite their style, you can also have gourmet berries and chocolate sent.
Evening Restaurants
Some of the most popular locations might be a bit far or inconvenient for the city’s otherwise excellent public transportation. You might want to travel alone together, rather than surrounded by strangers in various states of enchantment. Whether you’re looking for a brief rental, or are in the market for a car anyway, surprise your partner by rolling up in a classy ride like Dodge’s Challenger, a perfect car for San Antonio’s streets.
A Challenger will come in handy if you want to try a restaurant like the reservations-recommended Cappy’s off of Broadway. With a menu spanning from brunch to bar, no matter what time you’re showing up, you’ll be in for a treat. Their specialties include regional specials like Gulf or Atlantic catches, mustang chicken, and a rib eye with bone marrow butter.
For one of San Antonio’s newer spots, a touch of live jazz, and exclusively South Texas dishes, try Jazz, TX down on Pearl Parkway. With options like chicharron fries and fried quail with peppadew remoulade, ordering an appetizer here is a must, as are the cocktails
Chama Gaúcha Brazilian Steakhouse on Sonterra Place is also a highly prized Valentine’s Day spot. With a stellar wine selection, a lush salad bar, and 12 cuts of 100% USDA Prime meat, there’s no need to fret over meager portion sizes here.
If you’d rather impress your date and cook a meal for them fresh from your kitchen (and without relying on one of the many popular meal-delivery kits), take some time to visit Pearl Farmers Market on Pearl Parkway. You can even make a date out of it.
Hitting the Town
Even if you both have work tomorrow and it’s getting late, you should make the most of this annual day of celebration and check out some of San Antonio’s Valentine’s Day events. The city will be alive with morning, afternoon, and evening activities throughout the week, from Sunday the 11th to Sunday the 18th.
For the film enthusiast, the Arneson River Theatre will have a screening The Princess Bride and Bexar Stage will host an improv-comedy fest from Wednesday to Sunday. Couples looking to compliment their meals with some wine pairing can try Real Ale Brewing Company’s Pairing Event in Blanco. Fitspirational teams can even spend their evening doing the Run 4 Love 5k & 10K or competing in a round or two of mini-golf at Cool Crest.
And for an end-of-the-night, free, and romantic activity, the two of you can take a stroll along the always romantic San Antonio River, casting lanterns on the Riverwalk or hopping on a river boat cruise. If the river feels a bit too crowded for you, or you all have been-there, done-that, you can view the entirety of the city from the Tower of the Americas at 622 feet, with a drink in one hand and your date in the other. And for a more unconventional way to end the night, there’s always the Sisters Grimm and their spooky ghost tours.
Going solo?
No worries, there are plenty of events for those going solo in San Antonio. You’ll find that a number of places will be holding anti-Valentine’s Day or singles-night events, so finding a place that’s not a bar to party or spend the evening won’t be difficult.
If you are looking for a quality bar for the night, you can’t go wrong with the live-music at Retox in the King William District, the cheap-beer vibe at the Local Bar on North Presa, or the all-American Historic Bar America on South Alamo.
No matter what you decide to do, you and your date won’t be disappointed. San Antonio has something to offer anyone. Contact our local experts for all your San Antonio needs.