A date with your significant other doesn’t always have to be romantic. You don’t need to kiss under the stars to feel each other’s love. Maybe that’s appealing if you’re just starting out as a couple, but when you’ve already surpassed the honeymoon stage, taking your date to an unfamiliar territory could just be the key to strengthening your relationship further.

Besides, exposing yourselves to new situations or environments is an effective way to get to know your partner, or to test out your dynamics. But by all means, these unusual date ideas aren’t to determine if you’re a good fit for each other. Rather, they can help you discover each other’s hidden strengths and weaknesses, so you can bring out the best in each other.

Without further ado, here are the incredible date ideas to consider for the upcoming Valentine’s Day:

  1. A Quick Vacation in a Wintry Region

Winters are usually uncomfortable, especially if you’re from Florida or any other warm state or country. But even if you’re used to the cold, going on a vacation in a wintry region can be a different story. After all, you’d normally visit a tropical region during the winter to avoid windburns!

But the challenge of a frosty vacation can be fun. Consider Alaska’s all-inclusive resorts, where you can experience various relaxing activities, and retreat to a toasty warm cabin. The delicious food and the hugs you’ll give each other can also make you forget about the biting wind.

  1. Burlesque or Drag Show

If you’re getting sick of romantic movie nights or Netflix shows, try watching a burlesque or drag show. It may be intimidating if it’s your first time, but the entertaining performers will make you laugh your nerves away. The scene is loud and boisterous, which is good if you love that kind of energy, but maybe not so much if you or your date (or both of you) is introverted.

  1. Meditation

Have you ever thought of having a date where you’d literally not speak? If you and your partner just want to hang out without spending your energies, consider a meditation date. It will be perfect if you’ve been stressed from work, the pandemic, or other responsibilities. Just a beginner’s course can already rejuvenate and relax you.

  1. Trace Your Roots

If you’ve been dating for a while now or are already engaged, it will be exciting to learn about each other’s family tree. Dig up old photos or collect stories from your family and relatives, then search up your history on ancestry.com. And to make that date feel more adventurous and a little nostalgic, consider taking a trip to one of your ancestors’ hometown!

  1. Have a School Trip

Going back to your campus will stimulate nostalgia and other emotions, allowing you to look back on the older days and realize how much you’ve already grown. The impact may be bigger if your partner also graduated from the same school as you, but if they didn’t, that won’t the trip any less meaningful. In fact, if you graduated from different universities, and toured those campuses, you may learn and understand each other’s values and ethics more.

  1. Aura Reading

Aura reading may be fun and mind-blowing if you’re a believer in horoscopes, but otherwise, you may just find it weird but amusing. Still, it may open the door for learning and exploring astrology, which goes beyond horoscopes and your birth signs. Discovering your significant other’s birth chart might even be the key to completely understanding their quirks, habits, moral values, and even their destiny.

The stressful and overwhelming 2020 you’ve endured together is the perfect reason to spice up your date on next year’s Valentine’s. Use your quality time together to reflect on everything you’ve learned, and to set new goals.