Love is a very personal thing, and hopefully you know how to say it best, but just in case, here are a few tips for inspiration.
Table for Two Tip
Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and if you plan on taking your significant other to dinner, make those reserveations now or you may be supping from the drive-through.Yes, like right now. Hurry!
More Events
Feb. 11 – Valentine Dinner and Dance, Gladewater
Feb. 13 – “A Valentine Murder Mystery.” Plano
Feb. 13- Sweetheart Safari Dinner and Tour, Glen Rose
More on the Romantic Front
Readers choose Texas’ most romantic places
Austin, je T’aime: Fascinating French cuisine at Justine’s Brasserie
From Valentine with Love: Postmark your Valentine from Valentine, Texas.
Romance in South Padre: A Couples’ itinerary
Gondola with the Wind
What’s better than Venice? Getting a taste of it without leaving Texas – like enjoying a romantic gondola ride for two. Take a private Gondola Adventures ride on the Mandalay Canal and Lake Carolyn in Las Colinas. Whether you simply want to traverse the waters while swooning over your love interest, or opt for a dinner cruise, it’s definitely the foundation for romanctic date night. The gondaliers will even sing or play romantic music for you. Don’t leave it all up to the gondolier, though. Bring your A game! If a proposal happens, we want pictures!
Luckenbach Love
It’s nice to hug somebody where “everybody is somebody.” That’s how it works in Luckenbach, especially during its annual Luckenbach Hug-in and Valentine Ball, a weekend campout featuring lots of live music. This year includes Dale Watson kicking up tunes for the 8 p.m. dance on Feb. 12, and Gary P. Nunn headlining the Valentine Ball on Feb. 13. Grammy Award-winning Los Lobos + TexManiacs bring their blend of Tex-Mex, Chicano, rock and traditional music to sweeten up the deal on Valentine’s Day.
There’s free live music at 1 p.m. on Feb. 12 and 13.
Stars in your Eyes
If you can stop gazing into your partner’s eyes long enough, you’ll find it’s kind of romantic to look up into the stars together and think about how lucky you are to have found each other in this whole wide universe. OK. That’s a bit much, but you know what we’re talking about here.
Whether Valentine’s Day or any other day, finding the perfect spot to “oooh” and “aahh” at the heavens can be quite an amazing, and romantic thing to do together.
McDonald Observatory hosts 2-hour Star Parties, including Saturday, Feb. 13, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Also on Saturday, should you make a day of it, are the Solar Viewing and Tour at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and the Twilight Program, “Modeling in the Night Sky” at 6 p.m.
Know that this isn’t a love that’s yours alone. A lot of people are enamored by the constellation tours at the Rebecca Gale Telescope Park at the Visitor Center. Make reservations. Besides you can get cheaper tickets online, and who doesn’t love a little savings?
Besides McDonald Observatory, consider these Dark Sky parks.
Wining is Winning
Pairing a nice Texas wine with your romantic dinner is great. In fact, take the time to select a Texas wine to pair with each course of your meal. It’ll be a beautiful touch for Valentine’s Day. If you want to kick it up a notch, though, explore Texas wineries with your sweetheart. Make it a mission to find the one bottle that speaks to your true love … or at least your taste buds. Enjoy the gorgeous drive that comes with visiting popular Hill Country wineries or explore other options across the state that might be closer to you.
Cruisin’ the Island
Find Elation, Ecstacy, Magic, Triumph and more in Galveston. Those happen to be the name of cruise ships from lines – Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess and Celebrity cruise – that sail from the Port of Galveston. A cruise could be romantic, but staying on land in Galveston has its perks, too. There are romantic resort hotels with amazing Gulf views, as well as cozy Gulf-facing bed and breakfasts. There also are fine dining hot spots, horse-drawn carriage rides, a dinner cruise on a paddlewheeler boat, the beach, a performance at the 1894 Grand Opera House, and more. Find chocolates, or whatever your sweetheart fancies at La King’s Confectionary. Want to give flowers, but looking to think outside the box? Island Divers Galveston offers scuba lessons and trips to Flower Garden Banks, a National Marine Sanctuary about 100 miles off shore. Get more details from the Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, 888/GAL-ISLE (425-4753).
Lookout! It’s Love!
Known as one of East Texas’ most breathtaking views, Love’s Lookout, could be a nice spot for some low-key, whispered “I love yous.” Pack a romantic picnic – wine, cheese … – and grab a spot at one of the picnic arbors. Love’s Lookout, north of Jacksonville in Cherokee County, has its own visitor information center. Stop in to get more details of your view that looks out across the valley for 30 miles or more.
