With Valentine’s day right around the corner, I bet you’re planning on going out to dinner or making dinner at home. My hubby and I seem to get stuck in a rut of doing the same types of things every Valentine’s day. I was searching for some inspiration and I found lots of great date night ideas.  Here are my top 10 free date night ideas (in no particular order) that I hope to try.

10. Play Board Games in the Park

We all loved them as kids, why not break out some of the old classics? Make it a fun day-time event by bringing a blanket and a bottle of wine to the park. Doesn’t it sound like fun playing Uno in the shade?

9. Become Amateur Photographers

Spend the day or night wandering around your city or take a drive to reconnect with nature and take pictures of what you find. It’s a fun way to explore together and maybe even beef up your photography skills.

8. Go for a Hike

Here’s a tip, hiking is actually walking! Where I live, there are lots of great places to go for a hike. Here are the best places to hike in Phoenix, if you happen to visit soon. If you don’t live near any mountains, a hike can happen almost anywhere. I’m sure your city has local hiking/walking trails. Do a little internet research and find a nice spot to walk with your partner and enjoy the nature and view around you. Physical activity is a great way to connect and also spend some quality time together.

7. Learn a Dance

With YouTube videos galore, use technology to learn a new dance. Rather than having to pay for private lessons, just find a reputable instructor online and teach yourselves a dance you can do together.  Here’s a link for free Ballroom dance classes.

6. Train for a Race Together

This past year, my hubby and I ran our first race together. Although we didn’t actually train together (due to the logistics of our busy lives) it was really fun running the race together. It is so nice to accomplish a major goal together that feels really special. Plus, you’ll both get in better shape which will make you feel good about yourselves.

5. Wander Around a Bookstore

Visiting your local bookstore is a fun way to explore some of your future goals and aspirations. Start in the travel section, and think about places you’d love to travel together some day. Or if you’re entrepreneurial, maybe hit up the business section and share your visions for your future career goals.

4. Cook Together

My husband and I both love to cook and I have to say some of my favorite dates at home have involved our own home cooking. This one time, my husband created a whole Italian-themed night for me, starting with risotto and ending with tiramisu. I was his sous chef and I did all the clean-up. There’s something so rewarding about making your own meal and the teamwork involved in creating it together.

3. Stargaze

One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to lay on the grass and stare up at the stars. I had an advantage because I lived in Wisconsin where there wasn’t very much light pollution. However, if you drive a little bit outside of your city, you can find plenty of stars. Looking at the stars and considering the vastness of outer space is romantic and a bit awe-inspiring. If you want to try stargazing for yourself, here’s 13 tips from Astronomers.

2. Visit the Gourmet Grocery Store

This one is technically free, but you might be tempted to pick up a few items along the way. I love visiting Whole Foods and AJ’s in Phoenix, wandering around and looking at all the special cheeses and other delicacies. If you’re lucky, they might have some samples out. If not, you could do what my hubby and I did one time. We picked up very small pieces of quality cheese and created our own little cheese and wine tasting once we got home.

1. Volunteer at a Charity

Volunteering together is a great way to connect and also feel really good about yourselves. Find a cause you both care about and find time to volunteer. For example, if you both love pets, visit your local Humane Society and sign up to volunteer. Or if you both like construction, see about signing up with your local Habitat for Humanity so you can get in on some home-building action.

If you’re looking for more free date night ideas or date night inspiration, here’s a list of 75 ideas, a lot of which I thought were pretty creative.