Photo: Grouse Mountain
No matter if you’re celebrating Valentine’s with your boo or Galentine’s Day with your bestie, there are plenty of romantic things to do in Vancouver. Head to the spa, drink hot chocolate, skate under the stars and more.
Love Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge
Bring your sweetheart or your gal pals to the Capilano Suspension Bridge this Valentine’s Day. The entire attraction is lit up with thousands of red and pink lights for the Love Lights event. Wander across an illuminated suspension bridge, along the elevated walkways, and through the forest.
Photo: Capilano Suspension Bridge
Warm Up at the Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival
The Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival features over 160 different types of hot chocolate at over 100 shops across Greater Vancouver. You can get cozy at a cafe or take your cocoa to go on a romantic walk. Why not plan a hot chocolate crawl on Valentine’s Day and see how many shops you can hit in a row?
Photo: Caffe Artigiano/Instagram
Go Ice Skating Outdoors
Hold hands with your Valentine as you glide across the ice and the stars twinkle overhead. AnhThe Vancouver area has four outdoor skating rinks to choose from. They all have skate rentals.
Ice skating at Whistler Olympic Plaza. Photo: Tourism Whistler/Justa Jeskova
Enjoy a Romantic Valentine’s Day Meal
Lots of Vancouver restaurants offer special Valentine’s Day menus. Be sure to make reservations well in advance. Anh and Chi is serving up a four-course authentic Vietnamese menu that includes both meat lovers and vegetarian options. If you’re craving seafood, Coast’s Valentine’s sharing menu features King crab sushi rolls, caviar, and a surf and turf platter. Or cozy up at The Farmhouse in Mount Pleasant with their rustic Valentine’s menu that includes espresso-rubbed beef tenderloin and cacio e pepe.
Photo: The Farmhouse
Book a Romantic Hotel Stay
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to splurge on a luxurious hotel stay. Head to the Wedgewood Hotel for their Valentine’s package. You’ll enjoy dinner at Bacchus Restaurant, sparkling wine, chocolate, and a romantic room. The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver offers a Romance Package that includes sparkling wine, breakfast in bed, chocolate-dipped strawberries and late checkout. Or book a romantic stay at the Exchange Hotel Vancouver, a boutique hotel in the historic Stock Exchange building. You get sparkling wine, a gift card for the on-site Hydra Estiatorio Mediterranean Restaurant and late checkout.
Photo: Destination Vancouver/Fairmont Pacific Rim
Snowshoe Through an Illuminated Forest
Take your Valentine on a romantic snowshoeing trip through a forest of twinkling lights. Grouse Mountain’s Light Walk follows a path through a tunnel of lights then past more light sculptures as you walk around a pond. Or head to Cypress Mountain for the Lights to the Lodge experience. You’ll walk past thousands of lights draped around the snowy forest as you make your way to the historic Hollyburn Lodge for a cup of hot chocolate. Both locations have rental snowshoes.
Snowshoeing through a forest of lights at the Grouse Mountain Light Walk Photo: Grouse Mountain
Take a Valentine’s Walking Tour
Forbidden Vancouver is offering a special Valentine’s-themed walking tour of Vancouver’s heritage buildings called The Hidden History and Sweet Treats Tour. You’ll hear about Vancouver’s sordid history of murder, fame, and fortune while tasting treats from local bakeries and visiting some of our city’s most famous buildings.
Photo: Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours
Plan a Spa Day
Relax this Valentine’s Day with a trip to the spa. The Spa at the Wedgewood Hotel is offering romantic pampering packages in a rose-petal adorned suite that includes couples massages, facials, chocolate-dipped strawberries, bubbly, and more. Or head to the Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Pacific Rim for a couples Rainforest Retreat experience. It starts with a sea salt scrub, and then continues with a detoxifying Japanese-style soak, a hot stone massage, and a glacial clay facemask.
Spa terrace at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Photo: Destination Vancouver/Fairmont Pacific Rim
Take a Snowshoe Fondue Tour
Follow your guide as you snowshoe under the stars and then finish with a fondue feast. Mount Seymour offers guided snowshoe tours that include a fondue served in a hand-carved snow lounge. At Grouse Mountain you can take a guided snowshoe tour by headlamp. Afterwards, head to Altitudes Bistro for a two-course traditional European fondue dinner.
Snowshoe fondue tour at Grouse Mountain. Photo: Grouse Mountain
