The best Valentine’s Day ideas for couples in L.A.

The Huntington Library’s rose garden (and its romantic tea room) is a picture-perfect Valentine’s locale, with rows and rows of vibrant petals to stop and sniff. You probably won’t be the only person there with that idea, but luckily there’s tons of space elsewhere on the idyllic grounds—and other beautiful gardens around the region, too, like Descanso Garden, South Coast Botanic Garden and the Arboretum, any of which would make a lovely daytime date setting.

Speaking of the Huntington, afternoon tea is a lovely, sure-to-please way to spend the midday hours of Valentine’s Day. Dressing up and stuffing your face—daintily, of course—with scones, finger sandwiches and pretty pastries served on fine china is a classic, classy option. The Huntington’s Rose Garden Tea Room is a personal favorite, and the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills is hosting a decadent Champagne Valentine’s Day brunch (Feb 14–15, $135). (Oh, and don’t actually spill the tea.)

Hark back to the heyday of radio at a massive, free all-ages Valentine’s Day celebration in Gloria Molina Grand Park. DJs will be on hand spinning vinyls and providing the soulful soundtrack. Add a personal touch and call 213-204-1666 to dedicate a song to someone you love. A classic car show will add to the vintage vibes, and you can also make your own cards, arrange your own flower bouquets, shop handmade goods and enjoy a free sweet treat. The evening will culminate with a dazzling drone show that promises to be a “love letter for the entire county.”

Personally, we think cooking a meal in together can be a dreamy team-building activity for a couple. But if you’re the kind of couple that would just make a burnt mess, forget about all of the fuss and treat yourself instead: Most of our favorite twinkly patios and dimly lit dining rooms are prepping prix-fixe menus for the holiday.

What could be more pleasant than a meal in the park? (Aside from off-leash pups attempting to pilfer your food and screaming children in bouncy castles.) But seriously, taking your Valentine’s meal alfresco—weather permitting—is the perfect way to mix up your dining plans. If you’re picking up the goods from a restaurant, consider making it a lunchtime affair to avoid the dinner rush.

Every night of the week, you can regularly find the biggest comics in the world trying out their material in L.A. (And that’s before all of the comedy world descends upon the city in May for Netflix Is a Joke.) A comedy show always makes for a great date, and there are a couple of standout offerings at local comedy clubs this February 14. UCB, which just celebrated 20 years in L.A., will be staging Pinot Noir, a boozy, improvised murder mystery. And Dynasty Typewriter is hosting a special Valentine’s screening of When Harry Met Sally… Move out of the friend zone with champagne toasts, romantic photo ops, a costume contest (come in your late ’80s best) and a karaoke afterparty. Oh, and did we mention the audience-wide fake orgasm and faux orgasm-off? We’ll have what they’re having.

This adults-only, nudity-driven scavenger hunt at the Getty (held on V-Day) is a comical two-hour quest that has guests searching for answers to riddle-like questions in the museum’s bare-it-all paintings and sculptures. Whoever answers the most questions correctly will pick up some sweet swag (gift cards, backpacks, street cred). No previous art knowledge is required.

A holdover from the light displays that blanketed botanical gardens at the end of last year, Astra Lumina’s nine stellar installations would be mesmerizing any time of year. The hour-long Palos Verdes trail feels truly experiential and makes for a romantic after-dark date in the outdoors. (It’s worth mentioning how lovely it is to experience a celebration of the night sky from one of the few locations in L.A. where it’s actually dark enough to see plenty of stars.)

Rooftop Cinema Club has decked out its DTLA venue with love seats, personal wood-burning patio heaters and blankets. Cozy up to your date while watching screenings of romantic favorites on Valentine’s weekend, including La La Land, 50 First Dates and Love Jones, plus plenty of other lovey-dovey picks throughout the month. Rooftop Movies at the Montalbán are firing up the projector Valentine’s weekend as well, screening The Notebook and La La Land (great minds…) in the heart of Hollywood.

Drive-ins popped back into fashion again in 2020, but in L.A. they’d never really left. And six years later, several old-school spots in the region still offer nightly drive-in screenings of films, including the newest box-office hits. If you’re up for a drive, head to Paramount Drive-In or Van Buren Drive-In Theatre for a lineup of the latest thrillers and horror flicks. If the action on-screen gets too scary, you can make like a couple from the ’50s and canoodle in the backseat.

The Department of Cultural Affairs and NXT Art Foundation have teamed up on this free light and sound experience taking place simultaneously at parks across L.A. County this Valentine’s Day. Meant to amplify love, foster connection and inspire hope, the multi-disciplinary project will feature sound-based works by nine artists, and each site will be lit up by artist-designed sculptural installations. You can be a part of the moment at Barnsdall Art Park, Sycamore Grove Park, Exposition Park, Jane and Bert Boeckmann Park in Porter Ranch, Hansen Dam, Leimert Park, the Wende Museum in Culver City (which is hosting its own concurrent “My Sonic Valentine” event), Tongva Park, Promenade Square Park in Long Beach and Altadena’s renovated Loma Alta Park. Bring a picnic blanket, settle in and enjoy the sounds of harmony.

Now under the stewardship of only one of its cofounders, Liz Fairbairn, the former Lucha VaVoom’s racy, raucous spectacle of wrestling, burlesque, comedy, music and various amazing sideshow acts may not seem like a logical choice for a romantic night out. But if you’re looking for a high-voltage, lusty, entertainment-filled evening, this show has it all. This Valentine’s Day, the theme is “Masked Obsession.”

If you’re more into Halloween than heart-shaped cards, opt for a thrill-filled celebration. Dark Masquerade is a new Valentine’s Day haunt from the producers of the Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor featuring a fog-filled, circus-themed dance party and three other heart-racing story-driven experiences in the ship’s cavernous lower decks. Tickets are selling fast, though, so if you don’t snag one in time, another new event—Not Just a Valentine—is offering a “Till Death Do Us Part” scare maze, following the story of a haunted bride and groom. It’ll join old-school carnival games, food vendors and a lovers’ lounge with live entertainment February 13 south of DTLA (3170 E 11th St).

It may seem a little over-the-top, but there’s no way booking a dinner cruise—on a yacht, with a coastline view—won’t win you points with your date. Get dolled up and take to the water for a romantic meal and cocktails, then dance under the stars to tunes spun by a DJ. If you really want to impress—and have the funds—upgrading to the “Romance Package” will get you champagne with flutes, plus a half-dozen roses. You can set sail from either Marina del Rey (13757 Fiji Way) or Long Beach (Rainbow Harbor, Dock 6A). Daytime brunch cruises are also available.

It’s famous for that spaghetti kiss—a legendary scene that Walt Disney almost cut out. But Lady and the Tramp has many other charming moments; the script evolved out of years of personal pet stories shared by the studio’s animal-loving writers and executives. It’s a true labor of love. See it at the El Capitan Theatre the week of Valentine’s Day, and if you opt for the Sweetheart Dinner and a Movie package ($75), you can dine at Miceli’s down the street before or after a 7pm screening and re-create that kiss yourself. This year, the theater is also giving the Valentine’s treatment to The Princess and the Frog—it’ll be screening February 5 to 11 and will offer the Sweetheart Dinner option too.

Cooking classes might seem a bit cheesy, but creating something delicous together is a great way to feel a connection. In fact, stuff your celebration with cheese—literally—by learning to make ravioli at a hands-on class at Eataly. You’ll even learn to make ravioli flowers (aww). Your ticket also includes antipasto, a welcome glass of prosecco and wine to pair with your pasta creation. If you’re more of a sweet tooth, head to the Beverly Hills on February 11 to decorate your own Valentine’s cake at the Peninsula hotel in a class led by the hotel’s pastry chef, James Rosselle (as seen on Food Network Challenge).

Visiting a museum is always a great date idea, and luckily L.A. is full of some of the best institutions in the world that specialize in art, history and film—and lots of which offer romantic hilltop views, sculpture gardens and sunny courtyards. (Even better? Several museums offer free admission.) A few standouts from Valentine’s weekend are a special production at the Getty Villa of a new, ancient-Greece-set musical, Delphi, followed by a Valentine’s reception with dessert and Champagne. And two new exhibitions are opening on February 14 itself: A deep dive into Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo at the Academy Museum and “Mythical Figures” at the USC Pacific Asia Museum, which will reopen after months of renovation and host its annual Lunar New Year celebration the next day, February 15.

Photomatica’s first L.A. Photo Booth Museum opened last summer and is a delightfully analog date idea. Strike a pose in its five photo booths—four vintage film photo booths and one digital—and leave with a tangible keepsake. And for Valentine’s Day, they’re decking out a machine as a full-on kissing booth and adding themed backdrops to the others—perfect for capturing retro romantic moments. You can turn your favorite shot into a keychain to carry around with you. Finish your date on a sweet note with a stop at Pazzo Gelato next door.

Couples who hike together, stay together—or something like that. With Valentine’s falling on a Saturday this year, it’s the perfect excuse to get up early and start the holiday by getting your hearts pumping—for real. You’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the city skyline, or the beach if that’s more your vibe.

Forget everything we just said. Getting all sweaty and letting your date see you at your worst as you huff and puff your way up Griffith? Yuck. Keep things real laidback instead with a cruise along PCH, into the mountains or through a canyon. Put on some good tunes, bring along some snacks and spend the afternoon admiring the view—and we don’t just mean the person in the passenger seat.