7 Exciting Date Ideas for Valentines in the Bay Area

You have probably gazed at your partner from across a restaurant table, but do you want a chance to see your partner in a new light? Are you looking for something new and exciting to do on Valentines? We bring you a list of date ideas worthy of Valentine’s Day, but fun for any special day with your partner. Our previous blog (“10 Creative Date Night Ideas in Walnut Creek”) had romantic ideas, but this exciting update is focused on activities to get your blood pumping! New experiences can trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward!

Choose from our list here for an adventure which will make your hearts race together! Two of the adventures on the list below involve being up in the air at 80+ feet, so pick carefully if one of you has a fear of heights. When you share an experience that you both enjoy, you will deepen your connection with your partner and build lasting memories.

Diablo Escapes (Walnut Creek)

A thrilling date is right here in the central Bay Area at Diablo Escapes! Plus, a little teamwork helps you and your partner to grow as a couple. If you want to beat an escape room, you’ll need to work together and communicate before your time runs out. What makes Diablo Escapes unique is that the escape rooms are in Virtual Reality! Each of our games is an immersive experience and may bring a victory to share with your partner. As astronauts on a space station, you will be tasked with destroying a meteor that hurtles towards Earth. In the Old West, on a runaway train loaded with dynamite, you must bring it to a stop before Dr Steem blows up the town! With 10 different themes, you and your honey may want to return over and over again!

Go Karting (Livermore and Dublin)

Friendly competition can add playfulness to a relationship. Are you two always competing to see who is the better driver? It’s time to put your money where your mouth is! Challenge your partner to a go kart race at one of two spots in the East Bay!

Head on down to Boomers in Livermore. They offer go karts, mini golf, laser tag and bumper boats (although February may not be the right season for all of that!). The option will allow you to make an evening out of it. Not feeling up to a competition? No worries, they have double carts so you can ride together!

If you’re looking to up the stakes even more, check out K1 Speed in Dublin. They have high performance electric karts that can reach 45 mph! You also have the ability to save your race information (top speed, where you placed, etc.), which means you can always come back and compete again.

Moaning Caverns (Vallecito)

Don’t go giggling about the name of this cavern just yet! Some believe that the sound comes from wind rustling through the cavern, similar to blowing on a bottle. Apparently the MiWok people believed that there was a stone giant living in the cavern and the noise was him calling people to their death. The sound actually comes from water dripping off the calcite formations and hitting a piece of eroded rock!

Sometimes the biggest rewards happen when you get out of your comfort zone! Although it’s a bit of a drive to get to Moaning Caverns in Vallecito, it’s definitely worth the trip. They offer two different tours: the spiral tour is 45 minutes long and takes you down a 100 ft high spiral staircase, and the expedition tour is a bit more intense. The expedition tour will take half the day, so make sure to plan accordingly! Be prepared to crawl, wriggle or squirm through smaller passageways in undeveloped parts of the cave.

Ziplining (Felton)

Build your confidence together with physical challenges at Mount Hermon offers two thrilling experiences high above the ground! The first is a rope and obstacle course called the Sequoia Aerial Adventure. There are 3 levels of difficulty, which will allow you to continue challenging yourself (and your partner)! Or try the Redwood Canopy tour which includes 6 ziplines and 2 suspension bridges. You’ll have a guide who shares ecological and local knowledge during your tour! These tours run rain or shine, so make sure you pack appropriately.

Hot Air Balloon Rides (Napa)

This next adventure is going to blow you away! Start your day off with a sunrise hot air balloon ride! Check out Napa Valley Balloons, the best hot air balloon company in the Bay Area THE WORLD. You will start off your adventure with complimentary pastries and hot beverages from a local bakery, then you’ll climb into a shuttle and head to your launch site. You’ll have an opportunity to take pre-flight photos as your pilot gets the hot air balloon set up and performs pre-flight checks. Enjoy an hour of floating over the corridors of grapes and between the mountains of Napa Valley.

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo)

Nothing gets your heart racing quite like a roller coaster at Six Flags! These rides will take you high up for some great views, however you won't have much time to focus on the scenery when you are speeding through loops and turns. The Gold Striker is a 54mph wooden coaster. The RailBlazer is an unusual single-rail track that twists through 3 inversions and a zero gravity roll. The floorless high-speed Patriot coaster, it is wide enough for you to sit side-by-side but it may be difficult to hold hands! A very popular favorite is the Flight Deck, with a 360 degree loop, a zero gravity roll, and a final rush over the lake with your legs hanging from this floorless coaster which leaves you feeling like your feet will skim the water. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom has a multitude of other rides and shows and is open every weekend in February!

Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco)

Enjoy gorgeous romantic views overlooking the San Francisco Bay from your bikes while near and atop the iconic Golden Gate bridge! You may want to bring your own bikes, but there are also bike rentals available. Stop for coffee at the Warming Hut or, even better yet, bring a picnic to share at Chrissy Field. Remember, parking at the Golden Gate Bridge is limited, so it is highly recommended to take public transportation to the Welcome Center. Alternatively, you can utilize the local parking nearby, such as at Marina Green. After your workout, around the bridge, there are many beautiful spots for you and your honey to relax and take in the view.

When you share thrills and adventures, you get to see each other in a new light! Relationships are built on “remember the time we…” Make the most of your next dates with some new opportunities for romance and adventure together!