I love love and look forward to Valentine’s Day every year, especially since becoming a mother. My four-year-old sees time through the window of holidays and celebrations versus days and months, so ever since throwing confetti on New Year’s Eve, she has been asking how many days until Valentine’s Day. We love seeking out heart-shaped food, like pizza and doughnuts, only eating strawberries that are covered in chocolate, and most importantly, expressing our love freely to our circle and each other. This year, I’ll be prioritizing time for three separate Valentine’s Day gatherings focusing on my family, my girlfriends, and a date with myself.
Family Date ideas:
Seeing the manatees at Blue Springs Park in Orange City (about 30 minutes north of Orlando). Every year, between November and March, hundreds of manatees head to Blue Springs to enjoy the warmer spring water. It’s a great location for kids because Blue Springs Park has a boardwalk that runs along the St. John’s River and allows you to safely walk and see the manatees socialize and even nurse their young. I love the idea of being able to show my daughter how animals express love during our Valentine’s date. We plan to pack a picnic and make an afternoon of it. Blue Springs is open from 8 am to 6 pm and whilst the best time to see the manatees is the morning, you can still spot them at any time.
Strawberry + Sunflower picking at Southern Hill Farms in Clermont (about 30 minutes west of Orlando). There are several farms around town where you can go strawberry picking, but we love Southern Hills because they post hours/events several weekends in advance so it’s easy to plan, there is plenty of seating, and usually some live music and fresh baked goods to enjoy. Our whole family loves picking strawberries, sharing them as gifts with loved ones, and of course, going home and eating a giant bowl of them with melted chocolate. It’s the best kind of family date because the enjoyment lasts for days.
Friend Date ideas:
I will forever be grateful for Amy Poehler, her beloved character Leslie Knope, and her invention of Galentine’s Day. It’s so wonderful to be able to honor and celebrate girlhood and the friendships we have with the women in our lives. I’m so glad my daughter won’t ever know about life when there was a Valentine’s Day without a Galentine’s Day. I’ve always valued female friendships, but as a mother, I’ve grown to truly cherish my friendships as a necessity like oxygen. There is so much in motherhood that can feel lonely and overwhelming, it’s wonderful having a community that both understands and shares in the feeling as well as knows who I am beyond a mother.
Galentine’s Day Comedy Show at Will’s Pub, Orlando. Showtime is 6:30 pm-9 pm on Tuesday, February 13.
Both halves of Momlando will be heading to this Galentine’s Day show to enjoy hours of laughs by other women stand-up comedians and improv artists. There are a ton of great restaurants within walking distance that you can meet at before the show starts. My recommendation would be the kushiyaki (grilled meat and veggies) at Tori Tori, which offers happy hour from 5 pm- 7 pm, and is perfect for ordering tapas style and sharing.
Galentine’s Day at All Fired Up in Winter Park. The event runs 6 pm-9 pm on Thursday, February 15.
This is an excellent idea for a girl’s night at any point, but All Fired Up will be hosting a special Galentine’s event with themed snacks, photo booth, games, and prizes. I love being able to connect with my friends whilst doing an activity that feeds my inner creative artist.
Solo Date:
Admittedly, this was an idea that evolved over the pandemic whilst I was touched out from breastfeeding and always within 20 feet of my family but it’s become a routine in my life I truly treasure. I love getting dressed up and taking myself out to a cafe or park and enjoying some time alone to write or listen to live music. This year, I picked up a Valentine’s Day card at Trader Joe’s that just makes me smile and I plan on writing a love letter to myself. My partner, friends, and daughter all appreciate different things about me, but I’m the only one who knows the little (and big things) that exist inside of me and also deserves time to be appreciated.
Any place, any time, one hour. BYOS (bring your own self). The ideas for solo dates are endless but a good place to start is Bynx Coffee in Downtown Orlando or the Neighbors in Audobon Park. These cafes have a great atmosphere and a rotating lineup of live music in the evenings. During the day, outdoor seating at Financier is a perfect place to enjoy a croissant or you can treat yourself to a slice of cake at the Glass Knife.
Valentine’s Day doesn’t need to be about romantic gestures and having a significant other, it can also be a celebration of love in all its forms in our lives. Whether that is quality time with your children, conversations from the heart with your friends, or quiet moments appreciating yourself, I hope you feel the warmth of love in its many forms.
