Don’t let spending Valentine’s Day in Southwest Florida catch you unawares! Mark this romantic occasion with the perfect date planned for you and your sweetheart. We are offering up our top 10 romantic ideas to make this Valentine’s Day a memorable one!
Renew your wedding vows and say “I do” all over again
February 14 at 6pm
A tradition since 1989, head to Siesta Beach or Venice Beach for a non-denominational service presided over by a Sarasota judicial magistrate. Couples of all ages and length of marriage gather for the annual group renewal of vows. Be sure to preregister by February 10th.
Pose for a picture in front of Unconditional Surrender
Nothing can be more romantic than a stroll hand-in-hand along the Sarasota Bayfront. Make it a point to stop and take your picture with Unconditional Surrender. #ValentinesDay #UnconditionalSurrender
Take a picture with your sweetheart in front of Unconditional Surrender.
Walk arm-in-arm along the Bradenton Riverwalk
Go for a sunset stroll along the Bradenton Riverwalk, then follow it up with dinner at one of your favorite Bradenton restaurants.
Bradenton’s Riverwalk
Picnic at the beach
Pack a picnic basket, blanket and find your favorite sandy beach. Plan to go to a more secluded beach to make the experience even more romantic (like Longboat Key, Casperson Beach, North or South Jetty in Venice, Nokomis Beach, or Manasota Beach). Pack simple to eat foods, make a homemade desert, and bring your own silverware. Avoid packing any sort of glass as it’s not permissible on local beaches.
Valentines Stroll in Siesta Village
February 14. 5pm – 8pm
Enjoy a romantic, festive atmosphere in Siesta Key Village with live music and free candy kisses. Participating merchants will display red and pink balloons outside their business.
Valentines’s Day Dance! at Fisherman’s Village
February 14, 3pm-6pm, Free
The annual Valentines Day Dance at Fisheman’s Village in Punta Gorda is the perfect way to enjoy the day with your special someone. Enjoy music from INGROOV on the deck area across from Village Fish Market Restaurant. View more Valentine’s Day adventure ideas in Charlotte County here.
Valentines Arts and Crafts Shows
February 11 – 12
Shop for your sweetheart at one of the local arts and crafts shows. Artists and exhibitors will be selling jewelry, hand-made arts and crafts, paintings and more. In Venice, head to the 3rd Annual Maxine Barritt Park Valentines Arts and Crafts Show. In Sarasota, the 29th Annual Downtown Sarasota Festival of Arts runs along Main Street from 10am-5pm. Or head to Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island for the Arts and Crafts Festival on Marina Drive.
Madama Butterfly
February 11 – March 25
This tragic love story is one of the most performed and best loved operas of all time. Appreciate the one you are with at the Sarasota Opera as they present Puccina’s Madama Butterfly.
The Bridges of Madison County
February 9 – 26
One of the most romantic stories ever written, Manatee Performing Arts Center presents “The Bridges of Madison County,” a two-time Tony Award winning Broadway musical with music by Jason Robert Brown.
Make it a Date at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Instead of giving your loved one a dozen roses (or perhaps in addition to) visit Selby Gardens together for an unparalleled experience amid botanical bliss on Sarasota Bay.
Are there any Valentine’s Day happenings we didn’t include? Comment below to help spread the word.