Do you need some ideas for Valentine’s Day in Columbia, SC this year? How will you celebrate with the kids? What about a date night, or a friend’s night out? Whether you’re celebrating love for your family, your friendships, or romantic love for your spouse or significant other, there are so many ways to celebrate the holiday. And of course, at Kidding Around, we have some great ideas!
So, without further comment, here is our guide to celebrating Valentine’s Day in Columbia, SC for everyone!
Watch! Our Family Celebration Valentine’s Ideas
We joined Fox Carolina, Access Carolina to talk about Valentine’s ideas for celebrating with the whole family.
Valentine’s Day: The Date Night
It’s the classic Valentine’s Day thing, right? Plan that romantic date, or epic couple’s adventure. Go out for dinner, or have a picnic. So many options.
Let’s kick things off with some of Columbia’s most unique date ideas.
No ‘Cliche’ Dates Here.
If you’re looking for fresh ideas and something different for a Valentine’s date this year, or even if you just want to go out for Galentine’s, the ideas in our list of Unique Dates in Columbia should get that creativity flowing. We have everything from axe throwing to a secret dessert spot!
It doesn’t have to be fancy.
Pizza for a date night? I mean, why not? Keep it simple. No planning required. It’s a great idea. Unless your spouse wants to get anchovies and garlic on top. We can’t help you there.
Valentine’s Date Ideas from our readers: Reader Katie W. suggests grabbing something to eat and then going for a walk at Sesquicentennial State Park. She suggested Village of India, across from Sesqui, or Le Bambou Restaurant Africain on Two Notch Road.
Thinking of something more romantic?
Try one of these romantic date night restaurants in Columbia, SC.
It’s the classic date night, and that seems to be especially so for Valentine’s Day date nights. Find the perfect romantic date night restaurant and enjoy a meal together.
Valentine’s Day: On a Budget
The budget is stretched a little thing right now. So, how do we celebrate Valentine’s Day when those fun date night ideas are just too expensive?
Free Date Ideas
- Head out for a hike: There are plenty of hiking trails in Columbia and many have totally free admission.
- Visit Soda City Market and window shop the handmade items at Columbia’s most popular Farmer’s Market.
- A date at the zoo? Why not? And, zoo admission to the Riverbanks Zoo is free for residents of Lexington and Richland Counties on Fridays in January and February 2024.
- Try some “window shopping” at the Meeting Street Artisan Market every Saturday in West Columbia.
- Have your Valentine’s Date a little early and visit the Columbia Museum of Art for Free on the first Thursday of the month (February 1, 2024).
- Bonus: The first Sunday of each month, from 12 – 5 pm, the SC State Museum has $1 admission. It’s not free, but for $1, it’s pretty close.
If you want to go out with the kids, you’ll find more than 25 totally free ideas in our list of Free Things to Do in Columbia. These are really, actually, fun things to do, too.
Budget-Friendly, Low-Cost Date Ideas
Who doesn’t love coffee?
Sure it’s not an elaborate romantic dinner, but a quiet hour at a coffee shop with a great cup of coffee and a pastry on the side is Valentine’s date gold. Why? It’s budget-friendly, and you can have some time to reconnect with your significant other. Talk. Maybe get a refill on that coffee and then play a game, bring a deck of cards, or if you forget try a phone app game.
My husband and I enjoy playing Shobu, a simple strategy game that’s easy to learn but really hard to master. If we forget to bring the board game, we just pull it up on the phone and play that way.
Another idea: take your coffee for a walk. Pick up your caffeinated beverage to-go and head to Columbia’s Riverwalks for a date-day stroll.
Valentine’s Childcare
Check out our list of Parent’s Night Out (also called Kids Night Out) programs that you can use for childcare when you celebrate Valentine’s Day. Our list has old favorites and several events special for Valentine’s Day!
2024 Valentine’s Day Family Events in Columbia, SC
Celebrate with your kids and your family at these Valentine’s Day events. You can get a little crafty for Valentine’s Day, learn something new, or get dressed up and head out for a fun evening together. There are some really fun things to do happening for Valentine’s Day!
Just click on each event for more information!
We’ll be adding to this over the next month. Check back soon for more!