I love Valentine’s Day—always have, always will. Any excuse to celebrate love, I’m in! And there is no shortage of fun ways to celebrate Love Day in Kansas City. Here are 14 ways to celebrate in Crown Town.

1. I woke up like this. And you should too! A staycation at the gorgeous Kansas City Marriott Downtown is the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day! Grab your toothbrush and some pajamas, and they take care of the rest. You can spend your entire visit lounging in your comfy bed, binging all your favorite Netflix shows, and dining on room service. Or you can enjoy a delicious dinner at Metropolitan KC, their on-site restaurant. (Gnocchi, Brussels, and chocolate all on the same menu…?!) Sleep late and make sure to grab breakfast before you return to reality. Book your V-Day visit, and you will leave feeling rested, refreshed, and completely spoiled!

2. Rollin with my main homie—That’s another fun way to celebrate V-Day! Grab a scooter or bike, and create your own crawl through downtown KC. I’ve got a full blog post about crawling the Crossroads, but there are so many options in our city. We recently did our first crawl through North Kansas City and found so many fun spots.

3. You say chocoholic, I say cocoa enthusiast. Don’t be a Negative Nancy. Panache Chocolatier in Park Place is your spot for the sweetest (pun definitely intended) lil chocolate and coffee Valentine’s date. It’s the cutest shop with delicious award-winning chocolate. (Yes, that’s a thing, and I’m still trying to figure out how I become a judge…) You can design your own tasting experience, or take the recommendations of their incredibly knowledgeable team. (Pro Tip: Take the recommendation.) Either way, you’re sure to have the best time! Also, they have the best gift sets for your Valentine, Galentine, Palentine, Yourselfentine…

4. Shopping, but I don’t have to hide the bags?! Tell me more…If you’re looking for a unique idea for this Valentine’s, a shopping date is the way to go! Make that dinner reservation, but before you dine, make a couple of stops to pick outfits for one another. (Yes ladies, he gets to pick your attire. But you finally get the chance to ditch his faded polo. Allegedly… ) Make it silly or make it serious—either way, you’re in for a great time! And if your dude is anything like mine, dressing room try-on sessions are not his favorite pass time, but I promise if Indium Intimates is one of your stops, no one will be complaining.

5. Okay so not every Valentine’s comes with the time, the money, or the babysitter for an extravagant date. Totally cool, because all you need is a cute lil Heart Day sweatshirt, a bucket of popcorn, and a movie or Netflix marathon on the couch at home, and you’re still in for a great night with your boo.

6. It’s all fun and games until you beat me at skeeball, and then I hope you like sleeping on the couch.Okay, okay so maybe I’m a “little” competitive, but there’s really nothing like acting like a kid with my PIC. We love Up Down Kansas City and it’s such a great spot for Valentine’s Day! Tons of games, yummy food, a full bar, and even a photo booth to commemorate your date. They have lots of V-Day specials, so pay them a visit with your Player 2!

7. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t kill their husbands, they just don’t. Solid words from Elle Woods to live by on Valentine’s Day. Whether it’s a workout in the basement gym, trading sets on your favorite weight floor, or taking that class you’ve been dying to try, getting your heart pumping on Heart Day is a really fun way to celebrate. Bonus? No makeup required and two words: yoga.pants. Yaaasss!!!

8. When I suggested a couples massage during our 5th anniversary trip in Mexico, I never could have known that I would turn my husband into a bougie lil spa Stan. Now the dude loves to get a massage on the regular. Our favorite day spa in Kansas City is, hands down, Bijin Salon in Shops of Prairie Village . Over the years, I’ve had several treatments, and they always make me feel so relaxed and pampered. (I’ve honestly considered moving into their steam room.) In addition, Chad B. knows that a gift certificate for Bijin is ALWAYS a good choice. So this Valentine’s, put on your comfies, and spend some time getting the VIP treatment with your VIP at your favorite spa!

9. Wait. I get to make a mess in someone else’s kitchen and there’s no dishes? Sign. Me. Right. Up. Over the last several years, Chad and I have taken a few cooking classes for our V-Day celebration, and each time, we have a blast! From pizza tossing at 1889 Pizza to steak and salmon at Lenexa Public Market, we’ve learned a few new tricks, met fun new friends, and got to spend time together in the kitchen that wasn’t rushed or interrupted by a tiny foodie. I highly recommend a cooking class for your Heart Day celebration, so if you’ve been considering it, go for it!

10. Running into Valentine’s week (and toward the wine) like…Three of our favorite wineries in Kansas City are KC Wine Co, Stone Pillar, and KC Wine Works, and any of these would be a great choice for a Valentine’s Day wine tasting! From novice to junior sommelier, you’re sure to learn something new and have a great time in the process! Each of these spots host special events to celebrate Heart Day, so check out their schedules. And if you’re not local to KC, check out your favorite local winery to see how you can say Cheers too!

11. What a fun and delicious Valentine’s date idea (especially if you’re short on time)— go somewhere for dessert only! Share a slice or grab a couple of options, and connect over sweet confections. (Side Note: This also makes for a really good family date too. Also, more people = more desserts.) If you’re local to Kansas City, there are so many options, but we love Decadent in Prairiefire for a dessert date. If you go, make sure you get the Lemon Berry Marscarpone Cake. IYKYK

12. When we’re feeling a little disconnected, we opt for a dinner date at home. Mini foodie goes to bed, plates hit the table, wine fills the glass, and we talk. This is another great option for Heart Day if you don’t feel like braving the cold or crowds, don’t want to shell out money for a fancy dinner or sitter, or if you just want to wear pajama pants. We do typically pick up a dessert from André’s, McLain’s, or Dolce, but we cook the rest. I’ve got tons of recipes on the blog that would be great to make.

13. What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh it’s only the best day of the year…Ladies celebrating ladies! For those that may not be familiar with the holiday, the concept is pretty simple: Celebrating female friendships the day before we get a visit from Cupid. If you need ideas of how to have the best day with your besties, check out my recent TravelHost Kansas City article for ways to celebrate with your girl gang! Not that any of us need an excuse to plan a Girls Night, but just in case, Galentine’s Day is it!

14. If we’ve been friends for a while, you know that Chad and I love a progressive date night. I have a few blog posts about this, but you can also do it Strang Hall style! Apply the same formula—start with drinks at one place, apps at the next, entrees at the next, and one last stop for dessert—but we never had to leave the warmth of one building! No planning, no reservations, and no fancy dress required.

I hope you have the best Valentine’s Day, no matter how you choose to celebrate!

XOXO,

Molly B.