Whether you’re searching for a new experience to share or a special meal for two, we’ve got you covered.
Newport Gondola Ride
End the day with a romantic sunset ride in a gondola. The hour-long Valentine’s Day cruise includes a bottle of sparkling cider or sparkling mineral water and gourmet chocolates. Starting at $145 per couple. newportbeach.gondola.com
Silver Stirrup Riding Academy
Make fairytale into reality by taking a horseback ride and ending the date with a picnic on the trail with sparkling cider and chocolate-covered strawberries. $185 to $200 per couple. 25200 Trabuco Road, Lake Forest, silverstirrupridingacademy.com/valentine-s-day-special
Miraval Spa
Take part in three special couple’s classes including partner yoga, love and romance, and wine and chocolate pairing. $150 per couple. 1 Monarch Beach Resort N., Dana Point, monarchbeachresort.com/miraval-spa-dana-point
ChocXO
Learn about making chocolate from scratch with a tour of a chocolate factory. Free chocolate samples are included. Tickets are limited. $10 per person. 9461 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, chocxo.com
Sherman Library and Gardens
Enjoy the beauty of the rose garden, Japanese garden, herb garden, and the tropical conservatory. Dine outside at Pascal Olhats’ Café Jardin. Garden entrance is $3 per person. 2647 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar, slgardens.org
Newport Beach Valentines Cruise
Cruise on a yacht for three hours while watching the sunset and sipping bottomless champagne. A four-course dinner is included at a private, candle-lit table. Starting at $393 per person. hornblower.com
Cinépolis
Take the classic movie-and-dinner date further by catching a film at this luxury cinema. Enjoy reclining seats, waiter service, in-theater dining with gourmet appetizers and entrees, and a full bar. 32401 Golden Lantern, Laguna Niguel; 30632 Santa Margarita Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, cinepolisusa.com
Date Nite Box
If you are still unable to plan the perfect date, you can enlist this Costa Mesa-based subscription service. Discuss your preferences with a dating specialist and receive a customized plan with pre-paid date vouchers. datenitebox.com
Restaurants with Valentine’s Day Prix Fixe Meals
Tangata Restaurant
Inside Bowers Museum, Tangata offers a three-course menu with an amuse-bouche. Try a specialty cocktail with your dinner ($14). Dinner is $75 per person. 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana, patinagroup.com/tangata-restaurant.
Silver Trumpet Restaurant and Bar
Enjoy a four-course dinner including coq au vin or prime New York steak at this restaurant near Segerstrom Center for the Arts and South Coast Plaza. The dinner includes a champagne toast. $79 per person. 3350 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa, silvertrumpetrestaurant.com.
Selanne Steak Tavern
A three-course meal with a butternut bisque amuse bouche offers the choice of Dover sole or Imperial Farms wagyu tenderloin. $85 per person, $110 per person with wine pairing. 1464 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, selannesteaktavern.com
Broadway by Amar Santana
Indulge in a five-course tasting menu made up of ahi tuna tataki, butter-poached Main lobster, lavender honey-glazed duck confit, grilled ribeye, and a milk chocolate coconut crunch dessert. $125 per person. 328 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach, broadwaybyamarsantana.com
Marché Moderne
The relocated restaurant offers a three-course meal with a prawn tartine amuse bouche. Choose from six first-course selections, including oysters on the half shell, and four main-course selections such as roasted duck breast with amaretto demi jus. $125 per person, three wine pairings for $39. 7862 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Newport Beach, marchemoderne.net
Mozambique
Chef Braulio Melo’s special Valentine’s menu includes your choice of entrée, such as New Zealand rack of lamb, plus an amuse bouche, appetizer, and dessert. $75 per person. 1740 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, mozambiqueoc.com
Napa Rose
Chef Andrew Sutton creates a four-course Valentine’s Day dinner “inspired by California’s unforgettable flavors.” $130 per person, $55 additional per person for wine flight. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, 1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, disneyland.disney.go.com/dining/grand-californian-hotel/napa-rose
Seasons 52
Feb. 14 lands on a Wednesday this year; If you’re busy that day, or just want to grab a great deal, look to this South Coast Plaza spot. The three-course dinner for two includes starters such as lobster bisque and mains such as curried snapper with basmati rice and wood-grilled filet mignon. Offered Feb. 11 through 13. $60 per couple. 3333 Bristol Ave., Costa Mesa, seasons52.com
The Winery
The three-course menu includes six “beginnings” and six mains to choose from, including prosciutto-wrapped white shrimp and herb roasted Cornish game hen. End on a sweet note with a selection of mini pastries. $89 per person at The District, 2647 Park Ave., Tustin, thewinerytustin.com; $109 per person at 3131 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach, thewinerynewport.com
The Beachcomber
Settle in at the cottage on the sand and treat yourself and your sweetheart to a four-course meal featuring dishes such as lobster bisque, pan roasted Jidori chicken, and chocolate cake with fresh strawberries. $110 per person. 15 Crystal Cove, Newport Coast, thebeachcombercafe.com
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
You can opt for the three-course prix fixe dinner here, which includes a prosciutto-wrapped sea scallop amuse bouche and your choice of filet mignon or New Zealand barbecue salmon. But if you really want to go all out, splurge on the Wine, Dine, & Sparkle experience, which includes a bottle of Veuve Cliquot and a $250 Tiffany infinity necklace. $69 to $85 per person for dinner. $500 per couple for the Wine, Dine, & Sparkle package. 455 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, flemingssteakhouse.com
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