Celebrating Valentine’s Day in NJ on a weekday might not feel exciting, but that doesn’t mean this romantic holiday has to be boring (or even celebrated on the 14th).  Make this 2023 V-Day one to remember with a unique celebration—whether it’s spending time by a firepit sipping wine and chocolate, dipping into a steaming pool during a weekend getaway, or taking a hot air balloon ride toasting with champagne. Scroll down to find romantic things you can do to make Valentine’s Day in NJ special this year. And if you’re looking to celebrate with the whole family, there are plenty of kid-friendly ways to celebrate too. (featured photo credit: Crystal Springs Resort)

16 ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in NJ

Cozy up in an igloo for a romantic dinner under the stars. (photo credit: @morristown.nj at @figandlilygarden)

Dine in an igloo

One of the best (and most romantic) restaurant changes that is still hanging on since the pandemic is the mini igloo structures at restaurants, giving you a chance to snuggle up close under the stars. For a unique and private V-Day dinner, check out the igloos at Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten, Fig and Lily Garden in Morristown, and Marcus at NoHu Rooftop in Weehawken. For a fancier experience, toast each other in a champagne chalet at Crystal Springs Resort—they have everything from brunch to fondue to seafood on ice. 

Take a spa daycation

Unwind and unpack stress by taking a breather at a day spa. Spend the day lounging at an outdoor steaming pool with heated tents at Sojo Spa Club in Edgewater. Or head to Montclair to experience Bangz Golden Ritual For Two, which includes a gold sugar scrub, scalp and foot massage, and Swedish massage. If you want beach views, head to Long Branch to The Spa at Ocean Place with a couple’s massage. And if you can’t do it for Valentine’s Day, plan to visit one of these 9 relaxing NJ spas in the coming months. 

Create a sweet memento

You know the saying—the couple that creates together stays together, so why not make a keepsake you’ll treasure for years to come? Re-enact your best Ghost scene at The Clay Pot’s Valentine’s Day Event in Spotswood, where you’ll each get a chance at the pottery wheel to create a special piece of pottery. Or head to AR Workshop in Turnersville, Westfield, Moorestown, or West Windsor for various Valentine’s Day projects at different locations. Or have a River to My Heart Date Night at Pinots’ Palette in Cherry Hill.

Partner up for yoga and relaxation together. (photo credit: istock/davidf) 

Practice your couple poses 

Whether you regularly practice or have wanted to try it, a couples yoga class is a great way to mark the occasion. Try Playful Partner Yoga at Whims Brewery in Atco with a no-skills yoga sesh, followed by beer and delish food. Or take a Reset and Refresh Retreat Day to rejuvenate at Pure Toms River Yoga for some self-love. If you want to combine yoga with deep relaxation, try the Peace, Love, and Chocolate: A Restorative & Aromatherapy Workshop at Indigo Yoga in Caldwell.

Gather for a getaway

If you can swing childcare coverage, escape to a quick getaway in the tri-state area. Find romance in Cape May at the luxury adults-only boutique hotel Virginia, get whisked away to a Victorian Castle in the Catskills at Mohonk Mountain House, or spend the day in a steamy outdoor pool at the Crystal Springs Resort. Want more ideas on where to go in under two hours? Check out our luxe hotels guide for PA, NJ, and NY hotels, and start planning now.

Get up and away from it all

Few things are more romantic than a hot air balloon ride—you’re floating high up in the air in a basket with your loved one while enjoying the beautiful sights below. Reserve a private Dinner Flight for the two of you through In Flight Balloon Adventures, where you’ll soar high above the skies in a one-hour ride and then celebrate with an elegant dinner at the nearby restaurant.

Dance like no one is watching

Learning a few new dance steps is a perfect way to mark this V-Day. Sign up for a private lesson and practice your moves with classic dances like ballroom, swing, waltz, or tango, virtually or in person. Learn new ways to swing at Starlight Dance Center in Nutley, Dance With Me in Fort Lee and Glen Rock, or Simply Social Dancing in Hackensack. Or check out Ballroom Dream in South River or Dance A Lot Ballroom Studio in Fair Lawn for online classes that let you learn from the comfort of your living room (and don’t need to hire a sitter). 

Volunteer together

Why not set aside some time on Valentine’s Day in NJ to give back to your community? Help build homes with Gloucester County’s Habitat for Humanity, create displays and sort donations for a thrift shop through Hightstown’s Caring Closet, or sort and organize emergency boxes for Marketplace in Hillside. If you want to get out in nature, try a cleanup at Essex County’s Branch Brook Park. 

Explore wineries and breweries with a twist of chocolate

Take a trip to wine country in the Garden State, try a new brewery, or make it a cozy night by adding a fire pit. Visit Vintner Wonderland at Renault and enjoy an evening of dinner, dancing, and romance with your loved one. Or stop by for happy hour at White Horse Winery or have fun at a live music event at Jessie Creek Winery. For something decadent, head to Tomasello Winery’s Wine and Truffle Pairing and Valentine’s Dinner Dance. 

Indulge in chocolate

Instead of giving each other the usual box of chocolates, sample the sweet stuff at this annual Chocolate Walk sponsored by Mullica Hill’s Historic District on February 11. After you check in and get your passports, take a walk through town and stop at the shops offering sales—and a sweet treat. Or snuggle up with your sweetie for this Wine and Chocolate Weekend from Terhune Orchards, where you can enjoy 16 varieties of wines with chocolate pairings of locally made chocolates. And if you want to give the gift of chocolate, NJ is home to a bunch of charming chocolate shops where you can pick up heart-shaped candies for your sweetie. 

Cook together with a chef 

Even if your SO doesn’t know a whisk from a whip, it can still be fun to cook together with a DIY kit or in-person class. Tony Boloney offers kits with all the ingredients to make beloved Italian comfort foods like meatballs, mutz (mozzarella), and pizza, along with virtual class links to follow along. Hudson Table in Hoboken offers sugar cookie decorating at their studio, or head down the turnpike to Taste & Technique Cooking Studio in Fair Haven, where they offer a Couples: My Italian Valentine class full of showstopper treats.

Bring out your inner artist

If you’ve never done a sip and paint class together, why not try it this Valentine’s Day in NJ? Pinot’s Palette will whisk you away on a canvas romantic getaway (East Brunswick location); you can find Romance On The Beach Date Night in Brick or paint a romantic scene in Cherry Hill. Or create a Flower Power painting at the Roxbury Public Library’s Paint and Sip. After, hang your masterpieces side by side. Staying in for the night? Grab an Emerging Leader Valentine’s Date Night… In A Box from RWJBarnabas Health Community Medical Center and enjoy a painting kit, pizza, and your choice of wine or champagne.
Gliding arm in arm, ice skating is a fun (and romantic) way to spend Valentine’s Day in NJ (photo credit: istock/Maksim Zilberman)

Glide into romance

Wintery weather, an outdoor ice rink, and cozying up to stay warm—you can’t go wrong with taking a spin around the ice rink together for a classic winter activity. Whether it’s skating beneath the twinkling lights at Palmer Square in Princeton, sipping hot cocoa after a glide around the Bergen County Winter Wonderland in Paramus, or sliding to tunes at the Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell, get on those skates and glide into an exhilarating day or night date. 

Rock or laugh the night away

Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to take in a show. Cozy up with your loved one and listen to Boat House Row: The Yacht Rock Experience at the Mayo Performing Arts Center. Or laugh it up with Valentine’s All-Star Comedy Show at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. After the show, enjoy dinner for two at a nearby restaurant. 

Have a tubular-time

Snow tubing is an exhilarating activity to do with your loved one (shh, don’t tell the kids), where you can slide down on comfy inner tubes and warm up in the lodge with a hot toddy after. Campgaw in Mahwah has day and night snow tubing sessions, or head to Mountain Creek in Vernon, where you can sip a cocktail by the fire, après-tubing.

Ski or snowboard after dark

Zooming down a snowy mountain on skis or a snowboard is one experience, but have you ever tried going downhill once the sun goes down? It’s even more exhilarating and romantic. Try twilight skiing at Camelback Resort in Tannersville, PA. Or whiz down the mountain and stop at Midland at Montage Mountain, to hang by one of the firepits with a cup of steaming hot cocoa to warm up. And if skiing past 5 PM isn’t your thing, find one of the ski resorts in or near NJ, where you can go for a day on the slopes. 

Valentine’s Day in NJ—how will you celebrate this year?

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