Valentine’s Day is around the corner!
Don’t have anything planned for the holiday? No worries, we have you covered.
There are a lot of things to do in Arlington on and around Valentine’s Day. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Tale As Old As Time
Imagine the look on your petite princess’s face when she walks into the Bob Duncan Center to see it transformed into an enchanted ballroom! This will be the scene of the Daddy Daughter dance hosted by the City. This year’s theme is Beauty and the Beast. Individual tickets include a corsage, dinner and drinks, dessert, a parting gift and a professional photograph. A limo ride around Vandergriff Park is available for an additional cost. The event will be held from 7 – 9 p.m. on Feb. 9 and from 4 – 6 p.m. and 7 -9 p.m. on Feb. 10. But you better hurry; tickets always sell out!
For more: naturallyfun.org/ddd2018
Love & Luxury
When you want to show your loved one how special they are, you can’t go wrong with a trip to the spa!
You can get a one-hour chocolate and cherry Rhonda Allison facial with milk mask at Great Skin Spa, 3851 S.W. Green Oaks Blvd., Suite 107. If you buy one, you will receive half off the price of the second. The spa is also offering specials on Brazilian waxes, teeth whitening and body wraps throughout February. For more: 817-567-2894
Give your Valentine a gold box, wrapped with a green ribbon – a gift certificate to The Sanford Spa & Salon, 506 N. Center St. The spa is offering three luxurious packages: Sweet Love, Just the Way You Are and Dream Maker. All include lunch with wine or champagne.
For more: 817-861-2129
Restaurant Romance
Restaurant 506 (located in The Sanford House) will be serving a romantic prix fixe menu, in addition to items on its regular menu, on Valentine’s Day. If you can’t make it out during the week, the restaurant is offering the special menu through Saturday, Feb. 17, so you still have time to celebrate! For more: 817-861-2129
For a taste of Italy that has earned both a Taste of Arlington People’s Choice Award and distinction as “One of the Top 10 for Food in the Fort Worth Area” from Zagat Dallas-Fort Worth Restaurant Guide, you can take your date to Piccolo Mondo, 829 Lamar Boulevard East.
For more: 817-265-9174
Reserve a table at Mercury Chophouse, 2221 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 910, and enjoy filet mignon with your choice of crab cake Oscar or lobster tail, all while taking in a panoramic view of Arlington’s Entertainment District. For more: 817-381-1157
You can bring your favorite bottle of wine to enjoy with your meal at Café Sicilia Italian Restaurant, 7221 Matlock Road. The menu includes pizza, pasta, chicken, veal and seafood. If you prefer to stay home for the holiday, Café Sicilia offers delivery to a limited area.
For more: 817-419-2800
Enjoy the Arts (of Various Sorts)
Timeless Concerts will feature beautiful and romantic music from around the world, comedy and previews of upcoming concerts during its Valentine Special Fundraiser event at 8 p.m. on Feb. 10. The event will be held at the Arlington Museum of Art (201 W. Main St.). Schedule performers include tenors Don O’Neal LeBlanc and Sergio Cepeda, soprano Judith Rodriguez and the infamously funny Colleen Hughes Mallette, along with the Chenoweth-Kang-Hood trio (violin, piano and cello). After the hour-long concert, attendees can enjoy the post-concert party, with complementary buffet of desserts/fruit/cheese and wine/soft drinks, or you may BYOB.
For more: timelessconcerts.com
A Hidden “Gem”
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but searching for anything that sparkles can also be fun! The City of Arlington is home to more than 90 parks. One of the newest is the Crystal Canyon Natural Area in North Arlington (1000 Brown Blvd.). It’s an actual canyon that was carved by water, leaving behind marine shales, siltstones, mudstone containing inner beds of calcareous fossil clams, gypsum layers and fine-grain sandstone. The natural area has been called a “geology lover’s paradise.” But even those with little geological background will enjoy a walk along the trail (if the weather cooperates) to search for crystals! That’s right, selenite crystals have been found throughout canyon.
Shop Till You Drop
Searching for the perfect gift? Then you definitely want to step into Gracie Lane (720 S Cooper St.). Whether you are looking for a specialty piece or a handcrafted design, you are sure to find it at this collection of unique shops. Gracie Lane is hosting a Valentine’s Day themed Sip and Shop from 6 – 8 p.m. on Feb. 8. You can browse the aisles while sipping on wine and enjoying chocolate. There will also be a sweetheart giveaway and boutique discounts. For more: 817-468-5263
Sweet Treats
Nothing Bundt Cakes (839 E. Lamar Blvd. and 5001 S. Cooper St.) has special Valentine’s designs available. You can buy the Love Hearts or White Hearts (which are both packages of mini bundt cakes) or the larger Love You to Pieces cake topped with a red satin bow and pink heart puzzle. Add a balloon bouquet for a special touch! Choose from 10 different flavors including red velvet, chocolate chip, cinnamon swirl, classic vanilla and the featured chocolate turtle. If you stop in the store, you can also find unique gifts, charming cards and inspired decorator items. For more: 817-583-6522; 817-557-2253
Star Gazing with Your Sweetheart
The Planetarium at UT Arlington is hosting its annual “Romancing the Stars” event on Valentine’s Day. You can see the show at 5 p.m. or 7 p.m. A reception with snacks and drinks will be held in between the two shows at 6 p.m. The Planetarium is not doing anything on the weekends surrounding the holiday. For more: 817-272-1183
When Your Other True Love is Sports
The weekend before Valentine’s Day, there will be a doubleheader at College Park Center at the University of Texas at Arlington. Cheer on both the women’s and men’s basketball teams as they take on Texas State. The women’s game is at 2 p.m. The men will start at 4:15 p.m.
For more: 817-272-9595