As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, invest in keeping your connection strong with date nights. Are you out of ideas? Keep reading for 10 suggestions to put on the calendar with your special someone—in February and beyond.

Pretty Woman: The Musical

TICKET TO ROMANCE

Cozy up and catch a show—a Broadway show, to be exact—at the Harris Center (harriscenter.net). Their Broadway series includes exceptional productions, many of them Tony Award winners. This month’s top-tier performances include Annie and Menopause: The Musical 2, with Pretty Woman: The Musical making its debut in March. And what’s a night at the theater without a sweet ending? The house-made chocolate lava cake at Land Ocean is a perfect encore.

IN THE MOOD FOR SAKE

Did you know Folsom is home to a state-of-the-art sake facility that’s open to the public? Head to Gekkeikan Sake (us.gekkeikan.com)—the company's first brewing facility outside of Japan—and begin your adventure with a serene stroll through their Japanese garden, then head inside for a casual tasting, where you can “choose-your-own-sake adventure” with a flight of three or by the glass. Reservations are recommended but not required. 

LOVE GROWS HERE

Spend a Saturday morning (8 a.m.-1 p.m.) at Soil Born Farms (soilborn.org), getting lost together in fresh produce, delicious food, and beautiful farmland. Start by picking up a treat and drink at Phoebe’s Tea & Snack Bar before strolling the beautiful grounds. On February 22, catch their Regenerative Agriculture Farm Tour at 10 a.m., where you can learn about sustainable farming practices and Soil Born’s efforts to nurture the land. 

START YOUR ENGINES

Looking for a high-speed, adrenaline-pumping date night? Head to the Apex at Red Hawk (apexatredhawk.com) and rent a kart for some heart-racing quality time on the track. You can even try Glow Kart Racing on Tuesdays and Thursdays for an extra boost of fun! Each race is six minutes long; how many are you and your special someone up for? Afterward, keep the competitive spirit going at the Apex’s innovative golf simulator. 

Crocker Art Museum

HEART FOR THE ARTS

Enjoy a day of culture, creativity, and curiosity with a visit to two of Sacramento’s most beloved museums. Start at the Crocker Art Museum (crockerart.org), renowned for its European master drawings, international ceramics, and California art. Stop by their café for lunch before heading to the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity (visitmosac.org), aka MOSAC, Sacramento’s cutting-edge science center designed to ignite creativity and inspire wonder. Finish your adventure journeying through the stars, exploring distant galaxies, and experiencing the cosmos like never before at MOSAC’s state-of-the-art planetarium. 

STRIKE UP SOME FUN

Bowling is a classic date night: one that’ll have you laughing, moving, and partaking in light-hearted competition. But FLB Entertainment Center (flb365.com) takes it to the next level with HyperBowl, a combination of bowling and high-tech video games with colorful, interactive targets. Once you’ve bowled to your heart’s content, mosey on over to the pool tables and dart boards in the sports bar, where you can choose from 20 draft beers and order from an extensive food menu. 

MAKE A PERMANENT MEMORY

Looking for a bold date night idea? Commemorate your love with permanent ink at Folsom City Ink Tattoos (folsomcityinktattoos.com), Folsom’s original tattoo shop. With over 25 years of inking experience, you can rest assured they specialize (and are pros) in all styles and types of tattoos. From classic traditional Americana and intricate Japanese designs to stunning portraits, hyper-realistic ink, delicate fine line work, biomechanical, and tribal styles, their team has the expertise to bring your vision to life.

RIDE INTO THE SUNSET

Take your date off the beaten path with a romantic trail ride. Shadow Glen Riding Stables (shadowglenstables.com) is nestled alongside 10,000 acres of California State Park horse trails, rich in gold mining history, and boasts picture-perfect views. The scenic western trail ride (one- and two-hour options are both available) takes you along the American River at Lake Natoma, where you’ll wind through gorgeous native foliage and spot wildlife in their natural habitat. All trail rides are led by Shadow Glen’s certified wranglers, ensuring that even beginners feel comfortable and confident.

GO GLOBAL 

Want to taste your way through different cultures without the expense of a flight? A trip to KP International Market (sac.kpmart.com), a local gem that brings the world to your doorstep, is a fun, eye-opening adventure for foodies and travel enthusiasts alike. Packed with products and produce from over 40 countries (Korea, Mexico, Russia, Japan, Italy, Poland, and Germany included), you can pick up novelty ingredients, specialty snacks, and rare finds from far-off places. It’s also home to an international food court, featuring cuisine from every corner of the globe.

PINBALL & PINTS 

Relish in nostalgia or try something new with a plethora of pinball games at Das Flipperhaus (dasflipperhaus.com). Look forward to a collection of movie-inspired machines such as Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, and Pulp Fiction. You and your sweetie can choose from eight local beers on tap to go along with your game play. If you’d like to see how pinball connoisseurs do things, pop in on a Monday night; tournaments start at 6:30 p.m. 

by Caitlin Emmett & Nelly Kislyanka

Harris Center (L to R) Chase Wolfe and Ellie Baker, photo © Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade. Gekkeikan Sake photo by Megan Hoang. Soil Born Farms photo by Joan Cusick. Apex at Red Hawk photo courtesy of Apex at Red Hawk. Shadow Glen Riding Stables photo by Lily Goldfild. Das Flipperhaus photo by Taylor Allred ©stylereadersmedia. Other photos courtesy of their respective companies or organizations.