Dinner and a movie is nice, but typical. Seeing the “bean” or perusing Navy Pier in the oftentimes frigid cold of Chicago, though romantic, has been overdone. Chicago is the third largest city in the United States, so surely there’s plenty of Valentine’s Day related options, right? Here are a few that I’ve found:
Chicago Park District
The Chicago Park District has a variety of dances available that aren’t just for married or dating couples. For the cost-conscious, most of these events are free or close to free. Families are encouraged to attend these events as they have the traditional mommy-son or daddy-daughter dances as well. For those with toddlers, this may be a great way to get the children out there for a fun Valentine’s Day night as a family. Highlights include: Family Fun Valentine’s Day Dance at 18th & Indiana on February 9th (cost is $10 per child), Winter Bonfire Series at Gage Park on February 11th, and the Family Hearts and Crafts event on February 14th at Armour Square Park.
Visit http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/events/february2013/ to find out more events going on in the month of February.
Chicago Restaurant Week
Why wait until February 14th to go out to dinner when Chicago is having ten days of lunch and dinner options at various restaurants with fixed-price menus?
Try Demera Ethiopian Restaurant in the Uptown neighborhood for African cuisine, the Melting Pot in the River North area for fondue, Green Zebra in River West for vegan/vegetarian cuisine, or Tuscany in Little Italy for authentic Italian cuisine. For foodies this is a great opportunity to try various cuisines at a fraction of the cost of the normal dining experience; it also gives you an excuse to branch into the city more than normal, perhaps.
Chicago Restaurant Week runs from February 1 through February 10, 2013. Go to http://www.choosechicago.com/things-to-do/dining/chicago-restaurant-week/ to learn more about this event.
Cultural & Scientific Events
For the artist, or artist-at-heart, listen to Laura Letinsky at the Museum of Contemporary Art discuss her art and the process she uses to create it. To listen is free with general admission. For $45 you can learn how the zoo does baby-making around Chicago’s Lincoln Park. Listen to speakers go into the science of what goes into creating those perfect opportunities. Instead of looking into a lover’s eyes, you can gave deep into outer space since Adler Planetarium is providing a free day on February 14th from 10am-4pm.
