Best Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day in New England

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, it’s time to plan something special! Whether you make a day of it, head out at night, or spend it curled up on the couch, we’ve got plenty of ideas for what to do for Valentine’s Day in New England.

FEAST YOUR EYES
What could be better than gazing into each others eyes over a terrific meal? If you’re heading out, we suggest turning to our 2013 Editors’ Picks for a roundup of delicious dining options for each state. Whether it’s romance with candlelight or bowls of chowder, we’ve got you covered!

2013 Best Food & Dining in Connecticut
2013 Best Food & Dining in Greater Boston
2013 Best Food & Dining in Maine
2013 Best Food & Dining in Massachusetts
2013 Best Food & Dining in New Hampshire
2013 Best Food & Dining in Rhode Island
2013 Best Food & Dining in Vermont

SNOWY SHENANIGANS
Heading out into the snow armed with snowshoes, skis, ice skates, or even the keys to a snowmobile guarantees an action-packed winter day where you can hold hands, snap photos, make memories, and then head inside to warm up by the fire. Need some inspiration? Check out our picks for Best Ways to Have Fun with Snow.

COZY HOT COCOA
Few things are more luxuriously warming (and delicious!) than a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Whether you prefer to get yours on the go and stroll the streets, or cozy up at home on the couch, this cold-weather favorite will warm you both from head to toe. Want to know how to make the best cup of hot chocolate at home? Michael Klug, head chocolatier at L. A. Burdick tells you How to Make the Best Hot Chocolate in the World.

ESCAPE TO THE CAPE
If fighting the summer crowds on the Cape and the islands gets you down, why not take advantage of the quiet season and enjoy a romantic winter getaway this winter? With many inns and restaurants offering bargain rates and prix fixe menus, you’ll be giving both yourself and your wallet a break.

Check out the Sage Inn in Provincetown – a 2013 Editors’ Pick for Best Lodging in Massachusetts. P’town can be raucous, even off-season, but the soothingly simple rooms of the Sage Inn sit so far off Commercial Street that they seem to be in another ZIP code. The ground-level lounge with restaurant and bar might be the most serene spot in town.

On Nantucket we love CRU Oyster Bar, a 2013 Editors’ Pick for Best Dining in Massachusetts that is open Thursday through Sunday during the off-season. Inside, oysters hail from Barnstable Sea Farms and Island Creek in Duxbury, and seasonal seafood dishes (softshell crab, line-caught swordfish) round out the menu. And speaking of oysters…

OYSTER INDULGENCE
One of the great alleged “aphrodisiac” foods, a plate of oysters will supposedly help you find luck in wooing the object of your affection. Planning on preparing them at home? Check out our Guide to New England Oysters and How to Shuck Oysters. Then try your hand at Oysters On the Half Shell with Mignonette Sauce or opt for a rich and creamy dish with Scalloped Oysters Cormier.

CHOCOLATE!
Why mess with a classic? The bouquet of roses and box of chocolates are still a Valentine’s Day favorite, so why not make sure you’re getting the best? Check out our picks for Best Chocolate Makers in New England and skip the last-minute visit to the drug store this year (or let your guy or gal know where you’d like them to go instead).

SMOOTH JAZZ
It’s hard to imagine a more finger-snapping place anywhere in New England than the Acton Jazz Cafe, a 2012 Editors’ Pick for Best Massachusetts Local Secrets. Music’s almost always in the air: six nights a week, including sunset and starlight jazz jams on Sundays and blues jams on Thursdays. A light menu of pastas and salads and not-so-light desserts rounds out the offerings.

We also love Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen in Boston, a 2013 Editors’ Pick for Best Attractions in Massachusetts. Just up the street from Berklee College of Music, Darryl’s plays up the jazz connection with live performances most evenings. The menu offers modern twists on Southern soul food.

ROMANTIC RETREAT
We all know this truth: If you’re with a person you love and you’re loved in return, anyplace that’s warm and clean can create a romantic getaway. But there are a number of special places that define “romantic.” With so many candidates for New England’s “most romantic,” we offer a short list of our picks for the Best Romantic Inns in New England that will be sure to thaw hands and hearts. Love the historic feel of an old inn? Check out New England’s Best Historic Inns.