By Maddie Baker
Cinderella escaped to Prince Charming’s ball, Ariel went on a boat ride through the willow trees with Prince Eric, Rapunzel released lanterns into the sky with Flynn Rider, and Jasmine went on a magic carpet ride with Aladdin; come on, the original date ideas are fading fast.
The bar has been set high. This Valentine’s Day, impress that special someone with a sweet, more personal date. Whether Valentine’s Day is a ploy by card companies, or a holiday commemorating St. Valentine, everyone should have something fun to do on Feb. 14.
Even though going to the movies is cliché and uninteresting, movies aren’t out of the picture altogether. A movie marathon is a fun, easy date that may allow two people to get to know each other better. First of all, it’s much less expensive, but it’s also more intimate and the selection is more eclectic. If picking just a few is difficult, there’s always a Disney, superhero, or classic marathon, or binge on a series or pick a few favorites to watch. To spruce up a movie rendezvous, take a projector outside and make it a personal outdoor movie theater.
“The District will sometimes do the ‘movie in the park’ thing, and that’s a nice date,” Bailey Wardle, sophomore, said.
For those who aren’t into too much screen time, a game night is the perfect solution. All’s fair in love and war, right? A little healthy competition during each other’s favorite board and card games might be just the thing to get the romance going. Some possible options that could be filled with laughs are Apples to Apples, Monopoly, Life, Sorry, Clue, Battle of the Sexes: the options are endless. If it’s not your first date, maybe Twister could be fun, too.
If you prefer the great outdoors to something inside, take a hike. No, seriously, there are several beautiful desert trails in Henderson. Parks are also viable options if you’re a confident person (going to a park to awkwardly sit and do nothing isn’t exactly ideal). Down at Cornerstone park, there’s even a pond where you can feed the ducks, or for $4.95, you can enjoy a beautiful afternoon at Springs Preserve. Likewise, the Container Park on Fremont Street offers an engaging afternoon. It includes boutique shopping, unique dining, and live entertainment. Watching an amateur sports team would be an intriguing date idea because it’s not as noisy and expensive. The National Youth Sports: Nevada offers several locations that allows kids to play their favorite sports. If none of these work for your vision, you could also personalize your date with a little backyard camping.
“One of the most fun dates I’ve ever had was actually just going on a walk in the park. You really get to know the other person,” Charlie Dreitzer, freshman, said.
Prepare your pic-a-nic basket. A picnic done right is romantic and gives people the perfect opportunity to talk. Depending on the timing, two lovebirds could watch the sunrise or sunset. Of course, you could also pull a Walk to Remember moment and have a late night outdoor meal and stargaze.
Incidentally, for people who prefer heating and cooling systems to nature’s mood swings, there’s an arcade. It’s cheesy, inexpensive, and lots of fun. Green Valley Ranch has an arcade fully equipped with ski ball and Dance Dance Revolution. In addition, some arcades have laser tag or mini golf, like King Putt. South Point, on the other hand, has its arcade right across the way from its bowling alley, which could also be a fun date with a little bit of healthy competition.
Kids in Vegas sometimes feel that there’s nothing to do if you’re under the age of 21, but that’s not entirely true. The Bellagio sets up a spectacular conservatory every season, and the current theme is the Chinese New Year. The Bellagio also has its famous fountain show. There is a show every half hour from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and every 15 minutes after 8 p.m on Monday through Friday. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the show runs every half hour from noon to 8 p.m. and every 15 minutes after 8 p.m.
Not to be outshined, the Mirage also has kid and teen-friendly attractions like Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. All-day adult passes are $19.95, and weekend hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can come face to face with bottlenose dolphins, white tigers, lions, and leopards.
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming. The deep blue contains majestic creatures that are on display for you at Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef. General admission tickets cost $17 with the Nevada resident discount. Although, you could also take a trip to the “best free attraction in Las Vegas,” and visit the Silverton Aquarium that comes equipped with mermaid swims.
If all someone wants to do is try something new with their Valentine, be adventurous. A fun new activity to try is to visit a farmer’s market. There are interesting people and merchandise every time because certain items are more desired than others depending on when someone visits. Thousands of people attend the Las Vegas Farmers’ Market to stock up on farm fresh fruits, vegetables, homemade baked breads, hand-crafted items and more.
Furthermore, anyone could try an alternative restaurant: Vegas has some interesting options all the time. Cheesecake Factory, Rumi’s Mediterranean Grill, Joe’s Crab Shack, P. F. Chang’s, Cafe Rio, or any other restaurant that you want to try. have an eclectic collection of food to please an eclectic variety of tastes. Considering this, you could also sample a cluster of different desserts or ice cream flavors. Thrifty’s, Ben & Jerry’s, U-Swirl, Golden Spoon, Yogurtland, and Baskin Robbins all have a multitude of ice cream or frozen yogurt flavors.
“Happiness doesn’t come from a dollar amount, but the people you choose to surround yourself with. A date can only be as fun as you make it even if you are simply with each other,” Natalie Johns, senior, said.
The most important thing to remember when planning a fairytale date is to have fun and act natural. It will be fun no matter what the activity is as long as both parties are having a good time and enjoying each other’s company. Everyone can believe in fairytale endings on this Valentine’s Day.
