Different ways to spend Valentine’s Day in the Vail Valley

Valentine’s Day is coming up on Wednesday and whether your valentine loves classic gestures and gifts like candy or jewelry, or is ready to jump off Lover’s Leap on a ski date, here are a few ideas on how you can spend this day celebrating love.

For the sporty valentine

Most people live in the Vail Valley for the outdoor activities like skiing and snowboarding. Take part of the day off or get a babysitter and plan a date on the hill. It’s a great way to connect with each other and the beautiful surroundings at Vail and Beaver Creek. If your skill level allows, jump off Lover’s Leap in Blue Sky Basin.

If you want to earn your turns or that piece of decadent chocolate, get your workout in during your date with a skin uphill. Alpine touring gear can be rented at the local backcountry shops if you don’t own your gear. Try Meadow Mountain if you are bringing your dog, otherwise call the Vail or Beaver Creek Uphill Hotline to see which route will be open on Valentine’s Day. If skiing up Vail or Beaver Creek’s slopes, you must do it outside of operating hours.

If hiking is more your speed, rent some snowshoes or buy a pair of traction devices for your hiking boots and hit the trail. From East Vail to Edwards, there are lots of snow-packed trails to choose from. Take a picnic and a bottle of rosé and you’ve got yourself a nice date. If you need to rent snowshoes, contact the Beaver Creek or Vail Nordic Center. Traction devices can be found at most ski shops.

Many people don’t think about fly-fishing during the winter months, but you can do so year-round. The waterways don’t freeze over completely, so there are always a few good holes to fish. If you don’t have your gear, stop by one of the many shops, rent the full setup, and ask what the fish are biting on. The calm setting and thrill of catching the big one will make for a great date.

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There’s a 75-minute Chakra Balancing community yoga class at The Athletic Club at the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa in Avon on Valentine’s Day at 5:30 p.m. for those yogi couples. Heart opening poses, chakra blessings, tea wine — can you say “Namaste?!”

For the foodie valentine

Beyond the athletic pursuits in the area, we also have many ways to delight the foodie. With so many award-winning chefs and restaurants, you’ll be sure to satisfy your sweetie’s palate. According to the Vail Daily’s annual reader’s poll, Best of the Vail Valley, these are the hot spots in the Best Place for a Romantic Date category:

• Juniper – Edwards
• La Nonna – Vail
• Ristorante Ti Amo – EagleVail
• Roam – Eagle
• Splendido at the Chateau – Beaver Creek

Stoke & Rye at the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa in Avon is hosting a special Valentine’s Day Tasting Menu from 5 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Enjoy charcuterie, fried oysters, beef carpaccio, filet tenderloin, poached lobster and plenty of desserts and wine pairings are available.

Are you looking for dining with a twist? Why not take a snowcat sleigh to one of Beaver Creek’s on-mountain restaurants like Beano’s Cabin, Allie’s Cabin or Zach’s Cabin? Or a horse-drawn sleigh dinner at 4 Eagle Ranch? You can dine in an igloo at Leonora with a four-course, prix fixe menu. The structure is igloo-shaped and made of a clear material so you can see the stars or watch the flakes fall if it’s snowing. Wherever you decide to go, make sure to get a reservation. The restaurants tend to fill up fast on Valentine’s Day.

You can always give the gift of food and the Taste of Vail is one event that will satisfy that gastronomic gesture. The 32nd annual event returns this spring on Apr. 3-6. New this year, the Taste of Vail has added opening and closing night dinners to the multitude of tastings and seminars.

For the music-loving Valentine

From après ski to The Amp, music is woven into the fabric of our community and whether you catch a few tunes at an après ski show before going to your romantic dinner or purchase tickets as a present for your music-loving lover, the gift of music will create memories long after the performance.

Bar hop to hear a variety of tunes and styles of music. The valley is lucky to have such a breadth and wealth of talented singers and musicians and restaurants and bars that support live entertainment. Let your heart sing as you bop along to the familiar tunes like “Sweet Caroline” or “Brown Eyed Girl.” Who knows, if you’ve got the skill, you may even find yourself up on stage singing to the crowd.

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The Vilar Performing Arts Center has plenty of concerts left this winter season. If you want to go to a show on Valentine’s Day, get a little irie with SOJA with special guest HIRIE at 8 p.m. SOJA has been bringing the good vibes through their music for over two decades and on the band’s most recent album, the two-time Grammy-nominated roots reggae group collaborated with known entities in the reggae world such as UB40, Slightly Stoopid and Rebelution. Hawaiian-born pop star, HIRIE (Patricia Jetton) will also share the Vilar stage spreading positivity and love, a perfect combination for Valentine’s Day.

Surprise your valentine with tickets to STOMP on Feb. 17 and 18, Grace Potter on Feb. 23, Penn & Teller on Mar. 12 and TOTO on Apr. 9. More information and a full schedule of shows can be found at VilarPAC.org.

Looking at music further out this year, Bravo! Vail Music Festival has announced its summer schedule running June 20 to Aug. 1, including “La bohème,” Puccini’s famous opera.

The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater has released a few summer shows with big names like The Beach Boys on Aug. 13 and O.A.R. on Aug. 17. Just announced on Tuesday: Umphrey’s McGee will play on June 14, and Allison Krauss and Robert Plant will be in Vail on Sept. 1. For a list of shows and ticket information, visit GRFAVail.com.

For the traditional valentine

If you want to go the traditional route with sweets, jewelry and pampering, the Vail Valley has plenty of places you can go to treat your other half.

For those with a sweet tooth, Sundae Ice Cream in Vail and Edwards has many flavors including a spumoni sundae featuring chocolate and strawberry ice cream, pistachios, cherry compote, whipped cream and a cherry on top. For hot chocolate lovers, try the Haute Chocolat, a rich mixture of Valrhona and dark chocolates, combined with steamed milk and then slowly poured over a house-made marshmallow sitting on top of a dark chocolate lattice. Make sure your camera is ready for this Instagram-worthy moment.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend and you can find plenty of bling at the boutiques in the valley. Betteridge at Solaris carries all the big names from Cartier to Rolex. Squash Blossom carries vintage turquoise Squash Blossom pieces, heart-shaped pendants and red rubies for Valentine’s Day. Squash Blossom will host a party from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with permanent jewelry, bubbles and jewels by Gemma Couture and free diamond Huggies hoop earrings if you spend over $1,000. You can never go wrong with anything from The Golden Bear, known for its iconic bear designs that have become the symbol of Vail.

If you want to get blissed out for Valentine’s Day, why not take time out for a couples massage? Many of the area spas offer special rooms for couples massages and even some extra treats during Valentine’s Day like chocolate and prosecco.

The Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail offers a s’mores facial with a marshmallow whip hydration mask infused with a complex blend of hydrating peptides and botanicals. Spa Anjali at the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa is offering a luxurious exfoliating Strawberry Seed Body Polish through February. This sugar-based polish is high in antioxidants and Vitamin C, leaving your body deeply hydrated and nourished. Exhale Spa at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek is offering gift cards at 25% off by using this code: LOVE25.