We are coming down to the final few days before Valentine’s Day, which means that if you haven’t booked a dinner reso yet, you may be out of luck.

But don’t despair… We have a few fun ideas for how you can spend your Valentine’s Day a bit differently this year - ideas that you can make fit any budget.

1. A river date - Pack a picnic basket, a thermos of coffee (or swing by a local coffee shop to grab a hot drink to go), a warm blanket or two, and walk down to a spot along the river. There are plenty of entry points along the Vedder Rotary Trail that offer foot access to the beach. Talk about romantic on a budget! Tip: There are also great spots on the North Side of Chilliwack to picnic along the Fraser River - Island 22 Regional Park is a favourite of ours!

2. Central Village - Central Village in Chilliwack encompasses the many vibrant shops, cafes, and service businesses along Historic Wellington Avenue and Mill Street. We recently posted a Reel on Instagram with a great date idea, taking you from a delicious brunch at the Harvest Cafe, over to the Book Man, and then across to Mary’s on Wellington for a little lingerie shopping, and Lolly’s Fashion Boutique to finish off the day. There are a number of other places that are worth checking out on Mill & Wellington - thrift shops, record stores, salons, and more.

3. Banter Ice Cream - Located in the new “Eddy at the River” complex down by the Vedder Bridge, Banter offers amazing house-made ice cream, with new feature flavours every month. Stop in for a couple of cones, or grab a pint to go, and spent the night on the couch for a little “Netflix and chill.”

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? If so, what are your plans this coming February 14th? Tell us in the comment section.