Making plans on Valentine’s Day can be difficult, especially since the holiday will fall on a Thursday in 2019. Even though Valentine’s Day is generally considered to be celebrated by couples, many single people decide to celebrate other relationships in their lives around this holiday as well. To make a date or an outing easier to plan, The Seahawk has compiled a list of ideas specifically for the Wilmington area that would work for any amount of people in any situation in February.

Going to a restaurant

Although this seems like an obvious choice, there may be different restaurants in Wilmington that would be fun to try out on a date or with a group of friends. Try not go to the same places constantly. Experience new things. There are a lot of great restaurants in Wilmington, and some of these can be good for more casual or serious dates. Examples of cool places to visit would be Poe’s Tavern, King Neptune at Wrightsville Beach, and Front Street Brewery downtown.

Hugh MacRae Park

The park is a very inexpensive place to take your loved ones. It is not too far from campus and provides beautiful scenery. There is no entrance fee, and this would be a great place to pack a lunch and take a date. Also, if you enjoy recreational sports, this would be a great place organize a causal game and to take a group of friends for no charge.

Flip N Fly

This is a great place if your significant other or your best friend likes adventure and fun. Although this place is a little more pricey for students and one of the more expensive options on the list, it includes basketball hoops, wall-to-wall trampolines, foam pits, a game room, and more. It is $14 dollars for one hour of time and $24 for two.

The Wilmington Ice House

On Friday, Feb. 15, there will be a private skating session hosted by UNCWeekends starting at 10 p.m. for students. Tickets will be $3. If students miss this opportunity, the Wilmington Ice House is a skating rink that also offers public skating year round. It is only $7 for entry during the day and public skating hours are posted on their website.

Stay on campus – Map the stars

If your loved one or friends are interested in the night sky, print out a map of the eastern night sky and go stargazing with them. You do not need a telescope, just a clear and hopefully warm night. This would also give you the opportunity to take pictures and create memories you will never forget.

Go to the movies

Over February there will be some great movies about love in theaters. Some movies that come out in February include “Isn’t It Romantic,” “Alita: Battle Angel,” “Happy Death Day 2U,” and “Fighting With My Family.”  Although all of these are not romantic comedies, it gives a variety of options for any type of group that wants to have fun in February. A popular movie theater off-campus is the Regal Cinemas in Mayfaire.

Try an escape room

One fun thing that a friend group can do together is try out an escape room. The Exit Games is a great place to try this out. They currently have two different types of rooms, Casino Heist or Nightmare on Front Street. Nightmare on Front Street is for those friend groups that are into thrill-seeking and Casino Heist is considered fun for all. The price is $25 for one person; however, this would be an experience that no one would ever forget.