ROMANTIC ADVENTURES
Great ideas for local lovebirds
Looking for something beyond the usual for you and your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day? Here are some adventurous options to celebrate your relationship.
THREE SNOWSHOE ADVENTURES
Sure, you can snowshoe anywhere there’s a decent amount of snow, but how about stepping up your game with a guided trek in the mountains? White Mountain Adventures takes you to places you would never get to venture on your own. Aside from the sheer romance of falling into mounds of puffy white snow only to lay side-by-side to soak up the scenery, you’ll get a robust workout during the threehour snowshoe. The cost is $79 per person, with various pickup points, including the Delta Kananaskis, in the Bow Valley. Guaranteed, you’ll be smiling from your adventures all the way to the Delta Kananaskis for a romantic evening.
For another beautiful snowshoe session — self-guided or guided — head to Sunshine Village. Take the gondola to the base and then hop on the Standish Express and head on over to other side of the mountain and into the heavenly snow-draped scenery of Sunshine Meadows. Your adventures include crossing the Continental Divide into British Columbia for a photo op. Then stay on-mountain at Sunshine Mountain Lodge where you can get fresh ski tracks first thing in the morning. Be sure to check out the Love Chair photo booth.
Take your snowshoeing adventure to a heavenly level with a heli- snowshoe date with Rockies Heli Canada. The company offers several options, including a private tour for just the two of you. Included is your scenic Love in the Rockies flight over the Rockies is touching down for a wilderness walk in untouched powder, a half-bottle of bubbly, and a sweet treat. You can also opt to snowshoe.
MAKE IT A DOWNHILL DATE
A couple of Banff ski resorts are making Valentine’s extra special with some vertical action. Mount Norquay has the single skier in mind with its Lifts of Love event happening on Feb. 11. Registration begins at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., hop on the high-speed quad chair and meet someone new every time you ride up. Then head over to the Lone Pine Bistro for the apres ski mixer with some DJ music, food and drink. On Feb. 14, Norquay will hold a special Valentine’s moonlight dinner at the Cliffhouse Bistro, at the top of North American chairlift. Get a bit of sundown skiing in before heading up for a three-course meal and drinks.
COME SKATE AWAY. . .
Go on a good old fashioned ice skating date at Bowness Park. The recently refurbished park with a shallow lagoon guarantees a frozen surface, which is kept in excellent shape by a local community group. You don’t even need to have your own skates; you can rent them onsite. Skate to your hearts’ content and then warm up by the bonfire with a hot cocoa. If this is an extended date, head out to one of the many restaurants on 17th Avenue S.W. (Pigeonhole comes to mind as does Ox & Angela, both known for their diverse menus of small sharing plates.) Your overnight stay is just down the road off 17th Avenue at Hotel Elan, an ultra-contemporary and affordable hotel that has some rare creature comforts ( like heated toilet seats) not found in many hotels at this price.
BREWING UP A FUN NIGHT
Calgary is fast becoming a ‘ hopbed’ of craft-brewers — so much so the city’s northeast has now earned the nickname “north- yeast.” The companies, micro to nano, are producing some excellent beers around the city and beyond. Choose from one of several Calgary Brewery Tours to learn about all the talented brew masters (and spirit-makers) in our midst. Tours begin with a hearty lunch to prep you for all the tastings along the way. Transportation is provided. Spend the night at Hotel Arts, one of the city’s hippest boutique hotels, which also happens to have a couple of excellent restaurants on site — The Yellow Door Bistro and Raw Bar.
ROMANCE ON THE WILD SIDE
Leave the kids at home and head to the Calgary Zoo for a little sex education of the wild kingdom kind. Enjoy a candlelit dinner in the conservatory, followed by a fun and informative presentation called in In the Heat of the Night. You might just pick up a few pointers from our feathered and furry friends. You can choose to go on Feb. 13 or 14.
HOT DATE IN THE KITCHEN
Take your passion into the kitchen for a Valentine’s date night at the Cookbook Company. As part of its wonderful lineup of classes all year long, the Cookbook Company has whipped up something special for Feb. 14 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Chef Matthew Altizer will guide you along in this hands-on class, where you learn some new techniques and recipes to make a fivecourse meal. Cost of the class ($95 pp) includes two glasses of wine and food. More wine available at the adjacent Metrovino wine shop.
Would you rather just be a taster of wine and sweets? Crowfoot Wine & Spirits has a Wine & Chocolate Valentine’s Couples Night on Feb. 14 at its 7414 Crowfoot Rd. N.W. location. Champagne and caviar will be served first, setting the mood for what promises to be a luscious night.