Planning a Valentine’s Date Night? Whether you and your Valentine enjoy live entertainment, dancing, or staying active, there are plenty of ways to spend a romantic evening in Rochester, MN. Here are four date night ideas to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Rochester, MN:

Dinner and a Show

Bleu Duck Kitchen | TJ Turner

Many Rochester restaurants have special Valentine’s Day menus planned, including Bleu Duck Kitchen’s Aphro-“Duck”-Siac’s Valentines Week Dinner, Our Paladar’s Valentine’s Week three-course prix fixe menu and SMOAK BBQ’s 3-Course Valentine’s Day Special.

Johnny Cash: The Official Concert Experience | photo by Timothy Norris

After dinner, head to Johnny Cash: The Official Concert Experience at Mayo Civic Center on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. The experience brings songs and stories from the “Man in Black” to the stage in a way that audiences haven’t seen or heard before. With video of Johnny from episodes of The Johnny Cash TV Show projected on a screen above the stage, a live band and singers will accompany him in perfect sync.

Another great show to attend is the Rochester Civic Theatre’s production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, running on select dates from February 8-25, 2024. It’s a trail-blazing rock musical with plenty of laughs, too.

A Night of Dancing

Blue Moon Ballroom

Check out Blue Moon Ballroom’s Valentine Dance Band on Saturday, February 10, which features the D’Sievers band. It begins with a brief dance lesson followed by an open dance floor.

Bitter and Pour | Experience Rochester

Looking for more? After the dance, go out for drinks or dessert in a more intimate setting, such as Bitter & Pour or Mezza 9 Café and Bakery.

A Hike By Candlelight

For a picture-picture date night, embrace Minnesota’s winter weather and go for an evening hike by candlelight at Quarry Hill Nature Center’s Friday Night Lights on Friday, February 9 or its Valentine’s Hike by Candlelight on Friday, February 16. Follow luminaries along the trail to a bonfire and hot cocoa bar.

Friday Night Lights at Quarry Hill Nature Center | Experience Rochester

Pair your active date with a healthy meal, such as an acai bowl at Bloom Acai Café or vegan sandwich at Old Abe Coffee Shop.

Bloom Acai Cafe

A Hands-On Date Night

Create your own date experience with a variety of opportunities to get crafty. Visit the indoor Rochester Farmers Market on February 10 from 9am-12pm at Graham Park and get as many ingredients as you can to create your own romantic meal at home.

Then, learn a new skill by taking a Valentine’s Day themed art class at Art Heads Emporium or make each other vintage Valentines cards at the History Center of Olmsted County on February 10.

Looking for more ideas? Check out the Events Calendar for the latest local events and read about four Rochester’s most romantic restaurants here.