Best Unique Valentine's Day Gifts In Chicago
Sara Lugardo
Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated by both the young and old, those casually dating and long-time married couples. While the go-to gift usually consists of candy and flowers, oftentimes the most cherished and memorable gifts for Valentine's Day consist of the more unique gestures and ideas. When celebrating Valentine's Day in Chicago, try to think outside of the box for that special person in your life. The result can be a Valentine's Day that exceeds expectations and creates memories for many years to come.
Valentine's Day Dinner Cruise
Spirit of Chicago at Navy Pier
600 E. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
(866) 273-2469
www.spiritofchicago.com
Dates: Feb. 14-16
There are four separate cruises to choose from that cater to differing schedules and preferences towards weekend boarding dates and times. The price includes a table, champagne toast, a dinner buffet and a rose for your sweetheart. There will be a DJ for dancing with a beautiful backdrop for a romantic evening on the water. Families wanting to involve their children in the Valentine's Weekend Saturday Brunch Cruise will have a discounted ticket price for children ages three to 12 with a ticket price of $28.95. You can also upgrade to a Gold Valentine Package or Platinum Valentine Package to get amenities like guaranteed window seating, a half dozen roses or a bottle of champagne.
Couples Dance Class
Chicago Dance
415 W. Huron St.
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 337-9503
www.chicagodance.com
A unique gift to give that special person in your life is a couples dance experience at a professional dance studio. Chicago Dance offers ballroom, Latin, salsa, swing and tango instruction with group classes or private lessons. Gift certificates can be made out to any dollar amount and never expire. This can be something your partner has always wanted to do or a way to improve your dance skills for when you two are going out on the town.
"American Legends" – Joffrey Ballet
Auditorium Theater
50 E. Congress Parkway
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 341-2310
www.joffrey.org
Dates: Feb. 13-24
If there was any occasion that warranted a trip to the ballet, Valentine's Day would definitely be the day to embrace romanticism and do something nice for your significant other. The Joffrey Ballet has come to Chicago for past "Nutcracker" shows, but the "American Legends" performance is something that will be enjoyed by both men and women alike. Women will love the "Sea Shadow" choreographed dance that tells the story of a beautiful sea nymph falling in love with a man, while men will enjoy the nine Sinatra songs that combine the classic tunes of Frank Sinatra with swinging, glamour and sometimes funny vignettes.
Molly's Cupcakes
2536 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 883-7220
www.mollyscupcakes.com
Forgo the cliché dozen roses and chocolate candy and opt for a dozen sweet delicacies from a specialty cupcake bakery. While there are quite a few specialty cupcake spots in Chicago, Molly's Cupcakes had its red velvet cupcake judged by Chicago Magazine to be the best in Chicago. Visit Molly's sprinkle station to add your own custom touch to your treat, whether it's by adding your partner's favorite colored sprinkles or topping it with some candy red heart sprinkles for Valentine's Day. Mix and match your cupcakes to make the gift that much better and your day will be much sweeter because of it.
Awesome Creations
150 S. Washington St., Suite E
Carpentersville, IL 60110
(847) 428-8828
www.awesomecreations.com
Although this Chicago-based company doesn't have a showroom, it does have custom baskets that specialize in Chicago gift baskets. Awesome Creations' Chicago gift baskets are perfect for the special man in your life on Valentine's Day. While it can be difficult to find something for your male counterpart with so many stores catering to women's gifts, Awesome Creations has sports-themed gifts for men that cater to all the beloved Chicago teams. The Chicago Cubs gift basket is complete with Cubs travel mug, bottle cozy, Wrigley Field T-shirt and much more. The personalized ribbon is absolutely free and can be customized to read the name of the receiver. Whether your man is into hockey, football, basketball or baseball; you will find the perfect gift basket to make their Valentine's Day special.
Sara Lugardo is a Korean American who thrives in writing about Asian community news in Chicago. She has a Bachelor's in Communication and is currently working on her Master's. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.
