10 Unique Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day Like a True Mainer

Ah, Valentine's Day in Maine—where romance meets frostbite and the scent of pine mixes with the salty ocean air. Yeah, there’s dinner and flowers but maybe you want to think outside the box to impress your significant other or date. Here are some truly Maine ways to celebrate love on February 14th.

1. A Cozy Brewery Crawl

Maine is packed with amazing breweries, and there’s no better way to celebrate love than with a flight of craft beer. Okay, maybe there is but it’s Winter in Maine, options are limited. Maybe pick a brewery with a fireplace so you can pretend you’re warm. 

2. Skiing… or Falling Together

Hit the slopes!  Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Mt. Abram, Pleasant Mountain… Maine has no shortage of ski resorts for a thrilling (or humiliating) day of skiing. Nothing screams love like watching your date eat snow after attempting an ambitious turn. 

3. Sunset at Portland Head Light

Yes, it's picturesque. Yes, it's Instagram-worthy. But also, yes, you might end up battling high winds while trying to keep your beanie from flying into the Atlantic. Romance at its most rugged. 

4. A Road Trip to Nowhere

Maine is full of scenic backroads, so just hop in the car, grab some gas station whoopie pies, and see where you end up. If you're lucky, maybe you'll find a cool little diner. If you're not, you’ll end up in a town where cell service and streetlights don’t exist.

5. Snowmobiling into the Wilderness

If your date is down for a high-speed ride through Maine’s endless forests, they might be a keeper. Just make sure you know where you're going, because nothing kills romance faster than getting stranded and having to cuddle in order to actually survive. 

6. A Seafood Shack Valentine’s Dinner

Sure, some places close for the winter, but real Mainers know that if you find a shack still open, you’re in for a treat. Fried clams by candlelight… or by the light of a neon “OPEN” sign. 

7. Ice Fishing "Getaway"

Nothing says romance like sitting in a tiny, freezing shack, staring at a hole in the ice, and waiting for a fish that may never come. It’s quality time—just you, your date, and the cold Maine winter air. 

8. A Polar Plunge

Okay, fine… we’re getting to the end of the list here and I was determined to come up with 10. Want to prove your love?  There’s nothing like shared hypothermia to really bring a couple closer, am I right? Take a romantic dip in the icy Atlantic together. Actually, maybe don't. 

9. Lobster Dinner… in a Snowbank

Why go to a restaurant when you can steam up a fresh lobster feast right in your backyard? Just dig out a picnic table, bundle up in 14 layers, and enjoy the thrill of cracking shells with frozen fingers. And, it’s unlikely you’ll have to worry about a seagull trying to steal your roll! (Again... determined to come up with 10.) 

10. Staying in Because it’s too Cold

Let’s be real. No one actually wants to go outside in February. Light a fire, order takeout, and binge-watch something while wearing matching flannel pajamas. That’s about as Maine as it gets.

So there you go—Valentine’s Day, Maine-style, where options are limited but creativity can save the day.