Your 2021 Guide to Planning the Perfect Hawaiʻi Valentine’s Day
This one goes out to all you lovers out there.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner—hope that doesn’t surprise anybody—now is the time to get your Valentine’s Day dates in order. Actually a week ago was the time, but let’s just ignore that. The good news is, if you’re still scrambling for date ideas, you’ve come to the right place. Below we’ve put together a handful of Hawaiʻi Valentine’s Day dates and events that will surely impress your one and only.
Wine and Dine
Photo: Getty Images
One of the best things about Valentine’s Day is that gives you and your beloved a really good excuse to go out and eat some truly ʻono (delicious) cuisine. And while almost every fine dining establishment across Hawaiʻi is doing some sort of Valentine’s Day menu, here are a few to get you started. Steak lovers will want to find a table at Hideout, located at The Laylow, which is doing a $120 Tomohawk Ribeye for Two special at its open-air dining area. We’re talking a 36oz ribeye paired with smashed truffles and parmesan potatoes with roasted asparagus, aliʻi mushrooms and veal jus on the side. In a similar, meaty vein, Morton’s The Steakhouse is offering both dine-in and to-go options with a three-course steak and lobster dinner for two plus a bottle of wine for $169.
An assortment of restaurants will be cooking for couples at the Royal Hawaiian Center, which is also giving out free three-hour parking with any purchase from the mall. Located in Royal Hawaiian Center, Doraku Sushi Waikīkī is offering a $100 four-course prix fixe menu for two, while Il Lupino Trattoria & Wine Bar is serving a premium-priced four-course prix fixe dinner for $125 per person. For couples looking for a casual—but still romantic—takeout dinner that can be enjoyed in one’s own hale (home), Buca di Beppo in Honolulu will have its Valentines’ pre-fixe to-go. Heart-shaped lasagna for two, anybody?
Find Your Romantic Getaway
Photo: Courtesy of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
Nothing says romance like whisking away your love to a hotel room or resort. Fortunately, the hospitality industry knows that too, and are offering romantic getaway packages for both kamaʻāina (locals) and visitors. The Kōloa Landing Resort on the sunny south shore of Kauaʻi, for example, is promoting a $349-per-night Valentine’s Day Package, which includes a romantic dinner at the property’s award-winning Holoholo Grill featuring a filet and lobster dinner for two, a complimentary upgrade from a studio to a spacious 800-square foot villa as well as a free private poolside cabana rental. Yes, please.
On Oʻahu, locals will receive a cheaper nightly rate ($169 or $189, depending on the room) at the Prince Waikīkī, where guests will also be treated with a complimentary breakfast for two at 100 Sails Restaurant & Bar. If you’re looking to create a moment that will be remembered forever, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on Hawaiʻi Island can book a private four-course dinner at one of the resort’s many stunning venues, as well as add Hawaiian entertainment like hula dancers, solo musicians and fire knife dancers for an additional fee. The Montage Kapalua Bay, located on Maui, is also offering three special Valentine’s Day activities—a truly relaxing Maui Romance spa treatment at the Spa Montage Kapalua Bay, a champagne and sunset viewing session by the sea at the pop-up bar and lounge, Cliff House, as well as a three-course dinner for two at resort’s restaurant Cane & Canoe.
Get Them Something Special
Photo: Getty Images
Sure, love may be all you need in a relationship, but a little something-something on the side doesn’t hurt either. Fortunately, there are tons of shops and retailers throughout the state that will definitely be carrying something your beloved will adore. Mahina, which has locations on Maui, Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island, is a great place to shop for cute trinkets and comfy clothing. If your lover loves everything under the sea, the Waikīkī Aquarium will actually be opening its gift shop for a limited time on Valentine’s Day, and spenders who pay $30 or more can receive either a free treasure bag or a mochi seal plushie. If you want to make a date out of a shopping trip, the International Market Place—home to over 90 boutiques, galleries, retailers and restaurants—will also be offering a stargazing show ($80 per adult) in cooperation with Stargazers of Hawaiʻi.
